Nutrition

Main Content

Nutrition Banner

Nutrition is a critical part of health and wellness. Eating a regular, balanced diet improves your immune system, lowers your risk of diseases, and increases life expectancy. The foods you eat supply the nutrients your body needs to maintain your brain, muscle, bone, nerves, skin, blood circulation, and immune system. People with adequate nutrition have more energy, are more productive, and learn better.

Are you experiencing eating challenges? Learn more about how Student Health Services assesses eating challenges and provides a treatment plan. You can also make an appointment with the Dietitian on staff for nutrition-related questions or eating challenges.

Healthy Food Choices

Experts recommend that women ages 19 to 50 should aim for 1,800 to 2,000 daily calories; men ages 19 to 50 should aim for 2,200. Choose foods that are higher in dietary fiber, vitamin D, calcium, iron, and potassium and lower in saturated fats, sodium, and added sugars. Daily, this should look like:

  • 2.5 to 3 cups of vegetables
  • 1.5 to 2 cups of fruit
  • .5 cups of whole grains
  • 5 to 6 ounces of poultry, fish, or meat
  • 3 cups of dairy
  • 1 to 2 tablespoons of healthy oils

Water

Water is a healthy choice to keep you hydrated, regulate your body temperature, and flush body waste. It also boosts energy, aids in digestion, and prevents certain medical conditions like urinary tract infections, kidney stones, and hypertension. Water is also sugar-free, caffeine-free, alcohol-free, and freely available! Though we take in fluids from the foods we eat, it is recommended that individuals drink 6 to 8 cups of water a day. This amount should increase during warmer temperatures, prolonged physical exercise, and when recovering from illness. Aim to drink enough water that your urine is a clear, pale-yellow color.

Healthy Food Tips

  • Choose fresh fruit and raw vegetables over pre-packaged snacks
  • Choose reduced-fat dairy items
  • Limit sugary snacks and beverages
  • Reduce salt and high-sodium foods and condiments
  • Limit baked and fried foods
  • Trim visible fat from meat
  • Steam or boil instead of frying when cooking
  • Replacing butter and lard with soybean, canola, and sunflower oil
  • Eat vegetables first during meals

Healthy Eating Strategies

  1. Avoid diet fads that offer false promises of losing weight easily, quickly, and permanently.
  2. Consider healthy additions to your lifestyle and make small changes over time.
  3. Work towards creating habits, not restrictions.
  4. Honor food as fuel for your body’s functions without evaluations of “good” or “bad.”
  5. Pay attention to biological signals that tell you when you are hungry and when you are satisfied.
  6. Respect your body and find ways to be kind to your emotions.

Mindful Eating

Mindful eating is engaging your senses to eat consciously. It encourages the practice of attending to your body’s food needs and acknowledging hunger and fullness cues. Mindful eating allows individuals to enjoy meals and nurturing food options. Here are some tips:

  • Tune in to your body’s hunger signals rather than emotional prompts to eat. This often includes stomach growling and low energy.
  • Choose foods that are nutritionally healthy, not emotionally comforting.
  • Attend fully to each bite to avoid distracted overeating.
  • Slow your eating to allow your body to send its satiation signal to your brain and stop when your body says its full.

Meal Planning and Preparation

Planning meals ahead of time helps achieve nutritional goals. It helps you make healthier food and portion choices, saves time with meal preparation, and reduces food waste. Plan adequate meals and snacks to sustain your energy through daily activities. Also, consider varying food options that ensure a balanced diet. Remember, to avoid contamination, wash hands and surfaces often, refrigerate necessary foods properly, and cook to proper temperatures.

Eating Healthy on a Budget

Nutritious food can be expensive. Here are some tips to help you eat healthier on a budget:

  • Stock up on staple household items in larger quantities.
  • Hunt for sales and generic brands.
  • Buy in-season produce and freeze extras to use later.
  • Don’t pay extra for pre-cut fruits and vegetables.
  • Frozen fruits and vegetables are often just as nutritious and more affordable.
  • Replace meat with other less expensive proteins like beans, eggs, or fish.
  • Shop local: try the local Carbondale Farmers Market on Saturdays or visit the Campus Sustainability Farms sale on Wednesdays in the Student Center.
  • Seek support from the Saluki Food Pantry
Please fill out the request workshop online form to request programming.

Nutrition Resources

Nutrition Smartphone Apps

Printable Flyers

dormet-icon.jpg

Whole foods, gourmet recipes, college lifestyle. A collaboration with Wellness and Health Promotion Services and SNAC.