Elizabeth Zemelman is a registered dietitian who helps Toronto-area clients thrive through weight management plans, digestive health plans and sports performance plans. Additionally, she provides easy-to-read information and tips via Instagram.
This study employed non-probability voluntary online recruitment with a strategy for selecting social media pages to collect followers who accurately represented Ontario general public demographics. Registered Dietitian Nutritionists (RDs) are the sole regulated nutrition professionals available within Ontario province.
Plant-Based Diets
A plant-based diet, comprising fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes and nuts, has been associated with improved outcomes in various health conditions like heart disease, obesity, type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure. People who follow such an eating plan tend to reduce body weight while needing less medication to treat chronic illnesses while simultaneously decreasing risk of cancer and mortality from ischemic heart disease.
Plant-based diets can help to lower your consumption of saturated fats, thus decreasing your risk of heart disease and high cholesterol. Furthermore, eating plant-based meals reduces processed food consumption that could increase obesity risk as well as related health complications.
Plant-based diets contain plenty of dietary fiber, which helps normalize bowel movements and keep you regular. But for optimal meals, be sure to add in other sources of protein like beans and eggs.
Introducing a plant-based diet into your routine should be approached in stages and gradually reduced over time, to ease into it with minimal discomfort and to make digestion easier. Drink plenty of water as this will aid with digestion as you will still receive essential vitamins and minerals without negatively affecting both health and environment.
Healthy Fats
Fat is an essential macronutrient that provides energy for our body’s daily operations, aids cell function and is necessary for vitamin absorption, creating hormones. Unfortunately, however, many have come to believe that fat consumption should be limited or avoided altogether; when in reality the type and quantity we ingest is essential to our wellbeing.
Saturated and unsaturated fats can be divided into two main categories. Saturated fats typically solidify at room temperature and can be found in meat, high-fat dairy foods and some vegetable oils; in comparison, unsaturated fats tend to remain liquid at room temperature; these plant-based oils can be found in avocados, olive oil, nuts seeds and even fish as sources.
Unsaturated fats are generally considered healthy as they can lower your risk of cardiovascular disease, reduce plaque build-up in arteries and help you achieve weight management. They can also aid in lowering cholesterol, blood sugar and inflammation levels.
As a registered Toronto Nutrionist, Elizabeth has provided nutritional counselling for individuals of all ages and backgrounds. She has worked closely with athletes from professional sports teams like Toronto Raptors, Toronto FC, Athletics Canada Swimming Canada Gymnastics Canada. In addition to these roles she has hosted workshops such as Healthy Gut Healing Recipes Kombucha Making Detox 101 for general audiences – she thrives at helping her clients realize long-term success!
Meatless Meals
Meating more meat-free meals may have many health advantages for you and can reduce your risk for heart disease and type 2 diabetes, increase beneficial bacteria in your gut and assist with weight management. Furthermore, this switch could save money at the grocery store as well as contribute to creating a more sustainable environment by conserving natural resources and wildlife populations.
Meatless meals can be both delicious and nourishing. To achieve this, the key is using protein-rich foods like legumes (beans and lentils), plant-based proteins like quinoa or lean meats such as poultry or fish as the basis of your dish – rather than processed meats such as processed sausage. Also consider including vegetarian-friendly options like tofu and beans as vegetarian protein sources in your dish.
Making the switch to more meatless meals is simple with new recipes and products available from grocery stores and restaurants, such as meatless burgers, tacos and meatballs – plus there’s even meatless sauces and spreads that add extra flavor!
If you’re uncertain where to begin, try taking small steps towards decreasing your meat consumption such as Meatless Mondays. The goal here is not necessarily going completely meatless but rather incorporating more plant-based food into your diet each week. Starting the week off right by creating new healthy habits could prove easier – research shows people tend to stick with healthy changes made at the start of each week than trying to go all at once!
Wellness Drinks
Your beverages play an integral role in maintaining overall health, yet not all drinks are created equal. With wellness drinks gaining in popularity, many are searching for healthy beverages to provide additional stress relief, weight loss and more. Be wary of drinks containing too many antioxidants, probiotics or vitamins. It is wise to be aware of their ingredients and calories.
Popular wellness beverages include vitamin C-packed juices, green tea and kombucha as they can all boost immunity while aiding digestion. A turmeric latte may provide anti-inflammatory benefits; beet juice contains vitamin B that may lower blood pressure; coconut water is an excellent source of electrolytes and potassium (BBC Good Food).
Another wellness beverage to try is a non-alcoholic pinot noir made of ashwagandha, white peach and lemon verbena – it contains antioxidants which may help enhance sleep quality and reduce stress levels. Another possibility would be an adaptogenic drink such as Elements by Lokai that may support energy and immunity.
Protein powder and flaxseed meal supplements can also be added to fruit smoothies as a great way to increase muscle mass and prevent weight gain. Overall, it is best to choose beverages with lower levels of sugar while offering balanced nutrition profiles.