12/21/2023 0 Comments Elderberry BombsDEC 21, 2023 | LINDSAY MUNDY It’s the holiday season and we all know what that means: it’s also cold and flu season. So fun/ironic how those two coexist. It’s a time when taking intentional steps to support our immune system is particularly important. Today, I’m sharing a new trick that I have incorporated into my health routine this winter: elderberry bombs. I’ve had elderberry syrup in the house for a few years now, and especially like to use it with my kiddos. But once I learned that I could source dried elderberries, I was ready to dive into the world of immunity teas. These are very simple to make, and the trick is to have them prepped and ready before the colds hit your house. It’s used as a first-response method when you feel that first tickle in your throat. This is the time to pull out all of your virus-fighting weapons, before it’s too late. It’s the perfect opportunity to prioritize a couple extra hours of sleep, reduced sugar intake, and plenty of liquids. My kids are also using this recipe as small gifts for family members this year. Simply prepare all of the dry ingredients in a sachet or glass jar, print some cute instruction tags, and there you have it: the gift of health. Give these elderberry bombs a try next time time you feel a cold coming on, stack it with extra sleep and proper nutrition, and see if you can keep that virus at bay.
0 Comments
What it really takes to achieve long-term fat loss.NOV 23, 2023 | LINDSAY MUNDY If I’m being honest, the idea of writing about fat loss gives me pause. It can be very triggering for people. On social media, you can come under fire at the mere mention that you support someone losing fat. But sometimes, losing fat means gaining health and when that’s the case, it should be prioritized. And what about when losing fat means gaining confidence? When it means feeling good in your own skin? When it means coming back to yourself? When it’s actually the result of healing emotional trauma? There are many reasons fat loss should not be demonized. Fat loss isn’t the issue; “diet culture” as it has come to be known is where toxicity rears its ugly head—people and brands glorifying fat loss and unrealistic results, pushing agendas fuelled by profit that can lead to disordered eating patterns and body image issues. When someone begins to determine their value by the number on the scale, that’s when we need to start asking questions; however, there are many reasons why fat loss is a perfectly reasonable and worthy goal, but it’s often not an easy one to achieve. So what are the predictors of fat-loss success? I think, first and foremost, there needs to be consideration around emotions tied to weight and food. One of the primary reasons that people lose weight but gain it back, especially when it’s a large number, is because there were underlying emotional and psychological issues that were never addressed in the process. It wasn’t a matter of discipline or not having the right tools available; it was more than that. For example, some people use food to numb emotional pain, or to fill a void. Others struggle with their worthiness and will self-sabotage or search for comfort in eating. This can be a difficult pattern to break because, for one, there needs to be an understanding, acknowledgment and acceptance that it exists and many do not have the capacity for this. Secondly, deep inner work needs to be done to overcome these issues, and that work is hard. So, of course, many who face weight challenges rooted in emotion will struggle to heal. If you know fat loss is about more than food and exercise, I urge you to start asking questions about why that is and where/when it began. From a place of curiosity, exploration and self-love, you can begin to heal and build emotional and physical health. Beyond emotional healing, let’s talk about the secret sauce of fat loss (and it’s not going to win me any popularity contests). Ready? Here it is: consistency. Real, sustainable fat loss is not attributed to any specific diet or style of eating. Many will argue with me, but keto is not better than intermittent fasting and low fat is not better than low carb. You may prefer one of those camps more than another, but there is no “best” way to lose fat, regardless of what the media tells you or the success that your friend had with a diet. And I have yet to see any quality literature say otherwise. It’s about understanding the basic mechanisms of fat loss (being in a calorie deficit, primarily) and figuring out how to meet fat loss requirements in a way that you can maintain for an extended period of time. Beyond that, you have to figure out an eating style that will allow you to maintain a particular range of body fat percentage (depending on your goals and comfort levels). Particularly if you are overweight, you absolutely can not dive into a fad diet because it’s popular and expect it to work for you, long-term. I am a big believer in slow and steady. The last thing we want is for a calorie deficit to be painful! You can slowly move yourself into a deficit and lose fat. In fact, I’m a big fan of 0.5 to one pound a week. This is dependent on individual circumstances, of course, but generally speaking, aiming for a weekly loss in this range can be done relatively painlessly (up to a certain point). So, what is the diet that is going to be easiest for you to adhere to, longterm? You should do that. If you can’t see yourself eating like that for the rest of your life, you need to rethink your game plan. Consistency is king. "What is the diet that is going to be easiest for you to adhere to, longterm? You should do that." Another major bonus of consistency is that it will stop you from always chasing fat loss. Many people are always toggling between trying to lose fat and 'falling off the wagon'. A healthy approach is finding a style of eating that you are comfortable with and that allows