March2009-2010wellness.ucsd.edu

LiveWellSupporting students in achieving a more balanced and healthy lifestyle.

Do You Mind?Information and tips on mindful eating.

HOW M

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How sle

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THERAPY FLUFFIES!

Come d

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WHOLE FOODS

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Eat Well, Live Well!Tips for healthy eating from Becky McDivitt

National Caffeine Awareness Month

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Becky McDivittGet the scoop on Nutrition!

HDH’s Resident Dietitian, Becky

McDivitt, is here to help you eat

better and feel great by un-

earthing all the crave-worthy

treats found on campus. Origi-

nally from the East Coast, Becky

landed in Southern California

to complete her Dietetic Intern-

ship at USC and is now attend-

ing grad school at SDSU.

Learn a little more about

what makes Becky tick… here

she muses about life on cam-

pus, eating well, and acting as

your personal RD in da’ House!

Contact Becky @

HDH Admin Bldg

3rd Floor, Room 310

Mail Code: 0351

Phone: 858.534.9587

Email:

rmcdivitt@ucsd.edu

5Feeling like a hot mess? Exercise away the stress! Is there anyone at this point who doesn’t believe in

the power of exercise to lift our moods, manage our stress levels, and rejuvenate our spirits? Make sure

to have a healthy meal or snack a few hours before exercise so that you get the most out of it, drink plenty of

water before, during, and after exercise, and incorporate movement into your regular schedule. This campus

provides miles of walking trails, incredible proximity to the ocean, and

several on-campus exercise areas. Get moving!

6You don’t snooze, you lose. There is evidence to suggest that

when people are tired, they make poorer food choices than when

they are well-rested. As hard as it is to get enough sleep during the

exam/holiday season, keep in the mind that sleep deprivation is a

potentially serious threat to your overall health and perhaps your GPA.

Being well-rested may even make it easier to choose a nutrient-rich meal

over the fried chicken strips and fries at your next visit to your favorite

campus restaurant.

BECKY MCDIVITT PRESENTS...

EAT WELL, LIVEWELL!1Slow the pace; it’s not a race. The slower you eat, the more likely you are to recognize when you’re

full. Be conscious of the rate at which you’re eating, put your fork down between bites, and enjoy

the conversation and company of friends. Eating slowly and chewing food properly will aid with smooth

digestion and limit the chances for heartburn or upset stomach after a meal.

2Eat breakfast to perform best. Of course we have

all heard that “breakfast is the most important

meal,” but how many of you still go to your first class

with an empty stomach? In order to maximize your

energy level in the beginning of your day, make sure to

eat something for breakfast even if, like many college-

age people, you don’t feel particularly hungry when

you first wake up. Start your day off healthfully by

having at least a glass of 100% juice, a piece of whole grain toast, or a quick bowl of cereal at the Dining

Services restaurant nearest to your first class.

3Don’t run on empty; it’ll mess you up plenty. How many times have you or your friends noticed that

you’re cranky and then you realize that you have eaten for many hours? Eat a meal or snack about

every 4-5 hours during your waking day for best energy and mood maintenance. Remember that food is

fuel! Eat regularly!

4A fiber increase helps curb the grease. Though the fried foods at the grill look appetizing, con-

sider them an occasional treat. What your body really needs to fight colds/flu and focus in class is

antioxidant-rich foods like fruits and vegetables. Make sure to pick something from the salad bar every-

day – the more colors you eat, generally the more nutrients you’re consuming. Use the plate method at

campus restaurants – fill one half of your plate with vegetables, one-quarter with protein/lean meat, and

the remaining quarter with a starchy choice. Grab a piece of fresh fruit (available at every Dining Services

location) for a quick, healthy in-between class snack.

RD in Da Hou

se

ucsdrdindahouse.blogspot.com

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Eating Healthy in Dining Halls

Don’t let Burger King get you twisted—there are lots of healthy and delicious dining options here at UCSD! From LiveWell meals to fresh local produce for sale, it doesn’t take a science degree to maintain a balanced diet.

Here are a few main points to keep in mind:• Choose lean, un-breaded, roasted, baked, grilled or broiled proteins such as chicken, fish, turkey, pork, or beef.

• Try the vegetarian or vegan option, even if you’re not vegetarian. You may find that you enjoy bean, lentil, or tofu dishes.

• Consider soup as your main entrée, particularly bean soups, and chicken or vegetable broth-based soups.

• Try the stir-fry station for a variety of vegetables and a balanced mix of protein, carbohydrates and oil. You can request “light on the oil” if you like.

• Utilize the salad bar and deli/sandwich areas for tons of variety. Choose many different colored foods from the salad bar and opt for whole grain breads from the sandwich area.

