By: Tuchau Bui, Healthy Aggies intern

Summer is right around the corner and you know what that means! Time to hang out with friends and family at the beach while drinking ice cold lemonade and soaking up the warm sun. This is the perfect season to relax and unwind.

Unfortunately, after a few months of staying indoors during winter you find it difficult to become active again. During long periods of inactivity, our muscles are not being used which leads to a loss of muscle strength and endurance. But you needn’t rush to the gym. Start slowly and gradually add in more exercise along the way.

Here are three easy exercises you can begin with at home to help you prepare for a strong summer. Remember to stretch before starting and rest for 15-30 seconds in between sets. Also, keep a water bottle close by to stay hydrated!

1. Squats

Muscles targeted: quadriceps, gluteus maximus, hamstring, hip abductors and adductors, gastrocnemius, soleus, tibias anterior, rectus abdominals, and erector spine

Benefits:

• Increase leg and bone strength
• Improve core stability and overall balance
• Strengthen thighs and glutes

Workout: 10 reps, 3 sets

Start by standing with your feet at about shoulder width apart with your toes pointed slightly outward. Bend your knees while keeping your spine straight and looking straight ahead. Your body will bend forward a little as you squat. Lower yourself until your thighs are parallel to the floor. Finally lift yourself back up into a standing position.

2. Walking lunges

Muscles targeted: quadriceps, glutes, hamstrings

Benefits:

• Strengthens leg muscles and glutes
• Improves core strength and stability
• Improves overall balance

Workout: 10 reps each leg, 3 sets

Start by standing with your feet shoulder width apart. Step forward with one leg and bend your knee until it is at a 90-degree position while bending your rear knee until it nearly reaches the ground. Your back should remain straight. Then stand up again by stepping forward with your rear leg while straightening your front leg.

3. Triceps dip

Muscles targeted: triceps, biceps, shoulder muscles of upper arms

Benefits:

• Strengthen triceps and tones the back of your arms
• Strengthen biceps
• Improves core strength and stability

Workout: 10 reps, 3 sets

Start by sitting on the mat with knees bent and feet flat on the ground. Place hands behind you with fingertips pointing toward your feet. Lift hips above the mat. Then bend your elbows and lower your hips until they almost touch the ground. Straighten your arm to bring yourself back up.

Repeat these exercises at least 3 times a week. As you progress, you can slowly increase your workouts to include more reps or mix in additional exercises. Eventually, your ideal amount of exercise should be about 150 minutes of moderate-intensity or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity physical activity each week.

By engaging in regular exercise, you will be able to reap the multiple benefits it brings to your body. Your muscles and bones will be strengthened, you will burn more fat and calories, and your metabolism and immune function will improve. So what are you waiting for? Let’s get up and get our move on!  Let me know how it goes for you.

By: Clara Matsumoto, Healthy Aggies Intern

Up until recently, many people believed that the main dietary culprit of many of America’s most common chronic diseases was fat. People began to adopt low-fat diets while not paying attention to sugar intake; chronic disease continued to proliferate. The American Heart Association recommends that people consume less than 6 teaspoons or 25 g of sugar per day, but this advice was shadowed by the intense focus on fats. As time passed and more research was published, it became clear that there was a significant relationship between sugar and chronic disease. Using the research, the FDA proposed a change to the food labels in 2016 to reflect our current nutrition understanding, and soon, hopefully, the new label will be officially adapted.

Two significant changes will be the addition of added sugars underneath the sugars section and the deletion of calories from fat in foods. The goal is for people to be aware of added sugar and place focus on what types (vs how much) of fat are being consumed.  Although the updated food label is a great stepping stone to helping people make healthier choices, it’s also important that consumers have more detailed information about sugar in foods Many consumers do not know what “added sugar” technically is. The USDA defines it as sugars and syrups added to foods in processing or preparation. For example, if the product is honey, there is no added sugar in it; all the sugar is naturally occurring. White dairy milk contains lactose (milk sugar) but that is different than “added sugar”. However, if honey was an ingredient in a food, then the grams of honey added would be listed in the added sugar section of the food label.

What about fruits?  A medium apple contains 19g of “sugar”.   The difference is that it is naturally occurring sugar in a whole food.  If we compare soda, a 12 oz can of soda containing 39g “sugar” (USDA), it is all “added sugar”. Whole foods containing naturally occurring sugar also contain beneficial vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Fiber is useful for controlling appetite since it slows down the rate of sugar absorption.  As long as you’re healthy and consuming foods from all the food groups daily, more fruit is better!

