When you think about it, we eat one hundred meals a month, given we stick to the caveat of three squares a day. While many of us are learning to eat smaller and more often during the day, the “Take a 100 meal journey. Make small changes, one meal at a time” theme for National Nutrition Month 2016 campaign brings the message home and into our kitchens. The annual campaign is supported by the Dietitians of Canada and reminds all of us of the importance of healthy eating and the impact that food can have on our overall health. The underlying message is that eating well doesn’t have to be hard. Making small, gradual changes to your meals can make it easier for you to choose and enjoy healthier foods.
“We are on a mission to help everyone across the country take a small step toward better health this Nutrition Month,” says Emily Mardell, a Dietitians of Canada Nutrition Month spokesperson. “Too many changes at once can be overwhelming, which is one reason people give up. Instead, we want people to pick one change and practice it over 100 meals,” she said at press conference in Edmonton.
According to Dieticians of Canada death due to chronic disease is on the rise.Three out of five people living in Canada over the age of 20 are living with a chronic disease and four out of five are at risk of chronic disease. Nearly 30 percent of people living in Canada over 12 years suffer from a chronic illness, and 15 percent suffer from two diseases and 10 percent are living with three chronic disease.
The good news is that in developed countries most identify healthy eating as being important and over half are working on improving their nutrition to better their health. It doesn’t happen overnight and with small steps, it can.
“The idea of making small changes one meal at a time is really important,” said Lindsay Fazekas, a registered dietician and member of l’Ordre professionnel des diététistes du Québec. “When people make dramatic changes to their diet overnight, it’s nearly impossible to maintain over a long period of time. The campaign has also emphasized the importance of quality, portion control, diversity and preparedness.” Fazekas cannot stress how important it is to make these changes slowly.
“One needs to set realistic expectations to avoid being disappointed,” adding in here private practice she encourages people to set both short and long term goals. “Realistically, I think one to two concrete changes a month can be achieved without feeling overwhelmed or restricted.”
What we put in our coffee, for example. “For the first month, a goal can be as simple as decreasing the amount of sugar one puts in their coffee with the long term goal of eliminating the sugar altogether.”
Paule Bernier, President of the Ordre professionnel des diététistes du Québec, says the theory of small steps is accessible and allows for flexibility. “Changing everything from one day to the next is often not necessary in addition to being potentially unpleasant,” she says. “The same applies to food. It is much better to have one objective for simple and meaningful change that will endure, rather than complicated and sensational change that may last a few days.” To obtain all information and practical tips, visit: http://www.dietitians.ca
