YogActive

It has most definitely been a long while since I last blogged, but seeing as it is now summer, I decided I should update this blog with an entry. I had originally created this blog for the purpose of an assignment, but I truly came to enjoy the entire blogging experience, and will therefore continue on in updating this blog on a regular basis.

I was browsing around the cereal section of Costco today and came across a brand of cereal called YogActve. I must admit that I was originally drawn to the cereal for it's fancy packaging, as it looked very modern and was highly visually appealing to say the least. I then began to analyze the claims on the box and was immediately intrigued. It had stated that the cereal contains an active flora of probiotics, which I thought was interesting because probiotics are typically associated with yogurt and not cereal. To update everyone about what probiotics are, they are a type of microorganism that has been shown to be healthy for the gut. In addition to probiotics, the cereal contains a hefty amount of fibre, which has also been shown to be beneficial towards one’s digestive system as well as heart. I am not quite sure about everyone else, but whenever I hear or see the word fibre, a boring image of oats or bran always seems to pop up in my thoughts. This however, was not the case because the cereal was marketed in such a way that it actually looked delicious to consume, especially when I saw the mouth-watering strawberries and peaches on the front of the box. Needless to say, after standing in the cereal isle for about 20 minutes just staring at the box, I ended up purchasing it. I am actually quite impressed with how creative this cereal is because up until today, I had never heard of probiotics in cereal before. I am therefore quite excited to try this new brand of cereal out!

to Drink or Not to Drink?...THAT is the Question

Source: http://www.healthzone.ca/health/dietfitness/article/783496--caffeine-gets-okay-in-non-cola-drinks

I was reading the newspaper yesterday morning, and stumbled upon the above article. In accordance to this article, Health Canada has deemed the use of caffeine as a food additive in all carbonated beverages (not just colas) acceptable if their concentrations do not exceed 150 parts per million, as no health concerns has been detected at such levels of consumption. The article also notes that the maximum caffeine concentration in colas is 200 parts per million, thus allowing beverage companies to fall only slightly behind cola companies in terms of their caffeine concentrations. Furthermore, the article states that although consumption at 150 parts per million is usually of no concern, the consumption of caffeine at exceeding levels (above 400 milligrams of caffeine per day) can cause symptoms such as insomnia, headaches, irritability, dehydration and nervousness. Pregnant women are also not encouraged to consume a high level of caffeine containing beverages, as caffeine can actually lead to miscarriages and low birth weight infants. In terms of children and adolescents, depending on their weights, they too are not recommended to consume caffeine at specified high levels. Lastly, the article notes that Health Canada is urging soft drink manufacturers to voluntarily list the total caffeine contents in their products so that consumers can make informed decisions when purchasing beverages, and manage the amount of caffeine consumed.

After reading this article, I was a little shocked to say the least, and not in a good way either. I could not believe that Health Canada, one of the supposedly most trusted sources of information related to healthcare in Canada, deemed the caffeination of all carbonated beverages as acceptable. I mean sure, I am glad that there is a limit on exactly how much caffeine is allowed to be added to these beverages, but with all the health concerns related to caffeine consumption (i.e. in pregnant women), why are they still allowing other non-cola beverage companies to add caffeine to their drinks? Yes, only approximately 400 milligrams of caffeine a day would truly cause health concerns, but with caffeine being added to almost every single beverage that many of us consume on a daily basis, it could quite possibly add up to dangerous levels. What is even funnier is that they are “urging” beverage companies to “voluntarily” state the caffeine concentration of their products on their labels so that consumers can make informed decisions. Do they honestly believe that just because they “urge” the beverage companies to state the caffeine concentrations of their products, that they will actually do so? Most of the companies will probably just ignore this and continue on with their daily operations, especially since this action is completely voluntary. No regulations have even been passed controlling caffeine labelling on products, which means that consumers most likely will not even know how much caffeine they are truly consuming on a daily basis, allowing caffeine consumption to reach dangerously high levels even more readily. I feel like they are not truly trying to assist in the prevention of health-related issues, but more so waiting for some type of mishap too occur before they are willing to actually do something about it.

Furthermore, I find it interesting that they would first state caffeine consumption below a certain level as being acceptable, yet also tell the public that caffeine consumption can cause harm if consumed in excess (above 400 milligrams). At the same time, Health Canada has also consistently discouraged the consumption of soft drinks because of the added sugars and calories found in such beverages. I feel like they are sending the public mixed messages because they appear to be saying that the consumption of soft drinks below a certain level of caffeine is okay, but the consumption of soft drinks is not encouraged anyways because of the added calories and sugars found in them. Confused yet? I know I was, as I soon found myself wondering whether consuming soft drinks is okay or not. At this rate, I think I will just stick to drinking water all day, as it seems like the safest and healthiest thing to do.

