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Finals Week Munchies: An Eat Healthy Recipe triple-header

By Adria Saracino

These healthy snack alternatives will ensure an A+ in both your grades and your diet.

It’s that dreaded time of year: the harsh reality of exams has crept up on all of us now that our wonderful Mayfest vacation is over. Maybe we’re anxious about graduation or dreading a summer break without our homies, but we are increasing the partying at a rate that rivals our study sessions. All that beer and greasy pizza will leave you feeling heavy and lethargic — no mood for studying. Therefore, we’ve assembled the perfect snacks to boost your energy and leave you feeling healthy, yet satisfied.

Twist to Your Old Peanut Butter and Crackers

Peanut butter slathered on whole grain crackers, such as Kashi’s Original Seven Grain crackers that is 130 calories and 3 grams of fat for every 15 crackers, is boring. Why not add some pizzazz and top this classic treat with raisins and low-fat marshmallows? These added ingredients will satisfy your sweet tooth without expanding your waistline. For example, marshmallows are about 159 calories and 0.1 grams of fat for one cup. Since you’d only be using a handful to top off your cracker masterpiece, these are essentially risk-free. Likewise, raisins are beneficial because they are antioxidants that help keep the blood clean and flowing. An added bonus is they are great for your gums and teeth. ¼ a cup of raisins is 130 calories and zero grams of fat. In all, this tasty and filling treat is approximately 275 calorie and 5.5 grams of fat.

*TIP*: A peanut is actually a legume (it’s like a bean). They are high in protein, energy, and niacin, which is the most effective means of raising HDL, or “good”, cholesterol. Try all natural peanut butters, such as Better ’n Peanut Butter, which is 100 calories and 2.5 grams of fat for every two tablespoons. This is 85 percent less fat and 40 percent less calories than regular peanut butter! Plus, it leaves out harmful chemicals and preservatives.

Go Green!

Salads are all the rave nowadays. However, you can stand out from the rest by creating this unique and healthy salad for study breaks.

Ingredients:
1-2 cups arugula (or dark leaf of your choice)
1 can of tuna (optional – can replace sliced with sliced turkey cold cuts)
¼ cup slices button mushrooms
¼ cup canned corn, drained
¼ cup canned black beans, drained
1 large handful of sliced almonds
1 large handful of pomegranates (or substitute with craisins)
1 tbsp crumbled low-fat feta cheese
1 lemon’s juice
2 tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Put these lovely ingredients in a large bowl and Voila! A scrumptious salad with all the right ingredients to keep you energized for a night of studying. Mix the lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper together in a separate bowl and use as a healthy dressing.

*TIP*: Arugula is one of the best leafy greens available. One cup is 60 calories and zero grams of fat. Plus it contains cancer-preventative compounds, such as isothiocyanates. Another beneficial ingredient in this salad is the black bean. These are considered the best beans for your health, giving a good source of fiber and iron. One cup is 220 calories and zero grams of fat. Likewise, pomegranates are an amazing source of fiber and are an antioxidant. In addition, these colorful fruits offer more vitamin C than oranges. Tuna and almonds are the source of protein in this fully loaded salad. Studies show a daily 3 ½ serving of almonds can lower LDL, or “bad”, cholesterol by 14 percent. Eleven whole nuts is 83 calories and seven grams of fat. Tuna, the other form of protein, helps lower blood pressure and cholesterol. It has an abundance of vitamins and minerals, including Omega-3, which helps the heart, skin and eyes. Three ounces of canned tuna contains 99 calories and .7 grams of fat.

Makeshift parfait

Who can resist the sweet burst of fruit juices tantalizing your tongue? To enter healthy dessert heaven, add four tablespoons of Cool Whip to a cup filled with slices of pineapple, watermelon, strawberries, and blueberries.

-Besides all these fruits being a great source of vitamin C, blueberries help prevent and treat bladder infections by making it hard for bacteria to stick to the urinary tract walls. One cup is 81 calories and zero grams of fat.

-Strawberries are rich in fiber and offer a plethora of vitamins and minerals, such as magnesium, vitamin B, vitamin K, and Omega-3. One cup is 50 calories and zero grams of fat.

-Pineapples help build healthy bones because it is rich in manganese. One cup of pineapple gives 73 percent of the daily-recommended dose of manganese. In addition, its rich vitamin C content helps fight colds and coughs. One hundred grams of pineapple equals .43 grams of fat and 49 calories.

