During my time at camp, I met different people who did various things to be healthy, ranging from eating and drinking to yoga/breathing, to exercise. It was interesting to think about at a camp where the food is geared towards young children (think chicken nuggets, BLTs, grilled cheese, countless cookouts, etc.) with a salad bar and an area for those with food allergies/sensitivities. With this, I reflected on my own journey for achieving a healthier lifestyle and how it is for others. I also saw many of the topics from some of my favorite college courses (health psychology and behavior modification) were important parts of other individual's lives.
I want to start by talking about my experience/reflection from the beginning of my college career... I ate horribly and of course had issues with the Freshmen 15+. This was in part due to the fact that I was living on my own for the first time and the school's dining hall was buffet style. Surprisingly, I had the head knowledge of nutrition from my state's high school senior project, in which I focused on nutrition and the body - but failed to apply it to my own life (invincibility - got to love it). I noticed when I was not eating for my body - I had all sorts of issues. I was having constant digestive issues that led me to visit the doctor/on campus dieticians and trying elimination diets. For the latter half of my undergraduate career, I started changing the way I ate in various ways. First off, I had a huge issue with soft drinks - which are loaded with sugar and other chemicals. I finally found alternatives (I am forever thankful for taking behavior modification at the time) and weaned off of them. I replaced them with sparkling water/seltzer and Mio. Along the way, I stopped eating fried/greasy foods, less dairy, more probiotics (bacteria is life - literally) and ate less but more often. Not perfect - but better. Since graduating and after working at the camp for two and half months- I want to continue to focus more on eating healthier and more organic as well as consuming less sugar (I kind of should give up my obsession with gummy candy). Camp food has taught me that I do appreciate eating healthy and home-cooked food and has encouraged me to focus on living healthier.
While I was at camp, I talked with M, who is an international gymnastics coach - who has an education in both chemistry and coaching. We had various conversations about the microbiome, chemistry, and how our environment is impacted by our choices. One of the interesting things that I noticed about him was that he drank hot water every day - even on the days were humid/hot. When I asked him about drinking the warm water, he talked about the importance of the temperature of the water and how it affects our digestive system and overall our body thermostat. He also discussed eating foods that help with the alkaline environment of the gut, something that is quite interesting. One of the key examples he gave me was how it is better to drink lemon to ease heartburn rather than drink milk. Which is weird to think about since we think of milk as basic and how it neutralizes the pH of our stomachs. He also talked about what he puts in his body affects the performance of the gymnasts that he coaches in various age groups. Along with him, I met another person who ate gluten free and vegetarian because it helped her feel better physically (and her son (one of the Peanuts campers) - actually ate salad - crazy to think about what promoting healthy foods at home can actually have an impact on child's diet).
Additionally, I learned from the European staff about the ways their diet is different from ours in the US. For example, they have larger breakfasts versus are sugary filled breakfast choices. They also have smaller portions than we do in America. It is interesting to think about how good food tastes that we tend to not notice how much we eat, especially when we are out at restaurants where they serve larger portions.
Also along with eating, exercise, listening to our bodies, and how we manage stress is important to our overall health. This summer, I toned up just by walking around all over camp from early morning (also my cabin was down a hill), running after kids, constantly walking backward to keep an eye on the children that move in slow motion, and involvement in their activities. It was amazing to feel the difference on the high-movement days versus the rainy day activities where the kids were at one place for extended time to avoid the rain. With the constant activity, I felt more confident about myself, slept well, and felt good physically.
I learned a lot from one of my cabin mates, T. T is a dance instructor (who also has a background in chemical engineering) and worked in the office at the camp. Many of our conversations were centered around health, mindfulness, and life. One of the things I noticed about her was that she was very aware of what her body needed and seemed really relaxed. She went to bed early (most nights and some of the cabin teased her about this or if she was up late) and kept a regulated sleep schedule. She also did [dynamic] stretching and yoga most mornings and even ended up giving classes at 7 am in the morning to quite a few different people, myself included. When she was instructing, she focused on the flow and breathing as one does with yoga and encouraged whoever she was teaching to notice how their body felt with each flow. She also encouraged me repeatedly to listen to my body, especially when a lack of sleep and stress caught up with me and I fell sick for two weeks. This is something that is a struggle for many of us is that we don't know how to stop and relax or listen to our bodies. Mindfulness is an important thing and reaps many benefits if we do it.
With all this being said, we all have different ideas of what defines being healthy. Whether it is physical health, mental health, or both - we have what works for us. I hope to explore more of these topics and utilize it in my own life as I am in the next stage of my life.
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