4 Healthy Eating Habits Every College Student Should Adopt - Guest Post

This guest article is written by Nadia Jones, a blogger from onlinecollege.org  

Healthy eating in college—it’s a goal that while everyone knows it's crucial to get their bodies functioning properly, it's sometimes hard to accomplish. It's no surprise either— students are pressed for time and when they do finally get a moment to grab a bite to eat, they go to the nearest fast food place on campus. It's highly convenient and gets rid of the hunger. 

But unfortunately "convenience" is what leads to the dreaded Freshmen 15 and can take a heavy toll on your waistline and your wallet. Not to mention, eating the wrong unhealthy foods can negatively affect your concentration and retention levels—things that directly affect your performance in school. 

The wrong foods can also affect your immunity—and we all know it's hard to get any school work done when you're sick. That said, below are a few simple tips that college students can follow to make sure that they do their best to eat healthy all semester long.

1. Eat Out Less

Let's get the obvious one out of the way first. There's nothing wrong with indulging at a restaurant every now and then, but keep it to a minimum. It's hard to monitor caloric and sodium intake since you are not the one preparing the meal in the kitchen. While it would take an entire article to explain the do's and don’ts of healthy restaurant dining, below are some tidbits to get you started:

•      If ordering a salad, always go for a "garden salad"—you want the extra veggies. Hold the croutons. Ask for a vinaigrette oil-based dressing. Avoid creamy dressings like ranch and Cesar.

•      Avoid ordering soda or alcohol—they provide no nutritional value and are filled with empty calories. While fruit juices and fruit smoothes are a better alternative, you still need to watch out for sugars. It's recommended to ask for a glass of ice water with lemon instead. The cold water helps boost metabolism and the lemon an added bit of vitamin c which boosts immunity.

•      Try to hold the mayo whenever you can. If you think your sandwich is too dry without it, opt for mustard instead. Always shoot for whole wheat/ whole grain bread, not white.

•      Monitor portion control and eat slowly. Fast eaters don’t give their brain enough time to realize the body is full and will overeat, resulting in unnecessary weight gain.

* Note— Grabbing lunch or dinner is a social pass time for most students. You see a friendly face? You go grab lunch. But know that you don’t always have to say yes to a lunch date. Agree to grab a cup of green tea or black coffee instead. Both beverages are calorie free when consumed plain and have many health benefits such as a boost in metabolism. A raised metabolism is always something you want to shoot for since it means you can burn fat more easily by just sitting in class.

2. Eat Breakfast Every Day

Studies say that those who fuel their bodies with breakfast in the morning are more likely to keep their weight under control. Not to mention that it gives you the ample energy you need to kick-start your day and make it through your classes (no falling asleep). Some great options include whole grain oatmeal with blueberries, whole grain cereal with low-fat milk and a ½ cup of strawberries or bananas, or a cup of low-fat plain yogurt. 

These foods help keep you full the longest. If you don’t have time to have a sit down breakfast, find ways to make your breakfasts portable, do you have a cup or container for your cereal that you can eat on your way to class? Etc.

3.Bring own, Healthy Snacks and Packed Lunches

To help you curb your appetite during or between classes, always make sure that you bring your own healthy snacks and lunches with you. This means ditching the chips and switching them out with others foods that give you the same "crunch" but less fat: red bell peppers with humus or salsa, apples with peanut butter, mayo-less tuna or salmon with whole wheat crackers, or whole wheat pita pockets filled with tomatoes, spinach, cucumbers, and a few sprinkles of feta cheese. 

There are other great portable lunches to bring; you just need to get creative with it. Remember to also grab some water to swish everything down. In fact, you should drink the recommended 6 to 8 glasses a day. Not only does the body sometimes mistake hunger for thirst, but water will help flush away toxins.

4. Always Walk to Class

Lastly, since eating the right foods isn’t the only component of being healthy, you want to make sure that you get some physical activity in your routine as well. While going to the gym is an excellent way to do this, simply choosing to walk to class instead of taking the bus is a great way to squeeze in some exercise. Even if the destination is far, give yourself time to make the journey. While on the same note, always choose to take the stairs as opposed to the elevators.

