By: Fajr Zahid, Zuckerberg College of Health Sciences Well-being Leader 

While I’m sure many of us have been encouraged to incorporate healthy foods, such as fruits and vegetables, into our diets, it is important to consider the specific benefits provided by the foods we consume, and the impact that they have on the well-being of our bodies. In this article, I will be discussing five highly nutritious foods, and some of the health benefits they offer.

1.  Dark green leafy vegetables 

Some examples of these vegetables include spinach, leaf lettuce, kale, and romaine lettuce. These types of vegetables contain a high content of vitamins, minerals, and fiber, which can reduce the risk of obesity, heart disease, high blood pressure and mental decline. Research has also found that the carotenoids which give dark green leafy vegetables their pigmented colors can inhibit the growth of specific breast, skin, lung and stomach cancers. Furthermore, they are a great source of vitamin K, which can provide protection against inflammatory diseases and osteoporosis. 

2. Fish 

Fish are loaded with protein, vitamins, and other nutrients which may help in reducing the risk of high blood pressure, strokes, and heart attacks. Salmon is a great source for omega-3 fatty acids, which are essential to our diet; these healthy fats provide several health benefits, such as reducing the risk of cancer. Fish also contain high levels of vitamin D, which helps to strengthen bones, and vitamin B2, which may reduce inflammation of nerves. Additionally, fish have been proven to contain wound healing properties, and their proteins (such as immunoglobulins) aid in defending the body against viral and bacterial infections. 

3. Berries 

According to Eric Rimm, a professor of epidemiology and nutrition at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, “On average, people who eat more berries seem to live a little bit longer.” Berries contain important nutrients, including potassium, magnesium, vitamins C and K, fiber and prebiotics (which help promote a healthy gut). Eating blueberries is associated with a reduced risk of developing type 2 diabetes. In addition, eating berries high in anthocyanins, such as blueberries and strawberries, can help regulate weight. Intake of berries is also associated with a reduced risk of heart attack and improved learning and memory. 

4. Nuts & Seeds 

Nuts and seeds are known to be good sources of protein, fiber, vitamins and minerals. Since their fat content is not fully absorbed by the body, they can help to regulate body weight and provide protection against the development of heart disease and diabetes. These foods are also rich in phytochemicals, which act as antioxidants. Nuts in particular are considered to be a good source of vitamin E, which helps protect against cancer and osteoporosis. 

5.  Avocados

Avocados, a personal favorite of mine, contain key nutrients, including healthy fats and fiber, as well as anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. They are rich in vitamin C, vitamin E, and vitamin B6, which promote a healthy immune system. Avocados also have a high potassium content; this is important to note because, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, potassium is considered a “nutrient of public health concern.” This is due to Americans’ lack of consumption of this mineral, which is critical for several bodily functions including those of the nervous system, as well as regulation of blood pressure. The high fiber content of avocados also promotes the growth of healthy bacteria, which is essential to a healthy digestive system. 

I hope you found this blog post to be helpful and informative, and that you are able to incorporate some of these health-promoting foods into your own diet! 

References: 

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/leafy-green-vegetables#kale

https://extension.wvu.edu/lawn-gardening-pests/news/2023/03/01/leafy-greens-arepacked-with-vitamins#:~:text=The%20vitamin%20K%20of%20dark,osteoporosis%20a nd%20preventing%20inflammatory%20diseases. 

http://www2.ca.uky.edu/agcomm/pubs/FCS3/FCS3567/FCS3567.pdf 

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34455321/#:~:text=Fish%20is%20proven%20to%20 possess,%2C%20cardioprotection%2C%20and%20hepatoprotection%20properties. 

https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/news/hsph-in-the-news/fresh-berries-are-among-the-h ealthiest-foods-you-can-eat/ 

https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/healthyliving/nuts-and-seeds#

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9455928/#:~:text=There%20is%20a ccumulating%20evidence%20suggesting,health%20and%20immune%20system%20mo dulation. 

