Nutrition

Staying well fueled with healthy foods is a key to good health, and can influence life success.  However, it can be hard to do.  Students sometimes don’t have healthy food options available.  Professionals and families are often so busy that they look for what’s quick and easy.  We strongly encourage you to take care of your body by making healthy eating a priority as much as you can.  Below you’ll find basic information and resources that can help.

General Guidelines

The government-issued Dietary Guidelines for Americans describes a healthy diet as one that:

• Emphasizes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and fat-free or low-fat milk and milk products;
• Includes lean meats, poultry, fish, beans, eggs, and nuts; and
• Is low in saturated fats, trans fats, cholesterol, salt (sodium), and added sugars.

Each of these foods contributes to your body’s need for carbohydrates, proteins, and fats (collectively called the macronutrients), and eating a variety of foods is an ideal way to be healthy and fuel your body for daily living.  Completely cutting out any one of the macronutrients is unnecessary and can cause adversely affect your body in several ways, including decreased energy, decreased strength, impaired nutrient absorption, and lower metabolism, among others.

Macronutrients

Here are a few things to know about the macronutrients (carbohydrates, proteins, and fats) for adults:

Carbohydrates

• Carbs give you energy
• Minimize processed (refined) carbs in your diet, such as white bread
• Emphasize whole grains, fruits, and vegetables
• Generally speaking, they should comprise 45-65% of your daily caloric intake.

Proteins

• Proteins build and maintain muscles, organs, skin, and blood.
• They assist in energy metabolism and important cellular processes.
• They help defend the body against disease by assisting immune function.
• Preferable sources include lean meats, fish, almonds, and legumes.
• Typically, proteins should make up 10-35% of your daily caloric intake.

Fats

• Fats provide energy at rest, during endurance-based exercise, and in times of starvation.
• Unsaturated fats, such as omega-3 fatty acids, decrease risk of heart disease, and assist in growth, development, and brain function.
• Emphasize sources of unsaturated fats, such as vegetable oil, avocado, flax seed, and some fish.
• Minimize saturated fats.  These are commonly found in junk food, but can even be found in home-cooked meals, depending on preparation.
• Total fat should 20-35% of your daily caloric intake, with < 10% coming from saturated fats, and consume as little trans fat as possible.

Diet Pills and Other Supplements

Before you decide to use an over-the-counter weight loss aid, first find out whether you really need to lose weight.  This can often be determined by calculating your Body Mass Index (BMI), but your physician can tell you specifically whether weight loss is necessary in your case.  After all, many people carry a few extra pounds beyond what they would like, and yet are still at a healthy weight.  If your physician recommends that you lose weight, she or he will advise you on whether any weight loss aids are necessary.  Many people do not need such aids, and can achieve and sustain their weight loss goal through healthy eating and regular physical activity.

In addition, as long as you have a balanced diet, dietary supplements are typically not necessary.  Your physician will inform you if added supplements (e.g. vitamins or minerals) are needed for your lifestyle. For example, vegetarians may need to supplement their diet with vitamins or minerals.

People who are determined to take something to lose the extra weight should also consider that side effects from the over-the-counter pills can be serious.  These items are not tested by the FDA for safety prior to their release on the market; the FDA only steps in afterward in instances where it appears that the supplement may not be safe (i.e. when others have already been harmed by taking the supplement, such as ephedra).  Family history – such as a history of high blood pressure – can also make one more susceptible to harm from side-effects of diet pills.  In short, the relatively small benefit that diet pills provide may not be worth the health risk.

Eating disorders

According to the National Institutes of Mental Health, eating disorders are characterized by extremes, such as extreme reduction in food intake or extreme overeating.  The two main types of eating disorders are anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa.  These and other eating behaviors may be accompanied by extreme distress or concern about one’s body weight or shape, and may even be associated with over-exercise (also called compulsive exercise) as a form of weight control.  However, in some cases, an eating disorder is not about food, weight, or body image, but rather, about maintaining control in one's life.  It is estimated that as many as 10 million females and 1 million males are fighting a life and death battle with an eating disorder.  If you believe that you or someone you know may suffer from an eating disorder, see the links below to find more detailed information about this issue and resources available to the DePaul community.

Resources & Tools

On Campus

• Campus Recreation
• Chartwells
• University Counseling Services

Off Campus

• The Awakening Center
• Integrative Health Partners

Online

• American Dietetic Association
• MyPyramid.gov
• National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders
• National Eating Disorders Association
• Nutrition.gov
• The Vegetarian Resource Group