Episode 25: Food Culture and Improving Your Food Relationship with Carla Beer-Carpenter

Food brings people together, but what if food becomes a barrier? Eating disorders are mental health issues and some students arrive with a negative dependency on food, without you even noticing. So what are the clues? Today, we chat with Carla Beer-Carpenter, a registered dietitian for almost 30 years with a passion for helping people improve their relationship with food while working towards their health and nutrition goals.

In this episode, she shares tips and signs to look out for with students who may have food-related issues. She’s also been a homestay parent since 2008 and has hosted dozens of students from many countries over the last decade. She reveals how hosting is an impactful experience, more than on us as hosts, but with the students. Finally, she uncovers how her own 3-week exchange as a young teenager changed her entire life. So listen in on this truly wonderful conversation with Carla Beer-Carpenter that we hope inspires you as it did for us.

Carla Beer-Carpenter has worked as a registered dietitian for almost thirty years, with a focus on renal nutrition and obesity management. She is passionate about helping people improve their relationship with food while working towards their health and nutrition goals. She has been a homestay parent since 2008 and has hosted dozens of students from many countries over the last decade, first girls while her two daughters were teenagers, then boys once her stepson started high school. She lives with her fiancé Richard and their blended family in Oak Bay. 

Carla Beer-Carpenter, RD 
Good Sense Nutrition 
(250) 661-0394
carla

Key Points From This Episode:

  • We chat about Carla’s background, her business and how she came to host students.
  • What is food culture?
  • We talk about house rules.
    #thoushallnoteatinthebedroom
  • Carla’s tips for meal time and getting students (and picky eaters) to try new things.
  • What are some of the signs that someone may be struggling with an eating disorder?
  • Carla gives tips for how to deal with concerning behaviour around eating issues.
  • We discuss body image.
    #dontcommentonlooks
  • Carla shares the importance of not making a fuss over how much/how little children eat.
    #braceyourselftothrowfoodaway
  • Carla gives Erin advice for the picky eater in her home.
  • Healthy relationship with food vs. context of culture? We discuss different student scenarios.
  • Carla talks about cooking for students and the difference between cooking for girls and boys.
  • Carla opens up about the challenges of hosting and lets us in on a little secret.
  • Carla reminisces about some of her positive hosting experiences.
  • Carla uncovers how her own 3-week exchange as a young teenager changed her entire life.
  • Carla shares her reasons for hosting.

Links:
Good Sense Nutrition
Instagram: @goodsensenfoody
Facebook: goodsensenutritionservices
Twitter: @beer_carpenter
How to deal with eating issues in all ages

Follow Us:
Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/homestaykitchen/
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/homestaykitchen/
Web – http://homestaykitchen.com/