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Home My WebLink AboutTimes Advocate, 1998-03-25, Page 13ZZZZZZZZZZZZZ Any size topping Any time 1ti 235-3141 Pizza Pizza ZZZZZZZZZZZZZ Second Section - March 25, 1998 "Make nutrition come alive. It's all about you" South Huron Hospital dietitian Dawn McGuffin-Town recommends eating a variety of fruits and vegetables each day. . By Kate Monk T A Reporter ' People. have long recognized the importance of vitamins in fruit and vegeta- bles but research is discovering there's much more to these foods. - "Fruits and ,vegetables have natural chemical substances- and 'preventative properties: we're just discovering."' said Dawn "lcGuffin-Town. the dietician at South Huron Hospital_ According . to information from the National Institute of Nutrition. more than 200 studies From around, the world show populations eating five- or more. servings of vegetables and fruit. each day • are -less likely to have hean disease and some cancers. Vegetables and fruit are rich- sources of sub- . stances called antioxidants. suclres--bels-earotcne. vitamins C and -E and other - health -promoting components. Antioxidants prevent damage to your cells caused by oxidation. when. oxygen reacts in the --body to • form harmful free -radicals. Oxidation works in the body much the same Way a car -rusts. Pollution and cigarette smoke also producefree radicals._The body's natural defence against free radicals is not 100 per.cent effective-. leaving a place for antioxil dants from the diet -to top up the protection. -Antioxidants on ;your plate The National Institute of Nutrition offers the fol- lowing tips to build up your daily intake to at least five servings of fruits and vegetables. Make juice. a key .part of your breakfast. Top cereal with berries or try fruit compote on toast Put. vegetables and fruit within easy reach: a bowl of fruit on the kitchen table, sliced -up crunchy vegetables on the fridge -shelf, an apple or orange on your desk, dried apricots or raisins in your. car. Keep fresh, frozen and canned vegetables and fruit on hand. Frozen vegeta- bles can be a great time-saver for a quick stir-fry-orfor douhling up the vegeta- bles in your favorite ready -to -eat soup. : - Canned fruit fits well in lunch boxes or makes .a great dessert when topped with yogurt or ice cream. Use pttteed vegetables and fruit as abase for soups or tight sauces. Boost your antioxidants. Go for green and orange:. spinach. broccoli; green peppers. squash, carrots, sweet potatoes. oranges. cantaloupe and apricots. Canadians art improving their eating habits ' One out of every three Canadians has made some positive changes to their eating habits in the past year, according to a survey by the National Institute of Nutrition. - 43 per cent are eating more -vegetables and fruit 28 per cent are choosing lower fat -products • . 20 per Cent are following Canada's Food Guide -to Healthy Eating --21 per cent are cutting hack on sweets. salt and junk food. Most people who were not planning_ to make any changes , to their diet -claimed to have already cut their fat intake and increased their dietary fibre. Those who rated their eating hahits as fair, or poor tended to have the greatest '.intention to change. - - - Local suggestions _ :114cGuffin-Town.has some suggestions for people in the South Huron arca. Most people base their meals around meat. She recommends a portion of meat- the size of a deck of cards..The rest of the plate can be- filled -with vegetables. Milk is -another important component. - - - • "People underestimate the value of milk." she said, adding it has a -number of nutritional benefits. "The big factor is the prevention of osteoporosis."-_ People should also increase the amount of fruit they eat. she suggests. _ McGuffin-Town also stresses the importance of breakfast. -"People need to eat'breakfast." she said, adding fruit. whole grain breads and cereals are good breakfast items. - . McGuffin-Town also works with people. trying to lose weight. She advises them to "look after fruits. vegetables. and milk." If people strive to get their daily intake of theseitems„ there isn't' muchroom. left on the plate or in the appetite for calorie -laden items. McGuffin-Town is also an advocate of making healthy food choiceka life-long practice rather than dieting. "Trying to lose a lot of weight quickly. is like .holding your breath under water." she explained. -Many people stay on a diet until they've lost a specific number of pounds- and celebrate by •eating the foods that caused the original weight gain. . Find -out -more •- There are a -number of sources:of nutrition information. The Huron Public Health Unit in Clinton has a nutritionist on staff. McGuffin-Town also has a wealth -of information at the South Huron Hospital. The Heart and Stroke Foundation and Canadian Cancer Society provide information on the role -of diet in disease prevention. . Self-help groups, such as Calorie -Counters meet in the area. Nutrition information is also available at local libraries, and at.' the Canadian dietitians' website www.dietitians.ca/eatwell. - Antioxidants on display. Researchers are discovering new benefits in fruits and vegetables that go beyond vitamins. BERENSTAIN BEARS EASTER COLOURING CONTEST RETURN ENTRY BY APRiL 1st, 1998 to; Exeter Times Advocate Bookstore, 421 Main St. Exeter, Ont. NOM 1S6 A Winning Boy and Girl wi ll each receive a Berenstain Book and Plush Gift Set Sponsored by Exeter Times Advocate & Between the lines Book Wholesale ADDRESS: PHONE #• AGE: (Must be under 8 years) One entry per chlld MARCH IS NUTRITION MONTH Weight management and nutrition go hand in hand Weight management and nutrition go hand in hand Dawn McGuffin-Town, the dietician at South Huron Hospital believes high fibre carbohydrate food is very Important In maintaining an optimum weight. "The approach to weight management, which I endorse and many of you know about, is the recommendation to eat high fibre carbohydrate food," she said. "As well, you need the recommended amounts of low fat, high protein food listed under the meat and alternatives food group as well as the -milk and milk product food group of Canada's Food Guide to Healthy Eating." McGuffin-Town agrees with Dr. Laura Pawlak's reasoning for eating high fibre carbohydrate foods. Pawlak is the author of Weight Matters, Appetite: The Brain - Body Connection. Pawlak's theory is to eat high fibre car- bohydrates to increase serotonin levels in the body which does two beneficial things. One benefit of serotonin is that it enhances a person's mood. "If this is the case, a high fibre carbohy- drate diet would help those who succumb to overeating when they are feeling down," McGuffin-Town said. Pawlak also claims research shows serotonin helps control appetite. For peo- ple who battle excess weight, controlling one's appetite would make weight control much easier to accomplish. For optimum benefit, Pawlak suggests.a breakfast of high fibre carbohydrates and low fat milk and milk products. Lunch and supper should also contain these foods, along with the needed amount of protein from the meat and atternafves food group. For snacks, she suggests low fat, high fibre carbohydrdfes- - Whole grain cereals, breads, pasta, rice etc. as well as whole fruits and vegetables are ail examples. McGuffin-Town believes exercise also plays a key role in weight management. "Although I have only mentioned food, exercise plays an indispensable part of weight management. Pawlak refers to a study which concluded that to keep the. weight off, you need to maintain the pre- viously mentioned eating approach and • participate in regular exercise," she said. Copies of Canada's food guide are available at the public health unit or at the information table just inside the front door of Exeter's South Huron Hospital. ENSALL DISTRICT Announces Co-oPERAnvt= Chick 'Days "98 Day Old or Started Birds Egg Layers * Meat Birds Ducks * Pheasants Turkey * Guinea Fowl • Delivery Dates April 29, May 27, June 24 (Please order 4 weeks in-advat'tce) White Rock - your choice (Cockerals, Pullets, Non Sexed) ONLY 890 Order Deadline ... 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