Eating healthy in college?

JOHNSON CITY – Busy college students can find it awfully hard to maintain a healthy diet while juggling classes, work, club activities, and more. But senior ETSU nutrition student Caroline Dos Santos Medeiros shares some useful advice on how to do just that.

“Include a good variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and proteins in your day,” she said. “Drink plenty of water to stay hydrated, and make sure to have healthy snacks in your backpack – we all need that extra brain energy between classes. My personal favorite on-the-go-snacks are nuts, trail mix, protein or granola bars, string cheese, and fruits. I always try to have one of these in my bag to boost my energy between meals.

“Remember that good, nutritious meals don’t have to be complicated or expensive,” she continued. “Stay focused while at the store by planning ahead with a shopping list. The last tip is to find quick and easy meals you enjoy and plan to meal prep on the weekends. Meal prepping is a great way to ensure you will have a healthy option available at the end of a busy weekday.”

Medeiros, who will graduate in May 2023 with a B.S. in nutrition, was recently awarded the $2,000 Dr. Jane V. White Scholarship by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Foundation (ANDF). She is an Honors-in-Discipline student in nutrition and dietetics at East Tennessee State University, where she serves as social media chair of the Student Dietetic Association. She is also a supplemental instruction leader and academic coach for ETSU’s Center for Academic Achievement.

“Nutrition is an indispensable health science whose primary goal is to educate and guide individuals about food, wellness, and health,” Medeiros said. “Nutrition is fascinating and gives us a chance to learn more about how the foods we eat can impact our body and its functions.

“I chose nutrition as my career because I want to educate people on how to have a healthy relationship with food just as a registered dietitian did for me when I was younger.”

Medeiros plans to get a master’s degree and work as a registered dietitian before going on to pursue a Ph.D. and a career as a professor and researcher in the field of nutrition.

A native of Rio de Janeiro, Medeiros has visited over 20 countries and enjoyed trying many local cuisines. “Of all the places I have been to,” she said, “Italy has won my heart due to the delicious food, beautiful scenery, rich history and friendly people.”

The Dr. Jane V. White Scholarship is one of 309 scholarships totaling $860,250 for the 2022-23 academic year awarded by the ANDF Scholarship Committee.

“It is a significant honor for one of our students to receive a highly competitive scholarship from our national professional association,” said Dr. Whitney Bignell, an assistant professor and director of the Didactic Program in Dietetics in ETSU’s Department of Rehabilitative Health Sciences.