Mom, You Never Said I Had to Eat Healthy at College!

It's time to go back to school for the fall. The summer had its short stay, and now it's back to the grind. You're mad, so you're going to want some good food to get you through.

Most college students will just go for the easiest thing. McDonald's dollar menu provides a quick and tasty option for a $3 lunch, consisting of a hamburger, fries and a soda. Boy, that's really healthy eating there. If you're lucky, your immune system will get you through the semester without you getting pneumonia for stress and lack of nutrition.

As a college student, it's still important to eat well. If you do, you'll decrease your chances of getting sick or getting too tired and stressed out. Eating healthy food makes you feel better, and gives you more energy to pull those all nighters preparing for your exams and writing papers. If you get sick or stressed out, you'll miss classes and get behind, and then you'll get even more stressed out trying to catch up. You're better of just to take care of yourself in the first place. Here are ten small changes you can make to your diet to stay healthy during the fall college semester.

1. Eat fresh instead of canned fruit. There are so many more nutrients in fresh fruit. Fresh fruit is full of vitamins, and many are stacked with antioxidants. Try eating at least two servings of fresh fruit a day, even if you can't afford to eat five a day or it's just too much to ask. Eat an apple and a peach this fall. Eat a plum and an apricot. Grab two pears as you run out the door.

2. Make yourself some fresh veggie juice for breakfast each morning. If you're running out the door late for class every morning, grab some fresh vegetable juice. The best way to make sure this happens is to make it the night before, and put it in the refrigerator in the exact container you will take with you to class. So you don't forget it, write a note and put it right beside your keys.

To make the juice, put different vegetables in a blender and liquify. You may need to add some water and salt and pepper. Adjust according to your taste.

3. Use only whole wheat bread and pasta. Forget about the white bread and regular pasta you're used to. It may take a few times to get used to the slightly different taste, but after a while you'll probably like the whole wheat flavor better anyway.

4. Avoid processed lunch meats. The best way to do this is to cook your own meat on the weekend and have it available for sandwiches for the week. Cook some grilled chicken breasts, and use them as your lunch meat. You can even make chicken salad to mix up the menu.

5. Forget about dessert. Most desserts you eat will be full of sugar and void of any nutrients. Don't go for the donut for breakfast. Skip the brownie after lunch. Avoid the ice cream after dinner. You'll also feel healthier and help yourself not gain weight, because these desserts are also packed with calories.

6. Drink more water and less soda. Yes, you say you need the soda, because that fizz just gives you ten percent more added motivation for studying, right? I doubt it. You just like the soda. This is just going to make you feel bloated and give you less energy later, so ban soda from your diet. If you have to have some soda, have one or two on the weekend.

7. Say no to caffeine in large amounts. Coffee can be good for you, and some caffeine can be good for your health. However, two pots of coffee each day aren't going to get you the gold medal in wellbeing. You'll end up getting too frustrated over time, and caffeine withdrawal doesn't feel too good. Limit yourself to two or less caffeinated beverages per day to maintain a balance with your system.

8. Avoid eating late at night. If you eat late at night, chances are you'll feel groggy and not well rested in the morning. Also, your body has less time to digest your food which will increase your chance of gaining the freshman fifteen pounds.

9. Drink juice that is 100 percent juice. Most juices have about 10% real juice, and this isn't good for you. Think about all of the preservatives in juice that doesn't contain much juice. You're better off to make your own juice. Use apples, berries or anything you like and add water to it in the blender until you get the taste you like. If you let the juice sit overnight, it will sweeten on its own without adding sugar.

10. Try xylitol to sweeten things. Instead of using sugar or some unhealthy sugar substitute, try xylitol. It has less calories than sugar, and it helps to prevent cavities in teeth. You can find it online for very reasonable prices, at places like the Vitamin Shoppe.