So the next time that you are reaching for that box of Oreos at the grocery store, take a look at the amount of added sugar and consider swapping those cookies for a healthier option such as dark chocolate covered blueberries instead. Not only will it help satisfy your sweet tooth, it will help you follow the recommendation for sugar intake. I hope this information helps clarify what an added sugar really is and shows that consuming fruit can be part of a healthy diet even with its sugar content.

References:

https://www.fda.gov/files/food/published/The-New-and-Improved-Nutrition-Facts-Label-%E2%80%93-Key-Changes.pdf

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/how-much-sugar-per-day

https://www.coca-colaproductfacts.com/en/faq/sugar/how-much-sugar-in-coke/

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/is-fruit-good-or-bad-for-your-health#section1

By:  Rini Jablonski, Healthy Aggies intern

“Milk” is not the same as it was a mere five years ago. When perusing the milk section at any grocery store, you may notice that there is a whole lot more to choose from than your classic dairy milk. Some of these alternative milk forms include nut milks, hemp milk, coconut milk, oat milk, and the list goes on. So you may be wondering, what is the benefit of each particular milk? We are here to answer your burning questions about the rapidly expanding world of alternative milks with a list that highlights some of the most common ones and their benefits.

1) Almond milk:

Almond milk is made from mixing ground almonds and water, then straining that mixture. It is rich in Vitamins E and A and is often fortified with Calcium. On average, unsweetened almond milk offers the lowest amount of calories as far as alternative milks go, at 40 calories per 8 fluid ounces. It is also a common misconception that almond milk provides a sufficient amount of protein. While almonds contain around 6 grams of protein per serving, one 8-fluid ounce serving of almond milk only contains around 1 gram of protein. To put this into perspective, one serving of nonfat dairy milk contains around 9 grams of protein.

Almond milk takeaway: Lowest in calories and contains no saturated fat but also contains little protein.

2) Soy milk:

Soy milk is made from soybean flour and water. Compared to other milk alternatives it has the highest amount of protein, averaging around 7 grams per serving. In addition, soy milk provides good amounts of Calcium, Vitamins A and D, and iron. Its calorie count is on average 80 calories per 8 fluid ounce of unsweetened plain soy milk.

Soy milk takeaway: Provides more protein than any of the other alternative milks.

3) Coconut milk beverage:

The coconut milk beverage you see in the milk section of a store is very different from the coconut milk product you may see in a can elsewhere. It is much thinner, and is the product of straining coconut meat twice and mixing the remaining liquid with water. Coconut milk beverage does not naturally contain vitamins A, D, and calcium, but may be fortified with them. Per 8 fluid ounces, coconut milk offers around 50 calories. It does not offer much protein at less than one gram per serving. Lastly, although not scientifically confirmed, coconut milk beverage is thought by some to contain Medium Chain Triglycerides (MCT), a type of fat that may be helpful in overall health.

Coconut milk takeaway: Good for people with soy allergies; but not a good source of protein.

4) Hemp milk:

Hemp milk is made from soaking ground hemp seeds in water, and it is described as having a grassy flavor. It naturally provides a good source of Calcium, Phosphorus, Magnesium, and Vitamins B and D. It averages around 60 calories for 8 fluid ounces. Hemp milk contains about 4 grams of protein per serving. All of the vitamins and minerals listed above are essential for bodily functions such as bone growth and muscle movement.

Hemp milk takeaway: Provides good amounts of vitamins and minerals essential for bone and muscle function.

5) Oat milk:

In a similar fashion as the milks above, oat milk is made by mixing ground oats with water and straining the mixture. Oat milk contains a naturally sweet flavor, and it is often enriched with vitamins B12, Riboflavin, A, and D. It contains about 3 grams of protein per serving. Oat milk is a great alternative for people who are either vegan, lactose-free, and allergic to either soy/nuts.

Oat milk takeaway: Provides best source of B vitamins, has naturally sweetened flavor; not a great source of protein.

Conclusion: There are even more options of milk out there, including and not limited to pea milk, lactose-free milk, and different nut milks. Finding your preferred milk depends on your own taste preferences and how your body reacts to each one. For sure, opt for the unsweetened version, as sweetened or flavored versions of these milks will often contain high amounts of added sugar. But overall, I find it fascinating that a whole market of milks exists to suit people’s nutritional needs, and it is exciting to explore the world of alternative milks.

Sources:

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/318612.php

https://www.livestrong.com/article/425074-soy-milk-advantages-and-disadvantages/

https://www.everydayhealth.com/diet-nutrition/pros-cons-soy-milk/

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/323743.php

https://www.livestrong.com/article/512124-what-are-the-benefits-of-hemp-milk/

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/oat-milk#benefits

By:  Anna Bui, Healthy Aggies intern

Nowadays many commercial packaged foods and drinks are advertised as a “good source of antioxidants.”  We see the word all the time but most of us aren’t able to explain why antioxidants are good or even which foods contain them. “Antioxidant” has become synonymous with “good health.” But, what are they and how are they beneficial?

