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(04/25/12 3:42am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The advent of spring brings not only beautiful blooming flowers but also gardens filled with delicious, fresh vegetables. There are few better ways to enjoy this crisp and nutrient-dense fare than in a fresh salad. Munching on a bowl of greens daily is a habit shared by almost all the most fit and healthy people I know. What I love about salads is their versatility and the ease in which they can be personalized according to individual taste. The classic Greek salad is a major staple in my diet because of its simplicity. It is easy to prepare by using romaine lettuce, a garlic vinaigrette, tomatoes, olives and feta cheese. To make a meal out of it, I add protein, such as salmon, chicken or crab.I like any combination of sweet and salty foods, which is why I love adding fruit to my salads. Dried cranberries compliment walnuts and goat cheese perfectly in a romaine or spinach salad. Strawberries paired with raspberry vinaigrette can help even the pickiest eaters enjoy a spinach salad. Citrus fruits are often used as an acid in salad dressing, and adding fresh oranges or grapefruit to your salad can really enliven the flavor. They also pair nicely with lightly toasted pine nuts and blue cheese. Salads are incredible because not only can fruit be added, but also a multitude of vegetables, making a salad a nutrient powerhouse. Carrots, cucumbers, tomatoes and red or green peppers are staples in many salads. Avocados, onions, artichokes, beets and broccoli can also really zest up a salad.When it comes to dressing for your salad, homemade is the way to go. Store-bought dressings often have long ingredient lists filled with sodium and preservatives. Cream-based dressings, such as ranch and caesar, can pack large amounts of saturated fat. A better option is to make a simple vinaigrette and pair it with cheese. Adding cheese supplies richness and flavor, as well as calcium, unlike creamy dressings. Vinaigrettes are simple to prepare and can be made by combining oil and an acid, along with seasoning. I am not a vinegar fan, so I prefer adding lemon or orange juice to oil along with a sprinkle of salt. Garlic is also a great way to add flavor to a dressing without lots of sodium.The trick with salads is to find what suits your taste. Even if you have never enjoyed one before, some combination out there will definitely leave your mouth watering for another bite. — hsspence@indiana.edu
(04/18/12 2:35am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>What’s your favorite food?It is difficult for me to narrow down my favorite to just one, but there are few things in life I enjoy more than a goat cheese and pine nut flatbread pizza or a cup of pistachio gelato. As much as you love your favorite food and as hard as it is to imagine your life without it, there was once a time when you had never tasted it before. This is why it is so important to have an open mind and try new foods. Trying new foods is one of my favorite activities. Having an adventurous attitude toward eating is a trait I admire greatly in individuals. I never could imagine having dietary restrictions for what I eat, such as no dairy, no meat or no wheat. I absolutely love this world of so many delicious tastes and types of food available to experience.I recently stumbled across a list of 100 foods to eat before you die and can say that I have knocked off 61 of them. The average user’s score is about 25, so my adventurous nature when it comes to food is obviously not shared by all. Some of the more notable foods I have eaten include alligator, eel, haggis (a pudding containing sheep’s liver and lungs) and rabbit stew. Though I could not imagine eating these things daily, it was interesting to try them once. The 39 foods I have not eaten include frog’s legs, squirrel and snake, all of which I am not sure I will have the opportunity to try anytime soon. Other foods on the list I have never eaten, including Spam, head cheese (a jellied meat and cheese dish) and Frito pie, I am not so excited to try. As much as I dislike being a food snob, I have little desire to try processed and unhealthy products and am more motivated to try dishes made with natural and fresh ingredients.As Little 500 week rages on across campus, the catchphrase YOLO — you only live once — is on many students’ minds.The sentiment of the musical artist Drake’s YOLO expression is something I think about a lot, especially when it comes to being adventurous in the kitchen. I hope that others can learn to channel the spirit of the saying and realize what a world of deliciousness is all around them.— hsspence@indiana.edu
(04/11/12 3:01am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>As Lent came to a close last week and Passover began this week, the influence of religion on individuals’ diets has been on my mind more than usual. I have the utmost respect for my Catholic friends who made dietary sacrifices, such as giving up alcohol for 40 days, and my Jewish friends who are currently enjoying a diet filled with lots and lots of matzo. Having the willpower to abstain is a testament to their devotion to their faith.While it is unlikely I will ever be found making any sort of dietary sacrifices to appease a higher power, I do channel my inner willpower on a daily basis out of devotion to my health. The following “commandments” make up the backbone of my nutrition convictions. Though they were not handed down from a god and come with no promise of an afterlife, I still try to avoid “sinning” and believe that adhering to them can help extend my life on earth. 1. Thou shalt follow the principle, “The key to life is everything in moderation, including moderation.” This Julia Child quote sums up a fundamental philosophy I have that nothing should be completely off-limits and that all foods can be enjoyed in sensible and occasional servings. It is only through not heavily restricting oneself that a healthy relationship with food can be fostered.2. Thou shalt eat a variety of foods. To have a balanced diet, it is important to eat a wide range of foods, especially when it comes to fruits and vegetables. This will ensure your diet is not lacking in particular nutrients.3. Thou shalt avoid the freezer section and processed foods. Eating natural foods free of additives is key to maintaining optimal sodium levels in the body and being much healthier overall. It is especially important to avoid processed meats, such as hotdogs, which are filled with carcinogenic nitrates.4. Thou shalt eat at least six servings of fruits and vegetables daily. The phytochemicals and other properties found in produce are shown to help prevent cancer in individuals and are a chief component of a healthy diet. In addition, more vibrantly colored and nutrient-dense fruits and vegetables should be eaten whenever possible. For example, you can swap a sweet potato for a regular one.5. Thou shalt eat meat only once a day. Americans consume an excess amount of protein in their diets, and it is usually in the form of high-fat meats. Swapping equally filling and protein-rich foods such as legumes and Greek yogurt in one’s diet can dramatically cut down on saturated-fat intake.6. Thou shalt be open to trying new foods. Science has proven that it takes our bodies at least three times of eating a food before we will begin to really enjoy it. There are so many fantastic and complex tastes out there to experience if you give them a chance.These six rules are really just a small glimpse into my nutrition beliefs. To fully explain what goes into eating the healthiest diet possible, I would need space almost equivalent to the Bible to fill.However, having basic guidelines can serve as an important start to shaping not only one’s faith but also one’s diet.