Tarara teaches healthy living, encourages application beyond classroom
By Meghan Pignataro
When it comes to college students, many struggle getting caught up with their social life and schoolwork, and have difficulty maintaining a healthy lifestyle on a college campus.
Rosemarie Tarara, assistant professor of Health and Physical Education, believes there are several important ways to stay healthy in college.
First, High Point University offers several classes focusing on health. Tarara teaches a nutrition and healthy living course focusing on nutrients, digestion, dietary guidelines, food labels, exercise testing and making personal choices. Her course gives an in-depth guide on the aspects of living a healthy life and the elements involved.
While she teaches students how to live a healthy life, you too can apply these elements to your daily life as well.
One of the most important ways to stay healthy is to monitor your eating habits.
“College students have different plans everyday, but it is important to be aware of the foods you are eating and not skipping any meals,” Tarara said.
Some believe skipping meals may be beneficial by avoiding more calories; however, it is actually much worse. It is important to eat three to five meals a day to obtain the right nutrients your body needs.
“It’s good to stay away from foods that are high in fat and fried food,” Tarara said. Although it is healthier to avoid fried food, students do not have to eliminate it from their diet entirely.
“It’s not bad if you eat it sparingly, but you should avoid large quantities of it.”
Students should be aware of the food they consume to make sure they get the right carbohydrates and proteins.
“I try to avoid fatty foods, and usually go for things like salads,” said junior John Stokes. “I also try and drink a lot of water.”
While college kids can be widely known for their nightlife and partying, limiting alcohol can easily strengthen your health as well.
According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, there is a link between alcohol and eating. Various studies have shown people who drink large amounts of alcohol have poor eating habits, while those who drink very little have better quality diets.
Although students can become accustomed to their nightlife, it is important they are staying active daily. Physical activity is one of the most important parts of a healthy lifestyle. Whether it’s exercising in the gym or riding a bike around campus, having some sort of physical activity is vital for a healthy life.
“Keeping up activity is an important part. You can rent bikes here on campus or even go for a walk in the promenade. There are many different things you can do,” Tarara said.
On campus, HPU Recreation offers various intramural sports throughout the year, as well as fitness classes and physical education courses. Monday through Sunday there are nearly 15 different group exercises classes available where students can exercise.
“Right now I am taking a yoga class and a kickboxing class for credits,” said junior Sarah Voigt. “These classes give me a structured routine to work out daily. It helps me stick to a schedule and not let me be lazy, by backing out or not wanting to go, since it’s for an actual class.”
In addition to physical activity, another essential aspect of a healthy lifestyle is sleep. Sleep is vital for your body in more ways than one; getting at least eight hours of sleep will give your body the rest it needs.
“Sleeping is very important because if you do not get enough sleep your immune system will go down and your ability to handle stress will go down,” Tarara said.
The final, most important way to stay healthy is a simple step quite often overlooked: washing your hands.
By simply washing your hands with soap and water before and after every meal, you can avoid germs and bacteria, especially during flu season.
While these steps will help you live a healthy lifestyle, it’s important to have a positive attitude. If you are able to keep up with these steps and stay highly motivated, you will be on the right path to living a healthier life. With these basic tips, High Point University students will be able to live a healthy lifestyle and develop nutritional patterns that will keep them feeling rejuvenated, happy and healthy.
The patterns students develop in college will help their health in the future.