Hi everyone! Welcome to my new blog. My name is Amy and I am a junior here at UCSD. Other than my academics, I'm a Student Health Advocate specializing in nutrition/wellness and sexual health. A lot of the people I have worked with were college students like most of you reading this blog, and are interested in a few tips to get through college in one healthy, piece.
In all my wellness advising, I like to explain to my peers not only suggestions and nutrition tips, but to also explain the science behind healthy and unhealthy habits.
For awhile I had a hard time deciding whether this approach to wellness counseling was the best and most effective way, but a lot of students found it interesting and were able to impress their friends with the new information I taught them. To exemplify this new approach, I utilized a banner that I created myself seen above.
The reason why I chose to create this banner is because it integrated pictures of what others perceived diet, nutrition, wellness as well as science. I wanted to emphasize that the two are connected, you cannot understand health and nutrition with the science to back it up.
Let me quickly explain why I chose these specific pictures, other than their aesthetic appeal. The first photo is one of a pasta dish; I personally think this is a very balanced entree because it has a healthy amount of carbs (from the pasta), protein (from the chicken), iron (from the vegetables), and good fats (from the olive oil dressing). The bed is placed in the banner to emphasize that sleep is a vital and often neglected aspect of someone's wellness, so I wanted to use it as a friendly reminder.
The other two images are of the pool and the scale. The pool pictured is the Canyon View Pool here at UCSD to remind students that simply dieting is not enough to keep up a healthy lifestyle - exercise is a complementary routine to your regular diet. The picture of the scale was used to remind others that it is a tool for weight-management, not a cause of anxiety.
The scientific images used on there are images of: muscle fibers, red blood cells, inflamed muscle cells, and a stem cell. In the subsequent blog posts, I will be explaining the role of each of these bodily cells and tissues (so stay tuned).
In this blog, I will be addressing several everyday issues that most college students face and my suggestions on how they can tackle it.
If you are interested in becoming a Student Health Advocate, or are interested in attending one of our many workshops regarding fitness, sexual health, and body composition, take a look at our website!
http://sha.ucsd.edu/
It looks like this and it's very easy to navigate through to find the information you're looking for!
Please feel free to leave any comments, whether it be praise or constructive criticism. I'm always up for new questions so if you have anything you are itching to ask, don't hesitate to leave a comment and I'll answer them as soon as I soon as I can!
I'm sure we've all heard these three words everywhere, and people often associate them with such negative connotations. Today's media likes to make a spectacle of these words by promoting "low carb", "low calorie", and "low fat" foods and diets and essentially telling the public that these three will be the demise of your figure.
yahoo.com
Don't blindly listen to these ads and anti-carbs/calories/fats trends. Maybe these three will seem less menacing if you really understand what they are and what they do for the body.
Let's start with calories. People often mistaken calories are an indication of fat. By definition, a calorie is the amount of energy needed to raise 1 gram of water up 1 degree Celsius. Calories are a measurement of energy, not fat or weight. Knowing that, foods that are considered low calories are not always the best option for your lifestyle. Those who live a very active lifestyle, such as athletes, need the daily recommended 2000 calories/a day or even more so.
Calories provide you with the energy you need to carry out your daily activities, including different biological processes your body needs to thrive. Calories are really your best friend, it's the other nutrients you have to watch out for.
Next up is carbs. Carbohydrates are simply molecules consisting of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen (hydrated carbons essentially). Glucose are long chains of carbohydrates. Carbs are mainly found in starchy foods like potatoes, breads, rice, etc. These molecules carry with it 4 calories/gram and are highly essential to the body. Most people get the impression that carbs are our enemy, which is only half true.
Too much of a good thing is definitely a very wise concept to grasp in nutrition. Carbs, in moderation, is vital for the body's main functions. The metabolizes carbs, fats, and protein in that order. Carbs are the body's first and main source of energy, which is why it breaks it down first. Without a steady supply of carbs, the body breaks down fats (which are stored carbs).
glucosanol.com
When people engage in diets with low carbs and low fats, the body is forced to break down proteins as its next energy source. The main supply of proteins in the body are your lean muscle tissues. When the body breaks down your lean muscle for an energy source, it's going to cause severe problems. These lean muscle tissues include the tissues that line your stomach, liver, and even the heart. That's why the once-popular Atkins diet grew wildly unpopular; it caused too many health issues because of the lean muscle breakdown.
A modest amount of carbs and fats in your everyday diet will prevent your body from breaking down lean muscle and will keep your metabolism steady and may even raise it to break down foods faster. Don't be afraid to indulge in carbs and fats, it won't harm you unless it's in large quantities. And even in large amounts, certain types of fats are very good for the body.
Fats are broken down into saturated and unsaturated fats. Saturated fats are naturally produced in the body, so when you consume it in your diet it knows how to break it down. Unsaturated fats, on the other hand, are processed and are much more difficult to break down in the body.
Balance is really the key. Be choosy about what fats and carbs you eat and remember portion control, that way you won't need to sacrifice your favorites!
