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Heart-healthy French toast berry cobbler
Recipes

Heart-healthy French toast berry cobbler

Cheryl Strachan
February 6, 2021

We have this problem in my house… no one likes to eat the bread heels / ends / crusts. Whatever you call them, no one here wants them. But I hate to waste them, so I collect them in a bag in the freezer. I can’t make enough bread crumbs…

recipe Read more
So you’ve gained weight?
Weight & Health

So you’ve gained weight?

Cheryl Strachan
January 30, 2021

Last week I talked about weight loss and heart health , and how a focus on healthy habits like eating a more Mediterranean-style diet is likely to be more beneficial to your long-term health than a focus on weight loss. This week I’d like to add a few thoughts about weight gain. When people come to me with concerns about…

Weight Read more
So you want to lose weight for the sake of your heart?
Weight & Health

So you want to lose weight for the sake of your heart?

Cheryl Strachan
January 24, 2021

Although I make no secret of the fact that I practice a health-first, not weight-focused approach, weight loss comes up day after day, especially this year with the pandemic. I get it. If you don’t fit into the “normal” weight category, you’ve likely heard from health professionals, your family, and…

heart health Weight weight loss Weight management Read more
Join the Sweet Spot “go-to” list challenge
Miscellaneous

Join the Sweet Spot “go-to” list challenge

Cheryl Strachan
January 2, 2021

The challenge ran from January 9 to 14, but people seemed to really enjoy it, so I’m leaving it up, with automated email prompts to walk you through the process of setting up your Go-To List and share some heart-healthy recipes to get the ball rolling. Wait. Tell me more.…

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Festive food for a small table
Meal Plans, What to Eat

Festive food for a small table

Cheryl Strachan
December 19, 2020

Full disclosure: It’s December 19 and I’m doing my Christmas meal planning here. Some people are smart enough to do this two or three weeks early, but I am definitely not one of them! So as I’m contemplating options, I’ll share and help you out, in case you’re a last-minute…

Holiday Read more
What to cook when you don’t feel like cooking
What to Eat

What to cook when you don’t feel like cooking

Cheryl Strachan
December 16, 2020

Too tired to cook? Too busy? Just don’t feel like it? I get it. Most of us need a break from cooking every once in a while. But if once in a while has turned into several nights a week, and you’re stopping at McDonald’s, ordering a pizza, or picking…

Meal ideas Read more
How intuitive eating can help with emotional eating
How to Eat, Weight & Health

How intuitive eating can help with emotional eating

Cheryl Strachan
December 13, 2020

The number one concern people raise with me in consults right now is emotional eating. No surprise there: In countries like Canada, unless you’re old enough to remember World War 2, this has been perhaps the most difficult time we’ve collectively lived through. We’re feeling some pretty big emotions. You…

emotional eating Emotional wellness intuitive eating Read more
20 Locally-sourced gifts for the heart-healthy kitchen
Miscellaneous, Weight & Health

20 Locally-sourced gifts for the heart-healthy kitchen

Cheryl Strachan
November 26, 2020

Every year I update and share the same holiday gift idea list based on my favourite trusted kitchen tools with links to Amazon or other major retailers for easy shopping. But this year it feels like (1) we need some fresh ideas! and (2) we must focus our holiday spending on local businesses, since…

Holiday Read more
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Have you had a heart problem?

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Hi, I'm Cheryl!
Registered Dietitian, cardiac specialist, cookbook author, food lover.

Recent Posts

  • Heart-healthy French toast berry cobbler
  • So you’ve gained weight?
  • So you want to lose weight for the sake of your heart?
  • Join the Sweet Spot “go-to” list challenge
  • Festive food for a small table

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There are so many creative breakfast ideas out the There are so many creative breakfast ideas out there, but I usually slide right back to my favorites. How about you? #sweetspotfood ❤️😊
You might have been told to lose weight for heart You might have been told to lose weight for heart health, but weight loss is frustratingly elusive and often temporary. But we have studies that have demonstrated benefits to cardiovascular outcomes (both morbidity and mortality) even in the absence of weight loss, and one of the biggest trials that set out to show that weight loss would improve CV outcomes (Look AHEAD) was stopped early because it did not.

