Nutrition 2025: Working towards the optimal diet

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Greetings from the practice of Aileen Burford-Mason PhD and DRS Consulting, and welcome to the first edition of our newsletter in 2025!

Here’s to a year of growth, wellness, and lasting positive transformations!

In this issue

• Nutrition 2025: Working towards the optimal diet

• Back on the treadmill?

• Recipe: Curried Coconut Cod

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Nutrition 2025: Working towards the optimal diet

In the world of diet and nutrition, a new concept is emerging: positive nutrition. Positive nutrition is an approach to food that emphasizes nourishing the body with wholesome, nutrient-dense foods while fostering a healthy relationship with food.[1] It is not merely about avoiding “bad” foods, but rather about cultivating a lifestyle that supports overall well-being through balanced dietary choices. However, achieving positive nutrition involves more than just focusing on what we should eat; it requires mindful consideration of what we should limit or avoid, particularly when it comes to ultra-processed foods that can undermine our health.

Positive Nutrition: What is it?

At its core, positive nutrition is grounded in the basic biochemical needs of the human body. Our bodies require a variety of macronutrients—proteins, fats, and carbohydrates—as well as micronutrients—vitamins and minerals—to function optimally. These nutrients are essential for cellular repair, energy production, immune function, heart and brain health, and so much more. Some of these nutrients are classified as essential – meaning we can’t survive without them. These include vitamins and minerals, essential amino acids (from protein), and essential fatty acids (omega 3 and omega 6).

This is where the concept of “getting the good stuff in” becomes crucial. Positive nutrition encourages the consumption of whole, minimally processed foods such as fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, healthy fats, and whole grains. These foods are not only rich in essential nutrients but also offer fiber, antioxidants, and phytochemicals that support long-term health and prevent chronic disease.

Can we get everything we need from Food?

The challenge, however, is that it is difficult to ensure that we are meeting all of these needs through food alone, especially without relying on nutritional supplements. Even the most carefully planned diet can sometimes fall short of providing all the required micronutrients and in sufficient amounts.

The bioavailability of nutrients in foods can vary, and factors like soil depletion, food storage, and transportation can affect nutrient content. For example, when it comes to getting vitamin C through food, we naturally think of oranges and other citrus fruits. But how much vitamin C really is in that orange? Well, it depends on how fresh the orange is, since the vitamin C content degrades over time, being influenced by both the temperature the orange is stored at and how long it is since the orange was picked.[2]

What not to eat

Equally important to the concept of positive nutrition is the need to “get the bad stuff out,” particularly factory-altered ultra-processed foods, which have become a staple in modern diets. These foods are often high in added sugars, unhealthy fats, excess sodium, and artificial additives while being low in essential nutrients. Their overconsumption can lead to negative health outcomes, including obesity, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes.

Ultra-processed foods can also disrupt the delicate balance of gut microbiota and impair the body’s ability to properly metabolize nutrients. Therefore, part of positive nutrition is reducing the intake of these foods to minimize their potential harm, while still leaving room for occasional indulgences that contribute to the enjoyment of life.

The challenge in balancing the good and the bad is that modern food systems often prioritize convenience and taste over nutritional quality. In our fast-paced world, it is easy to rely on packaged snacks, sugary beverages, and quick meals that are far removed from their natural, nutrient-rich origins. This disconnect from real food makes it even harder to ensure that we are meeting our biochemical needs without external supplementation.

Supplements can fill the gaps

Ultimately, positive nutrition is about finding a balance: ensuring that we are getting the “good stuff” in—nutrient-dense, whole foods—while minimizing our exposure to ultra-processed, nutrient-poor options. Getting the bad stuff out! Supplements like multivitamins or fish oil can certainly help fill gaps, but they can never replace the complex array of nutrients found in whole foods.

While it may be difficult to meet all of our biochemical needs purely through food, mindful eating – making whole food choices and minimizing harmful foods – can go a long way in supporting health and well-being. Positive nutrition isn’t about perfection but about making consistent, sustainable choices that nourish both body and mind.

You can read more about my science-based approach to healthy eating and supplementation in my books: Eat Well, Age Better (Dundurn Press); The Healthy Brain (HarperCollins Canada), and The War Against Viruses (HarperCollins Canada)

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Back on the treadmill?

Getting Back to Exercise After the Holidays

For most of us, the holiday season is a time of relaxation, indulgence, and a well-deserved break from regular routines. However, after weeks of festive foods and less physical activity, it’s important to refocus on fitness. Getting back into a consistent exercise routine can be daunting, but the benefits of exercise are worth the effort and can help you regain your energy, strength, and overall health.

            This season of the year is often associated with increased depression, and a recent meta-analysis confirms what we have known for some time –  exercise can go a long way to countering the winter blahs. Whether you favour walking or jogging, yoga, or strength training, many different types of exercise are effective treatments for depression, particularly when that exercise is intense.[3] 

Aerobic Exercise: Boosting Cardiovascular Health

Aerobic exercises, such as walking, running, cycling, or swimming, are crucial for improving heart health. They help increase your heart rate, improve lung capacity, and boost overall stamina. Regular aerobic activity also supports weight management, burns calories, and reduces the risk of chronic conditions like heart disease, diabetes, and high blood pressure.[4] Even after a break, just a few sessions of aerobic exercise each week can have noticeable benefits on your energy levels and mood.[5]

Strength Training: Rebuilding Muscle Mass

Strength training, using free weights, machines, or bodyweight exercises, is equally important after the holidays. During a break from exercise, muscle mass can diminish, and strength may decline.[6] Regular strength training helps rebuild muscle, strengthens bones, and improves metabolism by increasing muscle mass, which in turn helps burn more calories, even at rest. It also reduces the risk of injuries by stabilizing joints and improving posture.

