Springing into Shape

“Nearly 65% of dogs and cats in Canada are overweight and need to spring into shape to avoid health problems”, says a Western College of Veterinary Medicine (WCVM) professor.

The consequences for overweight pets include increased risk of joint problems, elevated blood pressure, diabetes, as well as heart and liver problems.

“Pet obesity is widespread and even pets with a mild weight problem need to begin a weight loss program”, explains Anthony Carr, associate professor of Small Animal Clinical Sciences at the WCVM in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.

To ensure your pet retains a healthy weight, Carr points out, the owners must see to proper nutrition and exercise. He also discourages owners from feeding their animals extra table scraps, which can offset specific nutritional needs.

(Source: PETS Magazine, May/June 2002)

Active Play for PETS (and People)

Pets also need an active life. Walk the dog as a family activity. If you can, feel or listen for your pet’s heartbeat (check gently on the left side of the chest).

Check out the resting heart rates of these animals:

Dog.................................70 to 120 beats per minute
Cat................................120 to 140 beats per minute
Guinea Pig.................200 to 300 beats per minute
Rabbit..........................180 to 350 beats per minute
Cow.................................48 to 84 beats per minute
Blue Whale......................................8 beats per minute
and
Human............................60 to 80 beats per minute

(Source: Heart & Stroke Foundation)

Tips for Healthy Nutrition

Making healthy choices isn’t always easy. There’s so much to choose from and so many different messages influencing the choices you make.

To understand more about what to eat and why, you’re invited to try this quiz taken from The Dietitians of Canada web site. Find out the facts. Learn about healthy eating.

1. Lasagna...cheesecake...all the great tasting foods are too high in fat to be healthy.
   True or False
2. Cooked oatmeal is the best way to get a high fibre start to your day.
   True or False
3. You can’t cut back on fat without cutting out dairy products.
   True or False
4. A bagel with ham and cheese is a healthier sandwich than a croissant with ham and cheese.
   True or False
5. The best vegetable oils are labeled “cholesterol free” or “no cholesterol”.
   True or False
6. It’s best to use left-over roasts and canned fish for making sandwiches because deli-style meats are too high in fat.
   True or False
7. For the money, fruit drinks with added vitamin C are a better buy than fruit juice.
   True or False

Answers:

1. FALSE - You don’t have to sacrifice taste to get lower fat meals. Small changes in the way you prepare food and eating smaller portions can make just the healthy difference you need. Traditionally, rich lasagna recipes can be adapted by using partially skimmed mozzarella cheese instead of regular mozzarella, lower fat cottage cheese for ricotta, vegetables or ground turkey instead of the usual ground meat in the layers. And you can make a just as delicious cheesecake with lower fat cheeses instead of the usual cream cheeses.
2. FALSE - Cooked oatmeal is a nutritious breakfast, but on its own isn’t as high in fibre as you might think. You get about 2 grams of fibre in 3/4 cup (200 mL) cooked oatmeal. Since a healthy intake of fibre is about 25 to 30 grams a day, it’s a good idea to get about 8 to 10 grams of fibre at breakfast.
   There are lots of ways to get this fibre - through whole grain bread, muffins, cereals, and fruit. If you choose a cereal for breakfast, check the nutrition label on the package for fibre information. For a good fibre breakfast, choose high fibre cereals that provide more than 4 grams of fibre per serving. Or add high fibre cereals or fruit to lower fibre cereals such as oatmeal.
3. FALSE - There are lots of ways to cut down on fat without missing out on nutrients like the calcium provided by dairy products. Choose lower fat dairy products such as skim, 1% or 2% milk, lower fat yogurt, cottage cheese or cheeses with lower fat content (check the package label). Other fat fighting strategies: Use low fat salad dressings and mayonnaise; choose fish, poultry and leaner meats more often; be sensible about high fat snack foods, fast foods, and rich desserts; and be careful not to use too much fat in cooking and preparing foods.
4. TRUE - You will spare yourself 10 grams of fat and 90 calories simply by ordering your sandwich on a bagel instead of a croissant. Basic starchy foods such as bread, cereal, pasta and rice are naturally low in fat, making them an important part of healthy eating. For the makings of a sandwich, there are plenty of healthy choices: whole wheat bread, rye bread, bagel, kaiser buns, onion buns, pita bread, tortilla...
5. FALSE - All vegetable oils are “cholesterol free” even if it doesn’t say so on the label. In fact, all foods of vegetable origin are cholesterol free. Vegetable oils are preferred to the more saturated fats like shortening and lard because they are mostly an unsaturated fat. Unsaturated fat doesn’t raise blood cholesterol like saturated fat does in some people. The bottom line on fat is to eat LESS of it, no matter what kind it is or where it comes from.
6. FALSE - Left-overs and canned fish make great sandwiches, but the deli counter offers many lower fat, nutritious sandwich meats. The key is knowing what to choose. Try ham slices, lean beef, beef pastrami and poultry products such as smoked or roasted turkey.
7. FALSE - There’s no substitute for the real thing! Fruit juice contains more than vitamin C. It also contains the B vitamin folate, potassium plus other necessary nutrients in smaller amounts. Fruit juice is about the same price as fruit flavoured drinks and punches. As with most grocery items, prices vary from week to week. Watch for specials on juice and get the more nutritious item for the same price or less.

