Nutrition Month 2017
Blog Samples
TAKE THE FIGHT OUT OF FOOD!
Nutrition Month Official Sponsors:
We created these ready-to-use blog posts for you to use in all your
communications and activities such as blog posts or e-newsletters,
online articles, Facebook and websites. The information is evidencebased and are all PEN®-approved. Do you have more to say? Adapt
these blog posts and add your own expert advice in your Take the
Fight out of Food communications.
BLOG POST 1:
Take the Fight out of Food this #Nutrition Month
Do you ever get frustrated by food and nutrition? Maybe you can’t figure out why you feel bloated
after eating certain foods, have family mealtimes that are mayhem or are unsure about which foods
are best for a particular health condition. I call these “food fights” – they represents times when you
struggle with yourself or others about what to eat.
Part of my job as a dietitian is to coach people to calm these food fights, so I was super excited
that the Nutrition Month 2017 theme is “Take the Fight out of Food” – it’s exactly what I do every
day!
Nutrition Month 2017’s campaign from Dietitians of Canada guides people through a three-step
approach to improve their relationship with food, no matter what the struggle. Dietitians across the
country will empower Canadians to:
1. Spot the problem. Identify or define the specific nutrition problem that needs to be solved,
since it’s causing a fight with food.
© Dietitians of Canada. 2017. All rights reserved.
www.dietitians.ca
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www.dietetistes.ca
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2. Get the facts. Decide what needs to be done to
solve the problem, using reliable and credible
sources.
3. Seek support. Put the plan into action with support
from family, friends, a dietitian and other members of
the health care team.
Over the next month, I will post examples of these “food
fights” and walk you through how to get the facts and seek
support. You can take action right now by committing to
Take the Fight out of Food at www.nutritionmonth2017.ca.
Did you know that Dietitians
of Canada has led Nutrition
Month Campaign for more
than 30 years? This blog post
was adapted from materials
found on the DC Nutrition
Month website.
And remember, I’m here to help if you have a food fight too! You can also search for a dietitian in
your area at www.dietitians.ca/find. And visit www.nutritionmonth2017.ca to find recipes, local
nutrition month event listings and more.
BLOG POST 2:
Say no to food fads this #NutritionMonth
Alternate title - Food Fads: Ugh! How do I know which information to trust?
Let’s face it. Not everything we read online is true. And while many of us know that, it’s still easy to
be taken in by popular ideas we see online or hear from friends. How can we really separate food
fact from fiction?
Misinformation affects many of my clients, but there is a way to spot your problem and seek
reliable facts to solve it. I’m going to walk you through an example of a three-step problem-solving
approach that was developed for Dietitians of Canada’s Nutrition Month 2017 campaign Take the
Fight out of Food, which works quite well for nutritional concerns.
Let’s call this client Leanne <<or change name to personalize for your blog>>. She was struggling
to make sense of the nutrition advice she read online and wanted nutrition facts she could trust.
Spot the problem: There is so much nutrition information online and Leanne is not sure how to tell
if something is a fad! She doesn’t know what to believe.
Get the facts: Leanne learns that some websites are more reliable than others. She found a
resource on the Dietitians of Canada website that can help her determine if facts she reads online
are accurate. She was reading websites and absorbing information, but not all of it was true. She
needs to be more critical and ask herself these questions when she’s reading a website:
 Is the website promising a quick fix or a miracle cure?
 Do I have reasons to mistrust the person, organization or company that runs the
website?
 Are they trying to sell me something instead of educating me?
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 Are the website writers unqualified to be giving me




nutrition information?
Do they have facts that sound too good to be true?
Does the information come from personal opinions
rather than scientific evidence?
Is the content missing reviews or verification by
medical experts?
Are the website claims based on a single study that
may draw the wrong conclusion?
Did you know that Dietitians
of Canada has led Nutrition
Month Campaign for more
than 30 years? This blog post
was adapted from materials
found on the DC Nutrition
Month website.
Now Leanne knows that if she answers “yes” to most of these questions, the website may not be
reliable.
Seek support: Leanne learned that she should not trust everyone who has an opinion about food
and nutrition. Instead, she will look for sites that aren’t trying to sell her something and that rely on
science rather than opinions. She will check the credentials of the writers, and looks for sites
written by regulated health professionals whose work is reviewed by other experts.
Do you sometimes feel like you are drowning in misinformation too? Find a dietitian at
www.dietitians.ca/find for advice. You can also visit these sites, which are filled with reliable
information:
 www.dietitians.ca
 www.eatrightontario.ca
 www.healthlinkbc.ca
 www.healthycanadians.gc.ca
 www.dietitians.ca/Media/Member-Blogs.aspx
Do you have a food fight that you struggle with? Try the three-step approach to Take the Fight out
of Food and make your commitment official at www.nutritionmonth2017.ca.
