A Great Nutrition Resource ...

Last Saturday, I went with my sister and her freezing cold grandson, (what is it about preteen boys and their aversion to coats??), to my first Winter Farmer's Market of the season. Up to this point I'd been eating the fruits of the autumn harvest from my own garden but pickings were getting slim so off to the Market I went with family and half a dozen cloth Market bags.

I came home with red kabosha squash, onions, potatoes, kale, carrots, apples and portabella mushrooms and, inspired by the sight and smell of all those wonderful fruits and vegetables, I've taken the time to cook and eat very well this week. (And when I eat well, I have more energy to put into my exercise routine so I've also enjoyed two yoga sessions and great daily walks at the Lake in the spring sunshine.)

There's no question that a healthy diet and good exercise are at the foundation of good physical and mental health, (to say nothing of being an important part of initial recovery from compassion fatigue), but amid all the marketing hype, how can we be sure that we're making the best nutrition choices?

One great resource I like to use as a guide is the Canadian Nutrition Action Healthletter

published by the Center for Science in the Public Interest. The Center is an independent non-profit consumer health group that advocates honest food labeling and advertising, safer and more nutritious foods, and pro-health alcohol policies. They accept no government or industry funding and are thus able to critique food products and policies honestly.

The Healthletter, which is celebrating it's 40th anniversary this issue, is a colourful, sixteen page magazine that arrives in my mailbox ten times a year full of good nutrition research, Canadian name-brand product evaluation, recipes and tips for healthy eating. It is a quick read and provides huge bang for the buck.

Some of this month's articles include:

* Unexpected: Surprise (Nutrition Research) Findings From the Last 40 Years

* Magnesium & Sudden Death

* Don't Just Walk

* Beyond Bread: Think Thin (Brand-Name Ratings of Thins, English Muffins, Bagels etc)

* Under Wraps: Healthy Fillings for Sandwiches

* Artery Crusts: An Evaluation of Brand-Name Pie Crusts

If you are interested in creating a healthier life style, why not take a look and see if the Healthletter might provide the information and motivation to help you on your way?