— hsspence@indiana.edu
(04/03/12 3:01am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Everyone has a guilty pleasure, or probably more than just one. According to Women’s Health magazine, women’s guilty pleasures generally include chocolate (shocker), ice cream, potato chips and pizza. Men tend to be more carnivorous and tend to indulge in steak, fried foods and beer.I would first like to point out my complete and utter distaste for the phrase “guilty pleasure.” To have a healthy relationship with food, no one should have certain foods that are off-limits or feel bad after eating a certain item.While many individuals might not necessarily have an eating disorder, countless people, especially women, have disordered eating patterns. From a psychological standpoint, restricting yourself from any food will only make you want it that much more and cause you to binge or overeat when you eventually cave in and eat it. As I say this, I would like to point out that I am far from perfect and have guilty pleasures myself. While I deem few foods off-limits, two drinks serve as the Achilles’ heel of my diet. For one thing, sitting next to me at the moment is a Diet Coke. I have to admit that I love Diet Coke. There is something about the delicious carbonation of the drink that gets me every time. However, I hate that unnatural sweeteners give the drink its sweet taste, and I worry about its long-term effect on my body. The second drink I love is beer: My two favorites are Stella Artois and Guinness. I currently am in training to ride in the Little 500 bicycle race, so these favorites are unfortunately off my regular menu.With the weather all around Bloomington warming up, not being able to crack open a cold one anytime I want and sit outside and enjoy a burger has been difficult. At this point, however, the guilt I would feel for regularly drinking and jeopardizing my team’s chances of doing well in the race outweighs my need for the brew.And by not treating myself regularly, my first post-race beer will taste all the better. At the end of the day, every individual has some sort of guilty pleasure. To lead a healthy life, we all must learn how to indulge sensibly and not obsess about these things. I will probably never be able to fully give up drinking Diet Coke or beer even though I know these two drinks are not the best way to hydrate my body. Nevertheless, despite not being able to conquer my weaknesses, I can embrace them on occasion and learn how to enjoy in moderation. And though I am losing some small battles, I am taking one step closer to winning the overall war of eating a healthy and balanced diet.— hsspence@indiana.edu
(03/26/12 2:22am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>There is a joke that says in heaven the police are British, mechanics German, cooks French, lovers Italian and women Swedish, and in hell the police are German, mechanics are French, cooks are British, lovers are Swiss and women are Russian. I love this joke not only because I have predominantly Swedish heritage but also because I despise English food almost as much as I love French cuisine. From a sociological standpoint, national cuisine can define a country. There is a definite correlation between a country that values fine arts and a country that values fine cuisine.According to Baron de Montesquieu, a 17th century political philosopher, the climate of nations has a great influence on the spirit of laws governing their citizens. This is why legislators in lands of extreme heat or cold must make laws that fight against citizens’ natural negative tendencies. Montesquieu argues it is because of Russia’s freezing weather that citizens are naturally introverted and tend to live in fear of conspiracy and under strict rule. Due to Italy’s warm climate, citizens are extroverted and more likely to favor leisure activities, which have led to their republican values. Montesquieu’s insight made him one of the first sociological thinkers of his time and raised interesting points. I think a similar theory can be made about the effect climate has on the crops, and therefore, cuisine of a nation. In Italy and France, citizens place a high value on national cuisine and treat culinary expertise as an art form. The customary large daily meal gatherings of these nations might also have something to do with the importance they put on freedom of thought, which has led to many influential artists coming from these countries. As pointed out in the joke earlier, it’s important to play upon a country’s strengths. So, while we might not turn to the Mediterranean for economic advice, Americans can certainly learn a thing or two about their elegant cuisine.— hsspence@indiana.edu
(03/08/12 2:43am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>February marked the two year anniversary of Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move! campaign, but little change has come with that anniversary. The first lady’s program to end childhood obesity has not lived up to its potential and has been ineffective because it has aimed at soft targets. The campaign has failed to make the hard political decisions needed to see actual progress in the fight.The campaign’s goals to increase the amount and variety of fruits, vegetables and whole grains while decreasing saturated fat and sodium in children’s diets are not specific or aggressive enough to cause change. While progress has been slow, some has been made. In January, changes were made to the National School Lunch program including limiting sugary drinks and saturated fats. Efforts have also been made to improve access to nutritious foods for inner-city children.Still, more effective goals are needed to target the factors responsible for childhood obesity in the U.S. These include taxing unhealthy foods and beverages, preventing