Nutrition

With the convenience of unhealthy food today, it can often be difficult for college students to maintain the proper diet needed for academic success. Many would assume that eating healthy is only relevant for maintaining a stable BMI and body fat percentage, but it has shown to have a huge impact on our minds.

Diet Intervention

Change in Dietary Behavior

Changing a behavior is often difficult and requires an eating plan or guideline. Rushing to a strict diet is not the best course of action. Most behaviors must be slowly altered over time to ensure adherence. It is important to establish motivation before implementing change in our lives. This can be achieved intrinsically through self-care or extrinsically by involving friends or loved ones.

Nutrition and Mental Health

College students experience a variety of mental health conditions such as stress, anxiety, and depression. Nutritional imbalance and insufficient vitamin intake have shown to cause inflammation and dysregulation of stress hormones (Muscaritoli, 2021). Maintaining a balanced diet can reduce the effects of these improperly regulated hormones.

What to Eat

The western diets that we are accustomed to are high in saturated fatty acids that can lead to depression over time. In order to prevent this, a diet consisting of whole grains, fruit, vegetables, and fish is recommended (Edirappuli et al., 2020). Meals that highlight magnesium, vitamin D, and omega-3 are crucial for mental well-being. These meals can be incorporated into our lives by finding recipes to cook at home. Healthy food is often viewed as unappealing, but experimenting with them can be an exciting way to care for our bodies and minds.

Nutrition for Students

Although options such as fast food are more convenient for college students, the long-term results can be damaging. Healthier food will provide a higher quality of life that can motivate students throughout their studies. Eating a balanced meal before attending class or studying for an exam can greatly improve academic performance and retention of information. College students are greatly affected by stress and mental health disorders. This is why it is important to take care of ourselves in any way possible. Our diets are not often viewed as a priority, but proper nutrition can improve mood and play a major role in success throughout our lives.

References

Muscaritoli M. (2021). The Impact of Nutrients on Mental Health and Well-Being: Insights From the Literature. Frontiers in nutrition, 8, 656290. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2021.656290
Edirappuli, S. D., Venkatesh, A., & Zaman, R. (2020). The Effect of Nutrition on Mental Health: A Focus on Inflammatory Mechanisms. Psychiatria Danubina, 32(Suppl 1), 114–120.