theHealthRabbit's Xanga

Why Food Has Gender

Mon, 23 May 2011 22:32:06 GMT

It has come to my attention that foods kind of have gender. I mean this as in men tend to typically choose different types of foods than women. Food psychology and the sociological aspects of food choices are areas of research that some university professors dedicate their careers to. It's also an area that I may be interested in exploring in the future for a thesis-based Masters.

What are "women" foods? Women tend to (not always) gravitate towards the following foods:

Does this mean that women are healthier? Maybe. I attended a conference in April where a UBC professor discussed the qualitative research that she did in this area of food and gender. When asking why women chose these types of healthy foods, it was not always because they were healthy choices. They chose these foods because they were concerned about weight and dieting. They wanted to fit into their skinny jeans! You know... women and their calories...

What type of foods do men typically choose? Not as great:

Why? It's hard for me to say because I'm not a man. But my thoughts are that the above pub foods are often associated with sports. The Superbowl is notorious for some of the worst foods consumed in any single event. Protein and meat are associated more so with "manly muscles" rather than heart disease, some cancers, and stress on the kidneys. And then I typically hear the phrase, "grabbing a beer with the guys." Men may also have less societal pressure to fit a certain body type. But what do I know; I don't have balls. You guys tell me!

The bottom line is not that men should eat like women. Women tend to choose salads because they want to diet and lose weight, but some women are almost always on a diet! Instead of seeing vegetables, salads, and fruits as "Die with a T" foods or miserable foods that you just have to eat temporarily until you can squeeze into those skinny jeans, these foods should be seen as part of a lifestyle. Eating these foods daily can make you feel more energized and help prevent chronic diseases. And if they help you look better, feel lighter, and more happy with yourself, then that's a win-win!

But feeling good come first!

Double Food Pyramid: Incorporating healthy eating and food sustainability

Tue, 03 May 2011 21:46:01 GMT

I came across the "Double Food Pyramid" from the Barilla Center for Food & Nutrition. It shows how healthy eating and environmental sustainability are integrated with each other.

Click for larger version

Foods that we should try to limit and choose less often are meats. Meat is a good source of high-quality protein, which is important for growth and muscle building. However, we really don't need as much meat as the current population is consuming. Meats (especially red meats) contain saturated fats, which are linked to a higher risk of heart disease.

Meat also has a larger detrimental impact on the environment. Raising animals creates greenhouse gas emissions (aka. cows fart methane gas).

The foods on the environmental pyramid that are best for the environment are fruits, vegetables, grains, and legumes. Plant-based foods are also great for your health and there is much evidence that plant-based foods can help prevent chronic diseases. These foods are low in saturated fats and high in fiber and nutrients. A combination of grains and legumes can also provide all 8 essential amino acids that your body needs to build muscle!

Healthy eating is a win-win situation for your body and the environment! For more info on the double food pyramid, read this position paper.

World's Largest Woman Eats 30,000 Calorie Meal

Thu, 30 Dec 2010 00:08:56 GMT

I can't believe I never heard of this woman until now. She was in the Toronto Star recently for apparently consuming a 30,000 calorie Christmas dinner. From previous blog posts, you may know that I am personally against calling other people the word "fat." This woman drives me speechless because she actually wants to gain weight. Her goal weight is 1000 pounds.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xH81IPAzvm4

Some people push the idea of "health at any size," meaning that bigger people can also be very fit. But this woman is not anywhere near health! She can barely move! She points out that she's eating lots of vegetables, but it's just iceberg lettuce (pretty much no nutrients) and tomatoes. And then adds motherload portions of white bread, processed meats, and french fries.

This woman's body mass index (BMI) is reportedly 103.9. BMI only takes height and weight into consideration; however, research studies have shown an association between high BMI and mortality due to cardiovascular diseases and certain cancers. A recently published study from the New England Journal of Medicine (1) used other studies to gather data on 1.46 million white adults and identified 160,087 deaths. The study concluded that overall, all-cause mortality was lowest in people with a BMI between 20.0 and 24.9. Although a higher BMI does not cause death, an extremely high weight/BMI generally goes hand-in-hand with an artery-clogging diet.