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/avocado-nutrition#gut-health

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/salmon-nutrition-and-health-benefits#5

By: Doa Jamal, Francis College of Engineering Well-being Leader

As winter blankets UMass-Lowell in a layer of snow, it brings with it a unique set of challenges for our physical and mental well-being. The colder temperatures, shorter days, and reduced sunlight can often take a toll on our health. However, with a mindful approach to self-care, we can not only endure but thrive during the winter months. 

Here are some tips to ensure your well-being remains a priority during this cold season:

Nourish Your Body:

• The winter season often invites cravings for comfort foods, but it’s essential to maintain a balanced and nutritious diet. Opt for warming, nutrient-rich meals that include a variety of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water, herbal teas, and broths to support your immune system and overall health.

Stay Active Indoors:

• Colder weather can discourage outdoor activities, but staying active is crucial for both physical and mental health. Consider trying indoor exercises like yoga, pilates, or home workouts. Regular movement boosts circulation, increases energy levels, and helps combat seasonal depression.

Boost Your Immune System:

• Cold and flu season often peaks during winter, so taking extra measures to support your immune system is crucial. Include immune-boosting foods in your diet, such as citrus fruits, garlic, ginger, and probiotics. Consider taking supplements like vitamin D, which is often deficient during the winter months due to reduced sunlight exposure.

Take Care of Your Skin:

• Cold and dry air can be harsh on the skin, leading to dryness and irritation. Use a good moisturizer to keep your skin hydrated, and don’t forget to protect your lips with a nourishing lip balm. Consider adding a humidifier to your living space to combat the dry indoor air.

Cultivate Coziness:

• Winter is the perfect time to create a cozy and inviting atmosphere in your home. Surround yourself with warm blankets, soft lighting, and comforting scents. Engage in indoor activities that bring you joy, such as reading a good book, watching movies, playing board games or spending quality time with loved ones.

Sources: 

https://uwo.ca/se/thrive/blog/2022/wellness_wonderland_tips_for_selfcare_during_the_winter_.html

By: Medi Woldemichael, Manning School of Business Well-being Leader
When I first stepped into the weight room, I saw it as a place to get stronger. Little did I know weightlifting would become a realm where strength isn’t just about the muscles, but about resilience and self-discovery.
Here are a few things I’ve gained from this journey:
Self-Confidence
With every lift, every accomplishment in the gym, I’ve found a newfound confidence that extends far beyond the weight room. The belief that I can push through the most challenging moments in lifting has translated into a belief in my capabilities in various aspects of life.
Mental Resilience
The ability to overcome the hurdles in weightlifting has taught me how to navigate and overcome obstacles in other areas. It’s not just about the physical challenge; it’s about training the mind to persist through difficulties and come out stronger.
Goal-Oriented Mindset
Setting and achieving personal bests in lifting has instilled in me a mindset of goal-setting and achievement in all areas of life. It’s not just about the numbers on the weights; it’s about continuous improvement and striving for personal excellence.
Discipline and Consistency
The routine of showing up at the gym, pushing through workouts, and striving for progress has cultivated a discipline that spills over into daily life. Consistency in the gym has translated into consistency in pursuing other personal and professional goals.
Discovering My Potential
Through my journey of lifting weights, I’ve unearthed strengths I didn’t know I had. It’s not just about muscles; it’s about discovering my own resilience, confidence, and capability. The weights became a medium for self-discovery, unveiling the layers of my own potential. Lifting weights has become more than just a physical exercise. It’s an intertwining of mind and muscle, a journey of self-discovery and personal growth. It’s an ongoing narrative, a fusion of strength, discipline, and the unveiling of the self.

By: Haiya Patel, Kennedy College of Sciences Well-being Leader

As  college students, we all know how sleep can often be neglected due to other responsibilities such as academics and social life. Regardless of all the other stress factors, it is crucial to prioritize your sleeping schedule to allow yourself to show up as a well-rested student for the following day.

