Healthy Lunch Box Ideas! :-)

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healthy lunch box tara antle healthy balamceIt’s an exciting time for parents, children and families as this school year begins. Time to prepare mentally, emotionally and financially for the year ahead; while shopping for back to school clothes and supplies. As stress levels are on the rise, it’s important to nurture ourselves during this transition.
Feeling stressed just thinking about the busy year ahead?  Frustrated when trying to figure out which foods to put in your child’s lunch box?   Worried about the extra financial costs the school year will bring?
Here are some healthy lunch box ideas to jazz things up with convenient
ease for you and your family while respecting a savvy budget!

    • Be sure to double check with your
      child’s school for a list of any food allergies, so that you can plan
      meals and snacks appropriately. Common allergies are nuts, eggs, kiwi, strawberries, bananas,
      seafood, etc. It is important to respect food allergy lists of foods not
      permitted in school as the consequences’ may be life threatening for those
      with these allergies.
    • Make sure your child’s lunch bag is large enough to hold all containers, drinks and utensils.
    • Be sure to keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold by having the proper thermos and ice packs. Food safety is very important!
    • Lack of water tops the list for contributing to day time fatigue, so make sure there’s water in your
      childs lunch bag. As well, white milk or alternatives such as Rice Beverage are great high protein drinks
      to help maintain your childs energy level, strengthen bones and increase
      muscle mass.
    • For snacks, include fresh fruit (such as grapes, blueberries, plums, melons, apple slices, etc), yogurt, fresh vegetables’ (such as cherry tomato’s; peeled cucumber slices; fresh carrot sticks; fresh red, orange and yellow peppers; etc), crackers (whole wheat or gluten free alternative), cheese and homemade cookies
    • Limit processed and packaged foods, such as cheese slices, cheese spread, pre-made meals, etc. Play food detective when reading food labels as claims can be very misleading. Processed foods contribute to a tired, lethargic feeling; increase the appetite; and are low in nutritive value (vitamins, minerals, water, healthy fats, healthy carbs and protein which are important for childhood development)
    • Market fresh natural foods to your family by using coloured containers or by placing your children’s favourite stickers on the containers…visit your local discount store for a ton of fun, creative idea’s to spark your child’s interest in healthy foods.
    • Build a meal to make your child’s lunch box a healthy balance. Be sure that your child has at least ½ cup of fresh vegetables; 2 oz of healthy, non processed protein and ¼ cup healthy high fibre carbohydrates in every meal.
    • To help with savvy budgeting, plan your weekly meals around foods that are on sale in your weekly flyers. Cook extra portions with supper meals, so that there are leftovers for lunch boxes the next day. For example, left over beef stir fry is nice in a wrap for lunch.

Have a Happy & Healthy Day!
Tara
Tara K. Antle, BSc.AHN, RHN, RNCP
Nutritionist in Private Practice
Healthy Balance
47 Leslie Street (Heritage Health Care) 2nd floor
St. John’s, NL
A1E 2V7
(709) 722-1157

Canadian Consensus on Female Nutrition

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Thanks to a long-awaited guideline, health professionals will have more information to help them provide nutritional guidance to women throughout their lifespan.
It’s called the Canadian Consensus on Female Nutrition: Adolescence, Reproduction, Menopause and Beyond… and it was recently released by the Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists and endorsed by the Dietitians of Canada.
To discuss the findings, Claudette Barnes from VOCM reached out to local Nutritionist Tara Antle:

 

My Work Story

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By Mariana Hernández-Hernández, WorkStory Ambassador at Memorial University
Tara Antle’s work story is an excellent example of initiative, proactivity, and of how one experience (whether it be volunteering, work or school) can take us to the next one. Her work story also shows us how it is possible to do what we love as a job and even turn it into an entrepreneurial endeavour.
Tara is a Nutritionist whose weekly activities include private nutrition consultations, providing grocery store tours, hosting kitchen parties, giving cooking lessons, and organizing seminars and workplace wellness programs.
Click here for full article…
 

Happy New Year!