So I feel really sorry for this woman, especially since she has a young child. I read that she has diabetes and high blood pressure, but I couldn't find any other information about her medical conditions. At least she says that she feels happy. Is she really happy or is she just delusional? Unfortunately she will die at an early age. But her death may set a helpful warning to others to lead a healthier lifestyle.

References:
(1) Berrington de Gonzalez A, Phil D, Hartge P, Cerhan JR, Flint AJ, Hannan L, et al. Body-mass index and mortality among 1.46 million white adults. N Engl J Med. 2010;363:2211-2219. (Abstract)

Lemon-Thyme Roast Chicken Recipe from Dietitians of Canada

Sun, 26 Dec 2010 00:24:33 GMT

Have you ever bought a cookbook and then not used one single recipe in it? That was me, until a couple of weeks ago! I purchased "Simply Great Food" in October hoping to explore more into the culinary world. This cookbook was made by Dietitians of Canada and has 250 recipes submitted by dietitians across the country.

I managed to make 4 recipes in this book with my roommates a couple of weeks ago. Now that it's Christmas, I am making the lemon-thyme roast chicken again for my family. Of course, I'd love to share this recipe with you too.

Click HERE for online recipe with nutritional information.

This recipe uses very simple, healthy ingredients, yet comes out tasting very savoury and tender! The marinade calls for garlic, olive oil, fresh thyme, grated lemon zest, lemon juice, and just a dash of salt. Excluding the salt, these are all ingredients that are heart healthy, anti-cancer, and contain zero sodium.

So here is my chicken from two weeks ago:

Before roasting...

And after roasting...

I burned him a little, but it was mostly the garlic. Next time, I won't leave so much garlic from the marinade sit on the top. The recipe turned out great! I'm waiting for two more organic chickens that are sitting in my family's oven right now. Hopefully one day I can graduate to turkey.

Happy Holidays everybody!

Eggs Vs. KFC's Double Down

Thu, 11 Nov 2010 04:12:15 GMT

I am frustrated recently with how the media provides the public with misleading nutrition information. The Toronto Star recently published an article titled "Eggs worse than KFC Double Down," (1) citing an newly published article from the Canadian Journal of Cardiology (2).

Eggs are infamous for being high in cholesterol. And they are. A large egg yolk contains approximately 195-215mg of cholesterol (depending on what type of egg you choose). The Toronto Star article compared this value to the 150mg of cholesterol found in KFC's Double Down sandwich. Based on just one dietary factor, they are calling eggs "worse" than the Double Down? There is so much more to cardiovascular disease risk than just dietary cholesterol! What about overall calories? Saturated fats? Sodium?

I hate how newspapers make dumb health claims to get more readers. It's really misleading and it confuses the public. So here is a quick overall comparison of the two:

Photo by Lucas Richarz

KFC's Double Down (3)
Calories: 540
Fat: 30g
Saturated Fat: 8.2g
Trans Fat: 0.5g
Cholesterol: 150mg
Sodium: 1740 mg

Photo by kool_skatkat

One Large Egg (4)
Calories: 70
Fat: 5g
Saturated Fat: 1.5g
Trans Fat: 0g
Cholesterol: 195mg
Sodium: 65mg

Of course one egg is much smaller in amount and is not going to fill you up as much as a Double Down sandwich. However, an egg can be paired with healthier choices like whole wheat toast and fruit at breakfast time.

The journal article (2) that the Toronto Star referenced didn't even mention KFC's Double Down. Shame on you, Toronto Star, for using the recent Canadian release of the Double Down to attract more attention. However, the referenced journal article titled "Dietary cholesterol and egg yolks: Not for patients at risk of vascular disease" also makes a cheap shot at eggs by comparing its cholesterol with "a Hardee's Monster Thickburger, which contains two-thirds of a pound of beef, three slices of cheese and four strips of bacon." And all that is not heart clogging?

To read more criticisms on this journal article, please see this blog by a Canadian physician. He has a much better background in research and statistical methods. His writing is informative and witty, but he uses a lot of sarcasm.