you to slowly lose fat, if that’s the goal, followed by a maintenance phase, where calories are brought back up. At some point, you may even decide you’d like to enter a (gasp) growth phase, where the goal is increasing calories in order to build muscle (through strength training fuelled by more food). Generally, I like the 6-8 week range for a fat-loss phase, eating in a consistent deficit before bringing calories back up to maintenance for a couple of weeks, helping to move through inevitable weight-loss plateaus. It’s a nice little re-set for the body and may allow calories to remain a bit higher while still allowing fat loss to continue. It’s important to remember that our bodies are extremely adaptable. The more fat you lose, the fewer calories you will need in order to continue lowering body fat. Alternatively, expenditure could be increased through additional activity. You want to ensure you have levers to pull for as long as possible. Constant fat loss or a more extreme approach (such as an aggressive calorie deficit) diminish your power quickly when it comes to seeing results and doing so relatively comfortably. There are caveats to this and in order to fit into one, working with an experienced professional is recommended. "Many people are always toggling between trying to lose fat and 'falling off the wagon'". So why isn’t the concept of consistency for fat loss all over social media? Why isn’t it a buzzword you’ve seen thrown around? The fact that sustainable fat-loss comes from staying consistent is really hard to sell. It’s not glamorous. In fact, it can be pretty hard and slow. Usually, people aren’t looking for “hard” when they’re ready to lose weight. And companies in the weight loss business know that. I would be remiss if I did not include the importance of adequate protein intake to achieve an ideal body composition. Calories-in versus calories-out is just too simplistic in nature. Eating enough protein ensures the least amount of muscle loss. More muscle equals more shape and sculpting, as well as stability and balance down the road. Muscle loss is not the reason you want to see the number on the scale going down. For most, holding on to muscle should be a priority for overall body composition goals, but also for overall health and strength. As a general rule, aim for 0.8 to 1.5 grams of protein per pound of body weight. If you haven’t focused on protein intake in the past, simply one day of tracking your food intake will likely highlight that you aren’t eating enough–particularly if you’re a woman. If this sounds interesting to you, but you have no idea how to do something like food tracking, or just need to know where to start, reach out for a consultation. I can help guide you. Some professionals or formerly obese individuals will talk about “killing off” a past version of themselves in order to find long-term weight loss success. Sometimes, letting go of who you used to be, your past behaviours around food, and healing underlying wounds is what is necessary in order to discover a higher version of yourself–one that doesn't attach emotion to eating, or use food as a crutch. This often involves multiple layers of work and takes time. Fat loss is an incredibly complicated topic with many, many nuances and individual scenarios. We know this, or it wouldn’t be a struggle for so many, nor would it be a profitable industry; however, for most, sustainable fat loss comes when emotional food ties are acknowledged and healed, when they let go of past beliefs about themselves that may not be true, when an individual identifies a style of eating they can maintain consistently, and when there’s a basic understanding of calorie deficits, as well as adopting periods of maintenance calories for optimal results. And, finally, knowing and accepting that all of these steps take time. It may not be glamorous, but for real, sustainable fat-loss results, patience, a real desire for change and trust in simple principles is key.
The fall is typically a big transition period for families. As the season begins to change, our daily rhythms shift as well. Often, it means moving from a place of relaxing summer vacations, slow days at home and fun at camp, to one of more structure and routine. Parents head back to work and children begin school or daycare. No matter what your family’s routine looks like, it’s likely different from those dog days of summer. With transition can come a natural period of discomfort. Getting your bearings while everyone adjusts to a new routine can be painful at times. Finding ways to support this change and putting these strategies in place before the chaos hits is key to creating a smoother September. We want to work within our circle of control and simplify moments of our daily routine to free up space in which to manage those unpredictable (and challenging) events. From a nutrition standpoint, nourishing your family during this busy time is more important than ever. Balancing blood sugar and feeding your family with the right foods helps to set everyone up for success when it comes to tackling new challenges. One of the tips I suggest to families during times of busy transition is to simplify your meal plan. Find five dinners that feel nourishing but manageable and stick to them for an entire month. Yes, that’s right. The same five dinners from Monday through Friday. Could this get a little boring? Maybe, but it’s only a month and I promise that removing the guesswork from family meal planning will free up your energy to pour into something that deeply requires it during this time, like your child beginning kindergarten for the first time, or a spouse navigating a new role at work. Knowing what you’re eating on any given Tuesday night means there’s less of a chance you will turn to last-minute take out, or a less healthy option simply because it’s quick and you don’t have the brain power to come up with something better.