junk food advertisers from targeting children, requiring traffic-light dietary labels on foods and instituting programs to reduce the number of hours a day children spend watching television. The name Let’s Move! signifies that its premise is for children across the country to increase physical activity, not necessarily eat less. The strategic naming is evocative of the multi-million dollar lobbying power of the food and beverage industry.Progress made by the European Union to restrict advertising to children has resulted in European children now seeing 79 percent less advertising of junk food on kid’s programming than they did in 2005, according to a study in Food Chemistry News. Responsible for the change are actions by major food companies including Kellogg’s, Mars, Nestlé, Proctor & Gamble, PepsiCo, Coca-Cola and McDonald’s, including making a pledge to only advertise “healthful” products to children younger than 12 on their websites.The willingness of these companies to impose voluntary restrictions in Europe is a far cry from the way food lobbyists in the U.S. work with government. In 2008, the U.S. food and beverage industry spent more than $16 million to ensure legislation, including a “soda tax” and limits on aggressive advertising, would never pass. The influence of lobbyists hasn’t slowed during the last four years and has made it impossible for major changes to be made to the National School Lunch Program and dietary guidelines.The end of childhood obesity is still no closer in sight. Until more radical and politically aggressive steps are taken by programs such as the Let’s Move! campaign, it will continue to be a slow-moving and difficult battle. — hsspence@indiana.edu
(02/28/12 2:59am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>While the number of daylight hours dwindles before winter solstice, another number tends to rise: the one on the scale. Many of us leave the winter months perplexed as to why we now have a closer resemblance to Jolly Old Saint Nick than in earlier months. As these extra pounds might not have been on our holiday wish lists, evolutionary and cultural reasons explain why we tend to pack them on during the winter months. First, it is in our DNA to want to put on an extra layer of insulation to protect us during the winter months. Our bodies crave fatty foods during these cold winter months more than any other time. While in the summer a leafier and leaner diet may be satisfying, in the winter, we need more fuel to keep our internal fires roaring. This means it is time to bring on the calories.Arctic explorers often eat sticks of butter rolled in sugar, claiming it is the “tastiest” thing they could eat at the time. While walking to class in frigid temperatures might not be equivalent in difficulty to crossing the Arctic Circle, it can certainly work up an appetite for fat- and sugar-filled foods. In addition, since the days leading up to the solstice bring less sunlight, individuals spend more time indoors and are less active. This “cabin fever” can translate to increased loneliness, leading to even more overeating. It doesn’t help that all the extra layers of clothing and less social time lead to less body awareness and motivation to keep your body in tip-top shape. Although all the annual holiday shindigs might be an antidote to this winter boredom, they definitely do nothing to help keep winter weight gain at bay. Each year since the pagans first decorated their evergreen trees, Jews lit their menorahs and Englishmen participated in mead-filled yule-time gatherings, gigantic feasts have been shared to chase away the winter blues. Flash forward to today: It is hard to imagine an office holiday party without a large buffet of food and caloric drinks to help people be merry. Even harder for me to wrap my head around is a Christmas morning without my mother’s homemade breakfast feast of bacon, waffles and lox. Luckily, with the advent of March, there exists something that encourages us to lose our winter weight — the spring break countdown.As temperatures rise, I hope, so will our motivation to go out for a long run and swap the Santa suit for a swim suit.— hsspence@indiana.edu
(02/20/12 3:31am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Whether to spend the extra money and buy organic constantly plagues me during my weekly trips to the grocery store. To obtain the United States Department of Agriculture organic certification, foods must be produced without synthetic pesticides or chemical fertilizers, cannot be genetically modified or have undergone irradiation and must be free of chemical food additives. Organic farms are undoubtedly more eco-friendly and better for soil, climate and animals than traditional industrial agriculture. Yet, organic farming may not be better for farmers. New USDA and National Agricultural Statistics Service data revealed that organic farms produce smaller yields and are more expensive to own. Despite being able to sell organic products for more money, organic farms are rarely as profitable as their industrial counterparts. But this data was released from the USDA, whose role is to support American agriculture, of which organic farms make up a small percentage. Even though organic farms are possibly not as fruitful, health and environmental concerns outweigh my desire to save a few dollars, and I try to go organic whenever possible. Items most worth going organic for, in my opinion, include milk, beef, chicken and produce with edible skins. I fear the effects of using hormones and antibiotics on animals in the future. Eating produce that has the outside covering removed, such as a banana or pineapple, does not bother me because chemical contamination only occurs on outside coverings. The exponential growth of organic foods in today’s food market is evocative of the current shift to consume a more natural diet. That consumers such as myself are willing to pay more for a seemingly identical product shows that food awareness is increasing across America.I hope that in coming years, the USDA will follow this trend and make it easier for more and more farms to make the switch. Currently, even obtaining USDA organic certification is a cost many small-time farmers cannot afford. At the end of the day, eating an apple with the certified organic sticker reassures me, and lets me know exactly what is going into my body.— hsspence@indiana.edu