It is important to note that your body's cholesterol and lipid levels are not just based on the cholesterol you eat in your diet. There are many other things you can do to reduce your risk of stroke and heart disease:

Maintain a healthy weight and BMI between 18.5 and 24.9
Daily physical activity
Decrease saturated and trans fats
Increase healthy omega-3 fats
Reduce alcohol intake to less than 1-2 servings per day
Stop smoking
Decrease salt and sodium in your diet

What about cholesterol?
Here are the current dietary recommendations (5) on cholesterol:

For healthy individuals, consume less than 300mg of cholesterol per day
For individuals with high cardiovascular risk (ie. coronary heart disease, diabetes, dyslipidemia), consume less than 200mg of cholesterol per day

Cholesterol is only found in animal products (ie. meat, eggs, dairy). Some food products love to label "no cholesterol" on their packaging, but the truth is that the product never had cholesterol in the first place!

What kind of eggs should you choose?
A typical egg (large to extra-large) can contain approximately 215-275mg of cholesterol. In the above comparison of one egg to one Double Down sandwich, it says one large egg has 195mg of cholesterol. That source was from the Egg Farmers of Canada, so I'm sure they're going to use the lowest value possible to support their business.

Omega-3 eggs tend to have a lower level of cholesterol than normal eggs. One large omega-3 egg has 70 calories and 195mg of cholesterol. The hens of these eggs are fed flax seeds and this helps them to produce eggs that have less cholesterol and are higher in omega-3 fats.

Are eggs healthy and safe to consume?
Studies have shown that eating one egg per day has no adverse effect on your risk for heart disease and stroke (6, 7). However, keep in mind the guidelines above. Because consuming more than 300mg of cholesterol per day is no good. One egg per day is safe if you keep to these guidelines! Someone with diabetes or who is at risk for diabetes should take caution though because they have a more restricted guideline. It is difficult to consume less than 200mg of cholesterol if you eat one egg every day.

Check your food labels. Try omega-3 eggs or small/medium-size eggs for less cholesterol. Eggs are still a great source of protein, vitamin E and vitamin B12. They are low-calorie and can help control hunger and weight. When you look at the whole picture with total calories, saturated fats, and sodium, an egg is most definitely a better choice than the artery-clogging Double Down!

References:
1) Toronto Star - http://www.torontosun.com/news/canada/2010/11/03/15935426.html
2) Spence JD, Jenkins DJ, Davignon J. Dietary cholesterol and egg yolks: Not for patients at risk of vascular disease. Can J Cardiol. 2010;26(9):e336-e339.
3) KFC® Canada Nutrition Information - http://www.kfc.ca/home/en/downloads/nutrition.pdf
4) Egg Farmers of Canada - http://www.eggs.ca/AllAboutEggs/Nutrition_WhatsIn.aspx
5) Dietetics at Work - PEN Pathways - http://www.dieteticsatwork.com/Pen/KnowledgePathway.asp?kpid=2671&pqcatid=144&pqid=14358
6) Hu FB, Stampfer MJ, Rimm EB, Manson JE, Ascherio A, Colditz GA, et al. A prospective study of egg consumption and risk of cardiovascular disease in men and women. JAMA. 1999;281:1387-1394.
7) Qureshi AI, Suri FK, Ahmed S, Nasar A, Divani AA, Kirmani JF. Regular egg consumption does not increase the risk of stroke and cardiovascular diseases. Med Sci Monit. 2007;13(1):CR1-8.

Get Your Apple On! - New Video

Fri, 29 Oct 2010 01:20:09 GMT

I posted up my newest nutrition promotion video yesterday. Check it out!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uz8JR22cK7c

Unfortunately, my site was down yesterday, which is why I could not update my blog until now. I am extremely frustrated with Xanga's quality and service, especially since I paid money for my website's domain name. This happened to me back in August too, where my website was down for more than four days. I really wanted to punch something.

I can't afford to have my website crash every two months. So I hope that you'll understand why I will be leaving Xanga in the future. I need reliability, and Xanga has shown that they cannot provide this to me.

But I'm still here for now. Bitter, but I find Xanga users are so kind to me, so it makes up for things. I am so appreciative of the support and encouragement that I've received from people. Thank you!

So my newest video is on APPLES. Wanna know a little bit about the making of this video? It was filmed at the University of British Columbia. And in my scenes where I'm checking out Michael and trying to act all sexy? Michael wasn't even in the room! Haha! I was so embarrassed and was having such difficulty with my part that Michael offered to leave the room temporarily. We went through three apples while filming. I ate the third one because I was hungry.

Are apples healthy? Yes! Approximately five grams of fiber awesome-ness! Great snack choice!

