UAlberta Dining Services - Nutrition Blog

Have you ever felt butterflies in your stomach? This is a sign of our brain and gut communicating with each other! The Science Behind the Mind Gut Connection There are trillions of microbes living in our guts, and they communicate through chemical messengers called neurotransmitters. One such neurotransmitter is serotonin- you might know this as the “happy chemical” which can affect your mood. Your gut microbes produce over 95% of serotonin! When the microbiota of the gut is disrupted, it can lead to inflammation and further symptoms through the gut-brain axis. As you can imagine, taking cake of the gut microbiota can positively impact your body and brain. Tips to Promote Gut Health Eat adequate fibre Fibr e increases gut microbiota diversity Adult men need 38 g fibre/day and adult women need 25 g fibre/day Incorporate probiotics and fermented foods These can restore the composition of the gut microbiome Reduce excess intake of red/processed meats Reduce excess intake of ...

  Does caffeine help improve your mood and alertness? Can you imagine exam season without caffeine? How much caffeine is too much? Keep reading to find out more. Caffeine is naturally found in coffee beans, tea leaves, cocoa beans, as well as added to some carbonated drinks. Caffeine is a stimulant which increases alertness. It has also been shown to improve mood and heighten mental performance. What is a safe amount of caffeine? Health Canada recommends no more than 400 mg caffeine per day for healthy adults >19 years of age. Too much caffeine can lead to serious side effects such as heart palpitations and high blood pressure as well as cause issues with sleep and digestion. How much caffeine are you getting?* Beverage Serving Size Caffeine (mg) Brewed coffee 250 mL (1 cup) 80-179 Cappuccino or Latte 250 mL (1 cup) 45-148 Instant coffee 250 mL (1 ...

In addition to diet and exercise, water plays a critical role in your health & wellbeing. With the temperatures cooling down and class work piling on, it can be challenging to remember to sip on water. You might be wondering, “how much water do I really need to drink everyday?”. Although there are minimum fluid requirements, the answer for this depends on many different factors such as your physical activity and diet. Adult women should aim for 11 cups daily and adult men should aim for 15 cups – this includes water from both liquids and food! Here are five tips to sip by: Start early. Don’t wait to drink water until you feel thirsty and dehydrated. Keep drinking water at regular intervals. Eat fruits and veggies. Many of these contain a high percentage of water such as watermelon and tomatoes which you can regularly find in our dining halls. Track your water. Logging your water intake can help keep you accountable. Use a water bottle. It makes remembering to drink water much e...

  This month, make a goal to TAKE 15 : take 15-minute breaks from work and school to improve your mental wellbeing. Keep reading to find out how: Mindful Eating Mindful eating focuses on your sensory awareness of your food and environment. This allows you to connect food to your internal body cues. Try to engage all your senses when you are eating: ·        How does the food smell? ·        How does the food texture feel? ·        How does the food look (colours, shapes, etc)? Find your pocket of peace by building a positive relationship with food. Physical Activity Physical activity has been found to have positive impacts on mood, memory, and sleep. This may be because physical activity releases endorphins that relax muscles and allow you to feel calm. This does not have to be planned physical activity or sports; instead, try: ·        Take a ...

  A new semester means a fresh start full of opportunity to set new goals, overcome setbacks and achieve new heights! Whether you are setting goals for healthy eating, activity, or classes- keep reading to learn five tips to stay motivated and focused. Tips for Turning Goals into Reality: 1. Have a vision and mission  A vision outlines specifically where you want to go. Put a number on what you want to achieve. A mission outlines how you will achieve your vision. What steps will you take to achieve your goal? Example: Vision: I want to improve my iron levels to the healthy target range. Mission: I will improve my iron levels by incorporating more iron rich foods in my diet.  2. Break it down into mini goals     Breaking the bigger goal into smaller approaches you can do daily makes it much less daunting and much more achievable! Example: Have a serving of iron-rich foods at each meal, e.g. beans, meat, etc.   3. Set a “SMART” goal    ...

  Spring has sprung! But April remains a stressful time of the school year with finishing up projects and finals. Keep on reading to help find pockets of peace in your days.  Take 15 minutes from your day to try one of the following: Breathing exercise while walking Time your inhale and exhale with every two steps to help you relax. You can then extend the length to every three steps. Take a nap Take a quick nap to help you re-energize and refocus on your goals. Get creative Google “mindfulness colouring sheets” and get to colouring your favourite design. You can do this digitally as well! Connect with friends and/or family Talking with others can help relieve stress by lifting the weight off our shoulders. Listen to your favourite tunes Jam out to some awesome beats or put on some slow, instrumental music to help you focus. Remember, nourishing your mind is just as important as your body. Take some time today to slow down and do something you enjoy! Resources TAKE 1...

  March is National Nutrition Month, and your dietitian wants to help you uncomplicate nutrition information! It can be challenging to separate real from reel when it comes to nutrition information in the age of social media. Fad diets can mask themselves under the false appearance of healthful eating, especially when the nutrition information is coming from your favourite fitness influencer. Let’s take a deeper dive into what fad diets are, and how you can spot them. What is a fad diet? A fad diet is a popular diet that promises quick fixes usually revolving around weight loss. It often does not follow healthy eating principles. How can I spot a fad diet? Watch out for the following red flags when you come across a new diet: Promises of rapid, significant weight loss (more than 2 pounds per week) Severe restriction on calories or certain food groups like carbohydrates or fats Rigid rules that do not fit into your lifestyle Asks you to buy supplements from a certain compa...