By Josephine Cinnante
Brain food - "You may consider yourself happy when that which is your food is also your medicine" Thoreau
How you eat and exercise now can provide the pattern for a lifetime of weight control and good health. Choosing a variety of foods instead of eating the same foods every day can make meals interesting and fun. It takes some thought, but it certainly is worth the effort. Eating food with appropriate amounts of protein, starch, fiber, fat, sugar and sodium can lay the foundation for healthy eating throughout your lifetime. This sounds like a lot of work, but amazingly enough, it can be pretty easy. Varying your meals, and making them as colorful as possible, will naturally help you to get some of the better quality foods.
Young adults rarely think about osteoporosis, heart disease, and obesity, but they all begin when we are very young if there is not adequate exercise, and healthful food choices. The habits you start now can easily last a lifetime. Walking, jogging, stair-climbing, a fitness class and/or weight-lifting can all help. Also, be aware that alcohol in excess and tobacco in any form can lead to a multitude of health problems.
Vitamins and minerals are essential to our bodies for healthy functioning and regulation. Besides being helpful in avoiding osteoporosis, Calcium may even help regulate weight. It is said that freshmen gain weight when they first come to college. This may be because they are on their own when it comes to choosing the foods they eat and how much and what type of exercise they get. And, although the school cafeterias offer healthy choices of food, there are still the mainstays of fatty, greasy hamburgers, fries and other fast food choices.
A hamburger now and then isn't a bad thing, it's just not ideal for the everyday. Choosing a variety of foods, and trying to eat lots of fresh produce help us to get the essential vitamins and minerals we need, but a multivitamin every day can ensure that we are getting our body's needs met.
Remember too that mental health improves with physical health. College is a stressful time. Keep your mind and your body healthy. Eat well, exercise and be well!
