A HEALTHY BODY
Let’s face it. Being a college student can be extremely stressful. From balancing academics, work, social life, extracurriculars, and all the other things we have going on, it is often difficult to find time to eat nutritiously and regularly. To allow for your body to maintain stable energy levels and a good mood, it is important that busy and stressed students are properly fueled by eating properly.
Unfortunately, the crazy schedule of student life often leads students to eat whatever they can easily grab on the run, to skip meals, or to overeat when dealing with stress. Life is crazy, and these are totally understandable scenarios, but in order to make your body function optimally under the most pressured situations, it is important to fuel up with the right kinds of foods!
Unfortunately, the crazy schedule of student life often leads students to eat whatever they can easily grab on the run, to skip meals, or to overeat when dealing with stress. Life is crazy, and these are totally understandable scenarios, but in order to make your body function optimally under the most pressured situations, it is important to fuel up with the right kinds of foods!
How Nutrition Can Benefit Your Mental Health
Your Gut-Brain Connection
Your gut and brain are connected and dependent on each other through what is titled the gut-brain axis. If your diet is erratic and you don’t properly fuel your body and gut, your brain can be thrown off normal processing.
What Is the Gut Microbiome?
Your gut contains trillions of microorganisms, including but not limited to bacteria, fungi, and viruses, that help you digest food, regulate your immunity, and influence chemical messengers like serotonin (a mood-related neurotransmitter). Healthy gut bacteria help produce fatty acids that support and create a healthy brain. Poorly maintained gut health from eating unhealthy foods can lead to an imbalance of bacteria, which can then influence inflammation and stress pathways; inflammation causes chemical messenger production to be thrown off, influencing mood. Sugar, in particular, is considered a major culprit of inflammation, plus it feeds “bad” bacteria in the GI tract. Ironically, it can also cause a temporary spike in “feel-good” neurotransmitters, like dopamine, which later leads to what people refer to as a “sugar crash.”
By curating a diet that is rich in fiber, vegetables, and fermented foods, you can support a diverse gut microbiome; because your gut and brain are linked, a healthy gut microbiome can lead to better emotional well-being.
More Examples of Foods That Support the Gut and Mind:
Fiber sources:
Your gut and brain are connected and dependent on each other through what is titled the gut-brain axis. If your diet is erratic and you don’t properly fuel your body and gut, your brain can be thrown off normal processing.
What Is the Gut Microbiome?
Your gut contains trillions of microorganisms, including but not limited to bacteria, fungi, and viruses, that help you digest food, regulate your immunity, and influence chemical messengers like serotonin (a mood-related neurotransmitter). Healthy gut bacteria help produce fatty acids that support and create a healthy brain. Poorly maintained gut health from eating unhealthy foods can lead to an imbalance of bacteria, which can then influence inflammation and stress pathways; inflammation causes chemical messenger production to be thrown off, influencing mood. Sugar, in particular, is considered a major culprit of inflammation, plus it feeds “bad” bacteria in the GI tract. Ironically, it can also cause a temporary spike in “feel-good” neurotransmitters, like dopamine, which later leads to what people refer to as a “sugar crash.”
By curating a diet that is rich in fiber, vegetables, and fermented foods, you can support a diverse gut microbiome; because your gut and brain are linked, a healthy gut microbiome can lead to better emotional well-being.
More Examples of Foods That Support the Gut and Mind:
Fiber sources:
- Beans
- Whole grains
- Fruits
- Veggies
- Yogurt
- Kefir
- Kimchi
- Kombucha
- Berries
- Leafy green vegetables
- Salmon
- Black chia seeds
- Tea
- Dark Chocolate (in moderation)
- Mushrooms
- Dark chocolate
- Cacao nibs
- Almonds
- Cashews
- Spinach
- Bananas
- Beans Fermented
Stress Eating, Emotional Eating & Restriction Cycles
Food can be emotional for people, which is both totally normal and okay. Gaining an understanding of why people eat under stress can help break cycles that are detrimental to health.
What Is Emotional or Stress Eating?
Stress eating is eating not because you’re physically hungry, but due to :
Trying to Restrict can Backfire
Trying to “eat perfectly” at all times and maintaining a perfect diet under stress often leads to:
Tips to Reduce the Cycle
What Is Emotional or Stress Eating?
Stress eating is eating not because you’re physically hungry, but due to :
- Feeling overwhelmed
- Feeling stressed or anxious
- Being bored or tired
Trying to Restrict can Backfire
Trying to “eat perfectly” at all times and maintaining a perfect diet under stress often leads to:
- Fixating on certain foods
- Feeling guilty after eating
- Binge eating or losing control around food
- Restriction
- Cravings
- Overeating
- Guilt
- More Restriction
Tips to Reduce the Cycle
- Try to ask yourself: “Am I physically hungry or am I stressed/tired/emotional?”
- Aim to eat regularly: Skipping meals to limit guilt can actually increase cravings and stress eating later on.
- Be kind to yourself! A slice of pizza or ice cream doesn’t erase your self-worth. Feeling relief from stressful eating is entirely normal and you should not beat yourself up
Budget-Friendly Meals
Eating in healthy ways that can support your mood does not have to be expensive; many nutritious foods are some of the most affordable options at stores.
