How to stay healthy during the winter

By Lauren Tsugawa

New Years: a time for family, fireworks, food and of course, those pesky resolutions. Though it's true that most New Year's resolutions barely survive until Valentine's Day, it never hurts to try. The New Year gives us all a chance to start fresh, or to eat fresh, so try these tips and tricks to help you to stay healthy in the new year.

As college students, we have unabridged access to fast food, fried food, and many other carbohydrate-rich substances - think Wednesday, Friday, or Saturday night.

After a long day of 8 a.m.'s, labs and boring lectures, it's easy to be a little lazy, skip the gym, and slowly slip into the dangerous territory of the notorious and dreaded freshman fifteen - or sophomore, junior or senior 15 for that matter.

A combination of a well-balanced diet, regular exercise, and getting enough sleep can do wonders for the human body and mind. Over time, eating a little less and exercising a little more can go a long way.

As far as nutrition is concerned, balance is the key. The new and improved food pyramid is divided into four groups: whole grains, lean meat and fish, dairy, and fruits and vegetables. Nutritionists recommend three or more ounces of whole grains, 5.5 ounces of meat, beans, or fish, three cups of milk or other dairy products, and two and a half cups of fruits and veggies per day. But honestly, who's going to spend their day weighing 5.5 ounces of their BBQ ribs?

 In simpler terms, you need about a teacup's worth of whole grains, a little more than a palm-sized portion of meat, beans or fish, three small Benson glasses of milk, and five light bulbs worth of fruits and veggies. All of these food groups are available in Benson. The salad bar, veggie stir-fry with chicken, and sandwiches with whole wheat bread are always a safe bet.

However, most dieticians also stress that you should not worry too much about what you eat. Just make sure you eat something from each group everyday, and try not to err too heavily in one group. Eating Bronco burgers (one Bronco burger has over 700 calories and 29 grams of fat) or those tasty chicken tenders and fries (over 800 calories for a six piece and 51 grams fat) every once in a while is fine. Just restrain yourself from eating a heaping plate of curly fries for every meal of every day.

Most dieticians recommend eating lots of little meals instead of a few big ones. If you're hungry all the time, try to eat smaller meals and have little snacks in between like fruit cups or veggies with ranch dressing from the California Deli in Benson, or pretzels from the vending machine. Try to avoid sugary drinks, like soda, and drinks loaded with caffeine. A coffee in the morning won't kill you, but drinking three cups a day can quickly lead to a caffeine addiction. Though many people don't

consider it to be a drug, caffeine is the world's most commonly used, and often abused, stimulant. Addicts who don't consume their daily dose of caffeine suffer from headaches, fatigue, difficulty concentrating, and in severe cases, flu-like symptoms such as nausea, vomitting, and muscle pain. Remember, water is always the best choice.

Most importantly, don't skip out on breakfast. Eating something in the morning will help to jumpstart your metabolism for the day and make it a little easier to stay awake in those dreaded 8 a.m.'s.  

Contrary to what you may think, exercising regularly also gives your body more energy during the day by helping you achieve a deeper, more restful sleep at night. The  Center for Disease Control and Prevention recommends an average of 150 minutes of moderate intensity aerobic activity, like brisk walking, leisurely biking or dancing, for adults each week. Though that might sound like a lot, think of it as the duration of one half-hour television show, five days a week.

Additionally, according to the Mayo Clinic, exercising on a regular basis not only helps you to build stronger bones and stay in tip-top physical shape, but it also helps you to be a happier person. Daily exercise is proven to relieve stress, actually stimulating your brain to release chemicals called endorphins, which lighten your mood and help you to relax.  

With the Malley Fitness Center open until midnight Sunday-Thursday and until 8:00 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, it's pretty easy to stay active on campus. If you have no motivation to workout at all, make exercising more fun by going with a friend or playing a sport instead. The gym also offers fitness classes like zumba, yoga and cardio kickboxing if you're tired of running on the treadmill every day. Though it can be difficult to leave the warmth of your room to hit the gym in the frigid winter quarter, simple things like walking to class, riding your bike, and taking the stairs instead of the elevator all contribute to a healthier lifestyle.

Getting enough sleep is perhaps the most important and most difficult part of staying healthy. The National Sleep Foundation encourages 7-8 hours of uninterrupted sleep for adults each night. But as college students, we all know that sleep is a rare commodity.

If you can't get enough sleep at night, naps can help you to gain some z's during the day. Sleep researchers also recommend sticking to a regular sleep schedule so your body will be accustomed to sleeping and waking at certain times. And, if possible, try to avoid all nighters.

According to a study done by Harvard Medical School, there is no real way to recuperate from lost sleep. Results showed that subjects who slept an extra ten hours to make up for sleeping six hours every night for two weeks had the same reaction time and ability to focus as those who had pulled all-nighters. Bottom line: no sleep, no good.

Though all of this information is a lot to take in at one time, and even more difficult to keep up on a daily basis, even small changes to your daily routines can make a huge difference. If you're not doing so already, start by taking little strides to be a little healthier.

Tomorrow, take the stairs instead of the elevator in the library, and say no to the extra helping of french fries. Over the weekend play a game of pickup basketball with a friend and have water instead of coke with your meals. Next week go to the gym for half an hour or so, have a salad, and go to sleep at a reasonable hour. Before you know it, all of these little things will add up to a healthier, happier you in 2011.

Have you ever wondered what you're actually consuming in Benson? Go to scu.cafebonappetit.com and click on "nutrition facts" to find out.  

Contact Lauren at ltsugawa@scu.edu or at (408) 554-1918.