In general, our cognitive functions are pivotal for our daily functional abilities such as memory retention, and information processing. Showing up with a fresh and well-rested mind allows one to enhance their problem-solving skills and improves attention span in general to stay engaged throughout the class and retain the academic knowledge. In  retrospect, the lack of sleep can further towards cognitive impairment and difficulty making vital decisions.  Sleep also allows for enhanced performance and productivity to be able to succeed in  career, education, and personal projects. 

The importance of sleep can be paralleled to improving health and longevity. Quality sleep allows for longer and higher quality of health throughout one’s lifespan. Your immune system is your body’s defense against  illness, and the quality of your sleep determines the strength of your immune system. Ensuring  good quality   sleep allows your immune system to produce cytokines to regulate your immune responses. On the alternative perspective, lack of sleep is associated with a compromised immune system leading to an increased rate of illness. Illness can further to have a direct effect on your academics and other goals. Lastly,  quality sleep also allows for better physical health, and growth overall. It allows for essential repairs such as tissue repair and growth, hormone balance, and works to prevents chronic illness such as cardiovascular disorders, when combined with a proper diet.

Hence, sleep is a crucial investment towards your short term as well as long term well-being. In the world of a busy college student, it can be difficult to factor out enough time to sleep, however, the significance that a good night of sleep can provide for your cognitive, and physical health can often trump the lack of sleep. To aid towards improving your sleeping schedule, you can start by setting a relaxing bedtime routine may it be reading a book, or listening to your favorite music, a few minutes of meditation, or having a relaxing bath or showe or  skin care routine. Whatever it is, it is crucialto take some time out for yourself at the end of your day to ground yourself and prepare your body for rest. To conclude, your sleep plays a powerful role in your daily lifestyle, so do not underestimate the benefits that a good night of sleep can contribute towards your overall well-being.

References

1. https://newsinhealth.nih.gov/2021/04/good-sleep-good-health#:~:text=Good%20sleep%20improves%20your%20brain,stroke%20to%20obesity%20and%20dementia. 
2. https://www.sleepfoundation.org/sleep-deprivation/lack-of-sleep-and-cognitive-impairment#:~:text=Getting%20enough%20hours%20of%20high,%2C%20emotional%20processing%2C%20and%20judgment. 
3. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/insomnia/expert-answers/lack-of-sleep/faq-20057757#:~:text=During%20sleep%2C%20your%20immune%20system,production%20of%20these%20protective%20cytokines. 

By: Yashvi Patel, Kennedy College of Sciences Well-being Leader

Below are two fun TikTok recipes that you can try if you have a sweet tooth, like me, and like trying food combinations that may seem like they don’t go together. Trust me, these are both surprisingly so good and addicting!

The fruit rollup ice-cream hack:

For this recipe, you need a fruit rollup, a plate, mango/fruity sorbet or vanilla ice-cream, and a spoon. You will unwrap a fruit rollup. The first two steps are to lay it flat on a plate and scoop ice-cream or sorbet onto the center of the fruit rollup, seen in the image below. Then, you should wrap the fruit roll up around it like a burrito to create a crunchy sandwich. I say crunchy because the ice-cream/sorbet should freeze instantly (within seconds!) and there is a satisfying crunch factor as you bite into it. This has become my guilty pleasure and I go through boxes of fruit roll ups just to be able to indulge in this snack. I have experimented with both vanilla and chocolate ice-cream, but personally I would say that it tastes better with fruity ice-cream or even better a sorbet because the coating is sour/fruity. The flavors will just blend more smoothly if you get a fruity flavor. Fair warning: SUPER addictive and EXTREMELY sweet, so try not to be me and eat this every night. I’ve been trying to limit myself to one a week. Rating: 9.5/10 (probably the best invention ever)

Wannabe sour candy hack:

