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Aylmer gets new nutrition specialist

Laurent Robillard-Cardinal

A nutrition specialist has opened up shop in Aylmer. Holding a Bachelor of Science (Nutritional Science) from McGill University and with 13 years experience in the field of 

nutrition, Caroline Allen has come to Aylmer with her family; her goal is to improve Aylmerites’ eating habits. She has considerable experience in sports nutrition.With a practice in the Galeries Aylmer, the energetic Caroline Allen offers her clients various options towards a healthy diet. “Changing eating habits is a slow process. It doesn’t change overnight, but the results are soon evident,” she said. “The Allen evolution” begins with a home visit. “I visit my customers and examine their pantry, all to evaluate their nutritional situation,” she told the Bulletin. “I accompany my clients to the grocery store to teach them where to find healthy foods and show them how to avoid placement traps. There’s a reason cookies are at eye level,” she explained. 

According to Allen, there are about 45,000 products in a grocery store, and she’s there to guide rushed shoppers. “We all have our habits; we grab pasta, cheese, cookies and we head to the cash without asking too many questions,” she said. “It’s important to look at labels and see how much sugar, for example, is in a product. We need to avoid products with too much sugar. If there’s more than 20 grams of sugar (in anything) it’s worrisome,” she said. Soft drinks, energy drinks, and coffee drinks are all sidelined by Allen. However, there are different types of sugars, some naturally found in fruit, but according to Allen the body does not differentiate them. This doesn’t mean one should avoid eating fruit because there’s “plenty of good things in fruits.”

 

Low energy?

Fruits are a good remedy to counter the deficiency she most often encounters -- lack of energy. “People are just so tired and often this is linked to the food they consume,” she said. To have additional energy she recommends eating healthy snacks between meals. “The snack should have a source of carbohydrates and of protein,” she said.  Although meat provides protein, protein is also found in nuts, seeds, legumes, cheeses, and yogurt. In addition to protein, Allen suggests people should hydrate themselves more. “We need to drink more water,” she said. “Drink tea, or soup; we need to hydrate ourselves.” What about juice? Allen told the Bulletin it’s better to eat than drink fruits. Many fruit drinks have excessive amounts of added sugar.  This is especially relevant for young children. Vegetables are also crucial, especially with the flu and cold season coming.  “It’s important to get your vitamins and to avoid gaining weight during the cold season,” said Allen. It’s also important to cook once a day all year long, since the aroma of cooking stimulates the appetite for substantial, non-sugar foods.

For information, call: 819.592.FOOD .