62 CHATELAINE • APRIL/MAY 1019
PHOTOS, ISTOCK PHOTO.health THE CONSULTATION
DR. DANIELLE MARTINQ : I keep hearing that to save our planet, we need to
“eat for climate change.” But I’m not sure what that
even means—or how to do it. Please help!
Danielle Martin is a family physician
and vice-president, medical aff airs
and health system solutions, at
Women’s College Hospital in Toronto.We often think of healthy
eating and the environment
as two separate issues, but
in recent months, they’ve
been linked with more
evidence than ever before.
Both the revised Canada’s
Food Guide and the EAT-
Lancet Commission (a
scientifi c report on what
constitutes a healthy,
sustainable diet) zeroed in
on the connection between
climate change and food.
If we’re serious about
protecting our planet, we
need to look critically at how
we eat and how much we
waste. The way food is grown
and produced has a major
impact on both human and
environmental health. (For
instance, farming livestock
leaves a huge carbon
footprint , increasing gas
emissions and eating up
valuable resources like land
and water.)
Both the new food guide
and the commission say that
we need to eat more plants.
The sample plates they
propose look pretty similar:
Half the plate is made up of
vegetables and fruit, while
the other half is comprised
of whole grains and proteins
(with an emphasis on
plant-based sources like
nuts, beans and legumes).
These changes would be
good for more than just the
environment: 64 percent of
Canadian adults are over-
weight or obese; most of
us aren’t getting enough
vegetables, vitamins or fi bre;and we’re consuming too
much sugar and too many-
processed foods. But old
habits die hard, so where
should we start?
Think small. Canada’s
new guide has abandoned
the four food groups in
favour of highlighting what
to eat regularly, what to
avoid and the importance
of home cooking. And an
emphasis on plant-based
foods doesn’t mean that
you have to become a vegan
overnight—or at all. I like
the “fl exitarian” approach,
which involves eating a
largely plant-based diet
but also occasionally
consuming meat or other
animal products.
A fl exitarian approach
allows you to make small dailychoices to add foods, rather
than cut them out. Just trying
new vegetables in recipes
increases your plant con-
sumption and reduces your
processed food intake, while
enjoying snacks made of
whole foods, like an apple or
almonds, is a healthy way to
reduce the amount of packag-
ing that ends up in landfi lls.
Eating for climate change
is a commitment, and it
takes time to adopt new
behaviours. But it’s impor-
tant. Our actions, both at
home and in the community,
add up and can have a big
impact on our health and on
the health of our planet.HOW TO
EAT LESS
MEAT
There’s a lot of buzz
around eating more
plant-based foods,
says Pamela Fergusson,
a registered dietitian
in Nelson, B.C. Lately,
she has been fi elding
questions from people
worried about missing
out on key nutrients.
Fergusson suggests
easing into enjoying
more meatless meals.
“Maybe start with
one a week,” she says.
“Try spaghetti with
lentil balls instead
of meatballs.” If you
decide to forgo
meat altogether, there
are three nutrients
you’ll need to work
harder to get.Vitamin B12
Your body needs B12
to make red blood
cells, nerves and DNA,
but it only comes from
animals. “You need to
supplement if you’re
on a strictly plant-
based diet,” Fergusson
says. You can fi nd
B12 in fortifi ed milks,
breads and grains.Calcium
If you remove dairy
from your grocery list,
be sure to add bone-
building, calcium-rich
foods like tofu, dark
greens , apricots
and almonds.Iron
This mineral helps
build your red
blood cells. “If you’re
consciously choosing
a variety of whole
plant foods, especially
beans and greens,
you’ll get enough,”
Fergusson says. To
boost absorption, add
some vitamin C, like a
squeeze of lime over
your veggie tacos.
—Sydney Loneyexpert
advice