Name: Lauren DeDecker
Year: Junior
Major: Nutritional Science – Biochemistry
Hometown: Austin, Texas
After deciding on a major that UC Santa Barbara didn’t offer and having a hard time connecting with the campus, Lauren DeDecker transferred to UC Davis. Sucks for UC Santa Barbara because they lost one hell of a collegiette™.
DeDecker has been learning and has had a passion for health and nutrition all her life. Her mother, a former ER doctor, runs a health clinic focused on anti-aging through hormone replacement and nutrition. Her father, who was also an ER doctor, passed away of cancer when she was eight years-old, fueling her interest in researching anti-oxidants and phytochemistry. DeDecker explained, “My father passed away from cancer, so obviously I have been fascinated with cancer ever since. Every year more and more studies come out showing how you can prevent and treat cancer with anti-oxidants and phytochemicals, so I saw myself working in a lab trying to discover treatments. But, so far, I am not very good at labs. I am seriously starting to questions whether I am cut out for that. The last six months I have been in Biochemistry and Neurobiology Physiology and Behavior, and I fell in love with Biochemistry. I am obsessed with that class. Those two courses got me thinking about medical school instead of graduate school and maybe being an endocrinologist. Hormones seem to be the key to health, so I can treat patients with hormone therapy but then also put them on diet and nutrition plans for whatever they are suffering from. I can incorporate my passion of nutrition with other health interests.”
When DeDecker isn’t falling head over heels for biochemistry, exploring which career she will use to make the world a healthier place, or catching up on the latest research in anti-oxidants and phytochemistry, she is spreading her love of nutrition through her blog cleverly titled Whole Wheat or Bust. It all began at the beginning of her sophomore year when she started reading food blogs after looking for a recipe online. She discovered a whole community of food bloggers and began learning about foods she had never even heard of. After six months, she wanted to join in and show the world that cooking healthy doesn’t have to be difficult, time consuming, and can even taste good. Her blog consists of recipes she creates from whatever she happens to be craving or have on hand at that time. DeDecker cooks three meals a day and rarely eats out. This means she has countless recipes to share. Don’t forget to check out her section on the benefits that come from the foods in the recipe! “It will make people want to cook it [the recipe] more if they are informed. There is more of a reason to do it,” DeDeckers said concerning the benefit section of her blog.
DeDecker is looking to inspire others who want to live a healthier and more balanced life. While at UC Santa Barbara, she competed in triathlons and dedicated countless hours trying to make it to nationals. The lessons she took from her experience competing in triathlons truly demonstrates her firm grasp on health and nutrition. DeDecker feels that “the triathlon took over my life. I had no balance. I was much less happy then, but now I’ve found a balance with school, eating healthfully, and a social life. It’s not good to be obsessed with anything- exercise, diets, drugs, work. It’s no way to live.”
Thoroughly impressed by DeDecker’s insight, I asked for a few last words of wisdom: “Don’t obsess on a perfect diet, especially for women. Women are so susceptible to eating disorders and poor self images. Don’t jump into eating healthy over night. You want to enjoy your food. Start with a single substitution a week. I used to eat Poptarts and frozen dinners, but your taste buds do change gradually over time. I don’t enjoy those things anymore. It’s a process not a drastic change, and I do eat dessert everyday. I love anything vanilla bean.”
Intrigued? Inspired? Wanting more? Thought so. I think it is safe to say that you might possibly need to restrain from obsessing over DeDecker’s blog http://wholewheatorbust.wordpress.com/.