How to be a Health Conscious College Student

In college, you don't have your mother around to make you balanced meals or take you to the doctor. Most people experience life on their own for the first time in college, and realize they have to look out for their own health. If you want to be a health conscious college student, it's up to you to make the right decisions.

Make health conscious eating decisions. It's not easy to eat healthy when you are on campus all day and running from one class to another. When long lectures require that you stay alert and pay attention, a Monster energy drink is going to be nothing more than a quick fix. To stay at full mental capacity, it's important that your body gets the nutrients it needs, which starts with you making healthier eating decisions. Take the time to learn a little about nutrition and what vitamins and minerals your body requires to be able to function properly. The more knowledge you attain, the better decisions you will be able to make about what goes into your mouth.

Make health conscious exercise decisions. It's easy to get lazy when you spend most of your time sitting in class or laying on the couch studying. If you are no longer playing for your high school's soccer team or required to take a PE credit, the freshman 15 can quickly turn into the freshman 30. To stay active, it is important that you get plenty of exercise, which starts with you incorporating it into your routine or finding time to hit the gym. Visit your school's recreational center, join an intramural sports team, or decide to walk to class instead of taking the bus. Making decisions to be more active throughout the day will not only increase your energy level, but improve your mood and help with concentration.

Make health conscious medical decisions. It's easy to put off going to the doctor when you don't have time to go to an appointment between school and work. When your parents aren't around to make sure you go to regular checkups, or remind you to get your seasonal flu shot, you may find yourself catching things easier. To make sure that you don't come down with every single thing that is floating around campus, find a local doctor to visit for routine checkups or when you first start to experience symptoms. When it comes to catching diseases and illnesses, the sooner you see a doctor, the better, so putting off an appointment now may only make it worse later.

www.behealthconscious.org