• Look for LiveWell meals served every lunch and dinner. LiveWell meals are healthy, RD-approved meals with Nutrition Facts displayed.

• Get at least five servings of fruits and vegetables every day.

• Fuel your active lifestyle with starchy foods such as green peas, corn, rice, pasta, beans, whole grain breads, roasted and baked potatoes.

• Drink plenty of water. Other healthy beverages include lowfat milk, soy milk, unsweetened or lightly sweetened tea, and 100% fruit juice.

• Frozen yogurt and fresh fruit make great desserts.

Click here for daily menus in the dining halls.

Eating is something we do so often that we take it for granted. It is habituated, automated. We eat while we work, talk, think, and worry. Yet considering that eating is essential and vital nourishment for the body, our greatest asset, might we want to pay more attention?

You are what you eat, and how you eat it. The practice of mindful eating improves your relationship with food, and therefore, with yourself! Bringing mindfulness and awareness to the table can transform your every bite, and your very being.

Here’s how: EAT. While you do, pay attention to your immediate experience. Engage with your food. Appreciate the texture, appearance, color, smell, and taste. Notice your chewing and swallowing. Your mental position should be curious, open, and accepting of thoughts, feelings, sensations, and urges. Create an internal space that is non-reactive, non-judging, not attached, not clinging, not avoiding. In short, don’t tamper with your experience. Observe the interaction. As you sit with yourself in this frame of mind, you will begin to get the picture.

What do you notice?

Patterns of behavior.

• What you choose to eat. How fast you are eating. How much you are eating. If you always clean your plate. If you are eating out of hunger or habit.

Patterns of thought and feeling.

• Rules/Mindgames with your food. Eating to avoid or soothe emotions. Guilt, craving, and desire, and denial.

The more healthy attention you pay to eating, the healthier your eating will become. Non-judgmental awareness brings patterns that have been operating in shadow out into the open… and from here, you can let them go. Allow eating to become the source of joy it is meant to be. You can make a formal reservation for yourself and eat mindfully in specific times and places, or you can practice mindful eating whenever and wherever you find yourself.

DO YOU MIND?TIPS:One way to trick your brain into attention is to approach your food in a new or unusual way. Eat with chopsticks or your non-dominant hand, or chew a specific number of times.

Make your food last at least twenty minutes (slowing down helps identify patterns, and gives you more choices). Notice your portion and plate size. Compare the amount of food on your plate to the amount of room in your stomach.No Multi-tasking! If you’re eating, eat. Give the food your full attention.

Awareness is a powerful tool for change.

Keep it sharp.

Is it difficult for you to get through

the day without gulping down

several cups of coffee or

energy drinks? This

month, take a closer

look at your caffeine

consumption. You

may find it worthwhile to

invest in more sustainable

sources of energy! The Caffeine

Awareness Association, a non-profit

organization, is committed to the

physical, mental, and emotional

wellness of caf feine-

dependent individuals.

Their mission is to provide

objective, evidence-

based information

and advice to help

reduce the health, social, and

economic harm associated with

caffeine abuse and addiction.

National Caffeine Awareness Month

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sleep factsThose who sleep less than 6 hours

a day have been known

to get lower GPAs than those who

get 7 or more.

Symptoms of neuroticism, anxiety,

worry, and hallucinations

have been attributed to those who

sleep less than

6 hours at a time.

Aspects of sleep and depression

are related. Less sleep =

higher chance of feelings of

depression.

Sleep deprivation torpedoes

immunity and increases levels

of proteins associated with

inflammation.

It’s during the last part of the sleep

cycle when REM sleep

occurs, which plays a key part in

learning efficiency, and

something that is skipped if you

don’t sleep more than 7

hours.

Pulling all nighters limits the

amount you can actually

learn and take in while studying.

It’s smarter to study in

small amounts over several days

and get regular amounts

of sleep so you retain the

information better.

It’s easy to stay up late watching a movie or an entire season of Heroes on DVD. Then there’s schoolwork, laundry, and long nights of socializing. It’s all par for the course of living, but if you’re running a sleep

deficit, be warned. Sleeps restores your body and rests your mind—go without, and you’ll soon become dysfunctional.

When I haven’t gotten enough sleep, I gravitate toward large amounts of caffeine and sugar to get me through the day. Add this to the fact that I am staring off into space most of the time…

It’s not a productive picture.

If I want to make the grade, I gotta get the sleep: seven hours at least (in order to reap the benefits of the all-important REM cycle).

The facts: without adequate energy and power to operate effectively, a sleep-deprived person tends to be more restless, irritable, and impulsive. The body and mind are generally weakened, and more prone to physical sickness and/or depression. Sleep deprivation decreases motivation, concentration, attention, and coherent reasoning. It decreases memory, self-control, and speed of thinking while increasing the frequency of mistakes and stubbed toes. Why torture yourself?

