How do you feel about yourself? Your answer could be a result of poor health. As college students, sometimes we forget that our bodies won’t be young forever. We begin to neglect the basic needs we must maintain to live a full, healthy life. Routines like eating healthy, balanced meals somewhere around three times a day seem to be the first to go. Well, for those of us who have an incredibly busy schedule and forget to treat ourselves right, there are a few easy health tips we can apply to even the worst of foods.
Everyone has those late night cravings for something devilish in nature. I’m here to tell you that indulging every now and again is totally fine! But there are a few things you can do to keep it on the semi-healthy side.
Have you noticed the liquid rolling off that slice of pizza you’re about to put in your mouth? That’s grease. Have you ever thought about how bad for you a mouthful of grease is? A simple trick to cut about 100 calories off of your piece would be to lightly blot your pizza with a napkin, removing the excess mess from your mouth. You’re probably thinking that will look very silly, but it’s worth it.
Along with that pizza, most are going to want a Coke — a simple pleasure I enjoy myself. I hate to say it, but refraining from soft drinks is the smartest thing you can do to stay healthy. But if you must have one, the best way to drink it would be through a straw. This practice is beneficial for your teeth if you drink dark colored drinks; it is less likely to cause stains on your enamel.
When grocery shopping, there are some key things to do. First of all, never ever go shopping for food while you’re hungry. You are much more likely to buy more things that you don’t need. This may cause you to overlook the healthy choices for the ones that are more appealing to your senses at that moment.
Secondly, it’s always a good idea to buy “light” instead of full fats. You just may have to look a little harder and possibly pay a little more for them. Use fat-free or skim milk over whole milk. Look at the sugars in the drinks you buy, not just the calories. Sometimes too much sugar will outweigh the fact that there is a low amount of calories in something you’re drinking.            
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has given a list of simple tips that you can incorporate within your life to either become, or remain, healthy. Doing things such as drinking water before a meal, eating leaner red meat and poultry, and only eating, say, half of your dessert will still fill you up, but not let you overeat. Grilling or steaming the things you eat is so much healthier than baking it.
Contrary to what many may believe, eating every meal is actually better for your health. Our bodies tend to run on various cycles, so why would eating and digestion not be on a cycle as well? When we eat regularly well-portioned meals, it helps our bodies to know and prepare for the food. Starting off your day with a good meal is one of the best things you can do for your body. Personally, I am a fan of waffles covered in low-fat peanut butter and honey. It is divine; I suggest you try it soon.
So there you have it. Being healthy is not that difficult. It’s not the easiest way to live, but there is no doubt that in old age, you won’t regret having applied a few of these simple tricks to your everyday meal plan.
Sarah Ulmer is a sophomore majoring in communication. She can be contacted at [email protected].