Psst... Did you know I offer a family meal planning service? Personalized meals with recipes and shopping lists to take the guesswork out of dinner. Check it out here! Oh, the holidays: a time where we tend to consume copious amounts of cheese, a wide variety of sweets and bottomless glasses of festive cocktails. Spreads like these, coupled with high-vibe social gatherings, are one of life’s greatest pleasures. We often find so much love and joy in these moments, between spending time with people we enjoy and indulging in delicious foods that remind us of the Christmas season. They signal to us that it’s time to take a break from the regular routines of life and embrace a slower, or at least more festive, way of life. For some, overindulging during the holidays, or consuming foods that aren’t part of our regular diet, can be stressful and leave us ridden with guilt, feeling like it’s something we now must “fix”, as if something has been broken or ruined. After stepping on the scale for the first time all month, classic New Year's resolutions might begin to form in your head as you make frantic plans to “work it off” or get back to your “pre-holiday” body. If this resonates with you, I encourage you to pause and reach for some perspective before diving head-first into the river of self-loathing. One, know that, above all else, your value as a human has nothing to do with a fluctuating number on the scale. If you struggle to come to terms with this truth, your journey needs to begin here and it may require the support of someone who can help guide you in building a healthy relationship with the scale and understanding what self-worth truly is. Secondly, be gentle with yourself. Give yourself grace and compassion, as you would to anyone else that you love. Why do we struggle so much to offer it up to ourselves? You do not need to wake up tomorrow, guns-a-blazing, ready to morph into the perfect version you have created in your head–the person you feel you now must become since you ate one too many squares from your mom’s dessert platter. When we are gentle with ourselves, we provide the safe place needed to create meaningful change, which is created out of love, rather than fear, guilt and self-hatred. "When we are gentle with ourselves, we provide the safe place needed to create meaningful change..." Once you can approach change from a place of self-love, you’re more likely to find small, sustainable shifts that support the lifestyle you desire. You take action because you know you are worthy of something better. Maybe you focus on water intake or daily movement goals. Perhaps you remove some of the more indulgent, sugar-laden foods that aren’t usually around, but that somehow migrated into your kitchen over the holidays. Maybe you dedicate yourself to including a source of protein with each meal. These small shifts are easily built on each other and when adopted over a period of time, don’t feel hard and unreasonable. They become habits in your day and this is how real change happens. When we throw ourselves into crash diets, they can only last as long as our willpower does and willpower is not infinite. It will run out. Lasting change has to be meaningful, it must produce results and it must be ingrained in the details of our day through the power of habit.
So, please don’t you dare feel an ounce of guilt from holiday indulgence (I say this with 12 exclamation points if you’re living in Ontario in January, 2022. IYKYK). Instead, focus on the feelings you had when you ate that delicious food and sipped on those fancy cocktails, all while laughing and connecting and holding the people you love most in this world. If you’re feeling a tug to make some changes that support your health with the arrival of the new year, I fully support you, particularly in the current state of our world. Taking your mental and physical health into your own hands has never been more important than it is today. But be gentle with yourself. These last couple of years have been rocky, to say the least. We could all use a little love and kindness and that needs to begins with our own self-talk. Small, slow, meaningful shifts can make all the difference and set you on the road to real, lasting health. Happy New Year, from my family to yours! 8/15/2021 0 Comments Strategies for Your Picky EaterA few months ago, I shared a post on Family Style Meals to encourage picky eaters to explore new foods and it was a hit, to say the least! If you have a selective eater in your home, let this be a comfort in knowing you are not alone. I’ve spoken with so many parents who struggle daily to get their child to try new foods. They’re frustrated by the dinnertime battles and worry that their child isn’t getting the nutrients they need to thrive. But at the root of their frustration is not knowing what to do about it. Picky eating is usually a multi-faceted issue and it isn’t linear. Your child may go through periods where they are more open to trying new meals and others where they are religious about a very short list of acceptable foods. One thing I will say, to help you better understand these phases, is to pay attention to what’s going on in your child’s life. Are they going through a transition? Could they be looking for areas in their life where they can exercise more control (i.e. food choices)? Ebbs and flow in a young child’s eating is totally normal for a number of reasons, and life changes are one of them. So tune into what’s going on externally to help you better understand what’s going on at the dinner table.
"Could they be looking for areas in their life where they can exercise more control (i.e. food choices)?"
