by Tamara Gaskill
Daily Lobo
Shelley Rael, a senior clinical nutritionist at UNM, said it is important for students to have healthy eating habits.
"Eat something before going to class, and do not skip meals or go any more than three or four hours without eating," she said.
Rael said eating well is a personal choice for individual students. She said if students are not doing well on tests or their study habits are not very good they need to feed their brains by snacking on something while they study or eat before an exam.
She said a good way to stay fueled is eating carbohydrates.
"The brain's primary fuel source is carbohydrates," Rael said. "It needs carbohydrates to function properly, it needs that glucose." She suggested pairing up a bagel with cream cheese and yogurt as one option.
Eric Cottingham, a natural living manager with Wild Oats supermarket, said when people come into the store with questions about health, he likes to address what they are eating and their dietary concerns.
"Eating plenty of fresh fruits high in antioxidants protects the brain from oxidative damage caused by environmental toxins or dietary hydrogenated oils," he said. Other foods that aid in good brain health are those high in vitamins A and E, he said, and Omega-3 fatty acids, which are found in fish, are also good for the heart.
Nutritious food can be found just about anywhere, Rael said.
Eating a hamburger at McDonald's, for example, is OK, Rael said.
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"Skip the cheese," she said. "Just because it adds so much fat and calories with not much extra benefit."
It isn't hard for students to make healthy choices at the SUB either, Rael said.
She said to forget the donuts at the Mercado and go for the protein bars, because not only do the bars have the necessary carbohydrates that fuel the brain, but they have protein, fiber, vitamins and minerals, which are all essential in a balanced diet.
Emily Goulding, a freshman living in Redondo Village dormitories, said she does not eat out often.
"There's a kitchen (in the dorm) so you can cook foods for yourself," she said.
Some buildings on campus, like Dane Smith and Mitchell Halls, have vending machines. Rael said if a student should go for bag of peanuts before class instead of junk food.
"If you get the candy bar, you're going to have a high in about 30 minutes and you're going to crash worse than you were within the hour," she said. "So it's not going to give you a benefit."
