06/05/2017 Share NUTRISPEAK by Vesanto Melina For many, doing what comes naturally is an appealing concept. (For a good laugh, look up “Doin’ what comes natur’lly” on Youtube, from Annie Get Your Gun.) Often, the appeal comes from a realistic concern regarding food mass produced in systems never envisioned a century ago, using toxic pesticides and genetically […]
Realism and compassion Read More »
06/04/2017 Share NUTRISPEAK by Vesanto Melina The significant health hazards associated with red meat are so well known by now that people are happy to avoid the Neu5Gc (N-Glycolylneuraminic acid) present in all beef, pork and lamb that increases risk of tumour formation. We also know that the gut microbiota of meat eaters change carnitine in
Say cheese (nondairy)! Read More »
01/02/2017 +Share NUTRISPEAK by Vesanto Melina Some people are saying, “Take extinction off your plate.” What? I already take shorter showers. Every week, I deposit my recycling into the right bins. I walk whenever I can. I ride my bike a lot, when it’s not so icy I’ll kill myself. I car-share. Isn’t that enough?It seems
Earth-friendly diets Read More »
28/11/2016 Share NUTRISPEAK by Vesanto Melina » A decade ago, climate change and global warming seemed somewhat theoretical to some of us, but evidence is now showing up in our everyday lives. In many parts of the world, these changes are being linked with the rising frequency and severity of extreme weather events: floods, storms and droughts.
Speaking of the environment Read More »
15/07/2016 +Share NUTRISPEAK by Vesanto Melina MS, RD • The UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has named 2016 the International Year of Pulses. Pulses are edible seeds that grow in pods – peas, beans, lentils. They are also known as legumes. Pulses are packed with nutrients, especially B vitamins (thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, B6, and folate) and
It’s the Year of Pulses Read More »
02/06/2016 FacebookTwitterGoogle+Share NUTRISPEAK by Vesanto Melina, Grace Yeh and Sharon Voong • Why does protein matter? As a component of muscle, bone and all body tissues, proteins are essential for structure and movement. They protect, coordinate body functions, help replace and maintain cells, and as enzymes facilitate biological reactions. People following plant-based diets need to
Plentiful plant protein Read More »
By Vesanto Melina, MS, Registered Dietitian When people consider going green, their focus is often on buying a vehicle that guzzles less gas, riding their bike more, or eating local. Yet we hear from no less prestigious a group than the Food and Agriculture Organization of the U.N. that livestock are responsible for 18 percent
Diet and Our Planet Read More »
By Vesanto Melina, MS, Registered Dietitian Paleolithic diets are the subject of many websites and books. However I have yet to meet or hear of anyone who follows anything even close to a real paleo diet. The paleo wanna-be’s who head to their butcher for grass fed beef buy a product with 5 times
The Real Paleo Diet Read More »
NUTRISPEAK by Vesanto Melina, MS, RD A few years ago, there was little scientific support for the health advantages of organic produce. Now, scientific evidence is gathering that shows toxins in pesticides do us harm. Common sense would tell us to avoid pesticides, which evolved from the germ warfare industry and were designed to kill
Buy Organic – it’s worth it Read More »
NUTRISPEAK by Vesanto Melina, MS, RD, and Kayla Feenstra Community gardening has seen a massive explosion in BC in the past five years. Some urban gardens with humble beginnings have tripled and quadrupled many times over. People line up on registration day to get a coveted plot, only to discover all plots were taken within
