When you come to the US to study English you’ll be focused on your education, but make some time to focus on your health needs as well. Adopting healthy eating habits is a good place to start.

Healthy Eating makes you Perform, Feel and Look Better!

It’s easy to fall into the trap of eating fast food when you’re busy.  There’s a restaurant on every corner, and many are open 24 hours.  College students often grab these cheap, easy meals, but eating this way every day will result in unwanted pounds, and poor nutrition.  Look for healthier options on menus, or better yet, learn to cook a few staple recipes.

Even if you’re in a dorm room, and have restrictions on cooking, you’re probably allowed a coffee pot, microwave oven, mini fridge, and iron.  You don’t have to be MacGyver to use these appliances to make simple foods like, steamed vegetables, rice, a hard-boiled egg, oatmeal, or poached chicken.  Check out the dorm room cooking hacks on the dailymeal.com.

Pack your mini fridge with whole fruits, carrot sticks, salad makings, and fresh juices.  Keep nuts, and nut butter on hand for nutrient dense snacks.

Eating Well Makes you Smarter

As a study abroad student you’ll want to eat locally so you can be more fully immersed in the culture, and that’s understandable. However, a downside of American culture—when it comes to food—is excess.  Exercise portion control.  No one will be offended if you don’t eat everything put in front of you.  Take the leftovers home, and you’ll have another meal for another day.

Pay attention to what you eat.  Support your English language studies with proper nutrition, and healthy eating habits.  Studies show the effects of poor nutrition on memory, and cognition.  In research done by Gomez-Pinilla, a UCLA professor of neurosurgery and physiological science, it was found “that changes in diet are a viable strategy for enhancing cognitive abilities…” put in simpler terms—eat better, be smarter!

Enjoy all the aspects of college life as a study abroad student to the US, including the food, but be your body’s own best friend, and indulge in moderation.  Keep yourself healthy, and you’ll be able to make the most of your time abroad.