By Nicole Ingalls/reporter
Maintaining a healthy routine proves difficult for some college students.
“When you’re working more than 30 hours a week and taking classes full-time, eating consistently is almost impossible,” said NE Campus student Heather Blodgett.
Like many other students, Blodgett’s primary focus is getting to work and school on time, paying bills when they’re due and making good grades. She considers doing so time-consuming.
“As soon as I’m done studying for one class, I turn around and start on another. Then after that, I work,” she said. “It’s pretty much non-stop the entire semester.”
To get into the TCC nursing program, Blodgett will remain focused. To do so, she must be sure she’s consuming the necessary nutrients for a healthy life.
Each campus has a nurse-directed health center open to all TCC students, faculty and staff.
Hours vary by location and can be located on Page 7 of this issue of The Collegian.
The health centers staff registered nurses who help in various capacities. They also provide fliers and brochures for tips on staying healthy and eating right.
“Breakfast is the most important meal of the day!” headlines one of the many fliers students can pick up. “A good morning meal should provide energy that burns steadily all morning long.”
For many students, like Blodgett, breakfast is not on their list of priorities.
Rushing around to finish school work or going to a job can cause students to skip meals all together.
“Eating on the run can be done,” said NE Campus health services coordinator Pat Marling.
“Boil a dozen eggs ahead of time. Grab a handful of nuts. They are high in protein.”
Marling said complex carbohydrates, or “healthy carbs,” such as bread or cereal, are important to start the day. She is currently working on a program on NE Campus to have a golf cart or free-standing booth that will provide healthy snacks at convenient prices for students.
“Sometimes it’s hard for students to make it over to the cafeteria to eat,” she said. “The golf cart would bring food to the students.”
MyPyramid.gov from the U.S. Department of Agriculture allows people to create and personalize their own food pyramid to ensure proper diet on an individual level.
Other quick breakfast and snack ideas include fresh fruit and a piece of toast, a rice-cake with peanut butter or low-fat cream cheese or a yogurt and cereal bar.
“Glucose is what you need for energy,” said Susan Cramer of NE Campus health services. “Combining it with a complex carb will help keep you focused throughout the first part of your day and make your energy last longer as well.”
In addition to information on healthy consumption, health services offers confidential services for students.
Some of the options include health counseling, screenings for vision and blood pressure as well as the professional assessment, treatment and referral by a registered nurse.
They also sponsor annual health fairs and flu shots to encourage optimal health for everyone.
TCC does not provide health insurance or endorse providers. However, it does have links under the Student Services/Health and Fitness option on tccd.edu for insurance information for students.
The biggest problem for most students is a diet with too much fat and salt, too many calories and too little fiber, according to the American College Health Association.
Students should start slow and eat lean red meat, poultry, non-fat dairy and fewer fried foods while drinking more water.
For more information on how to stay healthy throughout the semester, students can visit the health services center on any campus.
