Food is Medicine: Getting mindful about healthy eating!

3/3/2020

​​A wellness blog by the Wellness Team, featuring Marissa Alexander, Northern Regional Dietitian with the FNHA North Regional team.

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FNHA is celebrating the month of March by acknowledging that Food is Medicine. Throughout the month, the FNHA Wellness Team will be sharing information and tips about food and encouraging us to be mindful of what and how we eat.

​“Remember that food does not just fuel the body", shares Marissa Alexander, FNHA Community Dietician​. “It has the power to strengthen your emotional and spiritual self, too. That's why treating foods as a powerful medicine is so important. Remember to enjoy each bite and allow it to heal and strengthen you."

This year's Food is Medicine themes are mindful eating, eating together and wellness can be yummy! We are extending two challenges out to our own Wellness Team, and to all First Nations people in BC:

​Eat mindfully for the month. We want people to challenge themselves to spend a bit more time thinking about the food they eat on a daily basis. Below, our Wellness Team members have each shared a goal or challenge for mindful eating for the month of March.

Here are some mindful eating goals and challenges from the Office of the Chief Medical Officer's Wellness Team for the month of March. We will keep you posted with our progress on social media using the hashtags #FoodisMedicineFNHA and #MindfulEatingFNHA.​


Dr. Evan Adams (Tla'amin Nation):  What foods are good for my calorie count? A great way to be mindful is learnin​​​g and understanding how to properly read the nutrition food labels. ​This can help make informed food decisions.    

 


Dr. Nel Wieman (Little Grand Rapids First Nation): Eat more plant-based meals.

 


Janene Erickson (Nak'azdli Whut'en): “I am going to rethink my drinks, drinking less sugary drinks and more water instead."

 


Jordie Johnson (Esk'etemc te Secwepemc): “I want to eat more home cooked meals, and cut alcoholic drinks for the month of March."

 


Kate Jongbloed: “I want to be deliberate about making sure at least half my plate is veggies at both lunch and dinner this month."

 

Take a moment and think about how you can challenge yourself to become more mindful with food. Please share your story with us at Wellness@fnha.ca – we want to hear from you!

Wishing everyone a mindful March!

We invite all Indigenous people across BC to join FNHA's Food is Medicine Challenge.

Find us on social media to ask questions, tell your stories and share your experiences. Remember to use the hashtags #FoodisMedicineFNHA and #MindfulEatingFNHA.

ICYMI last year, FNHA shared the article “Our ancestors had it right: Food is Medicine" read it here. 

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