The Magic Word is FREE!

My friends and I were out studying the other night, when we realized that it was nearing dinner time. We were all hungry and needed to grab something quick to eat so that we could get back to studying as soon as possible. One of my friends suggested that we go to Harvey’s for dinner because they were apparently having some sort of promotion. I was a little curious, so I decided to go to their main website to search up exactly what this promotion was. It turns out that Harvey’s was having a promotional deal where one could purchase an Angus Burger and receive another Angus Burger of equal or lesser value for free. Personally, I did not see what the big deal was. I purchase a burger and I get another one for free, but why would I need to consume two burgers in one night? I would much rather eat a salad or something healthier, just so I do not feel nearly as guilty for having just consumed a countless amount of calories and salt in one meal. My friends however, did not seem to understand my reasoning, as they quickly stressed the word FREE to me.

One of the main responsibilities of a community dietitian is to promote the development and maintenance of a healthy lifestyle by helping community members make more nutritious eating choices on a daily basis. Whenever I see promotional deals, such as the ones displayed by Harvey’s however, I begin to question how it will ever be possible for health promoters and community dietitians to change the current consumption patterns of our communities; especially since such promotions are consistently and regularly being created. For instance, I am almost 100% certain that my friends have been told an innumerable amount of times that eating fast-food can be detrimental to one’s health. Yet as soon as they hear the word free, they do not really seem to care much about the health indicators that accompany eating such food items. It almost appears as if it does not matter how effectively health promoters and dietitians attempt to promote healthier eating choices, because the fast-food industry will always create something else that works against what has previously been promoted. I actually had a friend that once worked at a Harvey’s, and she told me that whenever deals like these are launched, the lines become so long that they go around the entire store. This then makes me wonder, what is so captivating about these fast-food restaurants that prompt so many of us to line up for hours, just for a free burger? What do such promotions say about the future of our communities and their health?

Perhaps communities are so drawn to these fast food restaurants because they have become so readily available. For example, one can acquire a McDonald’s or Harvey’s value meal effortlessly, seeing as there is likely an abundance of McDonald’s and Harvey’s located around the community. This relates to the topic of building healthier communities that we discussed several weeks ago in lectures. In order to change the eating patterns of our communities, we first need to build healthy communities that promote a healthy lifestyle. For instance, by offering healthier food choices within the communities more frequently, perhaps an overall healthier community can be created. I hence recommend that one way of combating such promotions in fast-food restaurants, is to offer healthier food options for communities to choose from at an equivalent or lower price. This is evidently just my opinion on the matter, so what do you think? Are there other ways of motivating communities towards eating healthier? Have you ever been tempted by the promotions offered by fast-food restaurants?

Family Fun by Preparing, Sharing, & Caring

As many of you may (or may not know), I work part-time at a real-estate office as a receptionist. This would therefore mean that I spend a countless amount of time sitting in front of a computer while answering phone calls. Being a Saturday afternoon, where the phone lines are pretty much dead, I’m left sitting here with nothing much to do but to surf the internet. That’s when I came across this store called “MXYPLYZYK”, which is a specialty store that features unique items from around the world, where many of their pieces are inspired by early superman comics. Among the numerous quirky items on their website, what really caught my attention is their interesting selection of kitchen-ware. I was immediately drawn to them because they just looked like so much fun to cook with. Imagine cooking with a cheese grater and veggie peeler that is shaped like an action figure!

I think that products like these are great because it turns cooking into a fun and enjoyable experience. Being in Toronto, where many lead a hectic and busy schedule, cooking at home may not exactly be considered something that is enjoyable. For instance, why else would there be so many restaurants offering take-out menus? Or aisles and aisles of convenience food items sold at the supermarket? There is evidently a market for these cooking options, which is why they have become so popular today. Even being a Nutrition and Food major myself, I often find myself eating instant noodles for lunch whenever I am at home because I simply do not have the time to cook myself a nutritious meal. On the contrary, if I were at home with fun cooking gadgets to cook with, I would most definitely be more willing to spend some time in the kitchen cooking myself a wholesome meal.

