Students receive food samples, information
Students, faculty and staff gathered in the Russell House Ballroom for the “Heart of Carolina” event Thursday, a celebration for National Heart Health Month hosted by first lady Patricia Moore-Pastides.
The event encouraged students and staff to take on a healthy lifestyle by featuring samples of healthy food, lifestyle stations and guest appearances.
Visitors circulated among seven stations that offered healthy food samples and a variety of health and wellness information.
Tables featured food samples from Moore-Pastides’ cookbook, “Greek Revival: Cooking for Life.” Among the tasting options were chicken with tzatziki; whole wheat pasta with arugula, feta, olives and tomatoes; hummus with vegetables; saganaki; and Greek vanilla yogurt with fresh berries.
A representative at the Student Health Services table, campus dietitian Lisa Money, talked to students about buying local and eating healthy. She taught guests how to “shop smart” by purchasing products that are certified as American Heart Association Products, which are low in fat and calories and are fiber-rich. Understanding the fast-paced lives many Americans live, Money displayed convenience meals such as frozen foods that fit all of the health requirements.
Campus Recreation and Campus Wellness distributed information about health and fitness services, and Campus Wellness provided body fat screenings and blood pressure tests.
Student Health Services showcased the nutrition department and promoted “Meatless Mondays,” a choice to cut meat from the diet once a week and sample dinner options that excluded meat. Healthy Carolina displayed information about the Farmers Market, the Agriculture Program and the Tobacco Free USC Program.
The Arnold School of Public Health’s Department of Exercise Science encouraged guests to sign up for the 2013 Midlands Heart Walk, scheduled to take place March 23. Students who signed up for the walk at the “Heart of Carolina” event also received a ticket for a free meal from Sodexo and Carolina Dining.
After visiting all the stations, guests were eligible to receive various giveaways, including Carolina buttons, lanyards, decals and hats. Cocky and Chef Al also attended the event, visiting tables, encouraging food samples and posing for pictures.
The entire month of February honors heart health awareness. About 715,000 Americans have a heart attack each year, and about 600,000 die from heart disease annually, according to the Centers for Disease Control. Heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women in the United States, accounting for about one in every four deaths each year, according to the CDC.