Loyola Schools community observed Nutrition Awareness Week for a healthier lifestyle
The Loyola Schools (LS) Ateneo Food Safety and Nutrition Advisory Council (AFSNAC) headed a Nutrition Awareness Week campaign last Sept. 19 to 23, 2016 to encourage the community to eat and live healthily.
The event, titled “Eat Right, Savor the Flavor,” was part of a year-long commitment from the LS food business operators to improve the food varieties they served by including more vegetables and fruits in their meals.
One of the activities was a Road to Fitness forum with Dr. Joel Josef Soller of the Department of Biology and 360 Degrees fitness manager Enzo Bonoan. During the forum, they suggested practical DIY (do-it-yourself) diet plans and exercise tips as well as workplace healthy habits that can help the community to be fit.
Wellness profile stations were also put up where the LS community got their personal body fat percentages, their Body Mass Indexes and their blood pressure statuses. After getting the data, Coach Bonoan explained to the community what the data meant and suggested ways on how to achieve a balanced lifestyle.
Chef Alyson Yap, a faculty at the John Gokongwei School of Management (JGSOM) and JGSOM Student Enterprise Center (JSEC) coordinator, also gave a live demo session called “Hearty Options” to teach easy-to-cook vegetable variety dishes. Chef Yap prepared a mushroom kangkong dip and a carrot mashed potato for the students, staff and business operators.
Dr. Henrietta Teresa Dela Cruz, director of the LS Office of Health Services, said that being aware of healthy diet plans and tips helped in developing positive changes in one’s diet.
“The small gains can become a significant measure in self-care since some of the preventable chronic diseases, such as hypertension, diabetes and stroke, are strongly related to food choices,” she said. She added that it was also important for people to know their wellness profiles because one factor alone might not indicate risks for these diseases.
Aside from these activities, there were also song performances from the Pre-Med Society Association (PMSA), Ateneo Biological Organization (BOx), Health Sciences Society (HSS) and the Environmental Sciences Society (ESS) every lunch hour at the Ateneo de Manila Multi-Purpose Cooperative (AMPC), Blue and Gold Cafeteria, JSEC and Manang’s.
Other programs LS AFSNAC has in line with their year-long commitment include free sugar and cholesterol check-ups, high sugar and fiber awareness campaigns and partnerships with students in meal planning and promoting reminders for healthy options.
