Healthy Eating: Eating Healthy at University
If you‟ve just picked up this magazine and are about to kick-start your first year at university, let me take this opportunity in welcoming you to whichever campus you have landed at. Make no mistake about it; you‟re in for some journey. And now that you‟re here, may I suggest – from my very own experience – you hold on tight, fasten your seat belt, and think how much you love aeroplane food. Yes, you read correctly… a-e-r-o-p-l-a-n-e food. This is the kind of food some of you may live on for the next three or four years of your student life, so you may as well get used to the taste from now. And if you really want to get technical, it is known to those in the industry as “microwave meals, ready in two minutes”, so let us all hold hands together and say „thank you very much‟ to Mr. Birdseye like hundreds of students do everyday. OK, maybe not because you‟re going to be different. You‟re going to hold your head up high because you my friend, you‟re a new generation health conscious student… or at least you should be by the end of this article.
It seems these days that everywhere you go, anything you read or something you see is related one way or another to a central theme of „staying healthy‟. And this article you‟ll be pleased to know is no exception. So have a read, and make up your own mind… but remember, I‟m not your mummyji, I‟m not here to tell you what you should or should not eat. I‟m just an explorer, providing you with some „food for thought‟ and „feed‟back on what I‟ve experienced. So, my fellow voyagers let us explore a little further… Tasty Temptations. Its true filling your stomach at university isn‟t a difficult task - you‟re practically surrounded by places to eat that are cheap and perhaps not so cheerful, magnolia painted canteens, for example. Usually students don‟t face major problems when it comes down to filling their stomach. Anything goes. Chips. Burgers. Pizzas. Chocolates. Crisps. The full shebang. It can be all yours within minutes and for a couple of quid. Simple.
Train your taste buds. Or you have the choice of settling for something a little healthier. A bowl of wholegrain cereal, maybe. An apple. Pasta. Brown rice. A portion of boiled vegetables. Even wholemeal chapatti. It‟s all there for you. It‟s the getting your taste buds to like it which the tough part. Just think „a moment on the lips, is a life time on the hips‟ the next time you go into „junkfood-selective-menu-mode‟. always play a game… Play a game. It all really depends on how health conscious you want to be – not only as a student, but also as an individual too. University is actually one of the best times to start the healthy eating game, considering it is one of those places where we are most surrounded by quick-eats. Why not see which level you can reach? Mum’s cooking. What usually happens is that people forget about eating well or are sometimes left with no choice but to take what‟s available. Sometimes they‟d just rather not be seen eating mum‟s cooking. And there she was, good old mum, in the kitchen packing your favourite curry in a plastic container and a stack of chapatti‟s in silver foil for you to freeze before you jetted off to halls. “If you ever get hungry betta”, she said, “you can always eat this”, just as you squeezed in a tub of Pringles in your bag. Take my word for it, mums know best, especially when it comes down to food. So if you‟re ever stuck for food, why not ask her to pack you some, or if that‟s too much of an image breaker, I‟m sure she‟d be happy to give you some healthy eating tips. She‟ll be glad you asked. Easier said than done, I know, but you can
Master chef. Better still, why not experiment yourself? The kitchen is all yours. You‟ve got the power! Before you go out inviting all your mates round for an evening meal, just remember what that Spidey-wisdom in the back of your mind is telling you - „with power comes responsibility‟. Responsibility not only to rid your university town of crime and hatred, but responsibility for eating well and ensuring your comrades are getting their in take of something nutritious. So at the end of this article I‟ll be pointing you in the direction of