Author Bio:
This is a guest post by Nadia Jones who blogs at online college about education, college, student, teacher, money saving, movie related topics. You can reach her at nadia.jones5 @ gmail.com.

Plan a Diet to Reduce Your Cancer Risk! - Guest blog

From time to time I  have guest writers on my blog and this article is by Katrina Evans, an aspiring writer with an interest in health & wellness:

 Eating healthy is not about depriving yourself of the foods that you love, but rather about feeling great, having more energy, and keeping yourself as healthy as possible. With a history of lung cancer in my family, I see the importance of a healthy diet with proper nutrition. It really can go a long way when it comes to cancer prevention. Now, we can’t just jump into a healthier lifestyle overnight but have to gradually incorporate it into our daily routines. I have followed these guidelines to help me transform my diet with healthier goals in mind so I can definitely recommend these simple eating tips to help you plan a diet for a reduced risk.

Tip 1: Simplify your food choices.

Don’t overly concern yourself with counting calories or measuring portion sizes. A good strategy is to think in terms of color, variety, and freshness.

Color - Red fruits and vegetables are colored by natural plant pigments called lycopene. Lycopene in tomatoes, watermelon and pink grapefruit, for example, is the major reducer of several types of cancer like pancreatic cancer, mesothelioma and especially prostate cancer. Scientists have reported that carotenoid-rich Orange/Yellow fruits and vegetables not only reduce the risk of cancer, but also heart disease and can improve immune system function.

Variety – Having a variety of food choices means a proper well balanced diet while giving you the tools to change up a bland meal and make it nutritiously delish! Try mixing it up picking and choosing 2 out of the five major food groups for each meal. This makes your meals interesting so you don’t get bored with your diet. Also, you can devise a plan that is focused on specific elements of a diet that promote health like fiber. Foods and beverages rich in dietary fiber regulate the digestive system and can aid in maintaining a healthy weight. It acts as a binding agent, moving harmful waste through the body at a faster rate. Aiming for a diet high in fiber will also increase intake of other cancer-fighting nutrients as well.

Freshness – Preservative and food additives are a tricky subject. The Food and Drug Administration regulates food preservatives, and while they're not all bad (antioxidants such as vitamins C and E are used to keep certain foods from spoiling, for instance) there are some that you definitely want to avoid. Propyl gallate, sodium nitrate, heptyl paraben, and sulfites are just a few examples of preservatives that you would want to watch out for. The most effective way to keep preservatives out of your diet is to eat only fresh, locally grown foods.

Tip 2: Moderation is key.

Try not to think of certain foods as “off-limits” since giving into temptation can be easily labeled as a “failure.” Instead, think of smaller portions. At home, use smaller plates, think about serving sizes in realistic terms, and start small. Use recognizable visual cues to help with portion control instead of measuring like a teaspoon of oil or salad dressing is about the size of a matchbook or one serving of meat, fish, or chicken can amount to the size of a deck of cards.

Tip 3: Put protein in perspective.

Protein is the main drive that gives us energy to get up and go—and keep going. Protein in food is broken down into the 20 amino acids that are the body’s basic building blocks for growth and energy, and essential for maintaining cells, tissues, and organs. A lack of protein in our diet can slow growth, reduce muscle mass, lower immunity, and weaken the heart and respiratory system. Especially focus on quality sources of protein and different types for variety like fish, chicken or turkey, tofu, eggs, beans, or nuts.

When planning the perfect nutritional guidelines for you, keeping these tips in mind is a great start. Consulting a doctor or a dietitian is a sure-fire way to keep your diet well balanced and catered towards your goals and needs. Research and find specifics like how do I protect myself from gastric cancer, what is mesothelioma, or how can green tea prevent prostate cancer? There are a ton of other “super foods” out there that not only lowers the risk of cancer, but also promotes overall health in the long run. 

Katrina Evans is a recent college graduate and aspiring writer especially interested in health and wellness. She enjoys making a difference in people’s lives seeing how devastating cancer can be for people and their families. Katrina also likes running, reading and listening to cool podcasts.

