Making Healthy Choices
Rebecca Nardin Hardy. (Photo courtesy of Smith Clinic)
With pizza, potato chips and soda at arms reach at college, deciding what to eat every day can be easy, but making healthy choices is not. Through OWU’s Healthy Bishop Initiative, students now have access to customized healthy eating plans.
Registered dietician Rebecca Nardin Hardy, R.D., L.D., with Student Health Services, is leading the charge, now offering personalized plans taking into account a student’s personal health goals.
“I partner with the medical team at student health to translate nutrition information into practical and actionable ways to eat healthy, lose or gain weight, manage disease states, and develop sound physical activity habits,” says Hardy. “My expertise goes far beyond simply helping our students lose the “freshman 15.” I customize healthy eating plans for our students, whether they need to manage celiac disease, manage disordered eating, or gain and/or lose weight for athletics.”
Hardy also works with OWU’s dining services, translating healthy eating patterns from the Chartwells menus. “I enjoy sitting down with students and discussing menus and daily food choices,” says Hardy, whose medical nutrition therapy sub-specialties are sports nutrition and diabetes.
Students interested in a one-on-one medical nutrition therapy appointment can contact the student health center at 368-3160 or 368-3162. The cost for students is $10.
The Healthy Bishop Initiative was created late last year to encourage a healthier OWU community. Hardy was brought on staff as part of this initiative. It is the first time OWU has had a dietician on staff. In February, a Healthy Bishop Day was held; in addition, several improvements have been made around campus, including increased hours at the Fitness Center and changes to the intramural program.
Visit the Healthy Bishop Initiative blog for more information.