Today, I want to equip you with another strategy to use with your selective eater that will not only encourage food exploration, but also take the pressure off you as the parent. Tonight, whether you are plating your child’s food, or you are serving family style, make sure you are offering at least one safe food. This is something you know your child recognizes and enjoys. Perhaps it’s a raw vegetable, a fruit, crackers, cheese, etc. It doesn’t matter if it “goes” with the meal. The point of this food is to provide your child with a sense of familiarity, comfort and trust.
"Make sure you are offering at least one safe food... The point of this food is to provide your child with a sense of familiarity, comfort and trust."
Hear me out: you decided to get creative in the kitchen and try a new recipe. It’s a little out of the box for your family, but you know it’s going to be delicious. Your child sees this unfamiliar dish and immediately feels anxious. Thoughts that might come up for them: What is that? It smells funny. Why is it that colour? How is it going to feel in my mouth? That’s scary. I am definitely not touching it.
Great. They’ve already made their mind up before even considering giving it a try. Now picture this: you place this new meal on the table, but beside it, you also serve a small plate of raw carrots, cashews, sliced strawberries and other acceptable foods, available to anyone who would like some. The anxiety of a perceived expectation to eat a new, scary dish is immediately diffused. There are other foods available they know and enjoy, and this comfort may allow them the confidence to try something new as well. Another way this could look is to make up a plate for your child that includes some of the carrots, cashews and sliced strawberries plus a very small portion of the new food. Offering just a small portion of a new food helps it appear less “scary” to your child. They aren’t staring at a huge portion that inadvertently tells them what they’re expected to eat. It’s less intimidating, plus it’s served with “safe foods” that they know they like. All in all, a much less intimidating meal but one that has the power to expand their pallet. This is a plate I served my daughter last week. We were having shrimp tacos. Tacos? Yes. Tacos with shrimp? Scary. So, I made her a simple cheese quesadilla (safe food) and served a small portion of the other foods on the side, including the shrimp, chopped finely for easy exploration. The next tip I want to share is to let your child play with their food! I know this goes against the messaging we grew up with, that food is to be eaten, not played with. But eating is a 5-senses experience. Beyond simply tasting, children need to look at, smell, touch and hear their food and they do this by exploring it fully. The first time you offer your child a new food, you might notice they push it around on the plate a bit, or even give it a little sniff. Even though they didn’t taste it, it’s all part of the experience of making the food familiar to them. You can even ask questions about the food that doesn’t leave your child feeling pressured to eat it, but encourages them to explore it. “What colour is that vegetable? Does it make a funny noise when you stir it around? What does it smell like?” Questions like these get your child thinking about other aspects of a food, rather than just… what is this going to taste like? Let them play! (Note: depending on your child, you may not want to talk about the food at all and allow your child to explore it in peace. In the meantime, you talk about your day, what your’re looking forward to, a funny joke you heard, etc. Anything but food. So, listen to your intuition and choose the strategy that’s right for your child)
"Eating is a 5-senses experience. Beyond simply tasting, children need to look at, smell, touch and hear their food and they do this by exploring it fully."
Picky eating can be a complex subject, but collecting tools for your toolbox and gaining a better understanding of what actually drives the behaviour is key to making it less stressful for everyone. Incorporate these tips into how you approach meal time and watch your picky eater blossom into a food explorer.
