1. The Importance of Healthy Eating
Ashleigh Callan, MSc.AHN, RD
May 14th, 2014
Caregiver Support Series

2. Outline What is healthy eating & why eat healthy Canada’s Food Guide
Plate Mate
Staying Hydrated
How to manage poor appetites
Tips for making nutritious meals with limited time
- I am just going to go through a more general overview of healthy eating

3. What is Healthy Eating?
Eating a variety of foods from Canada’s Food Guide
Having balanced meals
Trying something new
When I say “healthy eating”, what does that mean to you? Do you think you and the person you are caring for are eating healthy already?
Ask them to provide examples of what healthy eating means to them

4. Why Eat Healthy? Source of important vitamins and minerals
Good source of energy
To maintain health
Makes care to that person better
We always hear about what foods are considered healthy or not, and what to do to be “healthy”, but do you guys know WHY we should be eating healthy foods?
Give me some examples of why you think it’s important to eat healthy for both you and the person you care for

5. Canada’s Food Guide Standard to follow for healthy eating
4 Food Groups:
Vegetables & Fruit
Grain Products
Milk & Alternatives
Meat & Alternatives
- Who has heard about or seen CFG before?
- It describes the amount and type of food that people need as part of a healthy eating pattern; includes foods from each of the four food groups – Vegetables and Fruit, Grain Products, Milk and Alternatives, Meat and Alternatives;
- Recommends how many Food Guide Servings people should eat from each food group. The recommended number of servings is different for people at different stages of life and for males and females;
- provides direction on specific foods to choose within each food group, and provides advice for different ages and stages
I won’t go through the whole food guide extensively, but I do want to highlight a few important things that might be more relevant to you

6. Fruits & Vegetables Largest ribbon on the food guide
Filled with important nutrients
Choose whole fruit over juice
The Vegetables and Fruit group is the largest part of the rainbow, emphasizing the importance of these foods. Vegetables and fruit have important nutrients, and we should choose at least 7 to 8 servings each day, but most of us only get 3-4/day.
Juices can also help you reach for servings of V/F, but choose unsweetened frozen fruit or fruit packed in juice instead of heavy syrup. To get more fibre and other nutrients, eat vegetables and fruit more often than even 100% fruit juice
When choosing juices, make sure they are made from 100% fruit juice and do not have the words “cocktail” or “fruit beverage,” because they are mostly made of water, sugar and flavourings

7. Follow the Plate Mate
How our plates should be divided at lunch & dinner
Meals
At least 3 of 4 food groups
Snacks
At least 2 of 4 food groups
Provide examples for each
Typically, meals are planned around the meat or poultry part of the meal, and the average portion of meat might fill up half of the plate or more. Because of this, we generally get more than double the protein needed each day
- Does anyone know what 1 serving of meat should look like? (the size and thickness of a deck of cards) - The emphasis should be on small, lean portions of meat or poultry, and to use meat alternatives such as fish, legumes, dried beans, and tofu more often  - Can anyone think of meal examples that follow the plate mate?: chicken/rice/broccoli; lasagna, salad; broth soup with veg/pasta and glass milk; quiche/salad/slice bread; sandwich/apple/yogurt

8. Eating Regularly How many meals do you usually eat each day? 3 meals
4-5 small meals
2 meals
1 large meal
Eating at least three meals each day is key to healthy eating. Regular eating times can help people eat the amount of food that they need to stay fueled throughout the day, and also help people include a variety of foods from each of the four food groups to get enough vitamins, minerals and other nutrients
Regular meals help manage appetite and prevent overeating
Some people choose to eat four or five small meals each day. This pattern of eating has the same benefits as eating at least three meals each day
Snacks are great to help you get from meal to meal and sustain your energy and reduce hunger
Ex’s include:
Apple and peanut butter
Cheese and crackers
Fruit and yogurt
Veggies and dip
Hummus and pita
Toast and Banana
Small bowl cereal with milk
Fruit salad
Rice pudding and nuts
Rice cake with peanut butter

