College is a time of liberality and freedom.

It’s your first time on your own, and you finally get to eat whatever you want (including anything from the on-campus all-you-can eat-buffets), exercise when (and if) you want—and yes, you also get to drink whatever you want.

However, with this freedom, there are negative repercussions on one’s health that can occur, including the infamous “freshman fifteen”. It is no doubt that unlimited ice cream and soda at the dining hall can be tempting, but as college students, we have to think about our futures. Lifestyle habits that are acquired from this time period can eventually lead to serious health complications.

For instance, it was reported that 60% of college students eat too much artery-clogging fat, while 66% of freshman said that they don’t consume the recommended five servings of fruits and vegetables per day. If these trends continue throughout the remainder of one’s lifetime, there is a high chance of acquiring high blood cholesterol, as well as high blood pressure — two of the main risk factors for stroke.

Another risk factor for stroke that we can’t forget is none other than…drumroll, excessive alcohol use! And statistics show that approximately 40% of college students have engaged in binge drinking at least once during the past two weeks; putting themselves at risk for eventual alcoholism and increasing their risk of stroke.

The following video provides further suggestions on how to make healthy lifestyle choices in college that prevent your risk for stroke.

Sources:

Intro Paragraph:

Heavy Episodic Consumption of Alcohol. (2005, September 23). Retrieved March 03, 2016,from  http://www.collegedrinkingprevention.gov/niaaacollegematerials/taskforce/heavy episodic_00.aspx

Hellmich, N. (2002, January 10). College eating habits are clogged with fat. Retrieved March 03, 2016, from http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/health/diet/2002-01-10-college-eating.htm

Film Sources:

Cleveland Clinic. (2013). Disease and conditions: the role of nutrition in the prevention & treatment of stroke. Retrieved from https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases_conditions/stroke/hic_The_Role_of_Nutrition_in_the_Prevention_and_Treatment_of_Stroke

Konkel, Lindsey. (2015). Stroke prevention. Retrieved from http://www.everydayhealth.com/stroke/prevention/

Mercola. (2013). Vigorous exercise may lower your stroke risk. Retrieved from http://fitness.mercola.com/sites/fitness/archive/2013/10/04/stroke-prevention-vigorous-exercise.aspx
Stroke Association. (2014). Alcohol and stroke. Retrieved from https://www.stroke.org.uk/sites/default/files/alcohol_and_stroke.pdf  

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