Good hair, great beef and other life aspirations

This is a guest post by Karine, BIC’s Registered Dietitian.

I love my hairdresser.  She just ‘gets’ my hair.  I usually have pretty good hair thanks to her.  I really should make sure she knows this!

But what, you may be asking, does this at all have to do with “Canadian beef”?!  As the registered dietitian here at BIC, I’m often confronted with some fairly zealous perspectives about the healthfulness of beef.  I love beef and am die heartedly passionate about its contribution to health, satisfying meal occasions and the ability to nourish families and create traditions.  As such, the beef and health debate is one I love to engage in.  I figure too, in any case, the controversies keep me employed!

I learned early on in my employment at BIC though that there would be some pretty heated opinions I would have to tackle.  In fact, this became crystal clear just days before officially starting my employment.  The week ahead of my start date, I tried to get some errands done, as one does.  A haircut seemed sensible, as I knew I would be busy once I had started my new job.  I booked my appointment a little late, and so my ‘regular’ hairdresser could not accommodate me.  The salon recommended an alternate.  She was a ‘senior stylist’, or had some such title which made her sound like a trustworthy fill-in.  Let me just sum this up by saying “I should have known better”.  Ouch!   During the course of our hairdresser/client small-talk, I divulged I was days away from starting an exciting new job at the Beef Information Centre.  Things kind of proceeded downhill from there.  There was a distinct change in her tone and demeanour.  She went a little berserk.  I quickly found out she is a passionate vegetarian.  Need I say more about how the haircut ended? 

I started my job the following week with really bad hair.  To me this was my battle scar.  I’m not sure I won that one, but I did walk away with a new perspective, and ready for a fight!  The beef and health debates are complex, but mostly they are laden with emotional baggage.  The more I learn about beef’s role in a healthy diet, the more I confidently welcome the challenge to duel it out based on the science.  My new perspective is that I now realize I can’t convince everyone.  I’m up to trying though.  Although not, perhaps, at the expense of a good haircut! 

Have a question about the role of Canadian beef in your healthy diet? I’m happy to help.

About Karine:

Karine is a Registered Dietitian with BIC, passionate foodie and world traveler.  Beef, of course, is a favourite food in her home – providing nourishing and nurturing meals for her hubby, growing 5 year old and the friends and other family they often entertain.  There are not many conversations, either at work or at home, that don’t weave their way back somehow to food, recipes, nutrition, or beef.  “Is “beef” all you talk about at work?”, Karine’s son recently asked.  Karine proudly responded “yes”…