Viva Vitality: March is Nurtition Month!
By PAT MACINTOSH on March 4, 2022.
The theme for the Dietitians of Canada 2022 Nutrition Month is “Ingredients for a Healthier Tomorrow,” and during the month, public health dietitians like myself will be exploring the key ingredients needed to change our food systems. But like many Nutrition Month themes, this one can mean different things to different people. ‘Exploring Key Ingredients’ could mean addressing food sovereignty. This means everyone has the right to define and control their own food and agriculture production and distribution systems. This seems very timely now given our issues with rising food costs (much of these costs go to bigger profits for large food producers while the farmers’ shares are decreasing). Supporting smaller scale and more local and regional processing may help reverse this trend. One of my own goals for 2022 is buying more local foods for my family. I have tried local honey, U-picks and greenhouses, ranchers for meat, local businesses selling coffee, olive oil and vinegars, teas and more. And still so many more to try! Exploring Key Ingredients could also mean addressing food justice issues that focus on questions of land ownership, agricultural practices, and distribution of technology and resources. Think of policy reform to ensure Indigenous peoples’ access to the land and water where their food comes from. Think of our current water regulations that govern the management and protection of Alberta’s water. Did you know that more than 80 per cent of Alberta’s water supply is found in the north while 80 per cent of the demand is in the south? Or that all of the province’s 13 irrigation districts are found in the South Saskatchewan River Basin? I think in the south we are very aware of the importance of this finite resource and how protecting it is vital. More facts about Alberta’s water can be found at bit.ly/ABwater2010 Another key ingredient could be the food policies that determine how food is grown, processed, distributed and sold. Food policies balance our food systems with meeting human health needs. Examples are banning the use of trans fat in processed foods or actions to reduce food waste. But so much remains to be done to address food insecurity, the shift from smaller farms and local production to large corporations, marketing and more. These are just a few examples of ‘ingredients’ that have broad impacts on everyone. There are so many ways that all Albertans can and should get involved. How will you? To find out more and see how you might become involved go to Nutritionmonth2022.ca. Maybe together we can create some interest in local action that supports a healthier tomorrow! Pat MacIntosh is a Registered Dietitian for Alberta Health Services, with Population Public Health 11-10
