Ready to eat for heart health and satisfaction?
Join our program and learn to use nutrition to address cardiac risk factors like high blood sugars, reduce your risk of an event, and get back to enjoying food again.
I'm getting ready to welcome more new members in early January.
If you’ve been diagnosed with a heart problem, food may feel like the enemy.
But even after open heart surgery, you may get just a booklet, a class, or one meeting with a dietitian, and be sent on your way.
Now what?
If you're now frustrated by:
... you're not alone.
It seems like adopting a heart-healthier diet should be straightforward, but many people continue to struggle.
Support to fill the gap:
After your heart diagnosis, people need ongoing support and guidance.
Knowing what to eat after a heart diagnosis isn’t enough.
It turns out that the real challenge is doing it consistently, week after week. Life slowly returns to normal(ish) and old habits fight their way back.
And that’s where the Sweet Spot Kitchen comes in.
Introducing... The Sweet Spot Kitchen
The Sweet Spot Kitchen is both online program and community.
We start with courses on cardiac nutrition fundamentals and meal planning. Then we work on your heart-healthy meal and snack repertoire, all the while supporting you in making these sometimes significant lifestyle changes.
You can join for just a month or two, or if you find the ongoing support and community beneficial, stay as long as you like.
What you'll find
mini-course: Cardiac nutrition fundamentals
...so we're all starting on the same page with respect to what, when, and how much to eat.
It’s 5 weeks of bite-sized content, or you can binge it if you prefer.
MINI-COURSE: Meal planning
...to help you establish a simple system for collecting meal ideas and a regular routine for planning, shopping, prep, and cooking.
Similarly, this is designed as a 3-week project, but you can take it at whatever pace you like.
ongoing PROGRAMS
...to help you grow your repertoire, meal by meal, with one new focus area every month.
The Breakfast and Lunch material is already there, and over the next five months we’ll be doing Pulses/Legumes, Navigating the Holidays, Eating Out and On the Go, Getting More Vegetables, and Fish/ Omega-3.
resource library
...including recipe collections, meal planning tools and templates, and a small but growing FAQ collection.
COMMUNITY SPACE
...where you can connect with other members and Cheryl with your questions, recipe finds, and meal ideas.
A place to open up about your experiences with your heart and your diet...
Can you relate?
"You had a 90% blockage? Mine was 99%! Can you imagine? I'm lucky to be alive."
“Sometimes it’s easier to just buy the food we've always bought”
"I never used to take pills at all. Now I have ten different prescriptions!"
"I know how to eat healthy it's just I can't get there."
Work through the highs and lows of changing your eating habits with people who've been there too.
Take a behind-the-scenes tour of The Sweet Spot Kitchen
About Cheryl
Cheryl Strachan is a Registered Dietitian, Nutritionist, cardiac specialist, and author of the best-selling 30-Minute Heart Healthy Cookbook. She has worked on and off since 2005 with Calgary's cardiac rehabilitation program, and she founded Sweet Spot Nutrition in 2014.
Cheryl is on a mission to help people with heart concerns learn to eat for wellbeing and enjoyment.
healthcare professionals who know Cheryl
Raj Bhardwaj, MD
Family & Urgent Care Physician, House Doctor at CBC Radio
Calgary, Canada
"Cheryl’s pragmatic and well-balanced approach to food is so refreshing!
It’s good to hear that we can still embrace food and enjoy eating, without having to analyze every bite."
Tyler Threlfall, CEP
Clinical Exercise Physiologist
Calgary, Canada
"Having worked with Cheryl for over 15 years I can honestly say there is no one I trust more when it comes to nutrition education.
She is personal, practical, and incredibly well informed. I am confident she can help anyone lead a healthy lifestyle."
Julia Heos, RD
Registered Dietitian
Ontario, Canada
"If you're looking for a dietitian to help you improve your heart health, Cheryl is the best choice! Her approach is practical, realistic and weight-inclusive."
Todd Anderson, MD
Vice-Dean and Professor of Cardiac Sciences, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary
Calgary, Canada
"I have had the pleasure of working with Cheryl in the past for educational activities related to the Libin Cardiovascular Institute. She is a RD with great knowledge and passion about nutrition and cardiovascular health.
She is able to convey the importance of nutrition and healthy lifestyle to reduce blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar as part of preventative strategies. Both her scientific knowledge and practical advice are well received by the public. She is a delight to work with. I can highly recommend her expertise."
