It’s the same situation with the beginning of every school year; everyone gets into the mindset of getting healthy. Most students start by cutting junk food out of their diet and hitting the gym a couple times a week. Then there are those who spend an intensive amount of time at the gym and cut almost everything out of their diet. Is there a point where trying to be healthy is going too far?
The answer is yes, according to Student Health Director, Leatha Ross. Her advice is easy; be smart with your workout and nutrition. Don’t over exercise and make sure to include all food types to create a healthy and well-balanced diet. Over-exercising puts a strain on the body, doesn’t allow the development of antibodies and throws off the chemical-balance in the body.
What’s even worse than over exercising is crash dieting, which is extremely popular among young people. According to Ross, extreme dieting puts the body in shock. When the body isn’t getting all the necessary nutrients, it absorbs everything that enters its system, good or bad, which can lead to the gaining weight, which perpetuates a never-ending cycle of bad eating habits. The body is all about balance, which includes the right amount of exercise and nutrition. In the end, the only thing over-exercising and under-nutrition will leave you with is exhaustion and hunger.
To get healthy without overdoing it, first, talk to a health professional about what would be the best approach for you. Sounds like a hassle to make an appointment? You don’t have to. Simply walk over to the Wellness Center on campus during normal business hours. Ross even puts a new health fact on the Student Health Facebook page every day! For more advice on how to get healthy the right way on the website for the Center for Disease Control and Prevention which has a specific page just for college health located at www.cdc.gov/family/college.
