Nutrition key to health, NW nurse maintains
by Laura Vatalaro, reporter

    Students who maintain a healthy diet will do better in their schoolwork, the nurse on NW Campus said in a seminar recently.

   Glenda Redeemer, with health services, directed the Nutritional and Educational Success seminar, which focused on the importance of maintaining a healthy diet despite the fast-paced life of many college students.

   “Without the proper nutrition, our bodies do not function at the maximum level,” she said.

   Many students practice what Redeemer calls a stress prone diet, which includes foods that are convenient and give quick energy but deplete the body’s ability to deal with stress.

   Caffeine is the number one culprit of the stress prone diet.

   Fats and sugars also lead to loss of energy and concentration, Redeemer said.

   “Students do not need a lot of money or time to eat nutritiously,” she said. “It’s important to look at foods that are healthy.”

   Preparing healthy food ahead of time is an effective way to save money and stay healthy.

   Redeemer recommends fortified cereals, whole-wheat muffins, bagels, cheese sticks, fresh vegetables and fruits for an easy and portable diet.

   “The most important thing a student can do to stay healthy is to eat an appropriate diet,” she said.

   “Eating foods of the food pyramid and getting the appropriate nutrients and vitamins to sustain the body and stay healthy are essential for a student to be successful in school,” she said.

   Some of these essential nutrients include carbohydrates, protein, vitamin B, vitamin C, salt, sodium, water, potassium, iron, phosphorus and vitamin E.

   An effective diet includes the recommended amounts of these nutrients and a balanced diet of whole grains, meats, cheese, fruits and vegetables.