9. Stay Hydrated Water is best Other sources of fluid: Coffee/tea Milk
100% Fruit Juice
Vegetable Juice
Broth
While food is an important part of a healthy lifestyle, we can’t forget about drinking fluids. Being dehydrated can make you tired, dizzy, and even disoriented, which is not something we want when we need to be focused and careful in the care you’re providing
Water is the best way to satisfy thirst and replace lost fluids. Soft drinks, fruit-flavoured drinks, sports and energy drinks, and sweetened hot or cold beverages are typically high in sugar and low in nutrients. Diet beverages sweetened with artificial sweeteners may be lower in calories, but as with other beverages, these drinks may also contain caffeine or sodium
Although fruit juice may be higher in vitamins and minerals than some other beverages such as soda or sport drinks, it is still high in sugar and calories, and you are missing out on the fibre you get from eating the whole fruit. Vegetable juices are often high in sodium

10. How to Manage Poor Appetites?
Small frequent meals
Keep nutritious snacks handy
Include high protein and high calorie foods in meals and snacks throughout the day
Nutritional supplements, such as liquid meal replacements, may be helpful
- This slide may be more applicable to the person you are caring for, but this can happen to the caregiver as well  - Sometimes, we, or the person we are caring for,  may not feel very hungry. So how can you try to deal with this, while at the  same time trying to ensure that you are eating enough to get enough nutrients? Here are some suggestions (read slide) - You won’t get too full, and gives you more opportunities to get in enough food to sustain us throughout the day - You don’t have to have 3 full meals. Snacks are great, because they are small, can typically be eaten on the go, and won’t fill us up too much. They are also a lot handier, so you can grab them when you don’t have a lot of time - With poor appetites, you don’t consume the amount of calories we need, even if you eat multiple small snacks throughout the day. To help with this, having something high in calories (but also high in nutrients) can help you meet your calorie goals with only a little bit of food. Protein is essential to help keep you full for longer, and keep your muscles strong - If you still find you or the person you are caring for is not eating enough, a nutritional supplement like Ensure or Boost may be what you need. It’s like a milkshake, but has all the nutrients that you need and more protein than a regular milkshake. While they can act as meal replacements, the best thing to do would be to have them in ADDITION to your meals. Ex. have it before or after a meal, drink these when taking medications instead of water, etc.

11. Making Nutritious Meals with Less Time
Cook once, eat twice
Use “healthy” convenience foods to your advantage
Frozen F/V
Roasted chickens
Prepared salads
Pre-cut fresh F/V
Canned tuna/salmon
Canned beans/legumes
Shredded cheese
Canned diced tomatoes/pasta sauce
Eggs
Making healthy choices can still be done even when you don’t have a lot of time to dedicate to cooking
While we always hear that “convenience” foods are to be avoided, there are actually many that exist that can fit into a healthy diet. These include: (read slide)
With the beans and legumes, be sure to rinse them first to get rid of the extra salt - With anything canned that can’t be drained or rinsed, like tomatoes or pasta sauce, be sure to choose “low sodium” or “no salt added versions”

12. Making Nutritious Meals with Less Time
Microwave cooking
Freeze it
Slow-cooker
Make recipes with few ingredients
Frittata, Sandwich, pasta
- This can be an alternative to cooking a large meal, since there is less clean-up and you make smaller portions - Cooking large batches of food is a great idea, because it will save you a lot of time throughout the week, and can be easily portioned out and frozen to use later - A slow cooker/crock-pot literally allows you to “set it and forget it”. Put everything into the slow-cooker in the morning, and by the time dinner comes around, you have a fresh, hot and healthy meal waiting for you. No work required! - Choosing recipes with few ingredients makes the dish easier and simpler, with less time devoted to cooking, and less clean-up

13. For Men & Women over 50 Need for calcium and vitamin D increases
From both food & supplements
Vitamin D needs increase after the age of 50 because as people age, their skin is not able to produce as much vitamin D from sunlight. Along with calcium, vitamin D is important for bone strength and reduces the risk of osteoporosis and fractures in older adults.
Canada’s Food Guide recommends that in addition to drinking two cups of milk each day, men and women over 50 should take a daily vitamin D supplement of 10 micrograms (400 IU). Canadians may have greater requirements, especially in the winter months when our sun exposure is further reduced

14. In Summary Eating a healthy and balanced diet is important
Follow Canada’s food guide; choose a variety of foods
Don’t forget to drink!
Find ways to cut down on cooking time
Most Importantly
Make sure to look after yourself! Your health is the key to this person's care

15. Questions?