National Nutrition Month

I know this is the last week of March but since I haven't been able to write all month I just thought I'd share that March is national nutrition month!

For us as students, I know that free time is just a theory. With mid-terms, assignments, part-time jobs and trying to get the most sleep we possible can, there are things we have to compromise. Usually, it's sleep. Sometimes it's a meal, sometimes it's physical activity. I believe that compromising nutrition is one of the biggest mistakes we can make, especially as students. There have been countless studies performed linking good nutrition to better grades, enhanced learning ability, etc.

The slogan for this year's nutrition month is plan, shop, cook.This basically means that planning meals and snacks ahead of time will help you stick to a better diet.

The planning stage should start from when you're making a grocery list. If you minimize on junk, there won't be any junk in the house to be tempted with. Instead, substitute the junk with healthier snacks. I personally recommend baby carrot sticks because they're so good, they're vegetables and everybody knows how hard it is to find that combination. Greek yogurt is great because it's low in fat and greater in protein content; it also tastes delicious. Fruits are definitely a delicious way to stay healthy, apples especially. You've obviously heard the cliche before so I won't say it but if you're tired of eating boring old apples, you can also try dipping them in peanut butter. I've never tried it because it doesn't sound very appetizing but my sisters say it's delicious and peanut butter is a great snack as well, so why not? The last thing I can personally recommend are nuts (almonds in particular), they contain healthy fats that your body needs making them a great post-workout snack.

The "shop, cook" part of the slogan is fairly simple. Shop for only what you planned for and cook all your meals. No matter where you eat out, it's always a better idea to cook meals at home. That way you know exactly what is in your food and you can prepare accordingly.

If you want more information on National Nutrition Month, visit: http://www.dietitians.ca/Your-Health/Plan-Shop-Cook.aspx

That's all for this week.

Until next time,

Peace and love