The Portfolio Diet for Cardiovascular Disease Risk Reduction: An Evidence Based Approach to Lower Cholesterol through Plant Food Consumption

Wendy Jenkins, BSc, and MSc candidate, has worked extensively to merge the fields of nutrition and environmental science. She has done this primarily through her study of the interaction between diet, health and environmental sustainability. Her work has led her to the promotion of plant based foods in both an academic setting and through recipe development. In her previous studies at the University of Guelph in the Environmental Biology honors program in Canada and her current postgraduate studies in nutrition at Wageningen University, The Netherlands, she has worked with the aim of maximizing both health and sustainability of dietary decisions. She has also worked under the guidance of chef Sara Harrel, owner of Veg Company and developer of the certificate in Vegetarian Culinary Arts at George Brown College Centre for Culinary Arts, Toronto, Canada. Through this work Wendy has been able to further develop her skills in plant based cuisine and recipe development, providing the tools to create healthy, sustainable and enjoyable food.

Amy Jenkins, BA, MSc, completed her bachelor’s degree with honours in psychology from the University of Guelph, Canada. She then went on to merge her interest in nutrition with psychology by completing a Master’s degree in Food Science from the University of Guelph. The focus of this degree was on the way psychological drivers of behaviour could be harnessed to help individuals eat a more plant-based diet. Amy currently works at a not-for-profit research institute, where she conducts research on the consumer acceptance of heritage varieties of fruits, vegetables and edible flowers. A large part of her work focuses on developing strategies to communicate about agricultural practices That will influence the publics dietary choices.

Alexandra Jenkins, PhD, RD, started her research career in Oxford, where she was part of the research team that developed the concept of slow release carbohydrate and the Glycemic Index. This launched her life-long interest in the use of dietary strategies to reduce or prevent the development of chronic diseases. She obtained her BSc from the University of Toronto and completed a dietetic internship at St Michael’s Hospital. Subsequently Dr. Jenkins obtained her PhD at the University of Surrey in the United Kingdom. Currently, her major research focus has been the potential role of diet and dietary supplements in the treatment of chronic diseases, such as type 2 diabetes. She has been an author or co-author on over 100 original publications in peer-reviewed journals, in addition to chapters and reviews. Dr. Jenkins has volunteered extensively for the Diabetes Canada and was an Associate Editor of the Canadian Journal of Diabetes. She has received several awards, including the Eli Lilly Graduate Scholarship Award and a Special Education Award from Diabetes Canada. Dr. Jenkins is a member of the Ontario College of Dietitians and the American Nutrition Society and is a sought-after lecturer on nutritional modification of cardiovascular risk factors and diabetes. In addition to her role as Director of Research at GI Labs, she is also a Senior Research Associate at the Risk Factor Modification Centre at St. Michael’s Hospital, Toronto, where her research focuses on investigating the potential utility of nutraceuticals and functional foods in reducing cardiovascular risk factors.

Caroline Brydson, BSc, obtained her bachelor's degree in nutrition from Ryerson University. Together with Dr. Dorothy Faulkner, RD, she has worked on recipe development and testing of Portfolio diet recipes. The result of this work was a booklet of recipes used in the original Portfolio diet study where research patients involved in the study were given her booklet as a guide. Since then she has been working in elderly care as a dietary and lifestyle consultant.