(02/14/12 3:54am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Once again the time has to come to celebrate Valentine’s Day or, as those not in relationships like to call it, Single’s Awareness Day.The holiday’s celebration of love is sweet, and the history of St. Valentine is rich. But the heart of this holiday is undoubtedly what comes in heart-shaped boxes — chocolate. During this year’s Super Bowl, the International Labor Rights Forum spent big bucks and purchased advertising space at Lucas Oil Stadium to broadcast a video titled, “Hershey’s Chocolate: Kissed by Child Labor.”The ILRF accused the Pennsylvania-based company of using the labor of more than 200,000 West African children to harvest its cocoa beans yearly. In addition to their child labor infractions, the plantations also raise environmental issues. To make cocoa farms possible, sometimes miles of rainforest must be destroyed. Hershey’s provides the world with ample Kisses and Hugs, but are their unsustainable business practices worth their low retail price? Hershey’s has already responded to the ad and released a statement promising to make its business practices less bitter. A new line of sustainably grown, Rainforest Alliance-certified Bliss and Dagoba chocolates have been introduced. The company also invested $10 million in its West African suppliers. However, there has been increased consumer demand for artisanal chocolate, and these new additions might be a response to the ILRF statement, but they are also a response to basic market practices. The Hershey’s company’s practices exemplify the darker side of chocolate and the questionable ethical practices of major food manufacturers. While all is fair in love and war this Valentine’s Day, there are definitely things unfair in the food industry.The power to change companies’ actions is in the hands of the consumer. It is our purchases that prompt stores to continue to stock shelves with products that are made in a less than desirable manner.As the years roll by, the truth of the commercialization and overproduction of this annual love fest has become more evident to me. I cannot help but yearn for the Valentine’s Days of elementary school years past, when my classmates and I were more concerned with what Nickelodeon characters were on our cards than what children around the world were sacrificing to make our fun-size candy bars possible. —hsspence@indiana.edu
(02/07/12 3:40am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Last week, I hit a major milestone: the 21st birthday.I received many phone calls and texts filled with birthday wishes from friends and family. But, warnings of don’t go “too hard” and to “be careful” were also included. This is because, despite being a year older, many 21-year-olds choose to spend their passage into adulthood as immaturely as possible. According to a 2008 study in the Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 24 percent of females and 34 percent of males engage in a tradition of consuming 21 or more drinks on their big day. The “21 for 21” phenomenon is unhealthy and dangerous. It is evocative of Americans’ “more is more” attitude toward diets and lives. Instead of enjoying a single glass as our first legal sip, we guzzle copious amounts of alcohol and risk our lives in the process.America’s habit of over-drinking goes hand in hand with our obsession with supersized portions and overeating. Although the rest of the developed world’s waistbands are expanding, their populations are still thinner than us. Their mindset may affect this. The Japanese are not members of clean plate club. They use the phrase “hara hachi bu” to describe when they should stop eating, which means 80-percent full. The author of the book “Why French Women Do Not Get Fat” theorizes that Parisians are slim because they regard food with the same level of respect they do for works of arts hanging in the Louvre. They view their national cuisine as not only fuel for the body, but also as an expression of beauty to be enjoyed in small quantities.The less-is-more adage has much truth when it comes to proper nutrition. At the same time, however, there are times when it is important to throw caution to the wind.It is only by eating or drinking excessively that one is able to appreciate the importance of not overdoing it. The hangover from students’ 21st birthdays serves as an all-too-true example.— hsspence@indiana.edu
(01/31/12 4:14am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>As a rebellious child and teenager, I found mandatory family dinners to be a constant source of irritation. At the time, school, athletics and my social life all trumped sitting down and eating a home-cooked meal every night at 6 p.m.Looking back now, however, I truly appreciate my mother’s strictness about the dinner-time ritual. Eating nutritious and homemade meals instilled in my three siblings and me not only the value of eating well, but also the importance of family time. My love of food and cooking today can be largely attributed to those meals. Being exposed to a diverse array of healthy cuisines as a child has had a significant effect on my life.While I used to complain about having the only mom on the block who did not allow the television to be on during meals, I now realize the importance of catching up with loved ones at the end of day. Though our dinners were a far cry from anything depicted in a Norman Rockwell painting, many of my clearest and fondest childhood memories were made around the kitchen table as we told anecdotes from our day.Mealtime is a bonding activity and central to many of my family’s traditions. I cannot imagine the holiday season or birthdays without my mother’s multiple courses, which never fail to leave the waistband of my pants stretched to its maximum capacity. The fact that I used to complain about the cuisines and recipes my mother prepared, such as Thai food and mashed cauliflower instead of potatoes, shocks me. Her obsession with gourmet cooking and Martha Stewart is now one of the things I adore most about her. In addition, I relish every opportunity I have to be adventurous in the kitchen and to try new dishes. My mother’s “food snob” attitude about the importance of preparing meals from fresh ingredients is also something I have begun to emulate. Prepackaged convenience foods such as chicken nuggets and lasagna were never in my freezer as I grew up and are not foods I enjoy eating now. Despite no longer living under my mother’s rules, I still make an effort to sit down and eat at least one meal a day with no distractions, aside from my friends’ conversation. In fact, when asked what I love most about being in a sorority, my response is almost always that I get to come home and eat dinner with more than 80 of my friends. Although it is not yet the second Sunday in May, I would like to express my gratitude to my Mom. Thank you for forcing me to miss out on neighborhood games of kickball, sitcom reruns, study sessions and the beginning of football game tailgates. I would not be the person and cook I am today without you.— hsspence@indiana.edu
