The seniors of Women in Learning and Leadership will host a Healthy Eating and Living (H.E.A.L.) fair for the women of Trenton, NJ at the Trenton YWCA on April 21, 2011. It was developed as part of W.I.L.L.’s senior capstone course called Women’s Leadership and Social Change. The mission of H.E.A.L. is to educate women in the local community on health issues through a comprehensive women’s health fair. It aims to inform and empower attendees so they are able to make healthier decisions regarding their well-being. As part of this project, several H.E.A.L. members have written articles to inform TCNJ women on healthy living.
It’s Tuesday morning, 8 a.m. You roll out of bed, throw on some jeans and sneakers, grab a bagel with butter, a banana, and some O.J. from Eickhoff before running off to class. What’s wrong with this picture? On the surface, nothing: you ate breakfast, it was quick and convenient, and you weren’t late for class.
But when it comes to women’s health, nutrition plays a tremendous role. In developing countries, the food choices of the female household member often dictate how the rest of the family eats. In Trenton, NJ, where 20 percent of residents live below the poverty line and 10 percent do not have complete kitchen facilities, hunger, malnutrition and resulting health issues are practically an epidemic. At TCNJ, healthy eating and nutrition may take a slightly different form, but it is just as significant.
As a freshmen on campus, it’s easy to overeat when you have unlimited swipes into Eickhoff, meal equiv., and 400 extra points.
As an upperclassmen, it’s easy to under-consume when you have a thesis due in two weeks, a job interview tomorrow, and only 20 points left. Sometimes, when the pasta line is too long or you’re a vegetarian or it’s just too cold to walk all the way to Eickhoff, it’s easy to skip a meal, snack on chips, or have PB&J for the third time in one week. Alright, so we’re a little hungry and pressed for time – no big deal. What we do not realize is that these seemingly small decisions can have a big impact on our health.
A hectic schedule is no reason to skimp on a healthy diet. Taking the extra half-hour to eat a more complete meal, make a healthier snack, or relax and actually enjoy your meal can make all the difference in your attitude, performance, and overall health. How? Skipping one meal can cause you to binge on your next meal, slowing your metabolism and causing you to gain weight from the stresses of an inconsistent diet.
Shopping or eating while overwhelmed? You’re more likely to pick up and buy extra food, especially “comfort food” with high caloric value. Eat in a rush and you won’t realize that you’re full until you already consumed too much.
So how do you make sure your diet is adequate and balanced, and that your eating habits are conducive to good health? Follow these healthy tips:
 Monitor your snacking.
Snacking between meals is fine if you’re pressed for time. Just don’t eat so much that your snack becomes a meal.Quality over quantity!
Load up on calcium and iron – components of a healthy diet, which women need!
Consider beans, broccoli, collard greens, spinach, almonds, and iron-fortified cereals.
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Don’t grocery shop on an empty stomach.
If you do, you’ll be more inclined to buy purchase potato chips, cookies or similar junk food. Eat before you go shopping, or at least drink a glass of water.
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Do some research.
You’re not the only one at TCNJ looking for some healthy alternatives. Check out the facebook group “EICKHOFF: Beat the System” for user-friendly recipes to spice up of Eickhoff originals. Off campus? Invest in “The Healthy College Cookbook: Quick. Cheap. Easy.” (Alexandra Nimetz, Jason Stanley, Emeline Starr, 2008) for fast, healthy meals on a budget.
With these easy steps we can all make our diets a little bit healthier.