Of course, cooking at home does not necessarily need to involve nicely decorated products like the ones I just mentioned, to make it a fun and enjoyable experience. For instance, I would be more than happy to cook if I were in the kitchen with just my mother or some friends. This would allow me to spend quality time with them just chatting and catching up with one another. I just feel like situations like these rarely happen because everyone has become so busy. I think that it is important for health promoters to promote and encourage the concept of social cooking more often because it is something that is often regarded as being irrelevant to health. For example, I often see advertisements or announcements about reducing sodium intake, or limiting the amount of fat in one’s diet, but very rarely do I notice one that advocates for eating and preparing meals together with family or friends. As discussed at the beginning of the semester, social wellness is a very important component to health. I think that not a lot of people know about this however, because health promotion is more often centered on the clinical aspects of health rather than the social aspects of health. This does not mean that it is not important however, which is why I feel that communities need to be further educated about the benefits of eating and preparing meals together, and further encouraged to participate in community programs which allow for social cooking to occur (i.e. baking together at the community bake ovens found at Dufferin Grove Park). After reflecting about this matter, I have decided that I will make a greater effort to eat and cook together with my family because not only is my health benefitting from this, but my family’s health as well.

Source: https://www.mxyplyzyk.com/v03/index2.php?cat=100

Healthcare, There’s an App. for That!

When you’re going to a restaurant with a couple of friends and aren’t sure how to split the bill, there’s an App. for that. When you’re in the dark and am in need of a flashlight, there’s an App. for that too. When your younger sibling is sick and you’re in need of some advice or information, there’s an App. for that? It appears that there is indeed an App. for this, as a free iPhone application was launched, which allows for one to have quick and easy access to information about childhood emergencies, medical conditions, and information about general health. In addition to these interesting features, the application can also provide maps and directions to the nearest doctor’s office or clinic.

I was greatly intrigued when I first read about this in an article, as I’m sure many of you are iPhone users, and I thought that this application would be fairly helpful for parents. For instance, I initially thought that if someone’s daughter or son became sick in the middle of the night, maybe this application would come in handy, just as a quick way to search up some information about the symptoms that the child may be experiencing. As I reflected deeper however, I became less convinced that this application is such a good idea. I mean yes, I’m sure that it would be nice to have convenient access to healthcare information via a mobile device, but how truly credible is this information? What if a child is seriously sick and the application says that it is nothing to worry about? In using this application, it would be just be too easy for parents to overlook their children’s symptoms and not seek for professional advice when it is seriously needed. I suppose that the overall concept of this application is great, since I can see that the creators of this application are just trying to use the newest technological advancements to connect people with updated healthcare information. At the same time however, the application should be used with caution, as it can lead to some serious problems if taken too seriously.

After reading this article, it also made me realize how easy it truly is for one to spread incorrect healthcare information to people and towards communities. For instance, by simply uploading inaccurate information onto a website or iPhone application, millions of people can gain access and become misinformed with the blink of an eye. No wonder there are so many misconceptions within the field of nutrition today, seeing as it has become so easy for information to become dispersed. On the flipside, it can also be easy for health promoters to use technology towards their advantage. For example, maybe future nutrition health promoters can use mobile devices in their favour by creating an iPhone application as well, one that features free credible nutrition information towards communities. Now THAT would be an application that I would surely use!

Source: http://www.healthzone.ca/health/parentcentral/familyhealth/article/774328--sick-child-there-s-an-app-for-that

Can Video Games be Healthy?

Obesity is becoming one of the major health concerns among North America today, and many health professionals are attributing this issue to the lack of physical activity that is displayed. For instance, after a long day at work or school, many typically go home exhausted, with exercise being one of the last things that we worry about. Additionally, with our current preoccupation with leading a fast-paced and hectic lifestyle, whenever we are able to spare some free time, we tend to spend our time performing leisure activities such as surfing the internet, watching televisions, or playing video games.

With the recent development of the Wii console however, which features a unique sensor bar that allows for physical movement to become a part of the gaming experience, it is to no surprise that health and fitness games emerged themselves into the video gaming world. For example, games such as Wii Sports, Wii Fit and Wii Resort allows for various types of sports and activities to be enjoyed, played, and experienced within the comfort of our own homes. One can even develop a personal training routine with a virtual fitness trainer teaching us what types of activities we should be focusing on, when enjoying these games. As I browsed around the video gaming section of Best Buy, a thought suddenly came into my head; can such games be healthy to us in any way? I know that video games, even with a Wii console, will obviously never be as physically exerting as truly participating in a real game of tennis or golf, but isn’t having some form of movement in front of the television screen better than having no movement at all?

