June health news: Healthy living according to the season

Five years after divulging the stay-slim secrets of her compatriots in French Women Don't Get Fat, Mireille Guiliano is back with even more delicious recipes, delightful anecdotes and hush-hush advice in her second book, French Women For All Seasons, (Vintage Canada, 2009).

The first book encapsulated the French woman's core philosophy: "Change the way you think, and the way you eat will follow. Change the way you eat, and the pounds will take care of themselves," Guiliano restates in the introduction to the new book.

This time around, however, the focus is on how "seasonality" plays an important role in the French diet and culture. "Seasonality is what is in season, nature's best from month to month," she explains in an e-mail interview. "Far more, seasonality is a manner of being that is responsive to all conditions and stimulations of our environment throughout the year."

Eating with the seasons
When it comes to diet then, Guiliano advocates eating what's best at a particular time of year in your particular area. Forgo tomatoes and strawberries in winter months even if they are available from foreign lands and opt for local winter produce, like apples and pears.

"Granted, cold climates don't have the greatest range of fruits and vegetables in winter, but you would be surprised by the delicious dishes one can prepare with winter vegetables, from soups to stews to steamed; and served with eggs and cheese," she explains. "There is no limit once one is familiar with what is out there."

The trick then is to educate yourself on what is in season, in your part of the country. Visit the websites of local agricultural organizations such as Foodland Ontario or getlocalbc.org. By eating in-season foods, she explains, you're eating better-tasting foods, you'll be satisfied more quickly and therefore you'll eat less.

Click to continue for advice on healthy living year-round...

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Exercising with the seasons
Each season offers occasions to get outside and seize exercising opportunities. You don't have to go for a run or hit the baseball field in the summer (very un-French), but you can take an easy bike ride or go for a joint-friendly swim. Spring and fall's cooler weather makes those seasons ideal times to walk and cycle. And the best way to incorporate exercise into your day is to make such activities part of your routine: Walk to the local fruit stand and cycle to an appointment.

Then there's winter. Even though Canada is a winter wonderland, with opportunities to ski, sled, skate and enjoy other cold-weather sports, it's simple to hibernate all season long. "Winter is the toughest time," Guiliano agrees, "but you can do a lot in your home, from breathing exercises and aerobics, to yoga, stretching and even dancing, which is a superb and fun exercise. There are plenty of classes on television that one can follow and get a good dose of movement."

Year-round advice
While weight issues are no longer limited to North America, the continent is certainly a poor example of a healthy lifestyle. Guiliano points to a number of factors contributing to growing girths here and abroad:
-Processed foods filled with corn syrup and fat
-Over-salted and over-sweetened foods
-Fast food and cheap restaurant meals with big portion sizes
-Not eating at the table, which usually means gulping down food while multitasking and not allowing the 20 minutes required for your brain to register satiety
-Not moving enough
-Not drinking enough water
-Too many hours of sedentary television-watching

To combat what's quickly becoming an obesity epidemic in North America, Guiliano suggests incorporating the following into your lifestyle, no matter if it applies to eating or moving and regardless of the season:
-moderation
-variety and;
-pleasure.

"It will lead to balance, harmony and a wonderful sense of well-being," she explains. "If you feel well, it will affect the people you are with and the work that you do, and it will certainly contribute to a happier frame of mind."

More to explore:
-Andrew's ingredient of the month: Seductive strawberries
-Top weight-loss tips
-Portion control made easy

For more nutrition news and smart tips for healthy eating, visit our Nutrition section.

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