You say you want a resolution....

...Well, you know
We all want to change ourselves
You tell me that it's evolution
Well, you know
We all want to change ourselves

(Adapted from the famous Beatles lyrics) 

Credit: Happy New Year 2008 (UFO) by heritage futures

Two days into 2008 -- how many times have you heard, read or said the "R" word? When you're asked about your New Year's resolutions are you at a loss? Excited to share them? My usual response it to say I don't make them; I set goals and objectives on an ongoing/as needed basis -- usually whenever I have to work on my professional development portfolio.

Over the years, I've become more reactive than proactive -- by necessity to cope with a busy, unpredictable schedule over which I have limited control. Such is the nature of direct patient care. But this is not necessarily good or bad, right or worng -- or so I've convinced myself. It's just the way it is. Sometimes the most important thing I can do every day is show up at work, identify the priorities and deal with them. But I'm getting off track....

This year I think I may embrace rather than avoid resolution-making because I've read some excellent resources during this Season of Self-Improvement. Here are my favourite New Year's posts, which are inspiring me to make goal-setting and behavior change manageable and meaningful.
7 Essential Tips
Fresh Starts and Modest Changes 

Do you have any food resolutions? To tell you the truth, I hadn't thought of creating any until I read this post. I'd like to adopt/adapt all of them but according to Leo, I should just focus on one. I'll let you know which one I choose in a future post. I'd love to hear your food resolutions in the comments section.

But whatever resolutions or goals you or I set, perhaps we can begin the process by keeping in mind the 100-Mile Diet authors' words:

Take time; go simply; choose connection over consumption; live deeply in the place you find yourself. Remind yourself to care.
From the 100 Mile Diet blog post of December 24th, 2007 

Must-reads of 2007: The Cost of Eating in BC

During this week between Christmas and New Year's Day, many writers publish their annual "best of" or "year in review" lists for books, films and assorted topics. I thought I'd do the same for nutrition resources.

First is what I consider a must-read for dietitians practicing in British Columbia:

The Cost of Eating in BC 2007

Because I work in an environment (acute care hospital) where, no matter their financial resources, patients are fed (assuming they have an appropriate and timely physician's diet order), usually I don't have food security issues at the top of my mind.  This is one reason I put off reading the article immediately. The second is I thought it would be a long and dry technical document that would require an hour or more to read and digest. Not true as I discovered yesterday when I finally downloaded and read it. The report is extremely well-written, a model, I think, for communicating facts and stats in a readable format. If I limit myself to three adjectives to describe it, I would choose: concise, compelling and disturbing. 

I felt overwhelmed after I read the report. Where to begin? Well, whether as dietitians or concerned citizens, we may want to start with one of the actions listed on page 9. Here's one to consider: become informed by joining a community food coalition and learning more about food initiatives where you live.

More "must-read" and "best of" posts to come before the end of the year. I'm hoping to do some marathon blogging this weekend to make up for my Holiday hiatus.

Food & Health Content on Planet Green (one of my new favourite blogs)

Image credit: Fractal Broccoli

Planet Green is

"[a] user's guide to living mindfully on this big blue marble we all call home.... Passionate, positive, yet always practical, Planet Green is bursting with smart tips, easy-to-understand advice, and inspiring anecdotes to help you tread more lightly on the only Earth we've got. And before you know it, you'll be rolling your Rs—reduce, reuse, and recycle—like a seasoned pro."

And yes, the blog really does live up to the claims in this introduction, which I copied from the one of its first posts. I've saved and starred nearly every food or gardening post that's been published since this blog was launched a couple of months ago. Here are a few of the health and food-related posts to give you a sense of the site's content -- but I think you probably will want to check out more.

Cooking Basics: Stocking Your Kitchen,  Chinese Cooking and Thai Cooking -- from the Stock Your Kitchen series.

Cooking Basics: Choosing a Cookbook

India's Vegetarian Cooking and Simply in Season -- from the Create a Cookbook Library series.

Chick-Pea Soup and Edamame Spread -- from of the Pot-Luck Party contribution series;

Get Your Kids to Eat Their Veggies, and Get Your Kids to Eat Their Veggies from the Beginning

Kelly Rossiter, the prolific, practical and engaging writer of all these posts, clearly is a foodie and gives compelling reasons for making the effort to cook real food.  I don't know if she also is a dietitian but her messages are consistent with what we promote, such as this variation on the "everything in moderation" message that accompanies her Pumpkin Cheese-Cake post :

Okay, before anyone jumps all over me about how unhealthy this recipe is, I will say right up front - Do not make this cheesecake and then sit down and eat it all yourself. This is strictly a party recipe, where people can take a little sliver of it as a treat, enjoy it and then be done with it.

My husband is a rower and I once took this as my contribution to the luncheon held after his rowing club's regatta. Healthy, fit people all, but that cheesecake was gone in an instant. Occasional indulgence is okay, just don't make a habit of it.

Sensible advice that promotes the joy of eating as well as cooking. Thank you, Kelly.

No time to write...

...since last week due to extreme busy-ness at work and home.

But I just had to post a seasonal image. Hope you like the luscious red pomegranate in the header image.

I hope to be back to a more regular posting schedule by next week.

December 2007 header image

Header image is Pomegranate by bookish in north park. Used under this Creative Commons license.