(01/24/12 4:52am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>There are few things I despise more than the commercial breaks during IU basketball games. This season, my hatred has grown even more because of a new sponsor of the Big Ten Network: 5-hour ENERGY shots. Thus, in addition to the constant stream of commercials from GEICO’s uncountable ad campaigns, I now have to endure cheesy ads for the energy drink promising “long-lasting energy with no crash later.”Sleep-deprived and overworked college students represent a key demographic for energy drinks. According to ads, this little bottle offers a “no sugar and zero net carbs option to beat that 2:30 in the afternoon sluggish feeling” that comes with our fast-paced lifestyle. The energy shots provide more than 2,000 percent daily value of B6 and 8,333 percent of B12. It is this special “blend” of vitamins that the ads attribute the boost in energy to. The ads portray this as a natural alternative since “its key ingredients can be found in everyday foods like avocados, broccoli, bananas and apples.”In reality, energy cannot actually be obtained from vitamins or minerals — they can only help the enzymes that do produce energy. The jolt felt from the product is most likely the caffeine it packs. At $4 a pop, I do not understand why individuals would not receive this amount of caffeine that is about ”equivalent to a cup of coffee” from an actual cup of coffee and not worry about potentially overdosing on vitamin B.The growth and popularity of 5-hour ENERGY shots is indicative of the fast-paced and unhealthy lifestyles of college students and Americans as a whole. To ease the burden of busy college schedules, we all are looking for the next quick fix. Even IU Coach Tom Crean relies on his own powder energy drink mix called “Liftoff” by Herbalife, more commonly recognized as the brown liquid in his Dasani water bottle each game.Energy drink companies’ ad campaigns center on the idea that our schedules are so jammed-packed, we are unable to fit in sleeping and eating correctly. Being a double major and involved in many organizations around campus, I understand this feeling. When my schedule becomes hectic, it can be easy to not prioritize treating my body well. Resorting to using cheap energy drinks or gimmicks is not the answer, however. Through my own personal trial and error, I can also say that resorting to drinking grande-sized cups of Starbucks is not the answer, either. The best way to fight the dreaded “afternoon slump” or fatigue any time of day is to maintain an adequate sleeping and workout regimen. To keep energy up all day long, taking short walks or eating protein-packed snacks such as a handful of nuts or peanut butter can be beneficial.The world depicted in 5-hour ENERGY shots commercials is not one I want to live in. While it is important to work hard and be ambitious, it is equally important to continue to maintain a healthy lifestyle and not rely on quick fixes.- hspence@indiana.edu
(01/17/12 4:08am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>I arrived at the Student Recreational Sports Center this morning and wondered why the line for the treadmill looked like the day after the Victoria’s Secret fashion show. After logging in time on the track, I realized the start of the new year meant the season for New Year’s Resolutions had once again arrived. While any dietetics major would agree that resolving to eat healthier and workout more is a smart decision, the resolutions made by individuals to starve themselves and over-exercise are never endorsed.A better resolution individuals can make this year is to improve their relationship with food and create positive eating habits that will last not only a week, but a lifetime. From a psychological standpoint, denying certain foods only makes one crave that item more and often break down and binge-eat. In order to achieve optimal health, it is important to view food as energy that fuels your body, but also as something that can be pleasurable. Having a negative relationship with food can consume a person’s life, especially in college, where students are given full control of their diet for the first time. This does not have to be the case, however, and instead of obsessing over every morsel eaten, this newfound freedom can be used to explore new cuisine and eat healthier than ever before. When it comes to eating well, enjoying everything in moderation and consuming a wide variety of fresh foods makes for an nutritious diet. Super restrictive eating plans often end in failure and are deficient in sufficient calories, vitamins and minerals. One of my resolutions this spring is to master cooking more types of seafood, because there is a multitude of health benefits to eating this protein and omega-3 rich fare. Also, it’s an area of cooking I am less confident about preparing. During the last two years, cooking has become one of my favorite hobbies and eating food I know that I made makes it taste that much better.So this year make a resolution you can actually keep and resolve to savor every bite!Keeping resolutions?It’s been more than three weeks since New Year’s Day, and according to the ProActiv Research Institute, 34 percent of American adults have already broken their resolutions. What was your resolution, and how is it going? Brady Gerber, freshman“To let things I can’t control play out, to only worry about what I can control. I think I’ve done a pretty good job — I have some quotes on my computer I try to remember like, ‘Life is too important to take seriously.’”Tyanna Miller, freshman“To eat healthier — not as much fast food like chips or vending machine food. Being a freshman, there’s tons of opportunities to sit around and eat junk food, so I try and watch what I eat. I also live at home, so budget-wise I’m not pressured.”Jenny Blackey, freshman“Not to eat cookies, especially Snickerdoodles because I eat them all the time, and being more healthy. So far, it’s been so good. I don’t go to places like Crimson Creamery where there are many cookies.”
(03/23/11 8:38pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Travis Barker is a drummer and a very talented one with inventive beats at that. But he’s still only a drummer. The release of his solo debut “Give the Drummer Some” is more than a bit unconventional, and for Blink-182 fans, the hip-hop crossover is also a surprise departure.An all-star cast of rappers, including Lil Wayne, Lupe Fiasco, Rick Ross and Game, lends rhymes to tracks on the album, and while some sound refreshing against the sound of real drum kicks, others don’t quite blend in with the one-man band. Overall, Barker’s drumming skills are overshadowed by the rappers’ lyrics and there is a lack of cohesion among the 12 songs that makes it sound more like a collection of remixes than a proper album.Some fans might enjoy hearing their favorite rappers do something different on the tracks, but ultimately the concept of the album is more unique than the actual music.