some quick recipes. Where else will you get your energy from to save the world? Think healthy. Sometimes though, student life can take its toll. And usually it is your daily routine amongst which your diet is key that suffers the most. Night out‟s. Last minute deadli nes. Exams. It is way too tempting to nip down the shop or gob down the first thing you see. I‟m not saying „don‟t do it‟, believe me, I‟ve done it many times before, but what I would say is that its worth thinking for a second or two to see if a healthier option is available. And it‟s not impossible. If you want „proof of the pudding‟ just ask Jamie Oliver who has revolutionised school menus. The guy has done some real credible work in raising awareness of healthy eating to government and mass media. And let‟s face it; some of his vegetarian dishes have played a major role in the success of his campaign, which brings me nicely on to the religious bit… so here goes. Vegetarianism. It is in fact integral to the beliefs of Hinduism. Stemming from the concept of Ahimsa, or non-violence, many Hindu‟s bring up their children this way. More people than ever before are now turning vegetarian. According to The Vegetarian Society, 5% of households claimed to contain at least one vegetarian member in 2004. The figure in 2006 stands at 12% - more than double in a space of two years. And when you consider some the health benefits in conjunction with the moral and ethical issues – again another reason why many are turning veggie – you‟ll know why it‟s become such a popular choice. The benefits. A lot of vegetarian food contains high-fibre, low fat and calories and an abundance of antioxidant properties, which are good for the body. They have been known to reduce illnesses such as obesity, high blood pressure, heart disease, digestive disorders and even cancer. Perhaps not such a great concern to many of us now, but just a thought for the years to come. Three types of food. A lot of what Hinduism says about food actually boils down to five words, which you may have heard a thousand times over – „you
are what you eat‟. Believe it or not this idea of „y.a.w.y.e‟ (almost bit of a mouthful to say, that) was even mentioned – perhaps not in the same form but nonetheless mentioned – by Krishna Himself in the Bhagavad Gita. Our scriptures divide food into three categories; Tamasic, Rajasic and Sattvic based on their effects on the body. So, here goes my take on it - in a nutshell: Tamasic food is leftover, stale, overripe, spoiled or other impure food, which is believed to produce negative emotions, such as anger, jealousy and greed. You know, the kind of Green Goblin, Darth Vader, Scar, Lex Luthor type qualities. Rajasic is food that is believed to produce strong emotional qualities, passions and restlessness in the mind. This category includes meat, eggs, fish, spices, onions, garlic, hot peppers, pickles and other punge nt or spicy foods. A sound resting place for the likes of George Bush, Halle Berry, Zinedine Zidane and the Tupac‟s of this world. The most desirable type of food, Sattvic, is food that is non-irritating to the stomach and purifying to the mind; it includes fruits, nuts, whole grains and vegetables. These foods are believed to produce calmness and nobility. Here you‟ll find your Superman, Simba, Gandhi and Swami Ramdevji types. Super Size You. Worth keeping in mind before you tuck into that mouthwatering burger, designed to supposedly „make your day‟. And if you‟re still unsure, just rent „Super Size Me‟ the time you‟re in Blockbuster‟s. After 30 days of eating at the big „M‟, Morgan Spurlock – director and star of the film – gained 11.1 kg, experienced mood swings not normal for a guy, and developed various emotional, sexual and physical distresses. No wonder you can now buy portions of fruit behind most fast food joints. ‘4 simple steps to a new you’. Now to finally equip you to be the new generation health conscious student that you‟ve always wanted to be, I would suggest following these 4 simple instructions.
1. Eating out tip. If you‟re eating out, try going for dishes that are: grilled, boiled, poached, steamed or stir-fried, as opposed to deep-fried items such as doughnuts or samosa‟s. They‟ll be much kinder to your body. 2. Spuds. Look out for: starchy foods, wholemeal products, salads, fruit salads, steamed rice and baked or boiled potatoes. A spud stuffed with your favourite vegetable toppings and low fat cheese. Always a treat when you‟re hungry. 3. Buy a blender. For those of you living out, you could split the cost between your flat mates. Pop down to your local Argos or check out Amazon.co.uk. This is an effortlessly perfect way to start the day. What‟s more it easily adds to your „five a day‟ intake of fruit and veg. Now check out: www.hamiltonbeach.com/recipes/blender. 4. Learn a minimum of 2 recipes. You‟ll find an easy peasy pasta one here: www.bbc.co.uk/gloucestershire/students/2002/10/pasta.shtml - a must! And an abundance of vegetarian ones here: http://www.vegsoc.org/cordonvert/recipes/index.html - take your pick.
Sure, we may all spoil ourselves (once in a while), but if done consciously we may gradually become aware of the implications and take more action to stay healthy. Bon voyage!
Resources Food Standards Agency Jamie Oliver The Vegetarian Society Food & Consciousness www.eatwell.gov.uk www.jamieoliver.com www.vegsoc.org www.beliefnet.com/story/48/story_4805_1.html http://www.whfoods.com/foodstoc.php
The Worlds Healthiest Foods Super Size Me
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Super_Size_Me