by Andrea Holwegner | Dec 21, 2020

Did you miss any of of our most popular posts of 2020?

This year brought with it a lot of surprises – who knew we’d all have to find more ways to manage learning and working from home while maintaining a healthy diet? In no specific order here is a round up of some of our best nutrition and dietitian articles of 2020! Happy holidays everyone. Let us know in the comments which one was most helpful to you!

Wondering how nutrition for mental health are connected? Curious about the best diet for depression or what to eat for anxiety? This article on diet for mental health is for you.

 

 

 

Public health restrictions have dramatically shifted how we celebrate the holidays this year. With holiday parties, impromptu friend gatherings and large family celebrations not possible this year, I want to encourage you to create some new holiday traditions with your own household or small group cohort. This starts with thinking about simple healthy appetizers and other things you can cook together.

 

One of the few positive things that may come from the COVID-19 pandemic is that families are actually home cooking together more. I’m crossing my fingers as a Dietitian that social distancing is forcing more families to be eating around the dinner table. But the next question is what type of meals could you make?

If you are looking for some healthy meal ideas on what to make while you and your family are working and schooling from home, this list could help.

 

If you have struggled to find solutions on how to stop emotional eating you are not alone. First, please recognize it is completely normal to eat emotionally. We have all done it, sometimes it bothers us and sometimes it doesn’t. When you choose to use emotional eating for a specific purpose, it can be okay!

 

 

Despite the global Covid-19 pandemic that has everyone scrambling to grocery stores to stock up on the ‘essentials’ it is always a great idea to have a well stocked healthy pantry. Often a pantry is there to help provide support items for the ‘main event’ such as sauces, spices or canned goods. However, did you know that if you have a well stocked healthy pantry you can make a balanced meal or majority of a balanced meal anytime?

 

If you’ve struggled with insomnia, difficulty sleeping during menopause, are a shift worker or are just curious about the connection between nutrition and sleep this article is for you.

 

 

For anyone who struggles with disordered eating, an eating disorder such as anorexia, bulimia, binge eating disorder or ARFID (avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder), the idea of sitting down with an Eating Disorder Nutritionist can be daunting or even terrifying!

 

 

I like to think of myself as a foodie first and dietitian second. That means I never ever want to sacrifice flavor and enjoyment in the foods that I eat purely for the sake of health and nutrition. You should love what you eat, and that applies to vegetables too.

 

 

I often get asked about how to lose 5 pounds. People expect a Dietitian to suggest a bunch of nutrition tips and strategies. Instead I approach this question in a different way. I’d like you to take a deep breath and be open to thinking about those last 5 pounds with a fresh perspective. Stay with me and read on…

 

 

How much do you know about vegetarian iron sources? When discussing a plant-based diet, iron is often brought up as a nutrient of concern. This most certainly is a valid concern because there is a relationship between some cases of iron deficiency and a plant-based lifestyle.

 

 

I get to talk about confidence in my nutrition counselling sessions quite a bit, whether we are talking about confidence in the kitchen or confidence in our body. The Covid-19 pandemic has given me some time to slow down and read a little more. I have been reading and listening to a lot of different perspectives on confidence.

 

This is NOT an easy topic for most people, let alone someone who has unexplained infertility, is undergoing fertility treatments or has experienced loss along the way.

For some women, fertility can be a part of what makes us feel like we have succeeded as women, it’s a part of our womanhood. Even as young girls, many of us start to pretend we are moms, caring for our dolls as we see our moms care for our siblings.

 

 

Abdominal bloating is one of the most common gastrointestinal complaints that I see as a Digestive Health Dietitian. You know, that feeling of abdominal fullness or tightness that is with you a various parts of the day (or all day long!).

It’s uncomfortable and it can sometimes be painful. It can hamper your appetite or your enjoyment of activities. It can make your clothes feel tight and sometimes, it’s visible enough for others to take notice. In other words, it’s not a whole lot of fun.

 

 

Working from home has led to some additional eating challenges for many people.  If you’ve been lacking structure, triggered to eat more with the pantry and refrigerator nearby and struggling with stress or boredom eating you are not alone.

 

 

 

It’s day…I don’t know of the COVID-19 self-isolation or quarantine. To be honest, I’ve lost track of how long it’s been since we’ve been all asked to stay home, work from home and to limit our social interactions. It seems that our world has been turned upside down, and in many aspects, it has. I think we can all agree that nothing feels normal and we are all trying to cope as best as we can.

 

 

If you or someone you know has diabetes I am sure you may have wondered what causes high blood sugars other than food. Have you struggled with your blood sugar control, but don’t know why? Do you say to yourself, but I’m eating healthy and watching the types and amounts of carbohydrates I’m eating, why do my sugars still go on a roller coaster ride sometimes?

 

Have you heard of Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED-S)? Chances are you likely have not. Our culture leads us to believe that many of us are eating too much and should work towards eating less and exercising more to fit our bodies into a cookie cutter shape. The reality is, what the popular media is sharing is leading to issues of not consuming enough calories, over-exercising and possible disordered eating patterns for some athletes.

 

 

If you have ever thought about dieting or been on a diet this article is for you to encourage you to stop dieting. There is a way to stop dieting and achieve your personal best weight still eating foods you love.

A visual image of our Registered Dietitian food philosophy and approach to eating both healthfully and soulfully.

 

Wondering about COVID-19 nutrition? The COVID-19 situation changed everything. Our family life, work life, home schooling situation, social life have all shifted. As employment security, financial situations and small business uncertainty have changed dramatically almost overnight our physical health, including our eating habits and physical activity patterns as well as mental health, are at risk.

 

 

When you look at food through the eyes of a person who calls them self a “foodie”, there is often excitement and emotion tied to the food. There has been thought and effort in the planning of that food. That person is hopefully very excited for the food in front of them. And that is great! But not all of us look at food in that same way.

 

We hope you’ve enjoyed this wrap up of our posts for 2020 – we look forward to sharing more articles with you in 2021. If there is something you’d like us to write about, leave your suggestion in the comments.

 

Find out more about the Virtual Dietitian services provided by the Health Stand team of Online Nutritionists specializing in meal planning, weight concerns, emotional eating, eating disorders, digestive health, heart health, diabetes, sports nutrition and more here: Dietitian Nutrition Counseling Programs.

 

Looking for more simple meal planning tips and healthy recipes for a healthier lifestyle? Sign up for our weekly newsletter for a healthy recipe of the week (and nutrition articles and videos with a balanced living philosophy to help encourage healthy habits but still save room for your favorites). Our nutrition newsletter is written by the Online / Calgary Nutritionists on our team who each hold a professional Registered Dietitian license to ensure you are getting credible advice.