Does freezing weather increase the calories we burn?

When I arrived at work, the temperature was 14 C. At this temperature, the students on campus ordinarily would have packed away their winter coats, scarves, hats, mittens and boots. They are wearing shorts and flip-flops. Unfortunately, 14 C was the temperature in my office. The outdoor temperature was at least 35° colder, so my[...]


Keep a cap on your sodium intake

What should I make for dinner?” I asked my older daughter when we were at the grocery store on a very cold February day. “Let’s have wild rice soup,” she said. “OK, I will find a recipe to try,” I noted. I pulled out my phone and began checking some recipe sites for a soup[...]

Feel the pulse of healthy eating

Can you find your pulse? Try placing your index and third finger on the side of your neck to the side of your windpipe. You also can check your pulse on your wrist. Once you find your pulse, count the number of beats you feel in 15 seconds and multiply by four to determine your[...]



A dog's life

Jake, do not hurt Abby,” I said to one of our dachshunds. Jake and I locked eyes. I think he winked at me. He had most of Abby’s head in his mouth, like a lion with its prey. By the way, Abby is a year-old dachshund pup we nicknamed “Miss Abby the Troublemaker.” “She was[...]


Let's play 'name that squash'

When I was growing up, we usually had two types of vegetables served for our evening meal. We usually had potatoes boiled or baked in their skins and a brightly coloured side vegetable. In the winter, our favourite was squash grown in our garden. It was mashed and served with a bit of butter, salt[...]

Beware of health scams

Hi, this is your grandson,” the caller said to a friend of mine. “Oh, is this my grandson Sam?” she asked. “Yeah, yeah, this is Sam!” he responded. “Well, I don’t have a grandson named Sam,” she told the caller before hanging up. My friend is one clever woman. “We had someone call and say[...]


Behaviour changes can help you lose weight

Most of us have known someone who has been on a weight-loss diet, and perhaps the person lost a considerable amount of weight. Maybe you are pondering weight loss as a goal in the coming weeks or months. We hear weight-loss promotions all around us, especially as we begin a new year. In fact, the[...]

Can an apple a day really keep the doctor away?

Last year, I was very disappointed because our apple tree had no apples. Our tree had never been completely fruitless. I kept staring up at the tree, walking around it and looking for even one apple. I couldn’t find an apple on the tree, even at the very top. At first, I thought the squirrels[...]