6/10/2021 0 Comments Chocolate Coconut Energy BallsI'm a big energy ball fan for a few reasons: I love that you can double or triple batch them and throw them in the freezer for a family-friendly, easy-to-grab snack. I love that they have a dessert feel to them (Hi, I'm Lindsay and I love dessert). I also love that, while following a few key guidelines, they're pretty hard to mess up, with countless ingredient combinations to try. But even with a million and one flavour combos out there, for the past couple of months, I've just kept coming back to this recipe. For me, it ticks all the boxes: chocolate + coconut (always a yes from me), walnuts (rich in omega-3s and antioxidants), and sweetened primarily with dates (high in fibre and antioxidants). Whenever I'm baking with dates, even if the recipe doesn't call for it, I like to soak my dates ahead of time. It's just ensures a more reliable consistency. I usually expedite the process by boiling some water (or just turning the tap to extra hot), and soaking the dates in very hot water for a couple of hours. Otherwise, you can use regular temp and soak them all day or over night to ensure that soft, gooey consistency once combined. Energy balls are best kept in the freezer, which helps them hold their shape and reduces unnecessary mess. That said, the fridge works pretty well too. If you're working with a batter that is a little on the runny or sticky side, you can add more of your dry base, or try popping the mixture in the fridge for 20 minutes before rolling into balls. I really prefer a small cookie scoop rather than my hands. It helps keep the balls a consistent size and also makes for less mess (are you picking up on an aversion to messes here?). If you are using your hands to roll, simply dampen your hands with a bit of water first to prevent the batter from sticking to you. RECIPE:
Directions: Blend all ingredients in a food processor until they are well combined. Roll the mixture into individual balls and then, after placing some loose coconut on a plate, roll each ball in the coconut until lightly covered. Place the balls on a cookie sheet lined with parchment and move to the freezer for 20 minutes. Keep your energy balls in an air tight container in the freezer or fridge. When my daughter turned one and started displaying signs of very selective eating, I was left scratching my head. Where did I do wrong? I’m a nutrition expert, for goodness sake. I thought that meant I am omitted from this crap. So naive I was… If you too find yourself with a picky eater, the first step is understanding that you didn’t do anything wrong! Although not everyone will face this challenge and there are many techniques we can use to minimize pickiness in our kids, release the idea that any of it is your fault. It’s a very common and normal developmental phase for a toddler to experience. When faced with the challenge, like many parents, I began the work of turning my picky eater into a food explorer. This work is not for the faint of heart and it definitely resembles more of a marathon than a sprint. I have been working diligently on this for two years and am now starting to see the fruits of my labour (and it’s glorious!). If I wrote one post on picky eating, we’d be here for hours. There is so much to unpack, countless individual circumstances, and many shifts that may need to take place in the home around meal time. So, today I’m going to focus on one of my favourite strategies to encourage food exploration that anyone can try. For many parents, during meal time, they will get the plates out for each family member and then serve each portion before bringing the plates to the table. They put their child’s dish down and say, “Dinner is ready!”. The child (maybe) comes up to the table, only to see exactly what has been provided to them and how much of it. With this method, we are telling our children, indirectly, exactly what we expect them to eat, taking a significant amount of power and choice away from them. Now, if you’ve parented a young child, you know power struggles are REAL. How we’ve all made it through this stage of parenting is beyond me. Developmentally, a toddler is working to exercise their autonomy. They know they are an individual person with their own thoughts and opinions (oh, so many opinions) and they work very hard to exercise them. Feeling “in control” is extremely important to them, and that’s where a very delicate dance between parent and child begins. One way to minimize meal time stress while giving some of that power and control back to your child is to offer your meals family style. Rather than plating their dinner for them, place each menu item on the table in a dish and let them decide what they would like to eat from said menu. They can either serve themselves, or if they aren’t quite old enough for this yet, you can invite them to tell you what they would like on their plate today, and how much. Now, you have to be prepared that they may take lots of one item and none of another, but to this I say… who cares? You have vetted each menu item and can feel good about your child eating whatever they choose, and know that this may just be the gateway you have been looking for to encourage a broader palette (more on that to come). You can let go of the frustration of putting food on their plate, only to watch them, once again, push it around with a fork, whine about wanting something else, or ignore it completely. And this brings me to my bonus point, and what may just be a parent’s most powerful mindset shift when it comes to picky eaters. Are you ready for it? It’s called The Division of Responsibility. If you haven’t heard of this before, lean it, because this simple phrase has the potential to significantly reduce and possibly even remove meal time stress. When it comes to meals, it’s your job to decide what to serve your child; it is their job to decide if and how much of it they will eat. That’s it. Now, let those words sink in. Then, apply them to your next dinner time. Whatever you