I like where the concepts of these Wii games are going because it plays on the idea of allowing us to perform physical movement and play certain sports that we may never be able to play with the busy lifestyles that many of us lead. To my surprise, I have actually even seen the Wii console used within practice recently. The long term care home that I volunteer at actually used Wii games to assist the elderly residents in practicing their hand coordination and movement. When I saw this, I was very impressed because it allowed for a fun and creative way for the residents to obtain some form of physical movement that is not too tiring or physically straining for them. On the flipside however, such consoles and games are quite costly. Only individuals fortunate enough to afford the console itself, as well as the various ad-ons (controllers, balance board, etc...) and games, are able to participate and enjoy the activities offered. I understand that gaming and watching television are leisure activities that only people who can afford to do such activities partake in, but are we being a little too critical and biased towards video games? Health promoters are consistently discouraging individuals from partaking in such sedentary activities, but are all video games bad? What about the ones that promotes brain health and thinking? What about ones like these that promote movement and coordination? In no way am I promoting video gaming because I too have one of these consoles and to be honest, I barely ever play with it anymore. In my opinion, I think it depends on how we use these games. We should not spend our entire day at home playing such games, but I suppose on days where we feel extra sluggish and tired, playing these games are better than playing ones that only requires thumb motions and pushing buttons. It will also be interesting to see what technology holds in the future. Who knows, maybe someday we can actually participate in sports, in the same ways as we do in real life, within our own homes!

Hot Dog, Not So Hot Anymore!

Source: http://www.healthzone.ca/health/parentcentral/familyhealth/article/769499--redesign-the-hotdog-doctors-urge

Mustard, ketchup, and relish might be losing a friend, as the well-known shape of the hot dog may change. According to the above article, the hot dog is in need of some serious redesigning, as it has become one of the leading choking hazards to small children. The article notes that due to the distinctive size and shape of the hot dog, it can effortlessly lodge itself into a child’s throat, thus blocking his/her air passages completely. Being a human manufactured food item, pediatricians believe that the shape of the hot dog can be changed without any difficulty.

I agree with the idea that because the hot dog is a highly manufactured food item, the shape of it can be changed effortlessly. This however, does not mean that the shape of it should be changed. To me, a hot dog just wouldn’t be a hot dog if its shape were to be redesigned. For instance, it is because of its unique shape, which allows for it to be consumed so conveniently on the go. Through redesigning the hot dog, a lot of money as well as jobs (from hot dog stands and sellers) can be lost. Additionally, if the hot dog’s shape needs to be redesigned, does this not mean that other potentially dangerous food items should also be redesigned? Perhaps parents should just not provide their children with such food items at such a young age. I understand that parents cannot be watching their children at all times, but the children are obviously obtaining these potentially dangerous food items from somewhere within the house or environment in which they live in. This thus ties into the importance and increased need for community education in parenting. Perhaps more parenting programs should be initiated within communities, teaching parents what foods are acceptable and not acceptable for their children to consume at different ages. On another note, hot dogs arn't exactely the most nutritional food items that children should be encouraged to consume anyways, so perhaps restricting children from eating hot dogs would not be such a bad idea after all. This is evidently my opinion on the matter, so I end this post with the question:

Should the shape of the hot dog be changed?

Goodbye Ox, Hello Tiger

Chinese New Year is one of the biggest holidays within the Chinese culture. This year is the year of the tiger, which begins on February the 14th (Valentine's Day!!!). Being someone who grew up within a fairly traditional Chinese family, it is one of my favourite "holidays". I call it a "holiday" because China recognizes Chinese New Year as a public holiday, allowing people to spend time with their families. This is one of the many reasons why I love Chinese New Year, it serves as a way for my entire family and I to spend time together, just eating and joking around. To me, Chinese New Year also means decorating the house with red and gold decorations, cleaning the house to welcome in the new year, red envelopes, and of course my favourite part: awesome food!!!

Food plays a very large role during Chinese New Year. For one, many (if not all) of the dishes eaten will have some sort of meaning behind it. Seeing as each family will most likely have their own traditions of what is eaten during the new year, I will introduce some of the food that my family typically eats at gatherings.

For one, normally nine dishes are served because the number nine represents longevity. Secondly, fish, meat & a vegetable dish must appear at least once on the menu, as this symbolizes starting the new year with all the major food groups, so that one will not go hungry throughout the year. The fish and meat (typically chicken) are served whole to represent togetherness within the family. Another prominent dish is shrimp because in Chinese, the word shrimp sounds like the word happiness. For dessert, black sesame dumplings served in a sweet syrup is typically eaten. The roundness of the dumplings signifies reunion between family and the sweetness of the syrup represents happiness throughout the new year.

These are just some of the many dishes that are served, but I thought it would be interesting to mention some of them on this blog. Since Chinese New Year begins this weekend, I guess I will end this blog entry with a saying that is normally said during Chinese New Year. Gung Hay Fat Choy!