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BLOG POST 3:
Digestive woes examined during #NutritionMonth
Alternate title - Digestive Woes: Eek! What’s causing all this gas?
It’s a common story. You’re having lunch with friends, and you mention that you’ve been
experiencing a health problem. And with that remark, your friend goes into “problem solving mode”
by recommending a specific diet or ingredient that they think may help you. Your friend means
well, but it’s better to get medical advice from a reputable source to help solve your struggle.
Misinformation affects many of my clients, but there is a way to spot your problem and seek
reliable facts to solve it. I’m going to walk you through an example of a three-step problem-solving
approach that was developed for Dietitians of Canada’s Nutrition Month 2017 campaign Take the
Fight out of Food, which works quite well for nutritional concerns.
Let’s call this client Celeste <<or change name to personalize>>. She’s fighting with an
embarrassing problem – excess gas. Her friend recommended a gluten-free diet, but her friend is
not a doctor or dietitian, so Celeste was curious about this recommendation. Was it the right one
for her? Let’s use the three-step approach to solve her struggle with gas and bloating.
Spot the problem: Celeste’s problem was that everything
she ate seemed to give her gas. Her friend said to stop
eating wheat and gluten, but she wasn’t sure if that was the
right advice.
Get the facts: After reading a medical website, Celeste was
relieved to learn that gas, bloating and burping are all
common and can be normal. She found helpful advice by
searching the term “gas” on these trusted websites:
 www.dietitians.ca
Did you know that Dietitians
of Canada has led Nutrition
Month Campaign for more
than 30 years? This blog post
was adapted from materials
found on the DC Nutrition
Month website.
 www.healthlinkbc.ca
 www.eatrightontario.ca
She learned that gas, bloating and burping may be caused by swallowed air, medicines,
supplements and certain food or drinks. So, maybe she was not properly digesting her daily
chickpea salad or one of her supplements is causing the problem?
But she also noted that gas and bloating could be the sign of a condition, such as lactose
intolerance, irritable bowel syndrome or celiac disease. Celeste was unsure of the reason for her
symptoms, and read that it’s important not to self-diagnose. She needed the help of her doctor.
Celeste wants to learn more about her friend’s suggestion to give up gluten in case she has celiac
disease, so she visited the Canadian Celiac Association website. She learned that if she needs to
be tested for celiac disease, she needs to be eating gluten (a protein found in wheat and other
grains) before the test to get accurate results. If she had taken her friend’s advice to remove gluten
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from her diet, she could get a “false negative” result. Phew! She’s happy that she looked into it
before making any changes to her diet. If she does need to go that route, she now knows to work
with a dietitian before eliminating foods, since they can help her plan a balanced diet and ensure
she meets nutrient needs.
Seek support: Now Celeste knows not to self-diagnose or rely solely on advice from websites or
well-meaning friends. She will talk to her doctor about her symptoms. If necessary she will see a
gastroenterologist (digestive health doctor). She can also see a dietitian (like me!) to help her
figure out which foods may be causing her discomfort.
Do you have a food fight that you struggle with? Do you have a food fight that you struggle with?
Try the three-step approach to Take the Fight out of Food and make your commitment official at
www.nutritionmonth2017.ca.
If you want to get the facts from a dietitian, you can find one at www.dietitians.ca/find.
BLOG POST 4:
End mealtime mayhem this #NutritionMonth
Alternate title - Picky Eating: Grr! Why is family mealtime such mayhem?
Do you get frustrated after you make a large family meal and your kids only take two bites? Or
maybe you wish that there were some go-to meals that everyone could agree upon. The good
news is that taking control of the dinner hour is within your reach.
So many of my clients face this problem – and maybe you do too. Whether you are dealing with
picky eaters, rushed mealtime or other dinner table dilemmas, this year’s Nutrition Month 2017
campaign has a solution. Plug your problem into their three-step approach to Take the Fight out
of Food. Here’s an example of how it works.
Kayla <<or change name to personalize>> works full-time and prepares dinner for her family every
night. She often struggles to get a meal on the table that everyone will enjoy. One child is quite
picky, one doesn’t want to try new things, and no one agrees on the foods they like.
Spot the problem: Kayla’s struggle is making family meals that everyone will enjoy.
Get the facts: Kayla visits www.dietitians.ca and searches “picky eaters.” She reads that parents
and children have different jobs at mealtime – and she’d never thought about it that way before.
