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Summertime is the perfect time to nourish mind, body and soul

By Amber Robinson
Staff Writer

After a long, unexpected winter, the fresh debut of spring and anticipation of summer has provided the perfect motivation for assessing and rejuvenating the mind, body and soul.

Nonetheless, before you become obsessed with tighter abs and a firmer behind, it is important to realize that you don’t have to look like a runway (super skinny) supermodel to be trim and healthy.

“The typical model is not healthy,” said NLC’s kickboxing instructor, Kathryn Fink. “A lot of them have severe eating disorders.”

There are several advantages to being healthy and eating right, besides having a fabulous body. According to Fink, who is a registered dietitian from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, good nutrition is crucial because it is the basis of overall health, being able to think clearly and how you feel.

Good nutrition helps your skin and hair look better. Also, studies have shown that through maintaining a healthy diet and getting proper exercise you can reduce the risk of developing chronic diseases, such as heart disease, cancer and diabetes.

“A poor diet leads to poor visual health,” said Fink. “It’s like driving a car without any fuel or using water instead of fuel.”

So what is a healthy diet? A healthy diet does not require that you starve yourself or go on a “lose-weight-today” trend diet like SlimFast. According to the American Diabetes Association, good nutrition is just a matter of eating a variety of foods and a balanced amount of carbohydrates, proteins, fruits/vegetables, fats and dairy products. This doesn’t mean that you have to give up completely on sugars or special treats.

“It’s okay to have an occasional brownie,” said Fink. “But make sure you’re getting the other essential nutrients and vitamins as well.”

Good nutrition goes a long way, but it is not enough to just eat right; fitness and exercise are just as vital. In this day and age of remote control appliances and advanced technology, it is mandatory to get adequate exercise. Physical fitness is defined by the Fitness and Sports Medicine textbook as a dynamic state of energy and vitality that enables one to carry out daily tasks, to engage in active leisure-time pursuits, and to meet unforeseen emergencies without undue fatigue.

“The older we get the slower our metabolism becomes,” said Fink.

Studies have shown that more than 64 percent of Americans are overweight. For individuals who are overweight, even a small amount of weight loss -- 5 to 10 percent of body fat -- can help reduce risk factors of some chronic diseases. To identify your ideal body weight, you can check out your Body Mass Index (BMI). Your BMI calculates the body weight of men and women in relation to height. A healthy weight range is between 19 and 25 percent.

“When I talk to students in class, I tell them that their most important possession is their health,” said Virginia Jones, director of student programs and services and campus nurse.

Jones believes that there are five basic guidelines to being healthy. First you have to do an accurate self-examination of your lifestyle and make changes for improvement. Secondly, you need to maintain a nutritious diet with proper exercise. There are some nutrition centers in the community that students and faculty can access to learn how to eat right and stay healthy.

“You have to be careful, because some [nutrition centers] are just trying to sell dietary supplements,” said Fink. “Make sure that they are a registered dietitian.”

Thirdly, you need to make time for some good old fashioned R&R (rest and relaxation). The fourth thing you need is to learn to manage your stress. A small amount of stress is normal and healthy, according to Jones. However, too much stress can cause minor illnesses (colds, flu, etc.), and if this is not treated promptly and correctly it can weaken your immune system and cause you to become more susceptible to “catastrophic conditions.” The fifth basic guideline is to maintain a positive attitude.

“Studies have shown that individuals with cancer (or other serious illnesses) who have a positive outlook tend to recuperate faster than a negative person,” said Jones.

Education is the key to succeeding at anything, so if you are really committed to staying healthy and/or losing weight, do your research. There are several outlets for maintaining a healthy mind, body and soul. The Student Health Center is located in C-200 and is available to students as well as faculty/staff. You can also contact them at 972-273-3170, Monday – Thursday 8:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m., and Friday 8:30 a.m to 2 p.m.

To learn more about how to eat right, log on to www.eatright.org, sponsored by the American Dietetic Association.