SPEAKER EXPLORES A NUTRITION INITIATIVE ON CAMPUS

11/20/2013

An integrated nutrition program will be offered this year to students, faculty and staff at Bridgewater State University.

Thursday, November 21, is when the first meeting will be held in the Rondileau Campus Center Demo Room at 7 p.m.

The program will feature local author and food enthusiast, Nicole Cormier, who owns a nutrition counseling company called Delicious Living Nutrition, Inc.

She also wrote several books, including the Everything Guide to Nutrition, and the $5 a Meal Vegetarian College Cookbook.

“I am the registered dietician to present this program,” Cormier said. “Our goal is to have students be able to recognize signs and symptoms of their own health. We will form a plan to meet their goals of health and nutrition.”

With health and nutrition coming to the forefront, it is becoming beneficial for college students to understand the impact these decisions can have on their body.

“This will promote education and feed the mind, body and spirit,” said office manager of the Wellness Center, Cheri Amaral. “The goal is to be preventative, not reactive. We want to address things before they become a problem.”

Amaral also added obesity often results in chronic illness. Beginning a healthy routine earlier in life can cut down on a lot of health problems.

According to Amaral, the second nutrition meeting will be December 5, in the wellness center at 7 p.m.

“We’ll also start to work on setting up individual sessions,” Amaral said. These sessions would encourage physical activity and meet each student or staff member’s unique needs.

Field trips would also be set up, including outings to various grocery stores and the Falmouth and Cape Cod Canal walking trails.

Participants in the program will also be educated about places on campus. One of the field trips will be to the Flynn Dining Hall, and one will include the BSU fitness center.

“The program formulates strategies for lifelong personal development,” Cormier said. “Today it can seem confusing when you’re in the supermarket.”

Dr. Edward Braun, a professor in the Movement Arts, Health Promotion and Leisure Studies Department, believes students can gain quite a bit from this program.

“Most students that I encounter in my nutrition classes have very minimal knowledge of the quality of food, weight management issues, and the long term health consequences of eating poorly and becoming sedentary,” Braun said.

When asked if she had any advice for college students, Cormier said, “It’s important to break down food into proteins and fiber. That will help balance your energy.”

She also explained that when students are in the dining halls, they should identify proteins and fibers. When paired together they balance blood sugar.

According to Amaral, health services also offers nutritional appointments. If an individual is not able to attend any of these programs for whatever reason, they can make an appointment with a staff member.

Jennifer Christensen is a Comment news writer. Email her at jchristensen@student.bridgew.edu.

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