I talked about soluble and insoluble fibers lately. They're both great for you! Insoluble fibers help you poop and maintain healthy intestines. You'll find insoluble fibers in whole grain products, vegetables, and fruits.

Soluble fibers are not as common but great for your health too. They help lower your cholesterol and therefore may help prevent heart disease. Other common foods with soluble fibers are oatmeal, carrots, oranges, flax seed, barley, etc.

So if you like my video, please subscribe and share it with your friends! It would help me out so much. I don't do a whole lot of marketing because I think internet marketing is pretty fake. I'm not a fake person and I don't like fake people. I dislike it when people send out 1000 Youtube friend requests in hopes that 5 will come back and subscribe to them. I know that's the way you are supposed to get yourself out there.... And I don't get a whole lot of people noticing me at all and subscribing. But I truly believe that good content will persevere and win in the end. Which is why I work hard on producing quality content. I hope that people who like my videos will share them with others and I can reach more people! And make this world a healthier place.

Youtube: youtube.com/theHealthRabbit
Follow me on Twitter: @Elizabbit
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Looking like a granny at the grocery store

Tue, 19 Oct 2010 00:24:09 GMT

I am loving my new sustainable grocery bag. I live on my own and don't own a car, so grocery shopping for fresh produce can be a real pain. I bought a bag that acts as a cart with wheels:

And it folds up nicely to make a hand bag:

When I'm walking home with a cart full of groceries, do I feel like a granny? Yes. But man, it is way easier to carry stuff and make more frequent trips!

I haven't updated in a while and I feel super bad. So here are some more random pictures of dorky nutrition-related things that I have been wanting to share!

My friend's house had these really cool measuring cups:

They are magnetic so they stick to the refrigerator door. You can pop them out and turn it into a measuring cup!

I think these measuring cups serve as a great reminder to portion size your food and snacks instead of eating right out of the jar or bag.

And then I was at a frozen yogurt place with a good friend and they served me frozen yogurt in a cup with this quote on it. And then I fell in love with this cup! (I asked for extra fruit on top.)

"To eat is a necessity but to eat intelligently is an art." - La Rouchefoucauld

And this is so true. We all need to eat because that is basic survival. But do you choose to put crap in your body? Or fuel it with rich and wholesome foods full of vitamins, minerals, fibers, and antioxidants? It all becomes poop in the end. But putting crap in your body will make you feel like crap too.

Okay, so why I have not updated in a while...? Excuses excuses...

1) I've moved into a new city and place.
2) I bought a new computer and it has some kinks that have been pissing me off. It took me a while to get my video editing program onto this computer.
3) I started my dietetic internship last week.

But the biggest problem is that I have been having confidence issues with this video/Youtube project. I have filmed things... but after watching what I've filmed, I hate it. Maybe I am just a perfectionist or I worry about people judging me too much. I worry about how the professional dietetic world may perceive my videos and blogs. I worry that my opinion is not valid or based on sufficient research.

And most of all, it's really difficult to sit on my bedroom floor and talk to a camera. Awkwardness. It's so weird to hear myself talk. I don't like looking at what I've filmed. I am just hard on myself.

Okay I need to shut up now. I totally overthink things. I do appreciate support and encouragement from friends though. I come across to others as a strong and confident person, but the reality is that I'm not as strong/confident as I'd like to be.

But I'm trying. I hope to get a new video out this Wednesday. I have filmed a product review video of five healthy foods that I've been eating recently. But even with this, I am not confident. My new roommate said she loves to hear product reviews on make-up and beauty products. But can I capture your attention span for seven whole minutes of me just talking about food?

I've also filmed another skit with Michael. We filmed this video a few weeks ago, just before I left Vancouver. I have not edited it yet, but here is a preview:

"Healthy Michael" is adorable!

Bloopers from "Girls Love Healthy Guys!" Video

Wed, 15 Sep 2010 23:55:32 GMT

This is my first time acting, directing, and filming a skit like this. It was Michael's first time acting as well. I think it turned out not too bad for a beginner. I had trouble with choosing good angles to shoot at and I think both of us had difficulties getting over ourselves and start acting with all that "cheesy" goodness!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s-yQGPU89bE

I forgot to say last time that I got the inspiration to do this video from Axe cologne commercials. When I was in high school, I used to always see commercials where a guy spritzes on Axe and then two hot girls show up. Axe isn't the greatest cologne in the world at all, yet they make a heck of a lot of sales! They have a really creative advertising team.

