Whether you're a transition student with dual enrollment, a freshman just out of high school or a more mature student attending college after many years in the "real world," you are in grave danger of a new epidemic; the Freshman 15 or a variant called the Freshman 40!
Yes, with your new sedentary lifestyle of lectures, studying long hours and perhaps no parents watching what you're eating and no state-mandated standards on what is offered at the school cafeteria, you and your classmates may suffer from excessive weight gain and other health hazards.
With limited funds, limited time and perhaps limited information about how to eat a well-balanced meal, it is little wonder that students have difficulty making good food choices. But is it impossible to get your degree or certificate without sacrificing your waistline or your health?
We spoke with several students in the lunch area about these issues and learned that Richland College actually had a traditional cafeteria at one time. According to Ron Gorman, an art major and older student returning for his fourth degree, "When I first started here in the 1990s they had a traditional cafeteria-style cafeteria, where you could go in and get an entrée and it could be pot roast, or meatloaf or vegetable medley, with a wide variety of sauces, and you could plan your own meal."
What Richland campus offers now is Subway and a few food items in the bookstore; mostly candy, granola bars, sodas and juices.
Most students expressed a desire to eat right, but had trouble finding food on campus that was both convenient and nutritious. Business law major Chris Anuwe told us, "Sometimes if it's more convenient to grab something fast, I'll grab something fast, but most of the time, for the most part, I like to eat healthy. I tend to eat a lot of nutrient-rich food, diet supplements with minerals and vitamins and try to eat organic food."
Asjad Azam, who's an undecided major, said that he makes food choices based on taste and nutrition, but, "If something tastes really good but I know it's bad for me, I try not to eat it." When asked if he considers the food pyramid when making dietary choices, Azam said, "No, I have all the foods incorporated into my diet." He then admitted that he eats only three servings of vegetables daily while the RDA is 4-5 servings.
Several students pointed out that most of what is available in the vending machines and in the bookstore is junk food. Subway offers greasy pizza (and you have to order a whole pizza, not just a slice), cookies and sandwiches on starchy breads. They do sell sliced apples (no longer fresh and partially oxidized), yogurt, fruit juice and tea. A frozen avocado can be purchased, but allow thaw time.
Boredom with the limited lunch options is another concern. Sophomore nursing major Elizabeth Bustamonte said, "I've been coming here for a while, and eating at Subway every day doesn't really make me happy. I mean, I'd like to have more varieties of foods, like some universities offer, but I know it's a community college." When told that Richland used to have such a cafeteria, she expressed surprise and said she wished they would bring back the full-service cafeteria.
Surprisingly, we discovered that all of the students we randomly polled actually wanted to eat healthily. Most knew that they should avoid junk food, fast food and sodas and should eat more fruit, vegetables and home-cooked meals. But many didn't know exactly what or how much they should be eating. That's understandable, given that the food pyramid changes occasionally.
Where most people go wrong is in not eating enough vegetables and whole grains, filling up on starches or empty calories instead. The food pyramid is a good basic guide, but each person must customize it for themselves. Religious dietary restrictions, allergies, finances, personal values and genetic tendencies need to be taken into consideration. Also, since most foods are grown in mineral and nutrient-depleted soil, it is necessary to be aware of possible nutrient deficiencies.
Nutritionists tell us that meat and dairy consumption should be very limited or eliminated because of health dangers from synthetic hormones, as well as the danger to your colon and digestive tract caused by the length of time it takes meat to digest. Highly processed foods can also create a weaker digestive tract making it harder for the body to process and release toxins.
Researchers point out that more than enough calcium and protein can be obtained from eating plenty of vegetables, especially the dark, green varieties. What everyone seems to agree on is, we need to eat more fresh vegetables and whole grains.
Whatever diet you choose, it should be your conscious choice based on factual information, not on the options the marketing masters at the food counter place in front of you.
The consensus is that breakfast and lunch are the primary problems. While a rare student or two claimed they eat eggs, toast and juice for breakfast on a daily basis, the overwhelming majority of students we spoke with admitted to eating a single piece of fruit or skipping breakfast entirely.
is a member of the 
Be the first to comment on this article!