Give A Little Bit: Fall Harvest Food & Gear Drive for Babies and Children

Newmarket Mommies and York Region Baby have joined together along with area businesses for a Fall Food and Gear Drive for Babies of York Region. The York Region Food Network and The Rose of Sharon will benefit from this food and gear drive.*

The Wish List
* Jared Baby Food
* Baby Cereal
* Baby Crackers * Diapers (larger sizes)
* Wipes, Diaper Creams & Bath Wash
* Gently Used baby & kids clothing
* Infant and toddler toys, books & smaller baby gear items

Proud Sponsors & Drop Off Locations
Aurora
York Wireless Solutions 220 Industrial Parkway South, Unit 39
(receive 15% off your accessories purchase when you donate!)

Keswick
Herbal One Weight Management Centre 213 The Queensway South YMCA 183 Simcoe Street

Newmarket
Herbal One Weight Management Centre 17915 Leslie Street
Ontario Early Years Centre 17310 Yonge Street, Unit 6
SupperWorks 16600 Bayview Avenue
YMCA Employment and Community Services 16655 Yonge Street, Unit 3

For more information please visit www.yorkregionbaby.com or newmarketmommies.homestead.com or cal (905) 806-9675

*We support Health Canada and the WHO which both state that breastfeeding is the best method of feeding infants as it provides optimal nutritional, immunological and emotional benefits for the growth and development of infants. Exclusive breastfeeding is recommended for the first six months of life for healthy term infants, as breast milk is the best food for optimal growth. Infants should be introduced to nutrient-rich, solid foods with particular attention to iron at six months with continued breastfeeding for up to two years and beyond. For more information please see your doctor or visit where you can find breastfeeding support in our area.

Furthermore, we agree with INFACT Canada and Health Canada’s recommendation that infants should be exclusively breastfed for the first six months of life, with continued breastfeeding to two years of age and beyond. Breastmilk is always free, provides optimal nutrition and is especially important for low-income mothers and babies, who have the most to gain from breastfeeding.

New Canada's Daily Food Guide

Health Canada has come out with a new publication of Canada's Daily Food Guide.

On the website, you can:

- order a copy of the new Food Guide
- create your own personal Food Guide using an interactive tool
- get tips for how to use the Food Guide
-gain access to the Canada's Physical Activity Guide

This new Food Guide, in our opinion, is much more user friendly and easier to achieve.

Check it out and be healthy!

Health Canada advises women & children to limit their consumption of canned albacore tuna

In more food news....Health Canada is expanding its consumption advice related to mercury in fish to include advice for specific groups on eating canned albacore tuna.

While Health Canada has a standard for mercury in fish that is among the most stringent in the world, occasionally some fish products may exceed this standard and therefore Health Canada has provided consumption advice for some groups. Today we are updating this advice. However, Canadians can rest assured that there is no reason to stop eating canned tuna.

Data collected by both Health Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency over several years have shown that levels of mercury in most canned tuna are well below Health Canada's standard. Levels in canned albacore tuna are higher than levels in other types of canned tuna, but are generally below the standard as well. Health Canada's standards for mercury in fish and consumption advice are based on overall dietary exposures; occasional consumption in excess of the recommended amount will not put the average consumer at risk.

As a precaution, Health Canada is providing the following advice.

• Women who are or who may become pregnant, or who are breastfeeding can eat up to four Food Guide Servings of canned albacore tuna each week. One Food Guide Serving is 75g, 2 ½ oz, 125 mL, or ½ cup.
• Children between one and four years old can eat up to one Food Guide Serving of albacore tuna each week.
• Children between five and eleven years old can eat up to two Food Guide Servings of albacore tuna each week.

It is important to note that canned albacore tuna is not the same as canned light tuna. Canned light tuna contains other species of tuna such as skipjack, yellowfin, and tongol, which are relatively low in mercury. Canned light tuna also tends to be lower in cost relative to albacore tuna. Based on lower mercury levels, Health Canada does not consider it necessary to offer any consumption advice specific to canned light tuna.

Eating Well with Canada's Food Guide recommends at least two Food Guide Servings of 75 grams (½ cup) each week of fish. Choose fish such as char, herring, mackerel, salmon, sardines and trout.

Health Canada, in collaboration with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, will continue to monitor the levels of mercury in fish available for sale in Canada and will inform Canadians about any changes to its advice related to fish consumption and mercury.

More information is available at:

Health Canada's Mercury Information page.

It's Your Health on Mercury and Human Health.