Ok, I know I’ve been gone for some time.  It’s taken me some time to find my voice again, so here we go. For the past few years, I’ve been questioning and relearning my entire university education as it’s been clear to me that a University Degree based on Racist propaganda filled with industry influence is not sufficient to help my athletes or my clients.  ​ One of the first things that I questioned is the importance of the Calorie.   Before we get into it.  Calories are units of energy. In the nutrition world, the Calorie (Cal, kcal) is defined as the amount of heat ..read more

I love gaming! I always have and during Toronto’s latest COVID-19 related lockdowns, the new-gen console and major title releases and DLC packs, I’ve been gaming more than ever and my triathlon pre-season training is completely on track! ​ Many people are baffled by gamers and they’re usually at the brunt end of stereotypical comments about physical inactivity or a diet consisting largely of take-out foods, soda, snacks and energy drinks.  This is something I’ve never understood because office workers don’t get the same type of criticism or scrutiny yet their lifestyles are largely the sa ..read more

Am I going crazy or did the world forget about Movember? The month dedicated to Men’s Health awareness seems to be losing traction year after year, which is truly disappointing because Men’s Health is EXTREMELY important! As a Man, this trend worries me so I had to question it.  Is it that Men’s health isn’t the most important thing during a pandemic? Is this because of toxic masculinity? Or is this because the popular concept of Self-Care is one that not a lot of men can identify with? I will tell you that as a Male Racialized Dietitian, I am a Unicorn.  Luckily, people notice Unic ..read more

It’s no surprise that we now live in a very different world now because of COVID-19.  The way we work, play and live have changed dramatically.  For some this has been a really great thing.  It allowed them to destress, to remove daily stressors that affected their physical health, it allowed people to focus on things that they didn’t have the time to before, it let people heal.  Unfortunately, I was not one of those people.  ​ Getting COVID-19 back in March was truly a life changing experience.  Having caught it just 2 days before the Canadian lockdown was truly ..read more

Hi all, I know I haven’t written or posted anything for a while and there are many reasons at play for that but with the recent current events, inaction and silence are no longer an option.  The events surrounding George Floyd and systemic racism against BIPOC communities has caused many to pause and reflect about the systems and institutions that we participate in, including myself which sparked this post.  Some may think that my position is rather dramatic, I would argue those people who think so are proving my point; that Nutrition and Dietetics is systemically racist.  ​ To ..read more

Hey hey hey! December is finally here and with that comes time for reflection and goal setting for the new year and the upcoming decade.  First off, I’d like to thank all of those that have supported ESN in any way at all.  Whether it be those that have received counselling from our Nutrition team, those that have enrolled in the ESN learning center or simply those that have consumed our content over the past 5 years. The support that you’ve shown has been overwhelming! I never would have thought that when I conceived and started ESN 5 years ago that it would grow to this, a nationwide compan ..read more

As many of you know the newest version of the Canadian Food Guide was released earlier this week, in fact it was released on my Birthday!   In many ways it was the perfect representation of what most gifts are; a moment of excitement at the sight of the wrapped present followed by confusion followed by the thought in my head “Does this person even know me at all?” (at least to me, I really despise gift giving culture for many reasons but I digress) ​ Before I go forward with my critique, I want to share the things I DO actually like about this food guide.  I’m going to seem ungrateful because ..read more

Burgers. Hotdogs. Chips. Potato salad. Nothing says summer like an outdoor barbecue and the typical food fare that comes along with it. ​ With August just around the corner, you likely have a few of these events marked on your calendar. Consider the following suggestions to help you stay on top of your health and nutrition goals during barbecue season. 1. Portion Control Social gatherings centered on food can make it difficult to eat mindfully. Unlimited appetizers, multitasking and more variety in food options can all lead to overeating. Advice: take a small plate for appetizers, fill it up ..read more

When I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes 24 years ago, I took it like a champ. When I was blind-sided by a celiac diagnosis this past September, let's just say I did not embrace it quite so readily. I knew that type 1 diabetes and celiac are a common autoimmune pairing. We are all learning that celiac disease may present relatively asymptomatically. A persistent burning sensation on my tongue led me to ask and investigate; sure enough Celiac disease. Not having any stomach complaints, abnormal bowel movements, any major deficiencies, or weight loss, everyone was shocked.   Coming to terms wit ..read more

This month's recipes are made by the winners of our Nutrition Month recipe competition! Congratulations!  Recipe #1 Spinach and bacon omelette by Emelia Dermott  Ingredients:  1 tbs. olive oil 4 strips of bacon chopped 8 cherry tomatoes 2 handfuls of spinach 4 eggs Pinch of salt and pepper Directions:  1. Chop bacon, spinach, and cherry tomatoes 2. Add chopped bacon to a heated pan and cook until golden on the edges, drain the excess fat and set cooked bacon aside  3. Add olive oil to pan 4. Whisk together tomatoes, spinach, cooked bacon, and eggs adding to heated pan over medium low heat ..read more