decide to offer your child, your job ends there. This understanding alone can create a monumental shift in your family meal experience. Suddenly, you aren’t watching your child’s every move or encouraging them to try something else, or saying, “Just one more bite.” You’ve released that and, instead, are focusing on connection. “What did Liam bring for Show and Share today?”, “It rained a lot this afternoon. Do you want to put on our rain boots after dinner and jump in the puddles?”, “You’ll never guess who I saw when I was out for a walk today!” Doesn’t the energy of the scenario sound more enjoyable? And here’s the thing about family style meals: because you are transferring so much of the power back into your child’s hands, many parents find that their kids will reach for foods they never would have considered before! It’s truly remarkable what this power transfer can inspire. Perhaps they see the roasted carrots on the table, and since they aren’t being told (directly or indirectly) that they should be eating them, they feel more empowered by the idea that it’s their choice to put them on their plate and not someone else’s. It encourages them to exercise curiosity, exploration and decision making. If you struggle with picky eating in your family, try the technique of family style meals for a few weeks (yes, weeks--give it time), and watch the shift begin from stressful dinners to nourished connection. 2/27/2021 0 Comments Baby Led Weaning vs. PureesOne of the most common questions I get from parents about to begin the journey of solids with their baby is: Which is better: Baby Led Weaning or Purees? Here's a quick overview to help you make the call on which feeding method is right for you and your baby. So, your baby is a few months old and you’re starting to plan their introduction to solids. A quick Google search… a visit to your paediatrician… a scroll through Instagram…. and you quickly realize there is a LOT of information out there. Some parents are screaming from the rooftops that Baby Led Weaning is the only way to go, while others are taking the more traditional route of purees. So which is best? Well, for the sake of time, I’m going to assume we all know what a puree is (blending up food to a smooth consistency, usually spoon-fed to baby). But, what the heck is Baby Led Weaning (BLW)? Simply put, Baby Led Weaning is the concept of providing baby with finger foods (soft foods cut into strips, to start) and putting her in charge. Baby chooses what to eat from the foods provided and how much. Parents play a fairly small role in comparison to feeding strictly purees, where they are an instrumental part in getting the food into their baby’s mouth. So, let’s look at the benefits of BLW. It frees up the caregiver Selfishly, this is one of my favourite things about BLW. Since baby is in charge of feeding himself, mom and dad aren’t tied to the highchair until the meal is over, which means you are either free to do other things nearby (alway keeping an eye on baby for safety, of course), or able to enjoy a meal yourself. Which leads me to the next benefit… It allows the family to eat together If your baby is in charge of feeding himself, that means everyone else can also eat at the same time, which lends itself nicely to family meals. The more your baby can see you modelling good eating behaviours, the faster they are to catch on themselves. As such, the start of creating a beautiful food culture with your kids begins. "... the start of creating a beautiful food culture with your kids begins." Baby is more likely to follow their own intrinsic cues Because baby has control over what she will eat from her highchair tray, she will naturally lean into her own intuitions, reaching for more of one food over another, depending on her preferences; stopping when she is no longer hungry (babies are born with excellent hunger and fullness cues), etc. When you are spoon feeding your baby, it can be harder for her to listen to her own instincts around food. Food prep can be easier One of the concepts of BLW is often, “baby eats what you eat”, meaning everyone in the family eats a version of the same meal, and that can mean less food prep for you. That said, in the early days of food introduction, this likely won’t be the case, as it takes time to build up a baby’s food list, as well as food needs to be prepared in a safe way, suitable for a baby with few to no teeth, and offered in developmentally appropriate ways. For younger babies, this usually means strips, as they haven’t developed the palmer release or pincer grasp yet (ability to pick food up with index finger and thumb). So far, it sounds like I am a BIG supporter of BLW, right? And that would be true. I am. BUT, that doesn’t mean I don’t think purees are a great idea. Because I really do! Hear me out: Purees offer a nutrition punch like no other You’ve probably heard the phrase, “Food before one, just for fun.” But through my own learning, I have come to strongly disagree with this statement. Food before one can be so powerful to a child’s development and has the ability to set them on the path to long-term health. Purees allow you to flex your inner nutrition geek muscles and really put some food combinations together that support your baby’s health in big ways. For example, I love making my gut healing broth, freezing it in icecube trays and using it to puree various vegetable, fruit and even meat combinations. In the early days of BLW, baby is not likely to get a large amount of food in her, but will probably take in more if the food is pureed and spoon-fed. This better allows for iron consumption, as well as minerals, gelatin, fats, and various micronutrients--all beneficial to your baby’s developing systems. You may have read on my Instagram page that, when the pandemic hit, I suffered a drop in milk supply (stress can do crazy things), and on top of that, my son developed an extreme case of eczema. At his four month appointment, we were told his weight gain had stalled and I had to make some big