-Watermelon not only tastes great, but is good for you, too. It is high in potassium, which helps lower blood pressure (a good thing considering our blood pressure increases with stress and exams!). Watermelons also have antioxidants, which help prevent cancer by eliminating free radicals. One cup is 46 calories and zero grams of fat.

*TIP*: If these fruits don’t suit you, add in any of your favorites, such as grapes, kiwi, or raspberries. In total, this yummy study treat is approximately 135 calories and 1.5 grams of fat. Add in low fat cool whip, and this makeshift parfait is to die for (Kraft’s low-fat Cool Whip is 15 calorie and zero grams of fat for every two tablespoons).

It’s a Map

Kiss your outdoor fitness worries goodbye with a website that will keep you on track.

By Elizabeth Narins

I can’t eat. I can’t sleep. I can’t study. And I certainly can’t go to the gym. I’m in love… with the sun. When she’s out in all her glory, exercising indoors is the last thing I want to do. What I do like about an indoor workout is the numbers: Minutes. Miles. Resistance. I’m obsessed — I have a hard time substituting a walk around the block for my 45-minute, 422-calorie-burning, level-eight-resistance daily bout on the elliptical.

The easy answer to that quandary is a pedometer, of course. I fell hard for my last beeper-sized, step-counting buddy. I wore it daily for about a semester, to the endless amusement of my friends. However, I recently stumbled upon a website that makes my pedometer obsolete.

Mapmyfitness.com offers map-routing for walkers, runners, swimmers, bikers, and hikers.  You log onto the site, type in your starting location and, with a series of clicks, draw your route on a map.

The pros: You can calculate your mileage and calories burned according to your height, weight and speed, which is way more accurate than any reading on an elliptical. You can also plan your route according to your fitness goals and log your workouts on a calendar.

The cons: While the site’s a perfect workout companion, it’s not as accurate as a pedometer for calculating daily walking distances. You need to know exactly how long you were walking or running to calculate calories, so if you are looking to tally your walk to class, last trip to the bathroom, or distance walked in a grocery store, you may need to look further than MapMyFitness.com.

Break Your Bad Habits

These tips prove there’s more to success in school than time management.

By Shavon S. Greene

I am somewhat of a beauty junkie, so I try to stay up-to-date with the new beauty products, trends, and articles. After reading Glam.com’s Break Your Beauty Habits by India Jewel Jackson, I realized there are other bad habits college students struggle with besides the French fries and pizza at the dining hall and the continuous struggle to manage stress. Here are my own five tips  to keep you fresh, clean, and healthy:

5) Can You Hea’ Me? Remember when your mother used to tell to not forget to clean behind your ears? Well, you should be cleaning them inside, too. After becoming frustrated with Q-tips, I bought liquid wax remover and clean my ears at least twice a week.

4) Sleep Naturally. Go to sleep wearing the face you were born with. After a long day, the only thing you’re thinking of is your bed — however, simply remembering to wash your makeup off first will give you clear skin worth dreaming about.

3) Drink more water. It’s hard to drink the recommended eight glasses everyday, especially if you’re addicted to soda. But believe me, the more water you drink the less huffs and puffs you’ll make when trudging up those wonderful SU hills on your way to the Hall of Languages.

2) Take a deep breath. Try to take at least 10 to 15 minutes to think about nothing, do nothing, and stress about…nothing. Try it now…Sigh. Remember you can be selfish sometimes; it’s essential for your sanity.

1) No glove. No love. Simple: Safe sex or no sex. Wrap it up to protect yourself and others.

The Spring 2008 issue

Our Spring 2008 issue is here!

Just click the Departments menu to your left to explore student-written articles on how YOU can get well, eat smart, feel great, and more!

Top 10 places to hike within an hour from Syracuse

By Kat Kondracki

1. Green Lakes State Park — Gratify outdoor desires with 10 miles of upland forest trails surrounding two of upstate New York’s glacial lakes. Both Green and Round lakes are meromictic lakes, meaning there is no surface and bottom season mixing, providing breathtaking views and home to many ancient plant and animal species.