(09/08/10 1:55am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>As construction on the Collins Living-Learning Center continues, several students and faculty expressed they are growing eager to see the project completed.“The primary improvements being made include raising the front veranda’s walls, adding a retaining wall between East 10th and Woodlawn Avenue and resurfacing the foundation and stairway on the front of the main quad,” Collins Residence Manager Wil McCall said.McCall said this is the first major “facelift” the building has undergone since it was built in 1940, when it was originally named North Hall. The renovations are being made to ensure the building complies with current building codes.“The residence hall is going to look nicer, but not necessarily newer,” McCall said. “Everything we do tries to keep the historical integrity of the building in tact and only change what is required.”While walkways have now been made accessible for students to access the building, much of the courtyard in the front of Collins remains under construction and has not been open to students for congregation or outdoor activities.“Renovations began this summer and did have a late start because there are so many projects going on around campus right now,” McCall said. “The construction here will most likely not be completely finished until the end of the month.”For some students, this date cannot come soon enough.“The construction has really limited our ability to have fun activities over the last weeks,” Collins Resident Assistant Grant Hardisty said. “Not being able to participate in drum circles or toss around a frisbee has put a damper on the beginning of the year, especially Welcome Week.”In an e-mail to Collins residents sent out last week, Residential Programs and Services officials said the veranda is scheduled to re-open today, which is a step closer to not only more outdoor activities, but also a better night’s rest for students who are awaken by the construction.“The construction starts every morning at 7 a.m.,” sophomore and Collins resident Sarah Van Tassel said. “I actually bought an industrial size fan for my room to try and block out the noise. While I do think the timing could have been planned better, it is important for the dorm to look better, and I am glad the it is being worked on.”
(09/08/10 1:55am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>As construction on the Collins Living-Learning Center continues, several students and faculty expressed they are growing eager to see the project completed.“The primary improvements being made include raising the front veranda’s walls, adding a retaining wall between East 10th and Woodlawn Avenue and resurfacing the foundation and stairway on the front of the main quad,” Collins Residence Manager Wil McCall said.McCall said this is the first major “facelift” the building has undergone since it was built in 1940, when it was originally named North Hall. The renovations are being made to ensure the building complies with current building codes.“The residence hall is going to look nicer, but not necessarily newer,” McCall said. “Everything we do tries to keep the historical integrity of the building in tact and only change what is required.”While walkways have now been made accessible for students to access the building, much of the courtyard in the front of Collins remains under construction and has not been open to students for congregation or outdoor activities.“Renovations began this summer and did have a late start because there are so many projects going on around campus right now,” McCall said. “The construction here will most likely not be completely finished until the end of the month.”For some students, this date cannot come soon enough.“The construction has really limited our ability to have fun activities over the last weeks,” Collins Resident Assistant Grant Hardisty said. “Not being able to participate in drum circles or toss around a frisbee has put a damper on the beginning of the year, especially Welcome Week.”In an e-mail to Collins residents sent out last week, Residential Programs and Services officials said the veranda is scheduled to re-open today, which is a step closer to not only more outdoor activities, but also a better night’s rest for students who are awaken by the construction.“The construction starts every morning at 7 a.m.,” sophomore and Collins resident Sarah Van Tassel said. “I actually bought an industrial size fan for my room to try and block out the noise. While I do think the timing could have been planned better, it is important for the dorm to look better, and I am glad the it is being worked on.”
(07/07/10 11:25pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>According to the National Science Foundation’s 2006 demographic data, despite making up 24 percent of the total U.S. population, Native Americans, Hispanics and African-Americans comprise only 10 percent of the college-educated individuals employed in science and engineering occupations.In an effort to change current demographics, IU will hold the ExxonMobil Bernard Harris Summer Science Camp, allowing middle school students from the underrepresented segments of the population to learn about math and science while being exposed to a college atmosphere.From July 11 to 23, students entering grades six, seven and eight will attend the camp free of cost. Fifty-four students were selected based on their strong grades in science and math courses, overall good conduct, recommendations from teachers, an admission essay and overall interests in the science, technology, engineering and math disciplines.Edwin Marshall, IU vice president for Diversity, Equity, and Multicultural Affairs, said in a University press release that exposing youth to the STEM disciplines during the time period before high school is critical.“We must commit to educating our youth in the STEM disciplines in early grades to engage and retain student interest in these disciplines through college and career exploration and development,” Marshall said in a press release. “The IU camp represents a substantial continuing commitment to helping students pursue science and math careers.”In an IU press release, Rex Tillerson, chairman and chief executive officer of Exxon Mobil Corp, said ExxonMobil shares in the passion math and science education that the camp displays.“These camps help students explore beyond their horizons to encourage a life-long love of math and science and a better future,” he said in the release.The theme for this year’s camp is “Understanding Sustainability from the Ground Up: The World of Water.” “Water sustainability is an important topic because it is important to everyone — it’s an area students often do not realize the importance of,” IU Camp Program Director Paul Edwards said. “The theme also allows for IU’s natural resources to be utilized through a number of activities, including collecting water samples from Lake Griffy and the Jordan River.”Along with outdoor excursions, students will attend daily classes and labs in natural sciences, engineering and technology taught by secondary classroom teachers. Some students will even have the chance to visit the water processing facility, United Water, in Indianapolis.Over the last four years, 4,000 middle school students have participated at 30 universities and institutions across the country in the summer science camp program started by Bernard A. Harris Jr., the first African-American to walk in space and the president of the Harris Foundation, to help students with backgrounds similar to his. According to the Harris Foundation’s website, Harris began the nonprofit organization in 1998 “to develop math/science education and crime prevention programs for America’s youth.”The summer science camp program was originally developed as a collective effort of the foundation, the Houston Independent School District, the University of Houston and the Southwestern Oklahoma State University and was designed to support historically underserved and underrepresented students with limited opportunities.