Ever on the go, we grow accustomed to operating on minimal Zzzz’s. However, given its wide-reaching impact on health and happiness, satisfaction and success, it’s worth making sleep sacred. Here are some ideas for getting a better night’s rest:

HOW MUCH DO YOU

SLEEP?• Give yourself a bedtime, and be ready for bed well before then.

• Make your room dark and turn everything off.

• Stretch.

• Have a journal near your bed. If your mind is full, empty it out. If you are thinking about what you need to do the next day, make a quick list of what you need to remember.

• Tidy up your bedroom. Clutter is not relaxing.

• Get enough exercise. Studies have shown that people who get their hearts pumping during the day sleep better at night.

•Avoid stimulation right before bedtime. This includes Facebooking or eating a bowl of sweetened cereal.

• Read a textbook.

Sleep tight!

“Sleep is the best meditation.”

Here’s how it works: You eat food item. Food item enters your stomach and your body starts the task of digesting

it. Digestion means absorption, which means that the food item is processed through your cells. If you’ve eaten some-thing crappy, your poor cells are forced to deal with it (costing your body vital energy), while being starved of nutrients. If the food item is wholesome, however, your cells rejoice, creat-ing vibrant health! The food you eat is critical to your bodily function. If you want to run a smooth ship, eat a wide variety of nutritious foods.

Whole Grains are a good source of B vitamins,

Vitamin E, magnesium, iron and fiber, as well as other valuable antioxidants. It’s easy to find make whole grains part of your balanced breakfast: oatmeal, cereal, toast…it’s a quick and easy way to fill your tank and start your day.

Whole grain bread makes sandwiches taste better—it’s nutty and sweet and soft.

“Wheat” is not the same as Whole Grain.

Fruits and Vegetables

Check it out: Lower blood pressure;

reduced risk of heart disease, stroke, and probably some cancers; lower risk of eye and digestive problems; and a mellowing effect on blood sugar that can help keep appetite in check.

Add baby spinach to just about anything, even smoothies- the flavor is mild and the nutritional

value can’t be beat. Remember Popeye?

When you BBQ, throw some sliced green and yellow zucchini on the grill. Brushed on both sides with

olive oil and sprinkled with your favorite seasonings or marinades, they are yum-yum delicious.

An apple makes a great snack. For that matter, so does a pear, an orange, or a banana…and they even

come in their own wrapper!

If you take this to heart, you won’t eat crap. (Or at least, you will keep it to a minimum.)

You Are What You Eat

Protein

The amino acids in protein are the building blocks of your body. You need ‘em.

Vegetable sources of pro-tein, such as beans, nuts,

and whole grains, are excellent choices, and they offer healthy fiber, vitamins and minerals.

The best animal protein choices are fish and poultry. If you are more carnivorous and need red meat, stick with the

leanest cuts, choose moderate portion sizes, and make it only an occasional part of your diet.

Cutting back on highly processed carbohydrates and increasing protein improves levels of blood triglycerides

and HDL, and so may reduce your chances of having a heart attack, stroke, or other form of cardiovascular disease.

The body is highly intelligent and adaptive…

It’s amazing how quickly your health will turn for the better when you eat wholesome food. And,

thankfully, the body is forgiving when you just can’t turn down a second brownie. (Every once in awhile.)

You Are What You EatRemember...

LiveWell Foods

Nutrition criteriaLiveWell means RD-approved: All LiveWell recipes will be reviewed and nutrient analyzedvia software programs by the registered dietitianThese recipes contribute to an individual’swellness and fit into a healthy lifestyle.

LiveWell Calcium Source – recipe contains150mg or more of calcium per serving.

LiveWell Low Bad Fat – recipe has 5 grams or fewer ofsaturated fat and no trans fat.

LiveWell Lower Sodium - main dishes have fewer than 500 mg per serving,side dishes have fewer than 350 mg per serving.

LiveWell Healthy Weight – main dishes have fewer than400 calories, side dishes have fewer than 250 calories.

LiveWell High Fiber – recipe contains 5 grams ormore of fiber per serving.

The LiveWell meals can currently be foundin all 5 of the full service Dining restaurants

Pasta Alla Casalinga (Vegetarian)Serving Size: 10oz Calories: 380 Fat: 19g Fiber: 4g

Lime Chicken with Black Bean SauceServing Size: 4oz Calories: 285 Fat: 3g Fiber: 7g

Indian-Spiced Eggplant & Cauliflower Stew (vegetarian)Serving Size: 1 1/3 cups Calories: 200 Fat: 6g Fiber: 8g

Baked Tilapia with Shirazi SaladServing Size: 5 oz Calories: 219 Fat: 6g Protein: 38g