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Montreal Nutrition Examiner

Joanna Lynn — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 08:39:02 +0000

Drop by and visit! Montreal Nutrition Examiner

Whose guidance do we follow when it comes to health?

Joanna Lynn — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 05:44:47 +0000

We tend to follow the guidance of those whose morals, values, opinions, and lifestyles we respect. As we become more informed on a subject, we become more confident. When we become more confident, we tend to follow our own guidance. We have to trust that we are being well guided, and that is a personal choice usually based on results. We will probably ask ourselves “how is this expert’s guidance working for me?”, and we will follow the guidance based on the answer to that question.While experts may not agree on everything, there tends to be agreement on the basics.

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Genetic engineering of food?

Joanna Lynn — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 05:44:33 +0000

The genetic engineering of food was originally well intentioned but is still relatively “new”. Some of us suffer no shortage of food while others starve. Pesticides, herbicides, polluted soil, floods, droughts, famine, and malnutrition occur on a global level and concern us all. Genetically modified foods were meant to address those issues. “New” to me tends to mean untested, unknown long term effects, and please advance with caution. I don’t know that I am particularly comfortable with the idea of us altering the genetic make-up of plants and animals.

Many of us seem to understand organic to mean vegetarian. In fact, organic is the process by which food is grown, harvested, and raised. The lack of polluted soil, antibiotics, and pesticides are at issue whether organic chicken, tomato, or sugar.

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A trend in the culinary field toward better nutrition?

Joanna Lynn — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 05:44:15 +0000

We are becoming more aware of “good” versus “bad” foods as the information is presented to us. Years ago, some of us had understood that margarine (some contained hydrogenated or trans fats) was, for example, better for us than butter. Now, research tells us that hydrogenated (trans) fats are not good for us and that eating limited amounts of saturated fats (butter) is the better choice. Others argued that butter just tasted better and ignored the margarine advisory.

The culinary field is vast and caters to everyone. There are meat, fish, pastry, desert eaters, vegetarians, and vegans. More and more consumers, vegetarian or not, are choosing organic foods.

Regardless of the category into which we fall, we can make healthy or unhealthy food choices. Governments may become involved and make decisions for us. The recent ban of trans fats is one example. Location can be a factor as well. If we live in areas that promote healthy food choices, we are more likely to make them. On one hand, the culinary field sets trends, on the other hand, it responds to trends. As informed consumers, we have the power to influence it, and do.

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Change in attitude about nutrition over the past several years?

Joanna Lynn — Sun, 21 Sep 2008 03:53:48 +0000

There has been a change in the attitude about nutrition in some. Even when we are not looking for information, we often come face to face with it on the internet, or in the media generally. Topics range from weight loss, to contaminated foods, to new discoveries, to health concerns like diabetes or heart disease. Some of us gravitate toward organic foods because we do not want to eat chemically influenced foods. In the past, we may have reached for foods without thinking twice about their nutritive value, whereas now we may just not reach for them or indulge only occasionally after reading the labels. We tend to form the same eating habits as those with whom we grow up and with whom we live. The more aware we are, as parents or role models, the more aware our children and those around us are. We are passing on an awareness that, in turn, is promoting a change in attitude.

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