decisions about his nutrition. Ultimately, we decided to start him on solids earlier than planned, and I used purees to boost his overall health. Along with some other tools, this allowed him to gain the necessary weight and clear his eczema. Ultimately, the use of purees played a big part in his healing. So, it’s no surprise that I think they can be a great addition to your baby’s feeding regime. Although we took more of a BLW approach with my daughter, she also got purees! After all, smooth and silky is a food texture I wanted her to be familiar with as well. Tip: If you want to avoid feeding your baby, but still want to try purees, you can pre-load their spoon and offer it to them. I know what you’re thinking: “Lindsay, it doesn’t sound like you’re picking a side at all. How is this helping me choose between BLW and purees?” Well, here’s the secret: You don’t have to choose! If you aren’t automatically drawn towards one feeding method over another, you can totally do a hybrid of the two. In fact, that’s what I did with both of my babies! My kids had very different intro-to-solids journeys, and their needs and personalities meant they needed different things. Even if you feel very strongly about one feeding method, your baby may have different plans. Be prepared for and open to reading their cues and following their direction. This isn’t all about you, after all. Some babies want nothing to do with purees, while others are frustrated in early days with the concept of feeding themselves, and may do well with some puree offered before having them practice self-feeding. Pay attention to what your baby is telling you and let that guide your feeding journey. Looking for more guidance on introducing solids to your baby? Introducing my self-paced course, Starting Solids with Super Nutrition. Learn how to introduce solids to your baby with confidence. Click the button below for more info. Not ready to join a list, but want to learn more? Check out the video below all about WHY I created Starting Solids with Super Nutrition. Ah, February: the season of love. I've never been much of a Valentine's Day enthusiast myself, but don't dislike it either. I fall somewhere in the middle, likely not playing a leading role with my participation, but happy to join in the chorus. Traditionally, Dave and I have been known to exchange a thoughtful card and make a nice dinner together with some wine. Pretty standard. Nothing fancy, but quite enjoyable, nonetheless. That said, I respect and admire the couples that really go all out with grand romantic gestures and dinner at a 5-star restaurant. As a busy, working mom, a romantic dinner sounds like a pretty nice option right about now. Whether you love or hate Valentine's Day, I think we can all agree that we inevitably associate the occasion with chocolate, along with other pink and red candy options. Now that I have children, V-day is a whole different ball game, since I now have the desire to include them in the celebrations as well. And since I need no excuse to play around with chocolate in the kitchen, this was a great opportunity to come up with some healthy Valentine's Day treats using real food that the whole family can enjoy. These are all easy recipes that include include chocolate (obviously), but are likely better options than most store-bought sweet treats. So, of course, I am sharing my creations with you here. All of these were easy to make using simple ingredients while still looking very V-day-esc. First up, when I think of Valentine's Day, I automatically think: chocolate-covered strawberries. You can never go wrong with fresh fruit and chocolate. But I wanted to make these a bit more festive and thought: wouldn't making them heart-shaped be the perfect way to achieve this? AND why not ad a cute toothpick handle? And here we are: a fun way to to create the perfect snack. Ingredients: 12-20 fresh strawberries 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips 1 tsp coconut oil Vanilla 1. Start by cutting the stem off of strawberries in a v-shape 2. In a double boiler, pour chocolate chips into a pot (I just used some dairy-free chocolate chips). Add the coconut oil and heat over medium heat, stirring regularly. 3. When the chocolate is melted and smooth, remove from heat and stir in half a teaspoon of vanilla. 4. Put a toothpick in the end of each strawberry and dip the tops into the chocolate. Place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone mat. Place in the fridge for 30 minutes to set. Related: Chocolate Almond Butter Stuffed Dates Next are these heart-shaped energy snacks (or energy balls). I love these because they can easily be adapted for school lunches by swapping the peanut butter for a seed butter to make a fun snack. Sweetened with honey means there is no processed added sugar. The only special tool I used were a couple of heart-shaped cookie cutters in varying sizes, which I picked up from my local grocery store. I plan to use the large one on Valentine's Day morning as well, a great way to make our pancakes a special treat. Bonus: this simple no-bake recipe can easily be adapted for any time of year, giving you a healthy snack great for families on the go, making it a favourite among parents. Ingredients: 2 cups oats 1/3 cup chocolate chips 1/3 cup goji berries 1/2 cup honey 1/2 cup peanut butter Sprinkles (optional) 1. In a large bowl, combine oats with chocolate chips, goji berries, honey and peanut butter. Stir until mixed. 2. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat. Scoop the mixture onto the sheet and form into a log shape, about 1 inch high. Gently press in some festive sprinkles into the top of the mixture (optional. I did this on half). If you don’t have a cookie cutter you’d like to use, you can skip this step and just roll the dough into balls. Fold the sprinkles in first, if using. 