If you’re measuring “success” by stepping on a scale, you may be discounting other longer-lasting wins. Swipe for a few food-related examples that you can use as measures of success instead of weight loss. They benefit heart health too, quite possibly more.

This is another excerpt from my free video series, How to Eat Well For Life After a Heart Event. Link in profile to access the whole series.

#heartmonth #hearthealth #cardiacrehab #heartattack #cardiacnutrition #heartdisease #hearthealthy #cardiacrehabilitation #hearthealthyfood #overallhearthealth
Believe it not, simple meal. All roasted in the ov Believe it not, simple meal. All roasted in the oven. Easy peasy!  #sweetspotfood 😋❤️
To tell if bread is really whole great or just pre To tell if bread is really whole great or just pretending, take a peek at the list of ingredients. They’re in order by weight, so there’s more of the first ingredient in the bread than anything else on that list. If the first ingredient is a whole grain, you have a winner. Look for terms like “whole grain” “sprouted grain” “quinoa” “brown rice” “whole rye” or “whole wheat.” Terms that indicate it’s not a whole grain: “Enriched wheat flour,” “wheat flour.” Swipe to see. 

This is another excerpt from my free video series, “How to Eat Well for Life After a Heart Event.” Link in profile to the entire series.

#heartmonth #eatwell #forlife #wholegrain #healthybread #hearthealth #cardiacrehab #heartattack #cardiacnutrition #heartdisease #hearthealthy #cardiacrehabilitation #hearthealthyfood #sweetspotfood
I do love a good pasta. White beans, (!) braised k I do love a good pasta. White beans, (!) braised kale, tomato, Parmesan, olive oil. Easy weeknight meal. #sweetspotfood ❤️😋
Do headlines like this make you want to give up on Do headlines like this make you want to give up on heart-healthy eating? Same news outlet, less than a year apart. First eggs reduce heart disease risk, then they raise it. 

Same with the next one (swipe). Wine is bad for aging brains. Wine could improve brain health.
It’s discouraging I know. Trust me, even clinicians like me get frustrated with the controversies!

Friendly reminder that a headline is supposed to grab your attention. The more controversial the better. “Everything you know about nutrition is wrong!” Yeah, probably not. 

Unfortunately, the nature of nutrition research leads to sometimes conflicting outcomes. Each study is a small piece in a big puzzle. 

When we put together all of the pieces we get a pretty consistent picture for food and heart health: Lots of vegetables, fruit, beans, nuts, seeds, whole grains, fish, olive oil, and some lean meat and dairy if you like. And other stuff is okay, if it’s not MOST of what you eat. 

#heartmonth #nutritioncontroversies #donteattheheadilnes #hearthealth #sticktothebasics #cardiacrehab #heartattack #cardiacnutrition #heartdisease #hearthealthy #cardiacrehabilitation #hearthealthyfood
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Blog Archives

Don't miss a post. 

Get my weekly(ish) emails, including 
In My Kitchen - what we're cooking and loving every week.

Plus access to exclusive, free subscriber content and tools, including:

Video series: How to Eat Well For Life After a Heart Event 
eBook: Guide to Eating Well After a Cardiac Event 
Blood Pressure Friendly Snack Guide
My Go-To Meal and Snack List
Breakfast For The Rushed Cheat Sheet

Let's get you eating in
your Sweet Spot: Heart-healthy, delicious, and right for you.

You can unsubscribe anytime. 
Privacy policy. Contact me.

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  • Cheryl Strachan RDWhat a wonderful follow-up to my earlier rant about @HeartandStroke calling "unhealthy weight" a "lifestyle risk fa… https://t.co/crZMT3xXa5, 8 hours ago
  • Cheryl Strachan RDJust noticed that @HeartandStroke lists "unhealthy weight" as a "lifestyle" risk factor. How stigmatizing! Weight i… https://t.co/5FnCghHeTW, 11 hours ago
  • Dr. Fiona MattatallRT @FionaMattatall: And kudos to all the family physicians who perform magic every day 🙏🏻 https://t.co/90sO7EDl4n, 12 hours ago
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