WHAT ARE THE GOOD FOLKS AT HEALTH CANADA THINKING?

UPDATED to include new Parliamentary Petition!

Let's tell PARLIAMENT that our dietary guidelines are NOT evidence based.  SIGN and share this new parliamentary petition on 'Front of Package' warnings for salt and saturated fat, and the need for an external scientific review of the evidence base. ​  Sign here:  ​https://petitions.ourcommons.ca/en/Petition/Details?Petition=e-1597

What are the Good Folks at Health Canada Thinking?

The sad truth is that Canada's Food Guide has quite simply been wrong for decades.  With reams of evidence that support that statement, it is confounding that Health Canada seems bent on keeping it that way.

What's Wrong with our Guidelines?

Canada's Food Guide has historically relied upon the US Dietary Guidelines which have recently been found to lack scientific rigour by the National Academies of Science Engineering and Medicine.

Thanks to a large group of dedicated physicians and allied health professionals -Canadian Clinicians for Therapeutic Nutrition (CCTN), a strong campaign is underway to convince Health Canada to base our guidelines on sound evidence-based nutritional policy, rather than upon food industry influence.  

Sign their petition here:  ​www.changethefoodguide.ca/

Health Canada's Proposed Front of Package Warning Labels

A new proposal from Health Canada is to mandate front of package warning labels for products high in saturated fat and salt, and sugar.  

Background for Health Canada front of package labelling:

www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/programs/consultation-front-of-package-nutrition-labelling-cgi.html

It's easy to see the justification for the warning about sugar, of course, but health professionals have grave concerns over this move to restrict health-giving saturated fats and salt.

What Can We Do?

1)  Send an Email to Health Canada

We have an opportunity to send feedback.  Concerned physicians and allied health professionals (CCTN) have written a short summary letter (on salt and saturated fat) that can be copied and sent individually, along with a detailed summary of the evidence (with great help from Nina Teicholz who wrote the evidence base).

The more submissions to Health Canada with similar wording, the better, so please send feedback as follows:

INSTRUCTIONS
- Send an email to Bruno Rodrigue (LRM_MLR_consultations@hc-sc.gc.ca)
- Copy and paste this letter into the body of the email, or something close to it, and include your own signature block. If we all have similar language, it will help. (Make any changes if you like):  ​

https://drive.google.com/file/d/18ISgRQII3KWe34WxIKkP1p8IWEdc9Rt_/view

- attach this evidence review PDF (it is also linked in the shorter letter, but in case they don’t see it): ​

 https://drive.google.com/file/d/1EVe0235muVQmyd8UeXlYhSgcWcpWobj8/view

2)  Send a Letter to Your Member of Parliament

Here is a different version of the above letter that you can send to your MP:

​​https://drive.google.com/file/d/1xdVNQdVJLQVCQbwuzMSWzpSc-yOLIa-f/view

Deadline for Feedback:  April 26th, 2018

Why Should We Care?

Can't We Just Make Our Own Food Choices?

Yes,  of course we can, but consider that Canada’s official dietary recommendations can determine nutrition education curricula, what is on every hospital/care facility food tray, what is served in school cafeterias, in daycares and pre-schools, and importantly, what doctors recommend to patients.  Canada Food Guide recommendations are widely used as an endorsement of certain foods and in mass advertising.

The proposed mandated warning labels affect markets for our local farmers who are producing nutrient-dense foods and local sea salts. ​

Canada is in an epidemic of serious chronic illness across all ages, especially in children.  

Please join in the movement to convince Health Canada to think twice about mandating warning labels on the very foods that many experts believe are key to health and vitality.  ​

For healthy futures for generations to come, please support evidence-based changes to Canada's Food Guide.

Here are two podcasts with essential-to-know information about why we need animal fats and salt for radiant health:

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