Tammie Myers (l to r), Tess Lelond, Grace Melvin and Melvin’s mother, share discussion on various topics.

Mental Health Awareness Day recognized in Shoal Lake

Young woman shares her personal struggles with students

Depression, anxiety and substance use aren’t weaknesses — they are illnesses to be overcome — as acknowledged at a Mental Health Awareness Day in Shoal Lake last month. And no one knows this better than keynote speaker Grace Melvin of Brandon, who shared her personal struggle with depression and anxiety with Grade 10 and 11

How much protein do you need?

How much protein do you need?

Prairie Fare: Slow-Cooker-Shredded Salsa Chicken Tacos

The other day, I was at the hair salon with my eyes closed and head propped over a sink. I was so relaxed that I was ready to take a power nap. Unfortunately, I could not help but overhear a discussion by strangers at the sink next to me. They were talking about their diets.


bowl of Minestrone soup

Drop those extra pounds – sensibly

Recipe Swap: Tried and True Minestrone, and Lentil Calzones

January is when we start to follow the ‘10 tips’ and ‘20 ways’ and ‘quickest ways’ to lose weight, and they all work miracles in no time, right? Wrong. For starters, we generally don’t stick with any plan, especially if it’s overly ambitious. As the saying goes, resolutions ‘go in one year and out the

two women walking along a treed path

It’s time to get moving

Recipe Swap: Three Seed Yogurt Muffins, plus Buckwheat Shepherd's Pie

My friend and I live far apart, and only occasionally see each other, but when we do, she sees more of me than I of her. That’s because there is, um, more of me to see. Once upon a time we were both sticks. Then we learned to cook. She’s been able to burn off

Two women

New eating plan is a Mediterranean Diet for the Prairies, say developers

The Pure Prairie Eating Plan, developed at the University of Alberta is built around the traditions, foods and geographies of the Prairies

Researchers Initially, it was named ‘the Alberta Diet,’ and focused on those with Type 2 diabetes, says co-creator Catherine Chan, a professor of human nutrition at the University of Alberta. But as she and colleague Rhonda Bell worked on it, the vision became bigger, she says. A colleague suggested they call it the Mediterranean Diet


Report cites concerns related to the “normalization” of processed and packaged foods” and concerns that the next generation’s food choices will be limited because they lack confidence to prepare food.  photo: thinkstock

New report says improved food literacy key to a healthier life

Conference Board of Canada says too many people can’t understand nutrition labels, 
make a meal in their kitchen, or stick to a food budget to reduce waste

Improved food literacy would improve the health of Canadian adults and children, says a new report from the Conference Board of Canada. The number of books, television programs and websites dedicated to food — not to mention diets — continue to multiply, but our understanding of food isn’t necessarily getting better, says the 46-page report.

Fruit flies fed organic diets are healthier

Fruit flies raised on diets based on organic foods performed better on a variety of health tests, including fertility and longevity

Researchers aren’t sure why, but fruit flies fed organic fruits and vegetables in a laboratory study lived longer and produced more offspring than flies fed a non-organic diet. The study from the lab of SMU biologist Johannes H. Bauer, Southern Methodist University, Dallas, found that fruit flies raised on diets of organic foods performed better

Cut the booze before the beef: Health study

At the end of December 2012, an important health study was released and created a fair bit of buzz in nutrition circles. The study, “The Global Burden of Disease Study (2010),” published in the medical journal Lancet, was an examination of a variety of factors with the goal of estimating each one’s relative contribution to



Capitalizing on NIRS technology in a commercial feed mill

In the current high feed-price climate, knowing the nutritional value of an ingredient can make a big difference to the cost of feeding a pig. It also allows more accurate formulation so that the pig’s nutritional requirements can be met more accurately, and performance targets met. In recent years, the use of Near Infrared Reflectance