Here are Some Tips for Eating Well on a Budget!
Start with staples:
Build balanced meals:
If Possible, Try to Aim for:
Cook Once, Eat Multiple Times:
Shop smart:
Here are Some Tips for Eating Well on a Budget!
Start with staples:
- Rice, oats, beans, lentils, pasta, and canned fish are often fairly inexpensive and versatile. In the same vein, frozen fruits and vegetables can be cheaper, last longer, and are just as nutritious as fresh produce.
Build balanced meals:
If Possible, Try to Aim for:
- Protein: eggs, beans, soy products
- Fiber and micronutrients: veggies, fruits, whole grains
- Healthy fats: nuts, seeds, olive oil
- Veggie rice bowl: Brown rice + black beans + frozen mixed veggies + olive oil + salsa
- Breakfast oats: Oats + milk or plant milk + peanut butter + banana slices
- Stir-fry for one: Tofu + frozen stir-fry veggies + soy sauce + brown rice
Cook Once, Eat Multiple Times:
- Make larger batches and pack leftovers for lunch or dinner. One pot meals save money and time.
Shop smart:
- Compare unit prices (per ounce)
- Buy in bulk
- Choose store brands when possible: Store brands often have the same nutrition at a lower cost in comparison to other products.
Substances and Your Diet
There are many substances that can affect your nervous system and change your mood, sleep, and anxiety, often in unexpected ways; this can sometimes happen in ways you don’t expect and with substances you commonly intake.
Alcohol
Alcohol affects the brain by acting as a depressant, slowing down your brain function. While it may feel like it reduces stress in the moment, it can have repercussions such as:
Below are some tips to reduce harm if you plan on drinking:
Caffeine
Caffeine is a common stimulant found in many diets and beverages, such as energy drinks, coffee, and tea. It stimulates the central nervous system with common effects including:
Tips for caffeine:
Alcohol
Alcohol affects the brain by acting as a depressant, slowing down your brain function. While it may feel like it reduces stress in the moment, it can have repercussions such as:
- Disrupt sleep quality
- Lower your mood the next day
- Increase anxiety
- Interfere with emotional regulation
Below are some tips to reduce harm if you plan on drinking:
- Alternate alcoholic drinks with water
- Eat before and while drinking
- Know your own limits and remember that you don’t have to “keep up” with peers, even if pressured
Caffeine
Caffeine is a common stimulant found in many diets and beverages, such as energy drinks, coffee, and tea. It stimulates the central nervous system with common effects including:
- An increase in alertness in the short term
- Raising your heart rate
- Mimicking or worsening anxiety symptoms at high doses
Tips for caffeine:
- Find what your tolerance is, as it varies person to person, depending on weight, size, how much you eat beforehand, and more
- Try spacing out coffee or energy drinks if you plan on drinking a lot of caffeine
- Try to swap traditional caffeine beverages for herbal tea in the afternoon, which are caffeine free
Diet Culture & Body Image
There’s a big difference between nourishing your body and believing you must look a certain way to be “healthy” or “fit.”
What Is Diet Culture?
Diet culture is the set of beliefs and norms created by society that says:
This mindset can be harmful because it can:
There is research that connects diet culture with a higher body dissatisfaction and poor mental health outcomes; this can create a domino effect, affecting many aspects of your life outside your mental and physical health.
Finding a balance between Intuitive Eating and “Healthy” Eating
Intuitive Eating is choosing foods that sound best to you, eating when you are hungry, and stopping when you are full. I know this sounds like a duh moment, but many don’t tend to eat this way. We often choose foods based on labels and nutrient content, eat when we aren’t hungry, and ignore signs of fullness. An intuitive eater is defined as a person who “makes food choices without experiencing guilt or an ethical dilemma, honors hunger, respects fullness, and enjoys the pleasure of eating.
What Is Diet Culture?
Diet culture is the set of beliefs and norms created by society that says:
- Thinness is typically the ideal
- Body weight and image equate to health
- Certain foods are “good” and others are “bad”
This mindset can be harmful because it can:
- Lead to dieting at all times, even when unnecessary
- Lowering of self-esteem due to comparison to peers
- Anxiety and mood fluctuations throughout the day
- Disordered eating behaviors
There is research that connects diet culture with a higher body dissatisfaction and poor mental health outcomes; this can create a domino effect, affecting many aspects of your life outside your mental and physical health.
Finding a balance between Intuitive Eating and “Healthy” Eating
Intuitive Eating is choosing foods that sound best to you, eating when you are hungry, and stopping when you are full. I know this sounds like a duh moment, but many don’t tend to eat this way. We often choose foods based on labels and nutrient content, eat when we aren’t hungry, and ignore signs of fullness. An intuitive eater is defined as a person who “makes food choices without experiencing guilt or an ethical dilemma, honors hunger, respects fullness, and enjoys the pleasure of eating.
Food Resources on Campus
Places to Grocery Shop in IV & Goleta
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Isla Vista
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Goleta
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