The Wonderful World of Lemons

Lemons are nature's sour patches.

Sometimes we tend to forget the health benefits that our sour friends have as well as the many recipes we can make with this citrus fruit.

Some Health Benefits of Lemons:

• Helps with the digestive system. 
• Drinking a glass of warm lemon water after a big meal will help in digestion because of lemons act as a natural cleanser of the body. So next time you go a little to far on your cheat day, make sure to have a big mug full of warm lemon water.

• Provides a great number of vital vitamins.
• Lemons are a great source of Vitamin C which are known to help fight against the formation of cancer. 

• Aids in clearing up complexion.
• The wonderful Vitamin C that is present in lemons also aid in the formation of collagen which is an important part of your skin. Drinking a warm glass or lemon water also helps with this aspect.

• Helps with the consumption of Iron.
• Vitamin C helps the body to absorb Iron easily.

Quick Tips: Squeeze lemons on anything from spinach to tilapia to even grilled steak to get an extra boost of Vitamin C and Flavor!

Eating Healthy in the Cafeteria

In the spirit of school starting, I thought it would be a great time to discuss cafe food. We all know it, freshman year we all loved it, sophomore year we all hated it, and junior and senior year we all missed it when we moved off of campus (only because it was free).

We all know cafe food is not always the most appetizing or the most healthiest, but we continue to indulge anyway. We just trick ourselves into thinking our greasy pizza slice with a side of even greasier deep fried french fries and large root beer float (all in which we get 2nds and 3rds) are just apart of the normal college diet.

But, not to worry! I’m going to give you some healthy eating tips I used to follow when I would go eat in the cafe. If you want to prevent that freshman 15 from turning into sophomore 20, just follow along.

Tip 1: I would only allow myself to drink one glass of juice each day. This was a way to ensure that I drank tons of water rather than indulging in the unlimited flow of Hawaiian Punch.

Tip 2: I would go for the grilled options instead of fried. For obvious reasons, grilled is always healthier than fried. (I’m not counting my pile of french fries or those days where fried shrimp was being served and I would get 2nds. Don’t judge, I’m a work in progress.)

Tip 3: I limited myself to dessert only on the weekends. With the unlimited amount of dessert from donuts, ice cream, cake, cupcakes, and more it's hard not to go overboard, which is why I had to put a limit on these sugary things.

Tip 4: I aimed at eating two out of three meals from the salad bar. The salad bar had multiple salad options from the base to the toppings as well as different soup options.

Tip 5: I made sure to practice portion control. You have to be careful not to always go back for that fifth plate of nachos or a plate stacked to the ceiling just because you can.

Tip 6: I always went for the whole grain, low fat, gluten free options. Most universities offer these options in their cafeterias due to their diversified student body.

I know it's hard to stay strong when their is a smargage board of unlimited food just waiting for you, but remember not to overindulge and you’ll be just fine! We will get through the cafeteria temptations together.

-LisaLenora

The Health Benefits of Being a Dancer

Since I was 4 years old, I have been a dancer. It is something that I enjoy and take very seriously. I have been trained in ballet, tap, and my favorite styles of dancing, hip hop and jazz. I have always danced because of my passion and love of self expression through the art, but I never thought much about the health benefits. As I sat back and talked to my current, college dance team at Michigan State University, I realized there are many health benefits that comes with the art/sport.

First off, you should know you don’t have to be a trained dancer to get enjoy the benefits of dancing.

1. Dancing can help you lose weight. Dancing requires the movement of your entire body in different ways. By constantly moving around, you are exercising your body and in turn, burning calories.

2. Dancing helps with your balance and posture. Almost every move, especially in ballet, requires good posture and constant movement. There are also stretched that dancers do specifically geared toward improving balance. This in return will help your posture and balance even when you are out of the dance studio. I have many people ask me if I am a dancer because I have great posture.

3. Dancing increases muscular strength. There are various dance moves that works the muscles repeatedly and helps build them.

4. Dancing increases flexibility. There are multiple stretches that dancers do to prepare themselves for shows. These stretches over time can credibly increase flexibility.

5. Dance improves the condition of the heart. Dancing can raise your heart and breathing rates because it is is very active. It increases your heart’s exercising by using burning calories.

6. Dance helps you sleep better. During a vigorous session of dancing, your body is being exercised and getting tired out, in return you will sleep great while your body is resting!

Now that you know some of the benefits of dancing, make sure you go out there and explore dance class options. And if you attend Michigan State University, make sure to check out MSU Urban Dreams Dance Team!

-LisaLenora