Nutrition Blog

This nutrition blogs features thoughts, tips, and videos from our student Nutrition Outreach Workers (NOW) and UHS Registered Dietitians.

Ask our nutrition team a question!

Nutrition Blog

Ask NOW: Five Healthy Tips to Improve Your Study Sessions

October 13, 2017
Nutrition Outreach Workers (NOW)
They’re here before we know it; midterms are upon us. For many students, this means prioritizing studying over healthy habits. But exams don’t have to make us set our health aside. There are healthy habits that everyone can pick that not only contribute to overall health but may also improve your brain power while studying. I think I speak for most of us when I say I would like my brain to be working as efficiently as possible when I’m hitting the books. These tips are twofold: they contribute to your health and could help improve your cognition.

Ask the Dietitian: Mindful Eating

October 17, 2016
Toby Morris, MS, RD
Q: What is mindful eating? And is it really practical for busy college students? A: I believe that learning to eat mindfully is the key to lifelong healthy food habits. Mindful eating takes practice but it’s not complicated and it doesn’t require lots of time. To understand how mindfulness applies to food, it’s important to first define mindfulness itself.

Ask the Dietitian: What is the best way for college students to prevent the Freshman 15?

September 15, 2016
Toby Morris, MS, RD
Q: What is the best way for college students to prevent the “Freshman 15?” A: Ain’t no such thing. The “Freshman 15” is a catchy phrase that was probably created to sell magazines. A meta-analysis of 22 studies including more than 5500 participants showed that college students gained an average of only 3 pounds. That’s a normal and expected weight gain for a student in his or her late teens. We measure growth in kids and teens on growth curves.

Ask the Dietitian: Craving Candy

March 15, 2017
I eat way too much candy, especially during exams. What should I do when I have cravings?

Ask the Dietitian: Fat Talk

February 9, 2017
Toby Morris, MS, RD
I ate so much junk food this week, I feel like I gained ten pounds! How can I get more willpower?

Ask the Dietitian: Home Cooking

April 13, 2017
Toby Morris, MS, RD
Q: I know home cooking is cheaper and healthier than restaurant food, but cooking for myself is intimidating. What should I make?

Ask the Dietitian: How can I eat well on a tight budget?

November 15, 2016
Toby Morris, MS, RD
Q: I don’t have a lot of money for food. How can I eat well on a tight budget? A: Unreliable access to a sufficient quantity of affordable, nutritious food - aka food insecurity - is an unfortunate reality for many UC students. Food and other basic needs insecurity among students is gaining attention of campus and state leaders, and efforts are underway to improve the problem from many angles.