Healthy People
'Healthy people' is all about the things we can each do to keep ourselves healthy across the lifespan through food and nutrition with things such as:
- eating a balanced diet of fruit, vegetables, whole grain foods, and protein
- having a good relationship with food
- cultural connections to foods, traditions and food skills
- having pleasant, enjoyable meals with others
- being informed about what the food items has in it
- making sure it is safe to eat
The last Canadian Community Health Survey in 2015 showed that 28.5% of Islanders ate more than 5 servings of fruits and vegetables each day. This may mean that Islanders are struggling to eat a healthy diet.
- Nutrition Recommendations
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Canada’s Food Guide has been providing people in Canada with dietary guidance for decades. The newest Food Guide (2019) is based on a healthy plate encouraging people to have ½ of their plate as fruit and vegetables, ¼ protein, and ¼ whole grains with water as the drink of choice on the side.
- Nutrition for Children
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Feeding little people can be challenging throughout each age and stage- from infants, to toddlers, small children to teenagers. It can be difficult for a parent to know where to start.
Ellyn Satter’s ‘Division of Responsibility provides a simple outline of how to start introducing a healthy feeding relationship between parents, children, and food.
- Food Literacy
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Food literacy is about having the knowledge and skills required to choose, grow, prepare, and enjoy healthy food. Reading labels and understanding front of package labeling on different foods you eat is a big part of food literacy. This information can help you to be informed about what is in your food so you can make the best choice for your physical and mental health.
Food labels are required to include the Nutrition Facts table and ingredients list, and some also contain nutrition claims (e.g. a food product may have a claim indicating that the product is “high in fiber" or “source of calcium"). This provides consumers with information about the nutritional value of a food, which can be used to help make informed food choices.
Food Safety: We are fortunate to live in a country where we have access to some of the safest food in the world. However, in the time that it takes for your food to make its way from the farm to your plate - food can pick up bacteria, viruses, and parasites. Understanding the proper methods for choosing, handling, and preparing food will help keep you and those around you safe.
Resources: