By Josh Lockhart, PHEc

According to Barbara and Philip Newman infants (birth to two years old) experience the psychsocial crisis of Turst vs Mistrust. A psychosocial crisis is a predictable life tension during a certain stage in life. Psychosical in this sense draws to the point that the crisis is due to societal and cultural influences as well as psychological. Crisis in this sense refers to a normal stressor instead of an extraordinary event.

It is a crisis, in that an infant will either develop trust like attributes or will develop attributes of mistrust.  It is amazing that it is at this young age that this is when trust is first developed.

For infants trust is more than a summary of the past, it is an emotion.  It is a state of confidence that their needs will be met and that they have value to their parents.  Mistrust develops in an infant when they are wary, lack confidence in their parent, and doubt their loevableness. If mistrust develops it provides the foundation for negative perspectives of oneself and the world around.

So what can parents do to make sure that their child comes out of victorious in this psychosocial crisis, and that is they develop trust.  Here are a just some ideas to win the battle over mistrust:

Cuddle your infant. Take the time to wrap them in a blanket and snuggle them.

Respond to your infant’s cries.  Nothing has agitated me more when talking to the individuals of a new born, and they say “we don’t want to spoil our child so we will let them cry it out.” No! Respond to your child. Go through the motions of giving them a bottle, changing their diaper, burping them or whatever so they know that you are there for them.

Sing to your child.  Or do an activity similar that helps your child feel safe, secure and comfortable.

Tell your infant that you love them.  While their comprehension and expression of language is minimal, children do pick up on emotions and feelings that are expressed behind words.

Have routines. While it is important to let your infant, especially in the early months, maintain their own routine. As they get older and are awake for longer periods of time, develop routines, and more than just bedtime routines.  This helps the infant know what to expect and what is expected of them.

These are just a couple of examples of how you can soothe your infant so you can develop trust and have a relationship with your infant, there are other activities that work.  Some indicators that what you are doing is creating trust is when they are smiling, cooing, maintain eye-contact or are comfortable when being cuddled.

Please do know that all infants do experience some forms of mistrust while in their developmental stage.  What is important is that trust is experience more often than mistrust.

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Josh Lockhart works for the College of the Rockies in Kimberley BC. He is also a columnist with the Battleford’s News Optimist and a Co-Author with Notes On Parenting. Josh is currently a counselling graduate student at Gonzaga University.

All the Dirt, by Rachel Fisher, Heather Stretch & Robin Tunnicliffe

From the Promo Piece:New farmers, experienced growers, budding environmentalists, and fans of natural, organic produce alike are sure to love All the Dirt. Filled with beautiful photographs and covering a wide variety of topics, from agrofuels and food sovereignty to practical tips about specific tools, All the Dirt is the must-read how-to book about small-scale organic farming. But beyond the practical applications, it is also the inspiring story of three friends who followed their dreams and became successful business partners.

Authors Rachel Fisher, Heather Stretch, and Robin Tunnicliffe, co-owners of Saanich Organics, a farmer-run local food distributor, share entertaining stories of three farmers’ lives, while also providing practical information about how to start a farm. They relate their personal and collective experiences as women, mothers, and farmers through anecdotes, and discuss the compelling reasons why Canada needs more organic farmers.

All the Dirt proves that there is no one right way to start a farm and no single solution to any problem. But that by working together, farmers can create a resilient agriculture that is vibrant and fun, as well as economically viable.

Rachel, Heather, and Robin have co-owned Saanich Organics since 2002. The business has been featured in numerous publications, including the Times Colonist, West Jet’s Up! magazine, EAT Magazine, and The Province. It has also been featured in Island on the Edge (a documentary film), as well as on CBC radio. By working co-operatively to grow and distribute top quality produce, the business has earned the respect of the farming community, the restaurant community, organic consumers, and activists. Visit Saanich Organics online atwww.saanichorganics.com.

By Yoni Freedhoff, MD

[The other day] there was another national news report about someone having a heart attack while eating at the Heart Attack Grill and while I understand the juicy and ironic lure of the story, I have to ask, is the Heart Attack Grill really the problem?   I’m quite certain heart attacks at restaurants aren’t unique to burger joints.

I’m actually kind of fond of the Heart Attack Grill, because unlike virtually every other restaurant around, at least they’re up front about the risks of regularly visiting. Yet I’m guessing the calories in their flatliner fries and their triple bypass burger aren’t any higher than those found in their Five Guys’ or Carl’s Jr.’s counterparts, and that the Heart Attack Grill’s Coca-Cola’s pretty much the same as everyone else’s as well.  And yes, as ABC’s shoot from the hip Dr. Richard Besser (I’m a big fan BTW) pointed out to me yesterday, they do have an 8,000 or so calorie burger, but yet so do so many other restaurants with shock value, get-your-picture-on-the-wall-if-you-can-eat it meals.

The problem isn’t inherent to the Heart Attack Grill.  It’s also not the other umpteen-gazillion restaurants out there.  The problem is how normalized the practice of eating out has become.  What was once a rare family or personal indulgence is now a regular occurrence, with more than 50% of our food dollars being spent on foods we buy outside of the home, and lord knows what percentage of the remainder being spent on reheating boxes, stirring packages together and ultimately just pretending to actually cook.

As part of our intake questionnaire in my weight management practice we ask how many prepared meals a person purchases on a weekly basis.  While I haven’t crunched the numbers, I’d be surprised if the average were lower than 5.
I guess what I’m getting it is that all the Heart Attack Grill is doing is meeting a demand, and that it’s the demand that’s broken, not the suppliers.

What I want to know is what has happened to society to lead to that increase in demand?  Why don’t we value home cooked meals any more?  Why do we as a society utilize restaurants like our parents utilized grocery stores?
While it’s impossible to finger point at specific answers to those questions up above, that doesn’t mean we can’t do something about them.  In fact I’d argue that there’s no shortage of things we can do, just that there seems to be little, if any, political or personal will to do them.  Environmental problems require environmental changes. We need to change what we consider to be “normal” such that meals out again become rare treats, and that sitting around family dinner tables again becomes the norm.

So how do we do that?

Some off the top thoughts – re-prioritizing after-school activities to include at least one family shared cooked meal, turning off our electronic smart phone tethers when we leave the office, actually scheduling cooking and shopping times into our agendas, bringing home economics back to our schools, running public health campaigns vilifying purchased meals as a whole (and/or promoting actual cooking), changing crop subsidies such that places like the Grill can’t serve ridiculously cheap calories, changing zoning laws to curtail the practice of fast food setting up within walking distances of schools, eliminating school and public institution based no-name fast food, instead of cities giving out free trees giving out free seeds and compost for backyard vegetable gardens, tax subsidies on fresh fruits and vegetables…….

That the Heart Attack Grill (and other restaurants) exist isn’t the problem, it’s the demand for their products and services that we need to change.

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Originally posted on Yoni Freedhoff’s blog weightymatters.

Yoni Freedhoff, MD, is the founder and Medical Director of the Bariatric Medical Institute , dedicated to the (nonsurgical) treatment of overweight and obesity since 2004, and his personal website, Weighty Matters, is ranked among the world’s top health blogs.  You can also follow Dr. Freedhoff on Twitter and Facebook.

Bruce was born on April 30, 1933 in Chailey, Alberta. He grew up on a family farm where he developed his skill in carpentry and his passion for research through his involvement with the 4-H Club. This involvement led to a full scholarship to the University of Alberta where he graduated in 1958 with a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture and in 1960 with a Masters in Science in Nutrition. He went on to receive his doctorate in Nutrition and Biochemistry in 1963 from the University of Wisconsin, Madison. While pursuing his doctorate, he met Judy Louise Ahern in the spring of 1961 and they were married on June 30, 1962 in Dubuque, Iowa. He had a post-doctorate fellowship at the University of Illinois from 1963 to 1964 and the following year began his career as a professor at the University of McGill, Macdonald College.

In 1968 he accepted an academic post at the University of Manitoba. As professor, he served the University with distinction until his retirement in 1998, receiving many awards and accolades for his roles as lecturer, researcher, and administrator. Following his retirement he was honoured to have the title Professor Emeritus conferred on him and a scholarship set up in his name. Never one to stay idle, he continued working as Executive Director of the Manitoba Health Research Council from 1997 to 2004. He also served in appointments for Health Canada / Heart and Stroke Canada and the Canadian Agri-Food Policy Institute. Over the course of his career, he authored 25 scientific papers, seven book chapters, and two books.

While Bruce was dedicated to his academic life, ultimately he was committed and devoted to his family, friends, and faith. Each summer Bruce and his family embarked on travels to Dubuque, Iowa and Manville, Alberta to visit with family. These long car journeys were a time for bonding, playing family games, and enjoying each other. As his children grew older, Bruce and Judy established a new summer tradition when they designed and built the family cottage near Kenora, Ontario. It still serves today as the McDonald gathering spot and remains a source of many great family memories. Bruce was a loving husband and a wonderful father and grandfather. He was also an extraordinary role model to his friends and family, demonstrating dignity and integrity in all of his activities. He will be greatly missed by all.

A service will be held Friday, May 4, 2012 at 11:00 a.m. at Mary Mother of the Church in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Burial will be at a later date. In lieu of flowers, donations in

Bruce’s memory may be made to the Bruce McDonald Award in Clinical Nutrition, University of Manitoba, 179 Extended Education Complex, Winnipeg, Manitoba, R3T 2N2. Chapel Lawn www.chapellawn.mb.ca 885-9715

As published in the Winnipeg Free Press on May 02, 2012

Aprons: My Grandmother Used to Wear One: By Diane Shink

The wearing of aprons is becoming more popular as a statement of style as well as being worn for functional purposes.

Aprons: My Grandmother Used to Wear One  showcases 63 aprons in Diane’s large collection – 747 and counting! Her extensive knowledge and experience of fabrics and quilts are brought to bear in the descriptions of the aprons. She gives  details about the fabrics and the decorative styles and techniques used on each apron and the occasion when each would have been worn. For one heart-shaped apron in February, Diane tells us “This was possibly worn by a hostess when entertaining after having company in for a game of cards, as the embroidery echoes not only the heart shape, but also… clubs, spades and diamonds”. It also includes anecdotal information about her textile experiences. The pages are arranged by monthly themes laid out in perpetual style so it can also be used as a date book, one page per week.

A special launch price of $25 plus $4 postage and handling per book is available for shipment within Canada. This self-published book in full colour is printed in Canada.

A portion of the sales from this book will be donated to libraries in the communities where the author lives – the Children’s Library in Montreal West and the River John Library in Nova Scotia.

For more information contact Diane at dimacquilt@sympatico.ca, phone 514-605-7845 or visit http://www.dimacquilt.com/

Sometimes, as a married couple, you face hardships in life. I want to share a story about a challenge my husband and I endured. In 2003, my husband was diagnosed with meningitis. This traumatic experience tested our resolve as a married couple. Here is our story.

He arrived a few hours later drenched in sweat, white as a sheet. He walked in the door and laid down on the couch. I said: ‘‘I think we should go to the hospital right away.’’He didn`t say a word. I drove him to the hospital, and they checked him out. They gave him some medications and they told us that it wasn`t serious. I left the hospital thinking….‘‘I am not a doctor, but something is wrong here.’’

Always trust your instincts.

Meningitis scare

I remember looking up the word meningitis on the internet and found the following information: ‘‘Meningitis is a medical emergency.” “Untreated, meningitis can be fatal in a few hours. Even survivors can have severe consequences including varying degrees of blindness, deafness, paralysis and mental retardation. Suspected cases of meningitis require immediate medical attention.’’ I remember thinking…I have to call somebody. I called my mom first and then my mother-in-law. My mom didn’t say much but I could clearly hear the fear in her voice. My mother in-law was very worried and kept asking questions that I couldn’t answer.

A few hours later, a nurse came to see me and said: ‘‘We are transferring your husband to another hospital ….it is urgent.’’ I said: ‘‘Why are you transferring him?’’ She replied: ‘‘Well this is a teaching hospital and your husband needs specialized care…the other hospital will be able to better accommodate him.’’ I asked if I could ride with him in the ambulance but was told that wouldn’t be possible. Then, the nurse began to walk away but I halted her retreat and asked ‘‘wait a minute…what hospital and where is it located…the least you can do is give me directions.’’ I grew more frustrated with her lack of help. Eventually, I managed to get the information I needed and drove to the hospital where my husband was being transferred. I cried during the entire drive there. In hindsight, I shouldn’t have driven at all.

The recovery period was difficult. He was in the hospital for several weeks. At first, he was weak and slept most of the time. After a few days, he decided to get up and walk around the hospital. Some days, he didn’t have the energy to get up. I would say ‘‘Well you have to do it if you want to get stronger…do it for me please’’. The next day, I remember him trying to do crossword puzzles and couldn’t write. He was so frustrated and upset. Every day I would say: ‘‘It’s going to take some time but you will get stronger.’’ He did.

Throughout this journey, my husband and I found ways to constantly be emotionally connected to each other. For example, even when he was unconscious, I would hold his hand and talk to him. During his recovery process, we would make it a priority to go for a walk every day and to talk to each other. In this way, we shared our worries and expectations and it brought us closer together. Since then, my husband has fully recovered and he is doing very well. We are so blessed!

It seems there are several Professional Home Economists nominated.  They are:

• Emily Richards
• Mairlyn Smith
• Ellie Topp
• Donna Washburn

Congratulations and Good Luck!  The shortlist is expected by August 2012.

By Michelle Kwan

Do you wake up in the morning without feeling well rested?

Do you crave caffeine by mid-afternoon because of sleepiness and fatigue?

Do you take advantage of the weekends to catch up on poor sleeping patterns during the week?

These are all signs of not getting enough sleep. Canadian families are busy, and may be overlooking the importance of proper sleep habits for overall health. Sleep allows the body to rest and recharge for the next day. A lack of sleep can cause drowsiness, decreased memory, reduced concentration, and impaired physical performance. Drivers lacking in sleep put themselves and others at increased risk for car accidents. In addition, not getting enough sleep has been linked to several mental health disorders including depression and anxiety disorders. Sleep research is expanding and has become an area of interest amongst health researchers. There is increasing evidence linking the importance of sleep to mental and physical wellness.

Getting the proper amount of sleep, with at least 7 – 8 hours per night is recommended for adults. Children and adolescents need more sleep for proper growth and development, and pregnant women are also advised to get more sleep. If you are questioning your need for sleep contact your heath-care provider for professional advice.

Here are five tips to ensure a good night’s rest:

1. Try to go to bed at the same time every night, even on weekends. This helps to maintain proper circadian rhythms (the body’s internal clock) and adjusts your body to its natural sleep cycle.
2. Stop drinking caffeine after 4:00 pm or at least six hours before going to bed. Having too much caffeine in the afternoon can make it more difficult for you to fall asleep at night.
3. Exercise regularly. Daily exercise of 30 – 60 minutes can help you sleep better at night. Try not to exercise too close to bed time, as you may find yourself too energized to fall asleep. Aim to incorporate physical activity into your daily routine at least 5 – 6 hours before bedtime.
4. Relax before bedtime. Take a warm bath, read a book, or meditate to prepare your mind and body for sleep.
5. Don’t lie in bed awake. If you are having difficulty sleeping, get out of bed and do something else until you feel tired. Lying in bed awake can cause excessive worry and insomnia.

If you are still having difficulties getting to sleep after trying these tips, speak to your health-care provider.

Sleep is extremely important to overall health; our day to day rituals depend on a proper night’s rest. Make sleep a priority in your life.

Remember the power of 8 hours is the key to health, happiness and mental well-being!

For more information, visit:

• The Canadian Sleep Society: www.canadiansleepsociety.com
• Mental Health Canada: www.mentalhealthcanada.com

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Michelle Kwan, is a 3rd year School of Nutrition student at Ryerson University and the winner of the Ontario Home Economics Association Student Media Release Competition. The award was presented by OHEA’s VP of Communications Erin McGregor, RD, P.H.Ec., at the OHEA Conference held at Ryerson on March 24, 2012.

Kwan earned a BFA’ (Hons) in Visual Arts from York University before enrolling at Ryerson. Michelle’s passion for food, nutrition and media has led her to various unique opportunities. She has served as Communications Director for the Nutrition Course Union and as the Communications & Social Media Coordinator for Critical Dietetics. Michelle is also a former Team Leader for Nutrition Health Promotion outreach teams and a Miss Universe Canada 2011 National Delegate. Looking ahead, Kwan plans to finish her degree and continue to follow her natural instinct to help people. OHEA congratulates Michelle on her win and looks forward to working with more student writers in the future.

The Ontario Home Economics Association (OHEA), a self-regulating body of Professional Home Economists, promotes high professional standards amongst its members so they may assist families and individuals to achieve and maintain a desirable quality of life. For further information or to speak to a Professional Home Economist, please contact: Ontario Home Economics Association, 14 Totten Place, Woodstock, ON N4S 8G7 Email: nancyohea@rogers.com Website: www.ohea.on.ca

For more information, please visit http://www.billsackter.com/ or follow on Facebook at: http://www.facebook.com/BillSackter

Ever wonder about the difference between a grape vine and a virgina creeper?

Before you taste test those dark blue berries, be sure you know the difference because while grapes are edible, virginia creeper berries are not.

Here are some photos to help you distinguish between the two:

If you have grapes, Fruit Share would love to come and harvest them.  If you have Virginia Creepers, leave them for the birds.

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Getty Stewart is a Winnipeg-based Professional Home Economist passionate about connecting people with local fruits and veggies.  She is founder of Fruit Share, a volunteer run fruit rescuing program in Winnipeg, and blogger ofVeggieDelight, a blog about gardening on the banks of the Red River.  She is also Past President of the Manitoba Association of Home Economists.