Is Your Office Making You...eat unhealthy foods? Part 3

Issue #5 = Office Celebrations

We're not talking here about the once a year Holiday Party but rather all the other celebrations throughout the year that involve food: cakes brought in by the Birthday girl/boy, leaving parties, drinks & snacks after work, celebrating promotions, new babies...! The list can be a long one, multiplied by the number of people in your office this can lead to quite a lot of extra food intake over the course of a year!

Solution

If these are not frequent occurrences then go ahead and enjoy them but if every week you find yourself eating cake to help someone celebrate some event it may be a good decision to come up with an action plan to limit your intake of these sneaky calories! You may decide to only indulge in the sweet treats for colleagues you work closely with, for example, or toast them with a drink but not the snacks, or plan to have the food at one event a month instead of every time.  Choose a plan that fits your situation.

Issue #6 = Inactivity

If your position is a 'desk job' then make a point of including activity in your day.  Sitting in one place for a long time can lead to boredom and tiredness which may have you reaching for a snack to try and wake yourself up.

Solution

Simple changes really can lead to big rewards!  

• Instead of using the photocopier that's right beside you, walk upstairs to the one on the next floor
• Go outside at lunchtime and power walk (even a few laps around the building if there's nowhere else to walk!)
•  Find a staircase without much foot traffic and run and up down it a few times or try 'step ups' up & down the bottom stair.
• Ask a colleague to be an exercise buddy to make it more fun & keep you motivated

Not everyone works in an office environment - perhaps you work shifts, you maybe drive for long periods of time or travel for work 

Let me know the difficulties you face at work.

Is Your Office Making You...eat unhealthy foods? Part 2

Continuing our series on overcoming obstacles to healthy eating at the office, we turn attention to the issues of meetings & the 3pm energy crash.

 Issue #3 = Meetings

Meetings can hinder our healthy eating efforts in a couple of ways:

Meetings with no food!
Our aim is to eat regularly throughout the day & not to go for long periods of time without eating.  Meetings, however, may be scheduled during the time you would normally be eating your lunch or they may start earlier but run over time.  We need the energy from food to keep us alert & fuel our brain & you want to be able to focus on the issues discussed at the meeting rather than wondering when you'll next be able to eat!

Solution
A nutritious breakfast & a healthy snack!  Including protein & whole grains in your breakfast will slow digestion & keep you feeling full longer.  Omelet with 100% whole grain bread, oatmeal plus a yogurt, low fat grilled cheese on wholegrain English muffin are good examples.  Add some fruit to these and you've got a great start to the day.
Plan a healthy mid-morning snack. When the boss calls that last minute meeting you'll be glad you packed that all important healthy snack or kept something such as trail mix or cereal bar in your desk drawer!

Meetings with food!
Ahhh the temptation of the pastry platter or the pizza or other catering option sent to tempt you!
Again, a good breakfast and healthy mid-morning snack will help you here as with those foods already under your belt (so to speak!) you'll be less likely to over-indulge. 
Walk the length of the buffet table to see what's on offer & plan what you'll choose rather than starting to fill your plate at one end and working your way down.  If salad and fruit are available make sure you choose these - remember the recommendation is for half your plate to be fruit & vegetables. 
If meetings form a regular part of your work it may be worth speaking to your colleague who's responsible for ordering the lunch about providing healthy options. A local sandwich shop, for example, may be willing to offer discounted prices for repeat company business.

Issue #4 = 3pm energy crash

The dreaded 3pm energy crash! That time of day where the vending machine is calling your name & you start clock watching & dreaming of dinner!

Solution 

There's not actually a magic food that can help once the dreaded 3pm energy crash strikes.  We all know a candy bar from the vending machine is going to give us an initial burst of energy but we're going to crash again before 5pm. 

What we need to do instead is look back over the day at what we did or did not eat & drink earlier.  Did you skip breakfast or lunch?  Have you drunk any water today? It's kind of like a car running out of gas - we have to fill the tank before we run out! Even if you're just sitting at a desk your body is busy working and using up energy and if you deprive it of food & water throughout the day, by 3pm it's simply running out of energy!

Next post: Office celebrations & Inactivity....