Recipes

Chopped Grilled Chicken Salad

(Makes 6 to 8 servings)

In this salad, many ingredients are chopped, so every bite is full of tastes and textures. You can also use l lb/500g shrimp or 3/4 lb/375g beef instead of the chicken, and you can roast the chicken and vegetables instead of barbecuing them.

Dressing

In a shallow dish, combine mustard, soy sauce and pepper. Coat chicken with mixture and marinate overnight in the refrigerator. Preheat broiler or barbecue. Grill peppers until blackened. Cool, peel and cut into 1 inch/2.5 cm pieces. Grill chicken for 6 to 8 minutes per side, or until cooked through. Cut into 1 inch/2.5 cm pieces. Grill eggplant, zucchini, onion, corn and asparagus until just cooked. Chop eggplant, zucchini, onion and asparagus into 1 inch/2.5 cm pieces. Cut corn from cob. In large bowl, combine chicken, grilled vegetables, tomatoes, olives, basil and chives. To make dressing, whisk together wine vinegar, balsamic vinegar, garlic, pepper and salt. Whisk in oil. Taste and adjust seasonings, if necessary. Toss dressing with chicken and vegetable mixture. Just before serving, add greens and toss again.

Excellent: Vitamin A, Vitamin C, thiamine, niacin, vitamin B6, folacin

Good: riboflavin, iron

Source: Simply HeartSmart Cooking by Bonnie Stern

Apple Crisp Strudel

(makes 8 to 10 servings)

For a more nutty oat taste, toast the rolled oats on a baking sheet at 350° F/180° C for 10 minutes before using. The apple mixture can also be used as a pie filling. Pears, mangoes, pineapple, kiwi or papaya can be used instead of apples for an exotic variation.

In large bowl , combine apples with brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, oats and ginger. Toss together well.

In a small bowl, combine melted butter and water. In a separate bowl, combine bread crumbs, nuts and granulated sugar. Arrange a sheet of parchment paper on a large, heavy baking pan. Place one sheet of phyllo on parchment. Brush with butter/water mixture and sprinkle with crumbs. Repeat until all 6 sheets are stacked. Spoon apple mixture along long side of pastry. Roll up.

Cut shallow diagonal slices through top layer so that cutting and serving will be easier after strudel is baked. Brush top with any extra butter. Bake in a preheated 375° F/190° C oven for 40 to 50 minutes, or until apples are very tender and pastry is brown and flaky. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Serving Suggestion:
Serve with sweetened yogurt cheese, vanilla ice cream, or frozen yogurt.

Make Ahead:
This dessert can be made ahead and frozen for up to one month either baked or unbaked. To reheat the frozen baked strudel, bake at 375° F/190° C for 40 to 45 minutes. To bake the unbaked frozen strudel, double the baking time (if the top becomes too brown, cover with foil and reduce the heat to 350° F/180° C.)

Source: HeartSmart TM Cooking for Family and Friends by Bonnie Stern with the Heart and Stroke Foundation; published by Random House Canada; sponsored by Becel.