UfitStop October 2013 | Page 3

Be on time!

By Camille Santos

A ton of home works to do, a nerve breaking memorization for the upcoming examination, a 32 pages book review. When all these things come into your life in sequence, can you still eat on time? maybe your answer is a resounding “NO!”

Yes, it is true that academic excellence is essential but nothing more is compare to health. So let me give you some negative effects of not eating on time for you to realize that you are abusing yourself.

Weight Loss because the body needs a certain number of calories each day. Calories are a measurement of energy. When the calories the body needs exceed the calories being consumed, weight loss occurs. Not eating for an extended period of time causes extreme and unhealthy weight loss.

Vitamin Deficiency. Vitamins, absorbed from food prevent disease, support growth and development, and support organ function. Vitamin deficiencies are a dangerous side effect of not eating. Vitamin A, found in spinach, carrots and milk supports the immune system and vision. Without a sufficient intake of vitamin A, the body’s immune system will weaken. According to the National Institutes of Health, night blindness is one of the first signs of a vitamin A deficiency. The B vitamins play an integral role in numerous bodily functions.

I understand your situation, I also experiencing those busy days however there is always a time for everything. Just be organize and always remember that before anything else EAT.

Hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar, occurs when glucose levels in the body decrease. Foods like pasta, fruit and rice contain the most glucose. The body stores glucose in the liver. Not eating causes the body to deplete these stores from the liver, resulting in hypoglycemia. Dizziness, headaches and fainting are all symptoms of hypoglycemia.

Physical Well Being. Strength, agility, coordination, endurance, speed and level of performance are all powered by the foods you eat. What you eat determines how you tackle your daily physical activities, including housework, your job, school, homework, shopping, caring for a family and exercise.

Mental Health. Food supplies the source of power for your brain as well as your body, and has a direct relationship to mental and emotional health and stability. Learning and memory, illnesses such as depression, schizophrenia, Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease benefit from a healthy, reduced-calorie diet that includes a variety of colorful fruits and vegetables and fish high in omega-3 fatty acids, such as salmon.