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Hi There,
Hope all is well with you and your health! So happy we’ve crossed paths!
It’s amazing how quickly time goes by, yet it’s still exciting to start another year of possibilities! Thought I’d touch base with a little update of things that have been going on here, with Healthy Balance since the last time we spoke! Hopefully, you’ll find this update interesting and beneficial to your health.
Over the past year Healthy Balance has gotten technically savvy by updating our website, which I like to call “freshening up” or “redecorating” the content! The new site, now allows for online booking of your appointments. In addition to working with clients in clinic, clients from all over our province, across Canada and around the world, have been able to avail of Healthy Balance Services via webcam. This past year also topped the charts, for regular media interviews, locally, provincially and nationally, with Healthy Balance. During the coming months, the Healthy Balance website will include a media section, showcasing links with interesting health information and interviews that might be of interest to you! Please take a peek at the Healthy Balance site (the link is provided below) and let me know what you think! You can also stay up to date by following Healthy Balance on Twitter (@tarakantle), LinkedIn (Tara Antle) and Facebook (join our page, Healthy-Balance, join our group Healthy Balance or add Tara Antle as a friend).
We are also pleased to say that Healthy Balance services are now covered by most insurance, under Naturopathy, including Great West Life, Blue Cross, Johnsons and Greenshield, to name a few! It’s been great for clients who are able to recoup most of the cost of their sessions via their health care insurance. With the price of food these days, every dollar counts, and this is a great way to stay healthy on a budget, while receiving nutrition advice from an accredited source! Double check with your insurance, to see if you have coverage under your policy.
Healthy Balance is excited to announce that clients are now able to book and pay as they go for private consultations, as opposed to having to commit to a monthly fee structure. This idea was a result of client feedback and has been a big hit for those who utilize services offered by Healthy Balance. It makes budgeting so much easier.
In addition to private consultations, Healthy Balance has been working with Work Place Wellness Programs to deliver group work, workshops and Seminars, on site, to different businesses, agencies and groups over the past years, with continued success. For 2016, we have decided to also focus on offering Workshops to the general public, right here in our clinic on Lesley Street. I will keep each of you posted when dates become available. Are there any topics that you feel we could design a workshop around?
Hmmm…imagine, Healthy Balance has stopped writing meal plans for clients!! Yikes!! From my experience, research and client input, we struggle with meal plans and are less likely to use them in the long run. To help break things down further, my focus has shifted to customized Meal Building Guidelines and Food Exchange Lists, along with a recipe exchange. By incorporating foods and meals that clients already eat on a regular basis, without having to leave anything out, equates to a long term positive change. We can fit anything into healthy living, if we learn how to build a meal out of it. Most recipes are designed to be a meal in one, while in reality they are actually a side dish that we need to build a meal from. This is a skill set that we will take forward with us. Client success has been tremendous as they have cut the diet strings, allowing themselves the freedom to eat, resulting in improved health by nurturing their bodies from the inside out, in a guilt free manner.
This year will also include something new for me…I am in the process of writing a book with hopes of having it completed within the next six months. It will focus on the mindset involved with making a healthy lifestyle change, while teaching us how to play food and marketing detective when it comes to food and health related choices. Everyday experiences, pictures and stories will be shared. Looking forward to this journey!
Thank you, once again, for your continued support by supporting local business and Healthy Balance. Healthy Balance will be celebrating its 7th Birthday this year, thanks to YOU!!
Would love to hear how you are doing these days!! Please keep in contact!!
Wishing You a Happy & Healthy Year Ahead that’s Filled With Love, Laughter, Peace and Success!!!
Have a Happy & Healthy Day!
Tara
_________________________________
Tara K. Antle, BSc.AHN, RHN, RNCP
Nutritionist in Private Practice
Healthy Balance
47 Leslie Street (Heritage Health Care)
St. John’s, NL A1E 2V7
Tel: 709 722- 1157
 
 

Humidity and Hydration

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Hey Summer Warriors!
Hope all is well and that you’re having a wonderful summer!! Thanks so much for connecting with us in the past!! We are certainly enjoying this warm weather with high humidex factor. Given all this heat, be sure to focus on your fluids.
Remember to stay hydrated by drinking upwards of a minimum of 4 – 500ml bottles of water daily (2 L)! Jazz your water up yourself by adding frozen fruit, fresh lemon or lime for flavour! Reduce fluids at least 2 hours before bedtime as sleep is important…hopefully, there won’t be as many trips to the bathroom during the night!
[ap_call_to_action button_text=”Read More” button_url=”http://healthy-balance.ca/smoothie-tips/” button_align=”center”]Check out this smoothie recipe for a healthy, refreshing drink! (approx 1 cup per portion).
Blueberry season is right around the corner!![/ap_call_to_action]
Clients can now book sessions directly online from this site and are able to pay per visit for each session in clinic!! We’ve also introduced Meal Building Guidelines and Food Exchange Lists to teach clients how to balance foods and their plate while incorporating new recipes along with some of their favourite family dishes!!
Services are covered by most insurance, (including Great West Life, Blue Cross, Desjardins, Johnsons, Sun life, Green Shield and the list goes on!) under Naturopathy which is a great incentive to help you achieve your health goals!!
Enjoy your smoothie and the rest of your summer!!
Have a Happy & Healthy Day!
Tara
_________________________________
Tara K. Antle, BSc.AHN, RHN, RNCP
Nutritionist in Private Practice
Healthy Balance
47 Leslie Street (Heritage Health Care)
St. John’s, NL A1E 2V7
Tel: 709 722- 1157
Web: www.Healthy-Balance.ca
 

Are you getting enough Vitamin D this summer?

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CBC Food Plate
(July 20 – 2015) Are you getting enough Vitamin D this summer??? CBC’s Jane Adey, just left my clinic from our discussion about other ways to ensure we’re getting adequate amounts…cause, we’re certainly not getting it from Sunshine, here in NL this year!! Our interview will either air today or tomorrow between 4 – 6 pm on CBC Radio…tune in for tips!
Chat Jane

CBC Interview – Health Tips for 2015

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Lose the diet mind frame; Gain a life long Healthy Lifestyle Change!  Check out my interview with CBC’s Jane Adey as part of her article on Health Tips for 2015.”
CLICK HERE FOR FULL ARTICLE…
Have a Happy & Healthy Day!
Tara
Tara K. Antle, BSc.AHN, RHN, RNCP
Nutritionist in Private Practice
Healthy Balance
47 Leslie Street (Heritage Health Care)
St. John’s, NL A1E 2V7
Tel: 709 722- 1157
Web: www.Healthy-Balance.ca

Happy Birthday Healthy Balance !

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Happy Birthday Healthy Balance !
happy birthday healthy balance 3Well, 5 ½ years ago, I did what seemed to be one of the scariest yet exciting things…wrote a business plan to start my own private practice.  5 years ago this week, Healthy Balance opened its doors for the first time and the rest is history!
It’s been quite a journey throughout my fourteen years in the health and nutrition industry.  Thanks to everyone who helped along the way with your kind words, support, guidance and direction.  You’ve helped me reach this milestone!  As well, thank you to each and every client and business affiliate.  You’re each a true inspiration and always add to why I love what I do!
Cheers to You and Your Health,
Tara
Tara K. Antle, BSc.AHN, RHN, RNCP
Nutritionist in Private Practice
Healthy Balance
47 Leslie Street – 2nd floor
St. John’s, NL
A1E 2V7
(709) 722-1157
Email: tara@healthy-balance.ca