3. Place the cookie sheet in the freezer for half an hour. This will make the dough less sticky to work with. 4. Remove from freezer and use your cookie cutter to form heart shapes. I rolled my remaining mixture into balls. As these reach room temperature, they can lose their shape a bit more easily, so store in an air-tight container in the fridge or freezer. Finally, I have a delicious treat that will likely be used as my Valentine's Day dessert (primarily for Dave and I). Chocolate bark on any occasion is great because it looks impressive but is so easy to make. The simplicity mixed with decadence makes it the perfect dessert. I used my dehydrator to dehydrate some thinly sliced strawberries overnight. Alternatively, you can purchase freeze-dried strawberries, or use dried cranberries or goji berries instead to give you the festive red color. And although I haven't tried this version yet, pomegranate seeds would give a lovely tart flavor as well. But, I have to say, dried strawberries are so yummy. The best part about keeping a treat like this in the freezer is it means you have a sweet treat at your finger tips that stays fresh, but that's not always staring you in the face on your counter. So it might even last a few days before being completely gobbled up! Ingredients: 1/4 cup of dried strawberries, cranberries or goji berries 1 cup dark or semi-sweet chocolate of choice 1/4 cup almonds 1. Melt chocolate over a double boiler, stirring constantly. 2. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking sheet and pour the melted chocolate onto the middle of the pan. Use a spatula to spread the chocolate out evenly to the desired width. I like mine fairly thin. 3. Roughly chop almonds and dried strawberries (or dried berries of choice). Sprinkle them onto the chocolate and lightly press down. 4. Place the pan in the freezer for about 30 minutes or until the chocolate is completely set. Remove the pan from the freezer and break your chocolate into pieces. Store in air-tight container (I like to keep mine in the freezer) and enjoy! Special occasions are one of my favourite excuses to make festive treats using healthy ingredients, often ones I already have around the house, and Valentine's Day is no excuse. Let me know below or tag me on Instagram @lindsay.m.nutrition if you try any of these healthy Valentine's Day snacks.
Happy Love Day! 1/9/2021 0 Comments Breastfeeding Superfoods: How to Support Your Baby's Development with Ultra Nourishing Milk
Breastfeeding: often the most natural and yet complicated journey for a woman and her baby. Today, I want to talk about the quality of your breastmilk and how that can be elevated to further benefit your baby’s development. We’re going beyond lactation cookies here (although, sign me up for some of those too). Let’s take a deep dive into the production of highly nourishing breastmilk through the use of breastfeeding superfoods.
Many of these suggestions are supported by The Weston A. Price Foundation, a not-for-profit nutrition organization that advocates for traditional foods and their scientifically proven use to support health. Below are a few of the recommendations given by WAPF to support pregnant and nursing women:
“These recommendations are scientifically geared to nourish a nursing mother with all of the minerals, enzymes, immune factors, vitamins, antioxidants and fat soluble activators she needs for herself and her baby,” (Super Nutrition for Babies, 2018). But wait… there’s more! There should be specific attention paid to the amount and kinds of fats in your diet, particularly when breastfeeding. Breastmilk is made up of mostly saturated fats and cholesterol. Much of baby's brain tissue is also composed of fat and to support optimal brain development, adequate fat is required in mom’s diet. Focus on incorporating a variety of fats, like grass-fed butter, eggs, cheese and meat from pasture-raised animals (when/if available to you). Medium chain triglycerides in the form of coconut oil or coconut milk feed probiotics and support thyroid health. And then, of course, clasic fat sources like oily fish, nuts and seeds will also provide you with those essential fatty acids. Avoid consuming too many highly processed fats, like seed and vegetable oils. Outdated messaging can still be heard circulating, for some reason, leading some people to believe that these oils are not only ok to consume, but good for you. That is far from the truth. They are extremely inflammatory and can be a source of disease-causing free radicals. Look for oils that are cold-pressed and unrefined. Great examples of these are coconut, avocado and olive oil. Now let’s talk carbohydrates. It probably isn’t surprising to know that you should be eating a variety of green vegetables, fruits, sprouted grains and some high quality starches. They are full of nutrients and fibre and don’t cause a dramatic spike in blood sugar. When talking fibre, look for some good resistant starch sources, like cooked and cooled potatoes and green bananas. Beans and legumes are another good source, but ensure they are properly soaked and cooked to remove any lectin. Resistant starches resist being digested, but feed our good gut bacteria. Of course, the diet described above is the ideal scenario, but we can’t always get those foods in, even though we know they’re important, because…. life. To offset this, you can of course use supplements to fill in any gaps. I want to preface this list by saying that you should always work with your personal healthcare team before starting any supplement regime to make sure they are right for you. That said, here is a list of supplements you may wish to explore to optimize your breast milk production and overall health as a nursing mama:
And there you have it! The ideal foods to incorporate into your diet when breastfeeding. Being a mom is hard, and at the end of the day, we’re all just doing the best we can. So if this doesn’t seem doable to you, if you’re just not there yet, I encourage you to pick one or two items that you could see yourself incorporating into your daily life and start there! Small changes can go a long way when it comes to the long-term health of you and your baby. |
|