“This year’s summer science camps will give students a chance to learn about mathematics and science, more about themselves and about life on a college campus,” Harris said in a University press release. “Most importantly, campers learn that they have the power to achieve their dreams, whatever they may be.”Rene Flores, national director of the Summer Science Camp program, shares Harris’ passion for encouraging students to explore new educational opportunities.“It is impossible to aspire to something you have never been exposed to,” Flores said. “On the first day of camp, the opening speaker asks campers to stand if this is their first time away from home, and the number of students who stand up is incredible.”Flores said the program is successful because the camp leaders treat the campers like actual university students.“They gain new independence, accountability, and even begin to picture themselves as college students,” she said. “Also, the experience does not end on the last day of camp. We continue to stay in contact and make sure past campers keep up with their goals through high school.“
(06/24/10 12:06am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Seven thousand incoming freshmen received their housing assignments last week, and Tyler Cottman, who requested to live in the Central neighborhood, was assigned to Wright Quad.Though he has never attended a class at IU before, Cottman already has an opinion of what the dorm scene is like.“Northwest is where the partiers live, Southeast I do not really know anything about, and Collins is the one that looks like Hogwarts,” he said. “I requested to live in Central for its convenient location and because it does not seem to have a reputation associated with it. It seems to be where the normal students live.”While Cottman requested a place to live based on a lack of reputation, residence hall stereotypes whispered between past and future IU students often have a real effect on where incoming freshmen decide to live.The majority of freshmen requested to live in Northwest due in part to its reputation.“The No. 1 requested neighborhood is Northwest — around 3,500 of the 7,000 incoming freshmen preference it,” said Sara Ivey Lucas, assistant director of IU Bloomington Residential Programs and Services. “There is a mis-impression that all freshmen live there, when really less than 3,000 students do.”This neighborhood includes Briscoe Quad, Collins Living-Learning Center, Foster Quad and McNutt Residence Center.This preconceived perception might be a result of advice given by older relatives and friends who attended IU, Ivey Lucas said. Some incoming freshmen also mentioned visiting college gossip websites, such as Collegeprowler.com. On the website, a business student graduating in 2013 advises to “definitely go Northwest campus if you are majoring in business” and that “Northwest is the most social area of campus ... about 50 percent of Northwest residents go greek.” One student graduating in 2013 wrote, “Living in the Northwest dorms is the best social atmosphere and the most normal students around.”Users of Boardreader.com agreed.One student wrote, “The partiers/pre-greeks live in Northwest.”While Northwest is the most requested area on campus, said Ivey Lucas, Central is also high on the list, with around 30 to 40 percent of students listing it. The Central neighborhood includes not only Teter and Wright quads and Ashton Center, but Eigenmann Hall.Sophomore Danielle Wooding chose Central for the location and because of her roommate. At the end of her freshman year, though, Wooding felt that while the food courts and location were convenient, Northwest would have been a better fit for her.“I really liked living (in Wright) except for the fact that I lived in the ‘Virgin Vault,’ which had only girls,” Wooding said. “I felt like it held me back from meeting new people. Also, a lot of people didn’t rush from Central. I had wanted to do it before I came to college, so where I lived didn’t affect that. It was weird going through rush, though, because there wasn’t really anyone around me, especially when I came back early from Christmas break.”Sophomore Nick Fox found that though residence halls might be in the same neighborhood, they can be very different.“I was late applying for housing, so I got stuck living at Eigenmann first semester,” Fox said. “The rooms were big and nice and the food was delicious, but I didn’t like it because my roommate and hall mates weren’t the type of people I wanted to be friends with, and it was hard adjusting to college without friends living close. “I moved to Wright second semester because it was cheaper, closer to campus, and I wanted to have a new start on roommates and hall mates. It was a better experience second semester.”Because the Southeast neighborhood, made up of Read Center and Forest and Willkie quads, is located near the Jacobs School of Music and the School of Education, it is attractive to students majoring in music and education.While junior Ingrid Nelson, a political science and Russian major, said she liked living in Forest her freshman year, she did find other students did not always understand her living in that particular residence hall.“When I decided on IU, I didn’t know much about the campus in terms of which dorms were popular,” Nelson said. “I ended up in Forest randomly. I didn’t feel like people judged me, but I did feel like people judged Forest as a dorm. Usually when I told people I lived there, they told me how bad they felt for me or asked me how much I hated it. I think a lot of people associated Forest with weird, random students.”Dorm dwellers can also opt to live in one of the learning communities on campus. Learning communities are gathering student interest around campus, with now about 30 different communities to choose from. One of the most well-known is Collins Living-Learning Center. Incoming students, such as sophomore Patrick Apfelbeck, often learn about this residence hall through information sent by RPS.“I was sent a letter about Collins,” Apfelbeck said. “I decided to live there because it felt like a small liberal arts college even though it was located in IU’s huge campus. The only negative thing about living there was that I did feel at times stereotyped. “Collins is very diverse and there are a wide range of people, not all like me. By the end of the year, though, 90 percent of my close friends lived there, and I ended up not really caring what other people thought.”Collins has one of the highest retention rates of any residence hall on campus, with more than 50 percent of residents living there another year, Ivey Lucas said. While Apfelbeck said choosing to extend his stay in Collins was beneficial, junior Rachel Peterson said she thought the stereotyping associated with the dorm could hold back students from branching away from the residence center.“People in Collins are definitely stereotyped,” Peterson said. “I think that, to an extent, living in Collins affected my rush experience. Unlike dorms like McNutt, Collins had a very few number of girls go through recruitment, and those people not going through rush in Collins were sometimes really against greek life.”And Ivey Lucas recommends not taking these stereotypes too seriously.“You can always find exceptions in each dorm, and each dorm has its own advantages and resources,” she said.
