One Bad Meal

A minute on the lips is more than just forever on the hips.

Written by Riane Menardi

One bad meal can be worse on your body than you think. Sure, that greasy burger and heaping order of fries seemed like a good idea at the time, but all that junk can really tick off your bod. Not only can it hurt you in the long run, but it can also have nasty short-term side effects.

Just a few hours after eating a high-fat, high-cal meal, you’ll feel burnt out, tired, moody, stressed, and even hungry again because of hormonal imbalances. Lots of sugar makes your body excrete the hormone cortisol, making you crave high-calorie food—even if you’ve just eaten. It also causes insulin levels to spike, giving you a short-lived sugar rush and suddenly leaving you with no energy.

On a less noticeable level, junk food loaded with preservatives constricts blood vessels, inflames body tissues, and produces “free radicals” (molecules that cause chronic disease and premature aging). A 2007 Canadian health study even shows that one bad meal also makes stressful situations seem worse—which doesn’t bode well for college students.

Long-term relationship
LaRhee Henderson, a nutrition and wellness professor at Drake, says it’s hard for college students to get healthy meals at school without Mom there to do it for them. “Good nutrition helps you prevent short-term problems, helps maintain the immune system and helps against immediate stresses,” Henderson says. It also protects you against long-term heart problems, bone diseases, and diabetes.

There’s not much to look forward too after downing a high-fat, high-calorie meal, especially in the long run. And if you consistently pig out, you’ve entered a vicious cycle that’s hard to break. Eating chips and doughnuts all day makes you crave fatty, sugary foods even more. And the spike in insulin that comes with it forces you to rely on sugar highs for energy. This makes it hard to recognize healthy energy when it enters your body.

The brighter side
If you’re used to living on a poor diet, you may feel less energized after eating one healthy meal, but stick with it and see what happens. Just as one bad meal can turn your day upside down, one healthy meal can make you feel right again.

Eating foods that are high in nutrients and low in calories, like fresh veggies or whole grain bread, regulate your body’s hormones and keep you happy. “Certain foods make you energized and fully satisfied more than others,” Henderson says. She recommends supplementing your fruits and veggies with a mix of complex carbs and plenty of low-fat milk and dairy products. “I think everybody knows the general guidelines,” she says.

Using “slow release” foods helps you make the most of your meals and decrease sugar highs. Nuts, vinegar, whole grains, fresh fruits, veggies, and lean proteins (think fish and legumes) slow digestion and keep you energized longer.
To stay on track to a healthy diet, Henderson says everyone should stay away from foods high in saturated fats because they don’t yield much nutritional value for their caloric amount. This means saying sayonara to things like bacon and fatty meats, premium ice cream, and processed grains such as cookies, pastries, cakes, and muffins. She also recommends laying off the bottle. “Alcohol is just empty calories with no nutritional value,” she says.

Next time that plate of supreme nachos seems irresistible, think again. Opt for the salad, and stay a little happier and a lot healthier.

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One Bad Meal A minute on the lips is more than just forever on the hips. Written by Riane Menardi One bad meal can be worse on your body than you think. Sure, that greasy burger and heaping order of fries seemed like a good idea at the time, but all that junk can really tick off your bod. Not only can it hurt you in the long run, but it can also have nasty short-term side effects. Just a few hours after eating a high-fat, high-cal meal, you’ll feel burnt out, tired, moody, stressed, and even hungry again because of hormonal imbalances. Lots of sugar makes your body excrete the hormone cortisol, making you crave high-calorie food—even if you’ve just eaten. It also causes insulin levels to spike, giving you a short-lived sugar rush and suddenly leaving you with no energy. On a less noticeable level, junk food loaded with preservatives constricts blood vessels, inflames body tissues, and produces “free radicals” (molecules that cause chronic disease and premature aging). A 2007 Canadian health study even shows that one bad meal also makes stressful situations seem worse—which doesn’t bode well for college students. Long-term relationship LaRhee Henderson, a nutrition and wellness professor at Drake, says it’s hard for college students to get healthy meals at school without Mom there to do it for them. “Good nutrition helps you prevent short-term problems, helps maintain the immune system and helps against immediate stresses,” Henderson says. It also protects you against long-term heart problems, bone diseases, and diabetes. There’s not much to look forward too after downing a high-fat, high-calorie meal, especially in the long run. And if you consistently pig out, you’ve entered a vicious cycle that’s hard to break. Eating chips and doughnuts all day makes you crave fatty, sugary foods even more. And the spike in insulin that comes with it forces you to rely on sugar highs for energy. This makes it hard to recognize healthy energy when it enters your body. The brighter side If you’re used to living on a poor diet, you may feel less energized after eating one healthy meal, but stick with it and see what happens. Just as one bad meal can turn your day upside down, one healthy meal can make you feel right again. Eating foods that are high in nutrients and low in calories, like fresh veggies or whole grain bread, regulate your body’s hormones and keep you happy. “Certain foods make you energized and fully satisfied more than others,” Henderson says. She recommends supplementing your fruits and veggies with a mix of complex carbs and plenty of low-fat milk and dairy products. “I think everybody knows the general guidelines,” she says. Using “slow release” foods helps you make the most of your meals and decrease sugar highs. Nuts, vinegar, whole grains, fresh fruits, veggies, and lean proteins (think fish and legumes) slow digestion and keep you energized longer. To stay on track to a healthy diet, Henderson says everyone should stay away from foods high in saturated fats because they don’t yield much nutritional value for their caloric amount. This means saying sayonara to things like bacon and fatty meats, premium ice cream, and processed grains such as cookies, pastries, cakes, and muffins. She also recommends laying off the bottle. “Alcohol is just empty calories with no nutritional value,” she says. Next time that plate of supreme nachos seems irresistible, think again. Opt for the salad, and stay a little happier and a lot healthier. What not to eat Steer clear of these caloric culprits… French fries: These fast food staples contain tons of trans and saturated fats and oils that raise cholesterol. Go green and substitute those filthy fries with a small salad or a cup of fruit. Pop: This fizzy fix is the king of high-fructose corn syrup, a major player in causing hyperactivity, hypertension, obesity, and diabetes. And one regular can exceeds the allotted daily sugar intake for a 2,000 calorie diet. And artificial sweeteners in diet soda aren’t much better. Stick with good old H20. Ice cream: Sixteen percent fat and 16 percent sweeteners give this sweet treat a devilish side. Even the low-fat variations are extremely high in sugar, with about 150 calories per half cup on average. Opt for some sliced strawberries with yogurt for dessert. Pizza: High in saturated fats, carbs, and sodium, most of the nutrition in commercial pizza have been washed out. If you really want a piece o’ pie, bake one yourself and include lots of veggies. Processed meats: They contain sodium nitrite, an unnatural ingredient that has been shown to cause cancer. Not to be Debbie Downer or anything, but these meats are loaded with fat, calories, and cholesterol. Keep it fresh with deli meats, and stay away from the packaged stuff.
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