Hi

Hard to believe that it's September, and that fall will officially arrive early next week.

But the weather has been great, so that makes it so much easier to get outside for walks, and runs....perhaps a nature walk at your favourite park. Enjoy it while we can!

Vitamin vs. Real Food We all know that vitamin supplements are no substitute for a healthy diet, but nobody’s perfect when it comes to healthful eating. It can be particularly challenging to get the nutrients you need if you’re dieting or if you avoid animal or dairy products. So, many of us take a daily multivitamin as nutritional insurance. But research suggests that multivitamins may not be all they’re cracked up to be. Recent research findings raise questions about the use of multivitamins, and whether or not to take one daily has become a harder call. Many multivitamins contain some micronutrients in excess of the recommended intake, which can lead to unsafe levels. Some studies have shown that there’s little or no evidence of protection against cardiovascular disease or cancers from a number of vitamin supplements. As the negative findings of studies of vitamins have piled up, they have raised questions about the use of multivitamins as a safety net. The Challenge Experts agree that the best way to get the nutrients we need is through food. A balanced diet — one containing plenty of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains — offers a mix of vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients that collectively meet the body’s needs. But many of us doubt whether we can get all the nutrients we need from food alone. For one thing, the “percent daily values” featured on food labels are based on a 2,000-calories-a-day diet. Many of us can’t eat that much without gaining weight. What if your energy needs are closer to 1,500 calories a day? What if you’re dieting? Can you eat enough to take in the recommended micronutrients without falling back on a multivitamin? The Good News It’s not an issue of food quantity, but rather food quality. Even a low-calorie diet can deliver all the vitamins and minerals you need, with one exception — vitamin D. So plan to take a vitamin D supplement. Getting the rest of your nutrients through diet requires some planning and some knowledge about food. The focus should be on nutrient-dense foods such as legumes, Brussels sprouts, kale, eggs, seeds, almonds, and fish, which are packed with vitamins and minerals and have relatively few calories (see examples below). Some nutrient-dense foods* * Avocados * Chard, collard greens, kale, mustard greens, spinach * Bell peppers * Brussels sprouts * Mushrooms (crimini and shiitake) * Baked potatoes * Sweet potatoes * Cantaloupe, papaya, raspberries, strawberries * Low-fat yogurt * Eggs * Seeds (flax, pumpkin, sesame, and sunflower) * Dried beans (garbanzo, kidney, navy, pinto) * Lentils, peas * Almonds, cashews, peanuts * Barley, oats, quinoa, brown rice * Salmon, halibut, cod, scallops, shrimp, tuna * Lean beef, lamb, venison * Chicken, turkey *Foods that have a lot of nutrients relative to the number of calories. The following is a sample menu for one day: Breakfast 8 oz nonfat yogurt ½ cup sliced papaya ½ cup sliced kiwi 1 oz (14 halves) walnuts 4 oz skim milk Lunch 1 small whole-wheat pita Green salad: * 1 cup dark green lettuce * 1 red or orange pepper * 1 cup grape tomatoes * ½ cup edamame beans * 1 tbsp. unsalted sunflower seeds. Salad dressing made with 1 tbsp. olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and pepper Dinner 4 oz broiled wild salmon and yogurt sauce (1 tbsp. Greek-style nonfat yogurt, 1 tsp. lemon juice, 1 clove chopped garlic) ¼ cup cooked barley and ¼ cup cooked lentils with spices to taste 1 cup steamed baby bok choy *Dietary reference intakes Source: Ellen di Bonaventura, R.D., clinical dietician, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA.