#mealpreping

Happy August! Summer is in full swing!

Whenever I think of summer, I think of all of the delicious fruit that I eat to stay cool and healthy! However, most people throw out the fruit peels, and I am guilty of this too. We should all actively be trying not to fill up landfills, so there isn’t as much production of harmful greenhouse gases. Composting is always a good idea, especially if you have a small garden at home but here are fun ways to use the peels of different fruits and vegetables this summer!

Citrus Bath

Save leftover orange, grapefruit, lemon, and lime peels and throw them into your bath for a nice citrus essential oil bath. The water from the bath draws out the essential oils from the fruit peels.

Here are some benefits to certain citrus essential oils:

Lemon essential oil has anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties

Orange essential oil is a mood booster. It relieves stress, anxiety, and depression

Grapefruit essential oil promotes weight loss and clearer skin

Cleaning Product

Because of the high concentration of citric acid in lemons, they make the perfect natural cleaner. Just use leftover lemon peels and rub it on faucets, shower doors, countertops, etc. Also, you can use some smaller pieces and throw them in the garbage disposal to freshen it up.

Shine Your Shoes

Instead of going out to buy shoe polish, you can use a natural shoe polish: banana peels. Rub the inside of a banana peel on your shoes and wipe off any excess bananas off the shoe. Your shoes will become polished and scuff-free in no it! The key ingredient in making the shoes shiny is potassium.

Spa Day

Many fruit and vegetable peels promote healthy skin. For example, put potato skins under your eyes and kiss the dark circles goodbye! Rub avocado peels all over your face and leave it for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes is up, wash your face, and your skin will feel moisturized. Sprinkle sugar on the inside of peach skin for an excellent, natural exfoliant.

Eating healthy and consuming nutritious meals is important for your overall health and immune system. Proper nutrition during nursing school is crucial in order to maintain energy levels, avoid illnesses, and boost your immune system. School can become stressful and cause unhealthy eating habits and make it easier to make poor food choices, especially when time is limited during the week. In order to combat this issue, nursing students can try preparing meals and snacks ahead of time. Meal prepping your food on weekends for the week ahead can help save money on purchasing foods at restaurants and fast food chains. Meal prepping also allows you to make healthy food choices and prepare well balanced meals containing adequate portions of protein, fruits, vegetables, whole grains and dairy. 

Also, avoid skipping meals. People tend to skip meals throughout the day. The most skipped meal is breakfast, meanwhile breakfast is the most important meal of the day because, it has the most impact on your body and it determines how your body would function for the rest of the day. A healthy breakfast not only provides your body with necessary nutrients, it also boosts your mood and prepares your brain for daily activities. 

College students are able to understand better when they’re well nourished, eating nutritious meals or snacks has been linked to getting higher grades, improve memory and  awareness, and faster info processing. One reason for this is that foods that are rich in fiber, such as protein, and healthy fats such as eggs, avocado, yogurt, apples, grains, and oatmeal keep the body feeling full longer, giving you enough energy to focus and stay alert during the entire day. One simple way that you can ensure you are getting enough nutrition is to prepare meals or snack from every color of the rainbow.