Dr. Lisa Watson

As a mother and a Naturopathic Doctor, nutrition is something I take seriously.  Muffins are one food that have three features I can’t resist: children love them, they are easily portable (for breakfast, lunches, snacks or anytime!) and they are an ideal opportunity for parents to enhance the nutrition of our children. If you have never had sweet potato muffins, now is the time to give them a try.  They have a natural sweetness and are highe...

Iron deficiency is the most common nutrient deficiency seen in children.  In adults the causes of iron deficiency tend to be pregnancy and menses (in women) and gastrointestinal bleeding (in men).  In children iron deficiency is most often due to dietary influences. Dietary Influences on Iron Levels Lentils are a vegan source of iron The effects of diet on iron levels are well-known.  Eating a diet low in iron-rich foods will result in iron...

Chai tea spice is a yang tonic food Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) uses four main pillars of treatment to manage illness and disease: acupuncture, botanical (herbal) medicine, healthy lifestyle and proper diet. Each of the imbalances that can lead to illness (hot/cold, yin/yang, interior/exterior, excess/deficiency) can be altered by eating foods that re-balance the systems of our body. Yang represents the energy that is responsible for ...

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) uses four main pillars of treatment to manage illness and disease: acupuncture, botanical (herbal) medicine, healthy lifestyle and proper diet. Each of the imbalances that can lead to illness (hot/cold, yin/yang, interior/exterior, excess/deficiency) can be altered by eating foods that re-balance the systems of our body. Yin represents energy that is responsible for moistening and cooling our body.  When yin i...

Oreos are a vegan indulgence What do Oreo cookies, Ritz crackers, Sour patch kid candies and Heinz ketchup all have in common?  They are all vegan! Embarking on a vegan diet can be a daunting task.  Most people assume that being a vegan means eating nothing but carrot sticks, blue-green algae and apple slices.  But, despite being by nature a ‘restrictive’ diet – it does not have to be a boring diet! One of my favourite resources on vega...

Eating Local in Ontario There are many virtues to eating local foods.  The 100 Mile Diet lists the following reasons for eating local: Better taste – local foods are picked when they are ripe and come to you fresh and full of nutrients and flavour. Know what you’re eating – local farmers are able to provide you with information on what chemicals (or better yet – lack of chemicals!) are used on their foods. Environmentally friendly ...

You wouldn’t consider going through pregnancy without taking a multivitamin supplement.  Did you know the teen years are second only to pregnancy in nutritional needs – but how many teens are taking a multivitamin supplement?  Not enough! The NHANES and NHANES III (National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey) both concluded that: “The highest prevalence of unsatisfactory nutritional status occurs in the adolescent age group” Read ...

There is a lot of growth during the teen years.  Emotional growth, intellectual growth, spiritual growth and, of course, physical growth.  All of this growing can be exhausting (this is one of the reasons teens need so much sleep!) It also means that nutritional needs are increased to support all this growth and change. Teens need over 2 litres of water daily The teen years are second only to pregnancy and lactation for high nutrient requi...

Teen girls aren’t likely to be thinking about their risk for osteoporosis, but maybe they should be.  Peak bone density is reached for most women in their early 20s, and what they are eating in their teen years has an enormous impact on the health of their bones later in life. Calcium is an essential mineral found in dairy products, leafy green vegetables (spinach, mustard greens, collard greens), almonds, tofu, broccoli, green beans, tofu, a...

Nutrients to Avoid in Excess During Pregnancy Vitamins and minerals are vital in supporting a healthy pregnancy.  However, some nutrients can cause problems when taking in excess amounts during pregnancy.  Make sure you are not over-doing it with these nutrients during pregnancy. Some nutrients should be avoided in large doses during pregnancy Vitamin A Birth defects are associated with vitamin A intake over 10 000IU per day.  Birth defects...