Today is National Wear Red Day, which recognizes that heart disease is the No. 1 killer of women in the world.
Until recently, many people didn”t know that heart disease was the leading cause of death for women, but according to the American Heart Association it kills one out of three women each year. Heart disease is the leading cause of death for men as well.
Most college students aren”t concerned about heart disease just yet. This is understandable as the average college student is of an age where their body is at one of its strongest points. A good amount of students don”t have to worry about suddenly going into cardiac arrest.
However, just because a majority of students don”t have to worry about heart disease now doesn”t mean students shouldn”t prioritize their health. It”s important for people to take care of themselves at any age, but in college it”s easy for students to get distracted.
With the overwhelming responsibilities of college, it”s easy for students to forget to prioritize their health. In college, students can eat fast food all they want, get little sleep and forego exercise and they will still feel great, or at least be able to function, but that doesn”t mean they won”t pay for those decisions in the long run.
University of Idaho Campus Dietician Marissa Rudley said the decisions we make now will have an impact on us when we”re older. If students take charge of their well-being now while they”re young, they will reap the benefits when they get older. It”s never too early to start making healthy choices, and it”s not as hard as it seems. To start a more healthy lifestyle, all a student needs to do is explore the campus a little.
At UI, students have a ton of convenient options to choose from to start taking care of themselves. Students have free access to the gym at the Student Recreation Center – they can get academic credit for working out by signing up for an exercise class.
Rudley is willing to meet with any student who wants to make their diet more nutritious as well. She, along with other employees and students, also teach cooking courses in the SRC that show students how to prepare healthy and affordable meals on their own.
Although partying and spending nights out on the town is fun, it”s important to establish healthy habits to carry throughout life.
Students are in the prime of life right now, so they should take advantage of it and make sure they stay in their prime as long as they can.
– EB