Her job is to decide which nourishing foods are served, when dinnertime is, and where they will
eat. It’s then up to her children to decide what and how much to eat from what she offers.
Kayla is relieved to have a framework for a plan, with separate roles for herself and her kids. She
quickly realizes that some small changes can make mealtime more enjoyable for everyone. Now
that she knows that it’s her children’s job to determine how much to eat, she can stop telling them
to “eat everything on their plate.” Plus, she now knows not to let the kids decide where they want to
eat, which is often in front of the TV instead of at the dinner table.
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As she continues to read information about picky eating on
Eat Right Ontario and Healthlink BC websites, she learns
that children take their nutrition cues from their parents, so
she can set a good example by preparing and eating
nourishing choices. She admits to herself that she rarely
eats vegetables, and realizes her kids won’t either! She also
finds out that:
 Children’s appetites can be erratic and that’s okay!




Did you know that Dietitians
of Canada has led Nutrition
Month Campaign for more
than 30 years? This blog post
was adapted from materials
found on the DC Nutrition
Month website.
The amount her children eat will vary each day
depending on their appetite, fatigue, activity level and
if they are having a growth spurt. It doesn’t always mean they are picky – it is normal.
Getting kids involved with grocery shopping, prepping and cooking food can help them
become more interested in trying new things.
It can take 8-15 tastes or more before a child will like a new food.
Kids may seem picky or may eat a small amount because they are simply not hungry
at meal times.
It’s best to offer three meals and two or three snacks at regular times each day and to
make sure kids aren’t grazing throughout the day. This will help the kids come to the
table hungry since even a little milk, juice or few crackers can spoil a child’s appetite
Seek support: Kayla feels better knowing that she’s not the only mom with picky eaters. She
learns that up to 35 per cent of toddlers and preschoolers are described by their parents as picky
eaters too! She finds some online support groups to talk to other parents about mealtime
craziness. They share stories, swap recipes and inspire each other.
This is where dietitians can help too. I often see clients and help them with mealtime solutions that
are family-friendly. You can find a dietitian in your area at www.dietitians.ca/find. You can also try
your local grocery store, which may have staff dietitians who offer grocery store tours and cooking
classes for kids.
Getting your kids more involved in shopping, prepping and cooking meals will make them more
interested in family meals! Start by cooking these three kid-friendly options that they choose together:
 No-Bake Coconut & Banana Lentil Energy Bites
 Egg, tomato and cheese breakfast pizzas
 Hearty beef minestrone
Try these with your kids too, and find all 12 feature recipes at www.NutritionMonth2017.ca.
Look for more recipes on the Cookspiration app, and choose one that is marked as “kid approved”
or “kids choice.”
Do you have a food fight that you struggle with? Try the three-step approach to Take the Fight out
of Food and make your commitment official at www.nutritionmonth2017.ca.
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BLOG POST 5:
Tackle your emotional eating this #NutritionMonth
Alternate title - Eating and Stress: Help! I eat when I’m stressed!
Does a bowl of ice cream make you feel better after a really bad day? Do you turn to carbs for
comfort? It’s common to use food as a way to make yourself feel better when you are sad, angry,
stressed or tired. But there are better ways to deal with those emotions.
I often work with clients who identify with this problem, and maybe you do too. Whether you are
dealing with stress eating, mindless snacking or using food as comfort, this year’s Nutrition Month
2017 campaign has a solution. Plug your problem into their three-step approach to Take the Fight
out of Food. Here’s an example of how it works.
Spot the problem: Davis <<or change name to personalize>> works full-time while raising a family
and has a typical busy lifestyle. He turns to food for comfort when he is stressed at work or
frustrated at home. He wants to learn better eating habits.
Get the facts: Davis sees a dietitian that he locates through www.dietitians.ca/find. He learns that
craving food when he’s stressed instead of hungry is called emotional eating. He recognizes some
of his own patterns in the information the dietitian shares with him, such as:
 Craving foods that are high in calories, fat and sugar (his weakness is donuts)
 Eating too much without realizing it
 Feeling even more stress and anxiety after eating too much
Davis learns about mindful eating as a way to manage his
emotional eating habits. The dietitian tells Davis that mindful
eating involves paying attention to eating using all senses:
really seeing, tasting, hearing, smelling and feeling food. So
instead of eating a whole bag of chips when he’s stressed,
he can learn to be more mindful of his choice – perhaps eat
a smaller portion and enjoy every bite, or choose a more
nutritious snack.
Did you know that Dietitians
of Canada has led Nutrition
Month Campaign for more
than 30 years? This blog post
was adapted from materials
found on the DC Nutrition
Month website.