Andrea Hardy, RD
Registered Dietitian
Founder of Ignite Nutrition, and Host of the Let's Gut Real podcast
Calgary, Canada
"Cheryl is a leader in Calgary on all things heart health! I love her cookbook on heart healthy eating - it’s so practical and nutritious - I can’t wait to share with my patients!"
Frances Vettergreen, MD CCFP FCFP
Family Physician
Calgary, Canada
"Cheryl takes an evidence-based, practical and delicious approach to heart-healthy eating, and follows Health at Any Size principles. Highly recommend."
Michele Peart, RN
Registered Nurse,
Calgary, Canada
"I have had the absolute pleasure working alongside Cheryl in an outpatient cardiac rehabilitation program where the focus was supporting individuals along their heart health journey.
Cheryl is a dynamic dietitian engaging with patients individually or in a group setting offering guidance and realistic information about heart healthy eating.
Cheryl is an exceptional teacher and a motivating dietitian dedicated to bringing practical healthy recommendations to eating heart healthy daily. Patients would comment on the wealth of knowledge Cheryl would share with them to ease their concerns in a supportive and kind way.
When anyone asks about nutritional health and support instantly I send them Cheryl’s contact information. Sweet Spot Nutrition truly represents Cheryl’s commitment to helping people nutritionally succeed."
What makes Sweet Spot unique?
In case you don't know me yet:
If this sounds right for you, we've saved you a (sweet) spot!
the practical stuff:
Private weekly sessions with me cost $380/month ($480 for the first month).
The Sweet Spot Kitchen offers ongoing dietitian and group support for a much more accessible price.
100% Satisfaction-Guarantee.
If for any reason you find that this program isn't for you, just get in touch within 7 days of a payment and we'll get you a swift refund of the current month's fee.
faq
You'll have unlimited access, across any devices you own, until the end of the month in which you cancel. You can download and keep recipes and meal planning templates, but videos and discussion boards are only available inside of the paid community.
I would never want you to be unhappy! If you decide it isn't a good fit for any reason, contact me within 7 days for a refund of that month's fee. You can cancel anytime by emailing support@sweetspotnutrition.ca.
Of course! Many people in the group have had a heart attack, stent, or bypass, but some have congenital heart disease and others are concerned about their risk and are keen to avoid future heart health problems.
If you have a question, likely others do too. Ask away! We'll have at least one live call a month, and you can also post questions in the community. You can also ask a question privately by email: cheryl@sweetspotnutrition.ca.
Note, however, that this program is for information and education, and support. I can't provide medical nutrition therapy in this forum, nor is this meant to replace the guidance of your healthcare team.
The two mini-courses I’ve included will take you about an hour a week if you space them out over eight weeks.
After you have those fundamentals and meal planning habits under your belt, expect to spend 15-60 minutes a week if you want to take advantage of everything. The goal is bite-sized content to help keep you on track.
No, but I will refer to recipes in the book, so if you have it, you'll get more value out of it by joining us. It's available anywhere books are sold. If you're in Calgary, I have a small stash as well, if you'd like a signed copy.
Our focus will be on better health, but I can't in good conscience guarantee weight loss — every body is unique. I can, however, commit to sharing tools and insights that will help you eat to reduce your risk of future heart issues and enjoy the food while you're at it!
I unconditionally respect, welcome and support all people and bodies in my practice. I follow Health at Every Size® principles and strive to support your wellbeing, regardless of what happens with your weight.
If you suspect that you have an eating disorder, you'd be better served by an eating disorder program or counsellor. If you aren't sure, you can use this screening tool or talk to your doctor.
If you're thinking "I just need a meal plan to follow," this program will disappoint. Our mission is to tune into the wisdom within you, and develop eating habits that work for your unique situation. There's no one-size-fits-all sweet spot.
And if you have another medical condition, such as chronic kidney disease, for which dietary recommendations conflict with heart disease guidance, individual help from a dietitian will be more appropriate. (Our approach to type 2 diabetes however, will be quite similar, so no worries if you have that.)
Absolutely! This course is for information, education, and support. It doesn't provide medical nutrition therapy nor is it meant to replace the guidance of your healthcare team.
I release new material every Thursday, since many people have time to review and cook on the weekends. The live sessions are at 5pm Mountain (7pm Eastern), but you can watch recordings whenever you like.
You deserve to eat for satisfaction and heart health.
Whether you'd like to eat more veggies, address cravings, practice with heart-healthier proteins, expand your repertoire, or let go of perfectionism and learn to trust your inner wisdom with respect to food, I'm here to support you.
(Be the first to know when registration opens again.)