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Eat Better, Sleep Better

1/28/2018

I think every college student could agree with the statement that sleep is pretty hard to come by once the semester is in full swing...and if you don’t agree with that statement, then I salute you, for you must surely have some kind of superhuman sleeping powers. However, there is good news for sleep-deprived students: certain foods can help you sleep better! Incorporate these foods into your bedtime snack and get ready to snooze the night away.

Bananas

   Bananas aren’t just a delicious, naturally sweet dessert option, but are also a good source of vitamin B6, which helps your body to produce the hormone melatonin, which induces sleep. Try a banana with nut butter or sprinkled with cinnamon before you hit the hay tonight!
   2. Almonds
   Almonds make for an awesome late night snack, thanks to their high magnesium levels that assist in preserving the quality of sleep and building strong bones. Eat them on their own, in trail mix, or in your favorite snack bar.
   3. Honey
   Honey has been shown to aid tryptophan, a sleep-inducing amino acid, in entering the brain by slightly raising insulin levels. Try it mixed into your bedtime cup of tea for a soothing nighttime treat.
   4. Hummus
   I don’t know about you, but hummus is always a go-to snack for me any time of the day. As it turns out, it is a good source of tryptophan, which is just another reason to break out the tub for a late night snack session. Try it with pita bread or veggies for a healthy and filling snack option.
   5. Oatmeal
   It turns out oatmeal is not just for breakfast! Oatmeal is a carbohydrate-rich source that has been shown to aid in sleepiness, in addition to being a source of melatonin, that sleep-inducing hormone I mentioned earlier. Try it hot or bake it into a treat for a satisfying snack.
   6. Walnuts
   Walnuts also contain tryptophan, which helps produce serotonin and melatonin. Get creative in the kitchen and make a walnut-rich dessert to snack on before bed for a sweet sleep-inducing treat.
   7. Turkey
   Turkey is infamous for its ability to cause drowsiness, due to its tryptophan content. It is also a great source of protein, which has been shown to promote a good night’s sleep. Eat it plain or pair it with some hummus to maximize its sleep-promoting potential!
   I hope you find some bedtime snack inspiration from these amazing superfoods that can help you get the most out of your sleep. See the sources below for more information and to view the studies behind these fascinating findings.
Have a great week, sleepy SNO members!

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/9-foods-to-help-you-sleep#section2
http://www.eatingwell.com/article/32617/9-foods-to-help-you-sleep/
https://www.rd.com/health/wellness/foods-that-help-you-sleep/

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The Ultimate Social Media Guide (for Nutrition Majors!)

1/26/2018

Hello SNO! I hope you all had a great first week back at school...I know I did. Yay for O-Chem!

For those of you who are part of the SNO Facebook group, you’ve probably seen a few of the blogs and podcasts I’ve shared from time to time. I’ve gotten messages asking about some of the resources I’ve shared, so I decided it would be a good idea to compile a bunch of online information sources in one post! All of these blogs, podcasts, and social media accounts are nutrition-related and headed by RDs, health professionals, or nutrition students. In addition, most of these bloggers integrate some sort of intuitive eating or Health At Every Size approach as well. I know that many nutrition majors I’ve talked to here at State are interested in these approaches. It’s good to know that they are becoming more commonly used among RDs and health professionals. I hope you find this guide useful and that is helps you to further immerse yourself in the world of nutrition!

Blogs
The Real Life RD
Hummusapien
ImmaEatThat
Rachael Hartley Nutrition
Fannetastic Food
The Lean Green Bean
Paige Smathers, RD
Prevention RD
Nutrition Unplugged
InspiRD Nutrition
Jessi Haggerty Nutrition
My Daily Declarations
Freedom Nutrition Wellness (AKA the Donut Eating Dietitian)
Julie Dillon, RD
Heather Caplan, RD
Kara Lydon (AKA the Foodie Dietitian)
Marci, RD
Delish Knowledge

Podcasts
Food Psych
Nutrition Matters
RD Real Talk
Body Kindness
The BodyLove Project
Love, Food
Nourishing Women
Nut Butter Radio
Finding Body Freedom
Don’t Salt My Game

Instagram (many of these are the accounts of the aforementioned bloggers)
@thereallife_rd
@hummusapien
@immaeatthat
@rachaelhartleyrd
@fannetasticfood
@theleangreenbean
@paigesmathersrd
@hgoodrichrd
@jessihaggertyrd
@foodfitnessandfaith
@donuteatingdietitian
@foodpeacedietitian
@heatherdcrd
@karalydonrd
@marcird
@delishknowledge
@root_for_food
@victoriamyers_
@nourishingmindsnutrition
@chr1styharrison
@rebeccascritchfield
@laurathomasphd
@fuelingstrength
@intuitiveeatingrd
@alissarumseyrd
@themindfuldietitian
@sarahbnutrition

There you have it...a whole lotta dietitian and nutrition bloggers to fill your Instagram feed with some positivity, real talk, and nutrition knowledge. Whether you’re an avid reader like me, a podcast enthusiast, or someone who can’t stop scrolling, I hope these inspirational bloggers can be helpful to you. If you stumble upon something from this guide that you particularly find useful, feel free to share it on the Facebook page so all of your fellow students can draw inspiration from it as well!
Have a great second week back, SNO! Happy reading...or listening...or scrolling!