Antioxidants are compounds produced by the body and often found in fruits and veggies that can inhibit oxidation or “fight against” free radicals. To understand what an antioxidant is we need to understand the oxidation process and how free radicals are produced.

In the chemical structure of all things, atoms are surrounded by electrons (negatively charged particles) that orbit around in a layer called a shell. Each shell needs to be filled by a set of electrons through various types of bonds with other molecules. Free radicals are unstable molecules that do not have a full outer shell.  The primary source of free radicals are the normal metabolic processes that occur in the body.  We are also exposed from X-rays, sunlight, air pollutants, or smoking. Free radicals are everywhere! They become reactive and can be very damaging to our bodies if we are unable to eradicate them.  They can react with our DNA, can cause cell mutations, oxidative stress, aging, and promote cancer.

Since we cannot remove free radicals from our lives, we’re lucky that, as human beings, we have adapted a mechanism to counteract their effects – through antioxidants. Antioxidants prevent oxidation by donating an electron to these free radicals to make them less reactive. Not only can antioxidants donate an electron, they don’t then become a free radical themselves!  It’s amazing!!  Our bodies make some types of antioxidants but we can boost the supply through consuming certain foods.

Good sources of antioxidants in food include almost all fruits and veggies, dark chocolate, green and black teas, and legumes.  As of now, more research needs to be conducted on how many antioxidants we need to consume for optimal health.

Sources:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3249911/

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/318652.php

By Ruth Vodonos, Healthy Aggies Intern

Make sure to eat carbohydrates, it’s what your brain uses for energy!  Find carbs in grains, fruits and starchy veggies.  Whole food is best – e.g. whole grain toast with peanut butter and strawberries is better than a strawberry poptart.

Combine a fruit with a source of protein so you don’t have to deal with a sugar crash (finals are bad enough as is).

Combo examples:

• Bananas & Peanut Butter 

(add whole-wheat bread and make it a sandwich!)

• Apples & Almond Butter

(for those with peanut allergies, any sort of nut butter would work!)

• Berries & Cottage Cheese

(a good way to get berries when they aren’t in season is to buy them frozen)

• Any fruit & Greek Yogurt

More ideas:

• Hummus & Veggies (esp. cucumbers, low in calories and fun to munch on)
  
• Roasted Chickpeas, seeds or nuts to chew on (just stay aware of the fat content and portion size)

When spending long amounts of time in the library studying for exams, make sure to keep yourself from going hungry by packing these snacks for yourself beforehand. Good luck on those finals Aggies! 🙂

By:  Zona Jin, Nutrition Peer Counselor

It’s almost spring break! If you’re planning on going to the beach, you may find yourself thinking about how you’ll look in a swimsuit. The fashion, fitness and media industries sell us a “thin ideal”. Although you know that many of the photos are edited, it is sometimes hard to stop comparing yourself to them. This blog is going to give you a few tips for body positivity.

Weight is just a number. Eating, exercising, and even drinking water affects the number. Our body is an amazing system that balances energy intake and expenditure, typically you won’t gain or lose significant weight in one meal or even one day.  It happens slowly over time when there is an energy surplus. Additionally, body composition plays a role in body weight. Muscles, bones and water are all heavy but are very important to our health and we want them to be strong and healthy.  If you inherited large bone structure or work out to maintain muscle structure, your weight may be higher.  Constantly checking the number on the scale isn’t a good thing to spend time on!

We are all unique. Appearance is attributed to genetics as well as environmental exposures. As we each develop into a unique person, our body develops into a unique body. Embrace your body the way it is, and appreciate what your body allows you to do in this wonderful life.

Body affirmation. We receive judgmental voices every day from the media and even the people around us. It is important to know that you are glamorous the way you are. You can choose to look in the mirror and tell yourself so, or put sticky notes with body affirmations on your bedroom door, notebook, or laptop to remind you.

Focus on the experience you had, not how you look on the pictures. Spring break is supposed to be a relaxing and fun time with the people you love (or yourself!) So be in each moment and just smile and be happy. When you act like a confident and happy person often that is who you become!

Try a new outfit without worrying how you look. We all have insecurities about our appearance, but don’t let that discourage you from trying new things. If the outfit makes you happy, wear it!

There are so many other commitments that need our attention, don’t let negative body image waste your precious time. Celebrate your body the way it is, and be the best version of yourself you can be!