(05/26/10 10:43pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The IU board of trustees made history with its recent approval of the 2010-11 budget, which does not provide for staff and faculty pay increases for the second consecutive year.“Indiana University has two primary sources of revenue that can go towards salary increase — the state budget and tuition,” said University Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Neil Theobald. “While tuition has gone up by 4.9 percent in-state and 5.9 percent out-of-state, the state budget was cut by over $29 million for the 2011 school year.”In order to cope with budget deficiencies and minimize debt, the board of trustees has adopted the lowest percentage operational budget increase the University has seen in decades, according to an IU press release. Costs are being reduced partly by freezing salaries, cutting more than 200 staff and faculty members last year, reducing travel budgets and placing a hiring freeze on administrative personnel.While the trustee budget is currently freezing salaries, Theobald said there is a chance employees could see pay increases.“$17 million has been set aside, and depending on what happens with the state budget this summer, the money could be used for salary increases,” Theobald said. “The state budget has been doing better over the last several months, so this is a possibility.” IU faculty and staff are not alone in coping with the effects of reduced funding for higher education. Across the Big Ten, similar budget cuts are being made. Last year, administrators from Penn State University, the University of Illinois, Purdue University and Ohio State University announced that all employees’ salaries were to be frozen. According to a Sept. 30 Minnesota News Daily article, the University of Wisconsin-Madison administrators even went so far as to announce that all employees must take furlough days — unpaid vacation days — which will result in a 3 percent decrease in salary.“This is the second year in a row that my nominal salary will be frozen, which implies that this is the second year in a row my salary will be cut in real terms,” said Utpal Battacharya, a Kelley School of Business associate professor of finance. “This is sad because these last two years have been my most productive in terms of research and teaching, and I will be rewarded as much as some other folks who just coast by. Having this said, these are lean times, and I, like all good Hoosiers, need to sacrifice.”According to the IU factbook for 2009-10, the IU-Bloomington campus alone employs close to 9,000 staff and faculty members, all of whom, not only administrators, are affected by the salary freeze.Edward Vasquez, vice president of the IU Bloomington and Northwest campuses’ chapters of Communication Workers of America, said staff and faculty members are already voicing concerns about how they are going be able to keep up with the rising cost of living without an increase in pay. “Faculty and staff need to be able to pay our bills on time,” Vasquez said. “We are one of the most underpaid staffs throughout the Big Ten — most support staff make under $30,000 a year.“We feel it is important for the University to show appreciation for the work done. Morale has been down, and at this point, any small increase would help.”
(05/12/10 11:30pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The expansion of the Eigenmann Hall parking lot is not only diminishing the time students will spend circling parking lots, but also part of the Jordan River, which runs through where the new pavement is set to be poured.To help compensate for this loss of the natural wetlands, IU has hired local sub-contractor Eco Logic to design a stream mitigation project along the Jordan River near the Wright Education Building and the Jordan Avenue Garage. According to IU Environmental Health and Safety Specialist Michael J. Dorsett, it is a requirement for the University to mitigate the stream disturbance. The mitigation site is already blooming, and Eco Logic is confident the local ecosystem will continue to thrive. “The habitat that existed beside Eigenmann was very degraded and dominated by nonnative Tall Fescue grass,” said Rachel Powers, Eco Logic GIS Specialist and Restoration Ecologist. “This type of low-quality habitat does not support very much wildlife and the majority of species — fish, birds and small mammals — will be able to find new niches in the habitat downstream.” With help from School of Public and Environmental Affairs students, Eco Logic kicked off the project April 22 by installing about 3,000 plants, including native wetland sedges, native prairie grasses and wildflowers.In addition, the construction of the mitigation entails conveying a portion of the Jordan River through concrete pipes underneath the new pavement. To diminish the effects of stream bank erosion, matting and coconut logs were placed in the wetland project along with seeding, tree plantings and other control measures. The location of the mitigation site is beneficial for the local ecosystem because it provides flood control and absorption of pollutants such as nitrate, and students can use it as an outdoor classroom, Powers said.“Another benefit of this stream mitigation project is the plant species that were installed at the mitigation site were chosen to increase biodiversity,” she said. “The neat thing about the mitigation project is that this newly created habitat will be capable of supporting a wider range of wildlife species that were not previously using the Jordan River.”