By Chef Dez/Special to the Langley Advance Times
My son is 13 years old and I have noticed that during the past year he has started devoting more attention to his appearance.
He recently asked me for a couple of spoons that he could put in the freezer. “Why do you want to put spoons in the freezer?” I asked.
“Because if I put the frozen spoons under my eyes, it will eliminate the bags under my eyes when I wake up in the morning” he replied.
I was flabbergasted.
“You’re only 13 years old. You don’t even have bags under your eyes! Where did you learn this from?”
The answer?
YouTube.
Not only did this prompt more restrictions of internet access, it also led to another chat about false, and potentially damaging, information.
Life in today’s world is overloaded with information.
There are so many constant sources of communication in our lives nowadays that, in many cases, it is hard to know what is real and what is not.
A smart man I know has got me in the habit of always asking a very simple question regarding anything: “Where are you getting your information from?”
Before getting too involved, excited, distraught, or overwhelmed with “new” information in your life, take a step back and ask yourself that very same question.
Sometimes we are too quick to react without first connecting the dots and quickly analyzing where the information is coming from.
If the source of the information could be biased or unreliable, then we need to know that first, before investing our emotions any further.
If it is information that you feel could be pertinent to your life or lifestyle, then further investigation is needed if the source’s reliability is questionable.
That being said, if the information is not relevant to your life or lifestyle, then don’t waste your time or energy with it.
Any information about literally anything can be filtered with this very simple question.
In the way of nutrition and making good food choices, there is one source that I have always trusted.
Sure, there are other channels of information on this topic, but if I was to admit to which one I turn to the most for so many years, it would be registered dietician Diana Steele.
How I first discovered Diana was on nutrition segments she does on the local TV news, and she still does them.
In fact, it was not long ago that I was watching her on Global BC TV noon news when I realized that it has been many years that I have been taking in advice from her.
In my opinion, the tips and information she gives out are solidly reliable and none of her suggestions have ever struck me as extreme.
In business, she has partnered up with another registered dietician Adrienne Dall’Antonia, and they host a website at www.eatingforenergy.com – check it out sometime.
They even have an “Ask a Dietician” feature so you can make direct inquiries about specific areas that are relevant to you.
You may not feel that you need a dietician’s advice in your life. But, let’s face it, we all eat food every day to stay alive.
Thus, any good nutritional advice will be useful to some degree.
Following a dietician does not mean that you are a “health nut” or that you have to eliminate all your bad eating habits (Lord knows I have a few of those); what it means is that you take in trusted information that will compliment your lifestyle to the degree and ways you feel is necessary and appropriate.
Again, let’s face it, any improvement in our eating habits is beneficial, and it just makes sense to work towards a more well-balanced diet the best way we can… as long as you know where you are getting your information from.
If you contact Diana, tell her that Chef Dez sent you. Until next time… Happy Cooking.
Chef Dez is a food columnist and culinary instructor in the Fraser Valley. Visit him at www.chefdez.com. Send questions to dez@chefdez.com or to P.O. Box 2674, Abbotsford, B.C. V2T 6R4