            Strength training is especially important as we age, and has been shown to increase muscle mass, strength, and physical performance in older people, even in those older than 85 years.[7]

Stretching: An Overlooked Essential

One aspect of fitness often overlooked is stretching. While many people focus on cardiovascular and strength exercises, stretching is essential for maintaining flexibility, reducing muscle stiffness, and preventing injury. A good stretching routine can improve mobility, making it easier to perform other physical activities and daily tasks. Regular stretching can improve balance as well as help with joint and muscle pain,

Stretching can even help alleviate stress and boost mood[8] by relaxing both the mind and body, yet it is the one type of exercise that is often neglected.

Exercise Alone Isn’t Enough

While regular exercise is important, it’s important to remember that the best outcomes come when exercise is paired with a balanced diet. Diet is essential for maximizing the benefits of exercise by providing the necessary energy for performance, supporting muscle recovery and growth, preventing injury, and maintaining overall health. Without proper nutrition, even the most rigorous exercise routine may not lead to optimal results.

Current evidence shows that 2.5 to 5 hours of moderate or vigorous physical activity per week confers maximum benefits for longevity, as well as reduces the risk of chronic diseases like heart disease and diabetes. But can you over-exercising? Some research does suggest that more than 10 hours a week of vigorous exercise might reduce some of these health benefits.[9]

Conclusion

As the holiday season wraps up, getting back into a routine of regular exercise is essential for overall health. Whether it’s aerobic exercise, strength training, or a dedicated stretching regimen, each type offers unique benefits for your body. Remember that a good diet is just as important as the exercise itself—together, they create the foundation for better health, stronger muscles, and a more energized life.

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Curried Coconut Cod:

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:

• ¾ cup unsweetened coconut milk
• 1/2 teaspoon of bottled or freshly grated ginger
• 1 teaspoon of finely grated or bottled garlic
• ½teaspoon turmeric
• ¼ to ½  teaspoon red pepper flakes to taste
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 2 limes
• ½ cup of chopped cilantro
• 4 (6-ounce) fillets of cod, skin off
• 8 strings of cherry tomatoes on the vine
• 3 tablespoons olive oil

Preparation:

1. In a large bowl, whisk together the coconut milk, ginger, garlic, turmeric, red pepper flakes, honey and 1 teaspoon salt.
2. Zest and juice 1 lime directly into the coconut milk mixture. Stir in ¼ cup chopped cilantro. In a large oven-proof dish, add the fish fillets and turn to coat. Marinate in the refrigerator for 15 to 30 minutes. (Note: Do not leave for longer, or the lime juice will begin to ‘cook’ the fish.)
3. Heat oven to 425 degrees.
4. Place the tomatoes around the marinated fish and spoon all the marinade in the dish over the fish. Drizzle 1 tablespoon of oil over the tomatoes and fish.
5. Transfer to the lower-middle rack of the oven and roast until the surface of the fish is opaque and the center is not quite cooked through – 8 to 10 minutes. 
6. Remove the pan from the oven and turn on the broiler. Broil the fish on high rotating the pan once, until the fish is tender and the tomatoes are wrinkled but not browned – about 5 to 6 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fish.
7. Serve the fish and tomatoes with the remaining lime cut into wedges. Spoon over the remaining sauce and garnish with the reserved cilantro.

Serve with buttered green beans or other green vegetable.

To serve: drizzle with cream or add a dollop of yogurt for creaminess. If desired, garnish with a sprig of fresh thyme or a few slices of pear.

References

[1] Martini D et al. Positive nutrition: shifting the focus from nutrients to diet for a healthy lifestyle. Eat Weight Disord. 2023 Jun 21;28(1):51

[2] Budiarto R, et al. Vitamin C variation in citrus in response to genotypes, storage temperatures, and storage times: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Heliyon. 2024 Apr 10;10(8):e29125.

[3] Noetel M et al. Effect of exercise for depression: systematic review and network meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials. BMJ. 2024 Feb 14;384:e075847.

[4] Scatigna M et al. Physical activity as a key issue for promoting human health on a local and global scale: evidences and perspectives. Ann Ig. 2019 Nov-Dec;31(6):595-613

[5] Hearing CM et al. Physical Exercise for Treatment of Mood Disorders: A Critical Review. Curr Behav Neurosci Rep. 2016 Dec;3(4):350-359

[6] Dirks ML, Wall BT, van Loon LJC. Interventional strategies to combat muscle disuse atrophy in humans: focus on neuromuscular electrical stimulation and dietary protein. J Appl Physiol (1985). 2018 Sep 1;125(3):850-861

[7] Marzuca-Nassr GN et al. Muscle Mass and Strength Gains Following Resistance Exercise Training in Older Adults 65-75 Years and Older Adults Above 85 Years. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab. 2023 Oct 24;34(1):11-19

[8] Sudo M, Ando S. Effects of Acute Stretching on Cognitive Function and Mood States of Physically Inactive Young Adults. Percept Mot Skills. 2020 Feb;127(1):142-153

[9] O’Keefe EL, Torres-Acosta N, O’Keefe JH, Lavie CJ. Training for Longevity: The Reverse J-Curve for Exercise. Mo Med. 2020 Jul-Aug;117(4):355-361

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