Sticking to a nutritious diet doesn’t always come easy when you’re stressed out and on the run. Many students use junk food as a pass for a quick meal or a scapegoat for work-related stress.
Skipping meals and binge eating starves the mind and body and junk food adds a big dose of fat, sugar and calories. When your body and brain is depleted of resources it cannot function properly. A habit of sleeping, eating, and exercising regularly is key to a healthy and focused lifestyle.
Charles Saladino, Ph.D., associate professor of biochemisty, has taught clinical nutrition and biochemistry nutrition courses and says the brain does not use fat. Glucose sugar is typically the only fuel that powers brain cells. Most junk foods have a large amount of fructose sugar, which can only provide the body with a small burst of energy, but hardly anything for the brain, and the junky will make you feel lousy and tired again.
Vegetables and fruits vary widely in the amount of nutrients they contain, and so it’s best to eat many different varieties. Bananas, oranges, and apricots, and vegetables such as dark leafy greens, broccoli, and carrots, are good substitutes for junk food. They are also important sources of Vitamins A and C.
In addition to healthy meals, healthy snacking is important. Sophomore Gina Jorgensen says she likes to snack on cheese when she’s stressed or studying.
“Cheese always makes me feel better, it’s a comfort food,” says Jorgensen. “But I prefer sliced cheese from the deli.”
“Healthy is a lifestyle,” Saladino says. “It’s a mindset, a healthy mind and a healthy body goes together.”
Saladino suggests that freshmen orientation should include healthy eating in addition to the time management, healthy lifestyles and social segments.
“Getting through college is more than good grades,” Saladino explains. “Getting through college with a healthy lifestyle and a healthy outlook on yourself and others is part of it as well.”
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