In a few weeks we will be boarding a plane and heading to Canada for the summer months. In preparation, I have been scouring the internet looking for organized activities, day camps, and events for the kids to join. So far I have signed them up for gymnastics, swimming lessons and a Blue Jays ...
Nicaraguan Staples that Pack a Nutritional Punch
The mention of Nicaragua usually conjures thoughts of political instability and poverty but with the growth of tourism this perception is slowly changing, and it is fast becoming known as a beautiful land of lakes, volcanoes and beaches. However, it does not have a reputation as a culinary ...
A Look Beyond the Headlines: Diet and The Gut Microbiome
As an individual with more than a passing interest in nutrition (okay, I’m a total geek when it comes to this stuff) it is easy to become trigger happy with pressing the ‘share’ button on social media when I read about exciting new research results. But I have quickly learned to curb my enthusiasm, ...
7 Things I Miss About Springtime
Living close to the equator we do not experience the four seasons. The temperature and daylight hours stay pretty constant throughout the year. In this tropical climate we only have two seasons, a 6 month dry season and a 6 month rainy season, which we prefer to call the ‘green’ season. Prior to ...
April Round-up
I'm sure that I'm not the only one that feels overwhelmed by the amount of information in traditional and social media news feeds each day. My attention is often grabbed by a headline and I fleetingly think, “that sounds interesting” but when I sit down, hours later, I can no longer find the link or ...
Eight Valuable Things My Mother Taught Me About Eating Well (That I Did Not Learn in My Nutrition Degree)
With over a decade of post high school nutrition education under my belt, I have more than a passing understanding of the complex relationship between the food we consume and our health; I may even be considered an expert in the field. However, I have come to understand that when it comes to eating ...
The Not So Sweet Story of Sugar: A Nicaraguan Perspective
Even from my home in rural Nicaragua it is hard to ignore all the recent commotion about sugar. Whether it is through my social media feeds, newspaper articles, or documentaries, it seems that there is a constant stream of headlines; from describing the latest study results showing the negative ...
A Day in the (Beach) Life
The question I am asked most frequently by both friends and hotel guests is “What do you DO all day?” This question may in part be motivated by our location in a rural part of a developing country, with its lack of access to the amenities and conveniences that we are accustomed to; and also partly ...
Food Tracking Apps: An Aid to Healthy Eating or an Added Stress?
Recording food intake can help you better understand your food choices and identify areas to target for improvement. In my professional life, I can attest to the usefulness of keeping dietary records. While working clinically this information helped to pinpoint specific foods or eating patterns that ...
Simple Tasty Homemade Chocolates in Less than 5 Minutes!
There has been a lot more traffic on our usually deserted beach over the last few days, which means that the Semana Santa (Holy Week) holiday is upon us and Easter is just around the corner. As a child, during the week preceding Easter, I was a busy little bee (or should I say bunny). Pouring melted ...
Forever Young: The Truth About Suicide Loss
Today is my brothers’ birthday. Today, just as she has done for the past 43 years, my mother will bake a banana cake, smother it in vanilla icing, and place a few candles on top; which my 6 year old niece will vie to blow out. There will be singing and laughter, maybe even a few balloons, but my ...
Eat Your Words … Unless They’re Positive and Affirming!
In many respects we have become a left-brained society. We value reasoning, analytic and linear thought, routine and structure. We focus on the details rather than the big picture, as opposed to the more intuitive, creative, philosophical, emotional, holistic thinking attributed to the right-brain. ...
