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Non BIS Work
Part of my interdisciplinary learning experience so far is learning to find a healthy balance in every thing that I do. Figuratively, this means understanding the need for variety in my studies and career path. Taken literally, however, the idea of a healthy balance takes on an even deeper meaning. I discovered this after taking a human nutrition class to satisfy an elective credit. Beyond gaining three credits, I also gleaned a better understanding of myself, hence contributing another element to the recipe of my life. Human Nutrition was a five week course at a satellite campus I attended during my time overseas. Concerning itself with the basic concepts of food and nutrition as well as the physiological processes that the body undergoes in digesting and absorbing nutrients, the class was regarded as an “easy A”. Once I got into the class, I understood why this was the perception. With no tests and minimal reading and only a few assignments, this was a college course unlike one that I had ever taken. A good portion of the curriculum was based on graphs, charts and analysis of our own individual eating habits. The professor, a licensed nutritionist was less concerned with memorization trading it instead for dialogue and practical application of his principles in his students' everyday lives. The lessons of this particular class have stuck with me long since I was a student there. Although science is not one of my stronger suits, I learned the process in which a savory steak on one’s plate becomes fuel for the body to operate effectively. Because of this, I am more particular of what and how much I put into my body, and am able to focus on what is a primary and essential need versus a luxurious treat. Another piece of information I carry with me from the Human Nutrition class is the notion of where our food comes from. Years before green living and sustainability became the trendiest buzzwords, our professor extolled the virtues of organic farming and renewable crops. The food chain is a delicate balance, and without proper attention and maintenance, the greater its chances are for failure. Were this to happen, the world’s consumers would have to turn to unnatural ingredients and chemical compounds engineered to have the appearance and taste of food. Because of this very lesson, I have grown into a responsible consumer, foregoing convenience and opting for the purest form a food possible. Interestingly enough, the final assignment in this course would prove to be relatable in my studies of mass communication. For my last project in the Human Nutrition class, I was asked to research and analyze a popular “fad” diet. I chose the South Beach diet. In my research I found that not only was the diet mostly hyperbole perpetuated by the media, but also the idea of the diet itself was conceived by a popular publishing conglomerate, likely in an attempt to boost advertising revenue. I look at this particular revelation as my own “loss of innocence” and introduction to the real world. Through my experiences in this one class, taken years ago I have taken a proactive approach to health and fitness. Additionally, in my other concentrations I have learned what little control our society actually takes with regard to their own lives. Because of the Human Nutrition class, I am able to create a balance and explore my individual freedom as a consumer of both culture and cuisine. |