Or is it just that "sex sells"? A couple of friends were joking around and said that I should have worn a bikini in this video. But I definitely didn't want to come off as slutty! Originally, I asked one of my girlfriends to play the second girl in this video, and I told her to just dress casually/cute with a tank top or something.

Do you think sexy ads would be able to sell fruits/vegetables and encourage healthy living? I wonder if it would work equally on both men and women. Lingerie ads are targeted towards women and they use extremely sexy models. I heard that this is a marketing technique to imply a desirable image/dream onto women. Kind of like a "you can be as sexy as me if you wear/buy/eat [insert object here]."

Random thoughts. I'm trying to think about what my next video should be on. I'm considering to work on a "How to Prevent Overeating" video next. I feel like I should belt something out that is more informative. Suggestions?

Youtube: youtube.com/theHealthRabbit
Follow me on Twitter: @Elizabbit
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The Truth About Milk

Thu, 09 Sep 2010 21:07:47 GMT

A lot of people have been scared about hormones and additives that may be added to milk. However, milk is a great source of calcium to build strong bones. A diet high in calcium may help prevent osteoporosis in the future.

I saw this really great video on Youtube from British Columbia dairy farmers. They're saying that our milk in Canada is safe! (No hormones or additives.) I hope this is the truth. Media can sometimes play things in a way that favors a certain way.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JWw_P_CH638

I've always been a milk-drinker. I'm not that tall though! But even after you stop growing, you can build strength into your bones well into young adulthood. After this point though, you cannot build your bone strength anymore. You can only try to prevent your bones from become weaker!

Your blood needs to keep a stable level of calcium to function properly. If your body doesn't receive calcium from your diet, then your blood will leech calcium from your bones! That's how you get weak bones and that's how osteoporosis happens.

Osteoporosis isn't pretty. I saw this woman on the street the other day with a really crooked spine. It looked so painful! I felt so bad for her.

Milk can also aid in weight loss. But it's important to choose skim or low-fat (1%) milk. Skim is 90 calories/cup and low-fat (1%) is 110 calories/cup. Milk has protein in it that will help you feel fuller for longer and it's also a great drink to replenish yourself after a work-out!

MUST DRINK MORE MILK!!!!

I love milk commercials. Maybe I'll create my own milk commercial in the future! The girl in the above picture is my best friend in Vancouver. She's wearing high heels in a store and making me feel like a child. When we were 13 years old, she was actually shorter than me. She told me she took calcium supplements, but is not sure if that is the reason for her height. But both her parents are not that tall and her sister is around 5'2 maybe.

Did you guys drink milk when you were younger? How does your height compare with your family? I'm the same height as my own sister (5'4). We're taller than my mom though (5'1) and I think this is because food was quite scarce for my mom in Hong Kong.

Youtube: youtube.com/theHealthRabbit
Follow me on Twitter: @Elizabbit
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Girls Love Healthy Guys! My 2nd video uploaded!

Wed, 08 Sep 2010 02:40:47 GMT

How many ads do you see a day for Coke, Pepsi, and other sugary snacks and drinks? How many ads do you see a day that promote healthy eating and fruits and vegetables? The ratio is just sad.

I hope to make lots of videos that will promote healthy eating because this is what the public needs. I'm going to be some tough competition for those unhealthy snack companies! This is a fun skit. Just for fun! I'm planning a bloopers video too.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a3lql60rqhA

Does anyone know how to get rid of the black bars above and below the video? Actually, I kind of know how (uncheck "maintain aspect ratio"), but then the whole video gets stretched vertically, and I don't want that.

Special thanks to my friend, Michael Mak, for dedicating more than 5 hours of his time to film this video with me. His acting is sooo CUTE! Thank you also to my other friend and guitar teacher, Keenan O'Young, for producing the guitar acoustics. Keenan is actually thinking of starting his own Youtube channel for music. I'm trying to push/encourage him to go for it!

Hope you enjoy the video guys! Please support me by subscribing and/or recommending!! :)

Youtube: youtube.com/theHealthRabbit
Follow me on Twitter: @Elizabbit
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