2. Tinker Falls — Travel 20 miles southeast of Syracuse to hike near an 80’ tall waterfall. Best known for its winter ice-covered rocks, this fall provides adventure seekers with a semi-challenging hike. Jitka Sinecka, Ph.D. student in disability studies and Syracuse University Outing Club leadership chair, says hikers can walk behind the U-shaped waterfall and look through it.

3. Clark’s Reservation — This state park New York Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation describes as “a geologic wonder of the last ice age and a botanist’s paradise” offers hikers five trails, including a 175-foot cliff trail towering over water. This rocky outdoor trail includes a glacial plunge basin lake and is located only 20 minutes from campus.

4. Chittenango Falls State Park — The glacial-formed bedrock creating the 167-foot waterfall makes for a scenic hike and thigh-sculpting hike.

5. Highland Forest — With more than 20 miles of trails, this park offers a self-guided nature trail that is ideal for beginner hikers. Make a pit-stop at Highland Forest’s Skyline Lodge and appreciate the view.

6. Onondaga Trail — Maintained by the Onondaga chapter of the Adirondack Mountain club, this trail is part of the Finger Lakes Trail and is well-marked making it easily-accessible for less-experienced hikers.

7. Ithaca Gorges — Ithaca offers outdoor enthusiasts difficult hikes and beautiful sights. Sinecka describes these deep gorges as “a scene from Lord of the Rings.” Take the Taughannock Falls Gorge Tour and become awestruck by Taughannock Falls, which towers three stories higher than Niagara Falls.

8. Baltimore Woods — Located in Marcellus, this trail offers three miles of relatively flat hiking, perfect for apprehensive or less physically fit hikers.

9. Pratt’s Falls Park — Picturesque trails lead up Pratt’s Fall, a 137-foot waterfall formed by glaciers.

10. Beaver Lake Nature Center — Beaver Lake’s 600 acres of land offer nine miles of hiking split into seven different well-marked trails.

This post originally printed in What the Health’s Spring 2008 issue.

The Scoop on Sperm Donation

by Naomi Pearson // Photography by Michelle Bersani

1. Donors must not ejaculate for 2-3 days before their scheduled donation. This can affect the
donor’s sex life, by curtailing it or putting it on a schedule.

2. Donors may not participate in multiple programs—just one in their lifetime. This reduces the probability of consanguinity—meaning the chance that biological siblings will end up dating each other.

3. Men who have had sex with other men are not accepted in sperm bank programs, although they are not necessarily barred from being a “known” donor–donating sperm to a female acquaintance.

4. Some labs ship donor sperm to other cities, other states, or to other countries.

5. Some sperm banks provide other perks, like movie tickets or referral bonuses.

6. Some donor programs require a childhood picture of the donor to assist parents in making their selection from the donor catalog. Donors can, at their own option, provide a photo of themselves as adults.

7. The most common reason that applicants are not accepted by a sperm bank is low sperm count.

8. Some cyrobanks pay “open ID” donors more for their sperm.

9. A movie that gives the wrong impression of sperm donation: Road Trip.

10. A movie that gives a more accurate portrayal of sperm donation: A Modern Love Affair.

This article originally posted in The Spring 2008 issue.

Meat No More

Your body is craving meat and potatoes but there’s no way in hell you’re cooking it. Healthy solutions to carniphobia.

By Elizabeth Narins

Against my better judgment, I recently bought a pack of raw chicken cutlets. Despite my intentions to pop the poultry on the Foreman, I let them sit in my fridge for about a week while I agonized over how I could remove the meat from the cellophane wrapping and spare myself from cross-contamination. The kitchen gloves were used to clean the toilet, the forks would eventually end up in my mouth, and the only disposable utensils available were spoons.

I finally settled on the fork but it was too late.  By the time I removed the Wegman’s bag I used to insulate the raw chicken, something smelled fishy. I do like seafood, but this was a different kind of fishy. The fishy that stimulates the gag reflex.

The chicken went bad. As the rotten meat stench wafted through my apartment, I got to thinking about vegetarian meat options: Mycoprotein, rehydrated egg whites, and textured wheat protein didn’t sound so good at first. These unnatural-sounding ingredients and more can be found in Quorn’s Naked Chik’n cutlets. While this frozen entrée may resemble a bar of soap, it is actually much more versatile, and tasty.

