What students eat and drink on a daily basis can greatly help or hinder their study efforts. Some students have the benefit of eating home-cooked meals while others rely on a steady stream of fast and cheap food.
Though the right diet can boost focus and endurance in the burgeoning mind of a student, bags and wrappers from fast food joints continue to fill the campus waste bins. When students’ energy runs low, they sometimes turn to energy supplements and caffeinated products to give them much-needed boosts.
“I can attest to the fact that Rock Star and Vivarins have given me a lot of pep when I’m cramming for finals, or trying to do really hard assignments,” says Student Dan Evans. “But I try really hard to avoid those things, because I know it will be bad in the long run.”
There are foods students can eat to make the most of their study time. A wide variety of fruits and vegetables will provide a great number of physical and mental benefits, as well as nuts, grains, and legumes.
“I think that eating something too heavy while studying is counter-productive. So I will snack on carrots or celery with cream cheese and whole grain crackers,” Megan Randall, a full time student at SLCC, says.
Students deal with time constraints that can make smart eating a difficult goal to accomplish, so foresight is the name of the game. Preparing a rudimentary menu and collecting the ingredients ahead of time allows students the much-needed opportunities to eat healthier and feel better.
“Avoid simple sugars, consume complex carbohydrates. The closer the food is to the earth, the better off you are,” Michelle Neeshan, clinic manager in the Health and Wellness Center at the Taylorsville Redwood Campus, says. “Also, make sure to eat several small meals a day, as opposed to two or three large ones. That way, you’ll be able to keep your energy up.”
The Health and Wellness Center offers a Healthy Lifestyle Workshop Series that is held at the Taylorsville Redwood Campus. The next segment, “Getting Fit at Home” will be held on July 18.
“We understand that students are very busy, and that it can be hard to eat right. Students should check out our blog for more health information,” Neeshan says.
Check out the Health and Wellness Center’s web site here.
