Healthy Eating on a Budget

By Stacey Nolan Young

Even if you have not been personally affected by the economic downturn, you may be feeling the need to tighten up your belt these days when it comes to spending.

Grocery bills are a huge expense for most people, especially with the rising costs of food and in particular healthy items.

Let’s face it, unhealthy, boxed and processed foods can be cheaper. They are convenience foods. They are easy to make and easy on the wallet. While this may be the case they are certainly not “easy” on our bodies, our health and our waistlines. So what can we do to avoid falling into this trap?

Besides clipping coupons and keeping an eye out for great sales, it may be a good time to bring back the basics. The foods that have slipped our minds since the Great Depression. A lot of people have the misconception that fruits and veggies have to be fresh to be good for you. In many cases this is just not the truth. Frozen and canned fruits and vegetables can be just as or more nutritious than their fresh counterparts and usually much less expensive.

Beans are a nutritional gold mine whether prepared from scratch (soaked overnight and then cooked) or from a can. They are rich in fibre, low in fat, high in B vitamins and iron and the richest protein containing plant food. However, to take advantage of the protein content of beans they must be paired with something like brown rice in order for it to be considered a complete protein source.

Cabbage, kale, sweet potatoes, carrots, eggs, natural peanut butter, nuts, lean ground beef, lean pork chops, tomatoes, canned fish and apples are all good inexpensive items. Cook up some whole wheat pasta or brown rice and pair with some of the above items for a nutritious meal.

You may want to consider buying foods that will go a long way. Bulk cooking is a great idea when on a budget. Lean ground beef can be stretched out. Meat sauce with loads of veggies in it can be quite nutritious and can last awhile. Why not throw together a huge pot of chilli and freeze any unused portions? The same thing goes for soups and stews.

And lastly, choose the less expensive store brands when doing your shopping. It will typically make no difference in taste but it will make a difference on your wallet.

It is possible to eat well on a budget. Creativity may need to come into play a bit more but there is no excuse to head to those hot dogs and Kraft Dinner. Your body and health deserve better than that.

Add comment April 15th, 2009

How to get a Good Night’s Sleep

By Mark Young

The other day I got an email from a client who was having a hard time sleeping and it got me thinking about how many people are likely troubled by the same problem.  The sad fact is that when we don’t sleep well we’re more likely to eat sugar laden foods to “give us energy” which ultimately just result in making us overweight and more tired instead.

So… I’ve decided to put together a little piece to help YOU get a good night’s sleep.  The main thing is to develop a routine prior to sleeping and following it until your body becomes used to it.

Here are a few tips to live by:
 
1. Dim the lights in the hour or two before you sleep.  If at night, use dimmer switches or candles to light your house.  And stay away from the computer and television during this time.  The direct light in the eyes sends chemical signals to the brain to stay awake.

If you’re sleeping during the day (i.e., you work shifts) reduce the light in your house in the hours before sleep by closing the blinds.  That said, shift workers often have shorter lifespans and I’d bet the sleep fluctuations have something to do with this. 
 
2. Go to sleep at the same time every day.  Don’t go to bed early to get extra hours.  Habits are important.  If you break them the body gets upset.
 
3. Get up at the same time every day even if you didn’t sleep well.  This will allow you to sleep better the next night.
 
4. Avoid all caffiene for 6 hours before bed!!!  Contrary to popular opinion, it doesn’t prevent you from falling asleep.  However, it does affect the DEPTH of your sleep which causes you to wake up feeling tired.
 
5. Make sure to exercise.  This relieves stress and improves sleep. 
 
6. Make sure your room is DARK.  Block out all light or get an eye mask.  Light triggers the brain to wake up.
 
7. Listen to “white noise”.  Having a fan in the room helps so you can listen to that.
 
8. Make sure you have no cell phones close to your bed.  The electromagnetic energy is said to impair sleep.  Rumour?  Maybe.  But why do you need your phone there anyway?
 
9. Don’t eat a huge meal before bed.  In fact, your largest meal of the day should be breakfast.  That will leave you less hungry at dinner leading to a smaller meal and better sleep.
 
10. Sleeping pills can lead to a “sleep hangover” which makes it difficult to wake up at the appropriate time the next day.  Don’t use these.

Give these 10 tips a go and have a great night!

Add comment April 8th, 2009