Selena S. Sifontes// SDA Columnist
New experiences, as great as they may be, can be overwhelming. What happens when we are overwhelmed? We lose focus on taking care of ourselves. We are so busy trying to get a handle on everything that we forget about ourselves and our own well-being. This is the most crucial time to maintain a happy and healthy state. It’ll help us manage the adjustment much better.
Our diet is usually the first thing that goes out the window when getting used to a new routine and a new life. We tend to either overeat (thank you, stress) or not eat at all (thank you, time; or lack thereof). Both are unhealthy and dangerous.
Overeating is one of the leading causes of obesity today. Most times it occurs from eating too much “comfort food.” Yes, you know – those four slices of pizza that you stuffed down your throat after arriving late to the first day of class thanks to the long line at the bookstore. The food that gives us that warm and fuzzy feeling of control and security we tend to lack when feeling overwhelmed and out of balance. I am sure we all know that feeling.
Under eating is also a concern these days. We seem to be so busy living a fast-paced lifestyle, that we forget to eat. Can you believe that? Have we forgotten we are human too? Eating is a necessity, not a luxury, like sleeping, drinking water and being active. It is important to feed our bodies, not only to fuel them for daily functions, but also to help maintain a healthy balance – physically, emotionally, mentally and biologically.
So how do you achieve and maintain this balance while adjusting to all of these new endeavors? Learn how to manage your stress, smile more often, sleep enough, go for a walk, ask for help and get organized. You can also maintain a healthy balance by improving your time management skills. Create a schedule and “To-Do” lists (make sure to include eating). Feel free to color code and prioritize. The feeling of crossing things off your list will provide you with a sense of accomplishment, helping you feel less stressed. See how it all ties together? Set reminders on your devices to take a break and eat – even just to breathe.
It is a cycle. When we become overwhelmed, it leads to malnourished stressed out human beings. Without proper nutrition, we become ill more frequently, which leads to absences from classes and assignments. Guess what happens then? We become more overwhelmed than when we started. When we try to catch up, the cycle begins again. By just being aware of our daily habits, we can change this cycle. Don’t feed into it. Tell that big, ugly, bad-habit to take his fries somewhere else; because around here, only healthy habits are made.
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