Mindful eating can help him become more aware of the
reason why he’s eating. It will teach him to eat when he’s hungry and stop when he feels full. Davis
learns that with the help of a dietitian, he can become more aware of his emotional and physical
responses to food. With training, he can manage his stress-related eating and pay more attention
in the present moment when he’s making food choices.
Instead of turning to comfort food, he can learn to fight stress by doing something he enjoys, such
as taking his dog for a walk, playing street hockey with his kids, reading a book or cooking. Armed
with apps like eaTracker, he can monitor when he eats and look for patterns with help of his
dietitian.
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He also finds some new recipes to try for nutritious comfort food:
 Avocado and grapefruit winter salad
 Indian spiced lentils
(You can also find all 12 feature recipes at www.NutritionMonth2017.ca).
Seek support: Davis learns that many dietitians are coaches who offer mindful eating principles
during individual or group counselling sessions, and finds lots of help from his dietitian.
Do you have a food fight that you struggle with? Try the three-step approach to Take the Fight out
of Food and make your commitment official at www.nutritionmonth2017.ca.
BLOG POST 6:
Learn about managing diabetes this #NutritionMonth
Alternate title - Managing a Condition (e.g. diabetes): Sigh! How can I manage my
diabetes?
Sometimes it’s difficult to know what to eat when you are managing a health condition. That’s often
true for people with diabetes, since what they eat can affect their blood sugar levels. In many
cases, education is key to making it easier to manage a special diet. The more you know, the more
control you have over your condition!
I often work with clients who identify with this problem, and
maybe you do too. Whether you are dealing with a new
diagnosis or are not sure what to eat for disease
management, this year’s Nutrition Month 2017 campaign
has a solution. Plug your problem into their three-step
approach to Take the Fight out of Food. Here’s an
example of how it works.
Did you know that Dietitians
of Canada has led Nutrition
Month Campaign for more
than 30 years? This blog post
was adapted from materials
found on the DC Nutrition
Month website.
Thomas <<or change name to personalize>> has type 2
diabetes. He was struggling when making food choices
because he was unsure how certain foods affected his blood sugar levels. He particularly had trouble
when eating at restaurants or in a food court.
Spot the problem: Thomas has diabetes, and is overwhelmed by everyday food decisions at
home or when eating out.
Get the facts: To learn more about diabetes, Thomas started his research on the Canadian
Diabetes Association website at www.diabetes.ca. He learned that he can live a long and healthy
life by managing his diabetes, which includes:
 Eating well
 Being physically active
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 Monitoring blood sugar levels
 Taking medications as prescribed
 Managing stress
 Keeping blood sugar levels in the target range set with his health care team.
When he was first diagnosed, Thomas didn’t seek any nutrition advice for diabetes because he
was afraid it meant giving up foods he loved. But as he reads more about nutrition and diabetes,
he understands that a dietitian can help him fit his favourite foods into his eating routine. There are
no foods that are completely off-limits, but portion control is important.
To his relief, Thomas finds out that planning meals doesn’t need to be complicated. Following a
few basic tips may be all he needs. He reads about the “Plate Method” as a practical way to figure
out portion sizes and food choices when eating at home or dining out. His plate should look like
this:
He was not eating many vegetables, and didn’t know that half his plate should include his
favourites, like mushrooms, spinach, red peppers and cauliflower. He will put more veggies into his
diet by whipping up some recipes like:
 Bean-stuffed cabbage rolls
 Broccoli & lentil salad with turmeric yogurt dressing
 Avocado, roasted squash and black bean tacos
He will also download the Cookspiration app with 48 newly added recipes for Nutrition Month, and
try all of the 12 feature recipes at www.nutritionmonth2017.ca
Seek support: After getting the facts from www.diabetes.ca, Thomas is curious to learn more from
a dietitian. He already has a doctor, but since most diabetes care plans include a team approach,
he will work with a dietitian too. He can find a dietitian at a local diabetes clinic or at
www.dietitian.ca/find.
Thomas learns that he can also call the Canadian Diabetes Association at 1-800-BANTING (2268464) to ask questions about diabetes and get support.
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Do you have a food fight that you struggle with? Try the three-step approach to Take the Fight out
of Food and make your commitment official at www.nutritionmonth2017.ca.
If you want to get the facts from a dietitian, you can find one at www.dietitians.ca/find.
REFERENCING MATERIALS:
When you use or adapt the Nutrition Month materials, please add
this reference note:
Adapted from the Dietitians of Canada’s Nutrition Month
campaign materials. Find more information about Nutrition
Month at: www.nutritionmonth2017.ca.
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