Eat Healthy Recipe: Pasta (De)Light

By Adria Saracino

Confession: we at “What the Health” are total carbivores. If you are like us, the notion of limiting your intake of carbohydrates seems impossible. However, by eating in moderation and making smart choices, there’s no need to regret eating carbs. Our healthy pasta recipe, which substitutes regular pasta for whole-wheat, will leave you feeling guiltless and satisfied.

-Whole Wheat Pasta: This heart-healthy alternative to the Italian favorite is high in fiber and selenium, a vitamin that is believed to reduce the risks of cancer in various organs. One cup is 174 calories and one gram of fat.

-Spinach: Pop-Eye’s favorite veggie offers enough beta-carotene to surpass the recommended daily dose of Vitamin A, a vitamin that helps your eyes in numerous ways. Plus, it has more than half the daily recommended dose of folic acid, which is thought to decrease risks in pregnancy, cancer, and heart disease. One cup of cooked spinach is 41 calories and zero grams of fat.

-Mushrooms: These fungi are high in protein, vitamins, and minerals, including vitamin B and selenium. They are low in calorie and contain antibodies that fight bacteria in the body. Five medium button or white mushrooms contain 20 calories, zero grams of fat, and two grams of protein.

-Almonds: Almonds not only offer protein, but studies show 3.5 ounces daily may reduce LDL (“bad”) cholesterol by 14 percent. Eleven nuts (half an ounce) equal 83 calories and 7 grams of fat.

Garlic: This “Italian penicillin” is known to prevent heart disease. In addition, it contains cholesterol-fighting organosulfur compounds. One clove equals five calories and zero grams of fat.

Olive Oil: Another form of “Italian penicillin” — like garlic, olive oil is a main component of the Mediterranean diet and is known to eliminate risks associated with heart disease. And extra virgin olive oil reeks of antioxidants, especially vitamin E. One tablespoon consists of 119 calories and 13.5 grams of fat. Don’t fret, olive oil is a good fat that helps raise HDL (“good”) cholesterol.

Ingredients: (Serves 4-6 people)
½ lb spinach
1 lb whole wheat penne (or pasta of choice)
½ carton whole white mushrooms, chopped
2 cloves garlic, diced
½ ounce sliced almonds
Approximately 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (eyeball it so fully coats skillet)
Salt, to taste
Pepper, to taste
Pinch of parsley flakes

Directions:
In a pot, boil water for the pasta. In a separate skillet, add the extra virgin olive oil and put on low heat. Next, add the sliced almonds and diced garlic into the skillet, stir occasionally. When they begin to simmer, add the mushrooms, spinach, parsley flakes, salt, and paper and stir. Once the leaves begin to wilt and mushrooms, garlic, and almonds brown, bring to a very low heat and put a cover over the skillet. When the water boils, add the pasta to the other pot. When it is finished to your liking, strain the pasta, put it back into its original pot, and poor in the sauce from the skillet. Stir thoroughly and add some more olive oil to coat the pasta. Salt may need to be added, depending on your taste. If desired, add grated Parmesan cheese and enjoy!

Holistic Healing

Pills and powders aren’t the only remedies for what ails you.

By Katie Papo

Plenty of students rely on medications like Tylenol or Prilosec to chemically alter their ills, but that doesn’t mean they are the only answers. Holistic healing methods are all-natural and strike a balance between your body, mind, emotions, and spirit. You don’t have to be a granola-munching yoga enthusiast to master holistic healing — here are five simple ways for holistic health to improve your daily life at college:

Wash your hands. And the rest of your body too! Practicing good hygiene will not only make you smell better, but it will also help you to feel fresher and cleanse away the day’s dirt.

Wetter is better. Skip the soda and drink some water. Better yet, drink a lot of water. It’s good for your skin, it helps along your body’s processes, and it also aids in washing all of the junk out of your system.

Get your heart pumping. Regular exercise of about 30-45 minutes, five times per week is a good way to get out aggression, improve your focus, and sweat out the toxins in your body.

Eat berries. Fruits like raspberries, blackberries, and cranberries are a delicious means to get all of the antioxidants you need.  Berries are great for fighting damage to cells that cause heart disease and cancer.

Find your center. Meditation not only benefits the body, but the mind as well. By de-stressing your mind and body with simple concentration exercises, you’ll be more relaxed and centered.

Small lifestyle changes like these can make a difference in how you feel throughout the day. And with the school year winding down, you’ll want to go out with a bang. Homework is important, but tend to your body first!