I’m a fanatic of sour candy, but I always feel guilty after I eat it. With the next recipe, I feel like I’m putting something good into my body, but also having the illusion that I’m eating sour candy. Jell-O coated grapes are one of the best alternatives to my sour candy cravings. When this craving occurs, you can indulge in this delicious treat that is slightly healthier. This recipe requires only two simple ingredients: a box of sugar free Jell-O and 2 cups of green grapes. (You can also kick this recipe up a notch by trying a different variety of grapes). For this recipe, you will pick and wash a serving of green grapes and let them sit for a couple mins. Making sure they are still wet, transfer them into a large Ziploc bag. Pour the dry Jell-O into the bag and give it a good shake to coat the grapes. Remove them from the bag and place them onto a plate or into a bowl and pop them into the freezer. Let them freeze for half an hour and enjoy! Like the fruit roll up ice-cream, this treat is VERY addicting and should be consumed in moderation. RATING: 8.5/10.

https://www.tiktok.com/foryou

https://lifehacker.com/fruit-roll-up-ice-cream-is-a-textural-delight-1850253022

By: Yashvi Patel, Kennedy College of Sciences Well-being Leader

Summer is a great time to develop healthy habits or change poor habits. Recently, I learned about the five stages of the transtheoretical model of behavior change that I can accredit for getting me to engage in exercising consistently.

The five stages in the transtheoretical model of behavior change are: precontemplation, contemplation, preparation, action, and maintenance. This model should work for any type of health behavior- inactivity being one of them.

Before I started exercising consistently, I was at the first stage of this model, characterized by a lack of intention to change and unaware that not engaging in exercise was a problem behavior. I moved into the contemplation stage where I acknowledged that my inactivity was a problem and I wanted to stop.

To get the second stage, contemplation, I developed self-efficacy where I would contemplate the changes I wanted to see (desirable appearance, better mental and physical health) and knew that if I took control of this whole process and believe, I would carry through. For me to get past the contemplation stage, I incorporated processes that would increase my low self-efficacy. I learned that people’s cognitions about their health habits are important in producing behavior change. I wanted to feel like I was in control of the process and any associated consequences, and I reconstructed my cognition. I modified my internal monologues to promote physical activity. To be able to accomplish this, I charted down my negative self-thoughts such as the constant belief that “I cannot do it.” and crossed out the “not.” These positive self-talks slowly turned into affirmations that I would recite during and before my workouts. It was important for me to contemplate the desirable changes before I put my intervention plan into effect. I learned that there are positive mental, physical, and physiological outcomes for this behavioral change. Exercise is known to reduce anxiety, stress, and depression, enhance cognitive function, and improve academic performance. It also increases metabolism, improves sleep, and reduces the risk factors for chronic illnesses like heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and obesity.

The next stage was preparation where I intended to make small modifications to my behavior. I bought running shoes, weights, and gym equipment, and saved workout YouTube videos that allowed me to develop an exercise regime. Furthermore, I learned that 2.5-5 hours of moderate-intensity activity is recommended per week. Moderate-intensity activities are suggested to increase heart rate that includes brisk walking, mowing the lawn, and housework/domestic chores such as mopping and vacuuming. I prepared myself for more vigorous physical activity by engaging in household chores, taking up more chores than usual, and going out for a walk once a day. These were slight modifications in my daily life that allowed me to get to the more intensive activities.

Next was the action stage where I intently modified my behavior and adopted this new habit. In this stage, I developed a workout routine, and established contingency contracting (I had friends and family hold me accountable through rewards or punishments. For example, if I went to a fancy dinner but skipped a workout, I would stay in for the weekend). I also took advantage of the fact that some of my family and friends are into fitness. Having a gym buddy made it more likely for me to adhere to my intervention plan. Whenever I could, I would go for a jog with my dad and grandpa. Cardio is known to strengthen the heart and lungs and reduce fatigue. My friend goes to the UML Campus Rec Center at 7 am every morning. I started by joining her every other day before my morning classes that started at 9 am.  She typically works on different areas of her body every day, which worked in my favor as I got an all-encompassing workout regime. I would write down four or five exercises that I liked the most so that I could create my own workout based on my likes and target areas. I also knew pre/post-workout stretches that I learned from doing track in high school and I knew the importance of stretching in preventing injury and maintaining a wide range of motions, so I incorporated those as well.