Kacey Clark

Freshman at SDSU. Foods and Nutrition Major.

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How to Start a Healthy Routine for 2018

1/18/2018

2018 is officially here! What better way to ring in the New Year and make some positive changes than to start implementing a healthy routine? Routines don’t always have to be strict and structured; they can give you the ability to do healthy, positive activities on a regular basis so that, before you know it, they become habits. Here are some ways to start your own healthy routine for 2018 and set yourself up for the best year ever…

Prioritize.

   First, find out what truly matters to you when it comes to your wellness. Do you want to be more productive? Do you want to eat more frequently? Do you want to practice mindfulness? Make a list of everything that you think would greatly improve your overall well-being and then create a plan to start including those things in your every day, or even weekly schedule. For example, if you want to be more productive, make a plan to start writing down what you want to accomplish every day first thing in the morning, or maybe get a fun new planner to encourage you to tackle your goals.
   2. Find what makes you feel good...and do that!
   When it comes to diet and exercise, you don’t have to dedicate yourself to Whole30 or go on a BBG kick to get healthy. Simply figuring out what foods nourish you and what movement brings you joy can help you be your healthiest, happiest self. Browse Pinterest for recipes that seem interesting and appealing to you while still packing in the nutrients, and try out different forms of exercise to find what fits best into your lifestyle. Once you start incorporating more nourishing foods and joyful movement into your life, you can make a habit out of it by stockpiling recipes to make throughout the week or meal prep, and make exercise regular and rhythmic. Maybe you exercise every day or maybe you exercise twice a week; finding what works for your body and your schedule are key components to any kind of sustainable health plan.
   3. Do things that nourish your soul.
   It’s all well and good to nourish yourself physically, but what about emotionally and mentally? Self-care is so much more than taking care of your body; it’s taking care of the whole self. Some healthy options I could suggest are journaling, reading, walking on the beach, volunteering or spending time with loved ones; any activity that boosts your mood can help you to fully embrace the healthiest, happiest version of you. Self-reflection helps you evaluate how you’re doing in this current phase of life and pay attention to your struggles and triumphs. Giving back to the community allows you to connect with others and make a positive impact on people’s lives. Incorporating both of these wellness components can give you a major self-esteem boost and help you take care of yourself so that you can give back to the world around you.
   4. Balance work and play.
   If you’re like most college students, your daily life is a constant battle between huge amounts of school work and academic commitments on one hand and friends, family, and fun on the other. One without the other is a recipe for disaster, so try to plan a couple fun events or outings each week, so that amidst the busyness and chaos of college life you will have a few things to look forward to that give you a much-needed break from school work.
   5. Use a planner or calendar to stay on track.
   I have found that using a planner with a fun design and easy-to-read format really encourages me to write down your goals and stay on track, but if planners aren’t your thing, a calendar (paper or digital) can also help you accomplish the same goals. Define when you will work on certain assignments, take note of deadlines, write out club meetings, your work schedule and volunteer events, and keep track of all of the healthy habits you’re trying to start and maintain. For example, you can write down what days you plan on making what meals or make grocery lists, and figure out which days you have a block of time that you feel you can use for exercise and other physical activity. Last but not least, schedule time for yourself, whether that means meeting a friend for coffee, taking off for the beach, or simply planting yourself on the couch for a Netflix marathon. This will help you to maintain that work-life balance and ensure that you are taking care of all areas of wellness, versus the two that most people focus on this time of year (diet and exercise). Try to keep your schedule fairly regular so that these healthy habits become rhythmic and, well, more habitual than scheduled. Before you know it, you’ll have a routine that allows you to stay on top of all of your commitments and take care of yourself and give back to others, so that you can truly become the healthiest version of yourself in 2018.
   I hope that these tips to start a healthy routine for 2018 inspire you to take charge of the year and fulfill its potential to be the best one yet. As always, do what feels good for you, be patient with yourself, and know that nobody has it “all together” (especially nutrition majors, am I right?). If you see healthy living as a journey rather than a destination, you can enjoy the trip, rather than focusing on the end goals.
Happy New Year, SNO! May your sweet potatoes be sweet and your biology lectures even sweeter!

Kacey Clark

Freshman. Foods and Nutrition Major.

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Eat Better, Sleep Better

The Ultimate Social Media Guide (for Nutrition Majors!)

Kacey Clark

How to Start a Healthy Routine for 2018

Kacey Clark