CREDIT: FSU PUBLICATIONS AND COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT

The hustle and bustle of returning to school after a four-month summer holiday can impact the way students choose to prioritize their health. Keeping the body healthy at any point of the year can be a challenge for students which is why it’s important that they are reminded of how to achieve this. Former Fanshawe College culinary arts student, Beth Eames, gave her honest and professional opinion about how students can accomplish a “health-kick,” this fall.

“I do think there are ways to eat healthy and not be overly expensive,” Eames said.

For most people, the first thing that comes to mind when they think of eating healthy is the cost. As with many things in life, it’s easy to look at the negatives before analyzing the positives. When it comes to your health, the positive aspects of being mindful of what you’re putting into your body, tend to outweigh the negative aspects of expense. However, there are ways to have a healthy diet without breaking your bank account on high-cost brand name products.


One of the first suggestions that Eames gave was to conduct research online of nutritionally balanced meals. Every person is going to have different meal preferences that entice them, so finding out what you like is one of the first steps in creating a healthy meal plan.

Another common misconception about eating healthy is that fresh produce has to be used right away otherwise it goes bad. If fresh produce is stored correctly, you should be able to eat it in a timely manner.

“The vegetables that you buy aren’t going to be for one meal, you can use them for multiple different meals,” Eames said. “I also think storing your vegetables in the correct way, for example, in the fridge, or however it should be stored will increase the longevity of them.”

As eating healthily usually involves a certain extent of cooking, students may shy away from this dietary option due to not enough time in-between studying and classes. Whilst meal prepping can be quite “daunting” to some people, according to Eames, this process can help with reducing cook time throughout the week.

“I think a certain level of meal prepping can be a bit easier for some people,” Eames said. “For example, making a little bit of an excess of a meal, and storing it in the freezer.”

Freezing leftovers can be a form of meal prepping that will allow you to eat healthy food that you prepared previously and not have to find the time to create an entirely new meal.

It’s common to hear individuals say that they need to be healthier in their diet, but why is it especially important for students to prioritize? Eating food with high nutritional values will promote body health and mental health; eating the right food can impact how you stay focused on schoolwork.

“You feel better when you’re eating healthy or when you’re giving your body the nutrients that it needs,” Eames said.

Aside from eating the right food, there are other important steps that students should take to promote their health. Taking daily vitamins can help to supplement your body with what it’s lacking. Living in Canada means that during the winter months there is less vitamin-D in your system. This is important for students to remember during the fall as well when the days begin to get less sunshine. Speaking to a health-care provider about what vitamins you need to be taking is always a good idea, they will be able to steer you into the right direction.

Another factor that students should take into consideration this fall is to drink more water. According to the Mayo Clinic, “Water is your body’s principal chemical component and makes up about 50 to 70 per cent of your body weight.”

Increasing your water intake can assist with many organs in your body and allow its proper function to take place.

Additionally, keeping active throughout the fall is important for students to prioritize and may also increase water intake. Fanshawe allows students to maintain an active lifestyle with its student wellness centre that comprises three floors, inclusive of a fitness centre. Students have access to this to allow health and fitness to be an easy option for them.

Keeping your body healthy this fall should be one of your goals as a student and the tips from this article should help you achieve this. Think about all that your body does for you, don’t you want to give back to it?