The last stage is centered around maintenance. It stresses the importance of continuity in healthy habits and the prevention of relapse. I developed a set of coping mechanisms for other risk factors that could potentially bring me back into inactivity. Personally, when I have too many exams and homework, I don’t have the motivation to engage in physical activity and use that time to study instead. I helped myself gain time management skills so I could have time for my workout routine. I needed to block off one-two hours every morning for physical activity and would not budge around that. I reminded myself of the importance of being consistent in working out every day or every other day because it’s hard to get back into it once you take a little break. I would also constantly remind myself of the long-term goals of working out (abs, muscles, endurance, and strength) because results are not instant but rather take months or even years to achieve. It brings me back to the idea of self-efficacy and being in control of the entire process from start to finish. For me to declare it as a healthy habit, I needed to be consistent for at least 6 months. Once I make it past six months, I still need to maintain this habit, so I don’t go back to square one. Currently, I have been working out for 5 months and I am already seeing changes and notice I have so much more energy throughout the day!

I hope this model can help you develop your own healthy habits this summer!

Benefits of physical activity. Benefits of Physical Activity | Health Promotion | Michigan State University. (n.d.). Retrieved November 28, 2022, from https://healthpromotion.msu.edu/fitness/benefitsofphysicalactivity.html 

Examples of moderate and vigorous physical activity. Obesity Prevention Source. (2017, May 8). Retrieved November 28, 2022, from https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/obesity-prevention-source/moderate-and-vigorous-physical-activity/ 

https://sphweb.bumc.bu.edu/otlt/mph-modules/sb/behavioralchangetheories/behavioralchangetheories6.html

By: Haiya Patel, Kennedy College of Sciences Well-being Leader

What is the first memory that comes to mind when someone says the word watermelon? Did you ever have watermelon by the beach or poolside as a child? When someone says watermelon, I usually imagine a warm sunny day on the beach. I have a very distinct memory of enjoying watermelon on the beach with my family. Because of that, watermelon is a nostalgic fruit for me.

Watermelon is one of the fruits that correlates closely to the warm weather of summer as it brings a vibrant color accompanied by fresh flavors, in addition to immaculate hydration. However, eating watermelon alone can be boring, so pairing it in dishes can allow for a variation in the summer. One of my personal favorites is watermelon and feta salad. The fresh flavor of watermelon cubes can be paired perfectly with the salty crumbled feta cheese, some finely chopped mint leaves, and a drizzle of lemon. The watermelon and feta salad can be consumed as a snack or appetizer as it is light in volume, but also is dense with fresh flavors from the mint and watermelon, with hints of sourness and saltiness from lemon and feta cheese. The watermelon cubes and feta crumbles can also be enjoyed by simply drizzling some balsamic glaze, or some honey on the skewers.

Another variation of watermelon that really tops the summer recipes is watermelon as a dessert. My personal favorite is watermelon sorbet. Scooping the watermelon sorbet out of a cone shaped container often brings back nostalgic emotions from my childhood. For me, enjoying watermelon sorbet is a fun summer treat that makes me feel like a child all over again. The recipe for the watermelon sorbet is simple, but versatile, as it can be customized based on preferences. I enjoy sweet and sour combinations for my sorbet, so I use watermelon, sugar, lemon juice, and strawberries. The volume of each ingredient can be curated based on your taste preferences. Then, you blend it all together and freeze it for a few hours. Honey or other sugar substitutes can also be used as a healthier alternative for sugar.

For times that I am in rush, my favorite way to utilize watermelon is to make a watermelon drink. Personally, I enjoy the combination of lemonade and watermelon together, so I often lean towards watermelon lemonade. The recipe for the watermelon lemonade calls for watermelon and lemon juice blended with few mint leaves and about a spoon full of sugar or any other sugar substitutes.

Regardless of how you consume it, watermelon is packed with hydration, versatile, and its flavor often brings back nostalgic memories. I hope these recipes help you enjoy more watermelon this summer!