When chewing a delicious apple the other morning I began to wonder about serving sizes and if I was actually getting a full serving of fruit. Is one apple one serving?  How many strawberries do I have to eat to fulfill my fruit quota of the day? It is hard to know what constitutes a serving without a food label.  Living in a world with all-inclusive food labels clearly showing calorie count and serving size, I’ve become accustomed to easily accessible nutritional information.  This recently became important to me because I’ve been working with Chelsey Woods, Dining Services’ Registered Dietitian, on material for National Nutrition Month starting in March. During this partnership I discovered a troubling fact, “The average college-age student does not get the recommended 4-5 servings of fruits and vegetables,” Woods said. According to ChooseMyPlate.gov, there are many different ways to achieve the nutrients our bodies need.  This link leads to a table depicting what counts as a cup of fruit, http://www.choosemyplate.gov/food-groups/fruits_counts_table.html.  Although, this didn’t really answer my serving size question, so I keep looking.   On about.com I found an answer to a similar question.  According to The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), a serving size for fruit or vegetables is equal to about one-half cup (http://nutrition.about.com/od/fruitsand vegetables/f/servingfruit.htm).  As for my apple, I think I can conclude it’s around half to one serving of fruit, depending on its size.  But either way, it looks like I need to work on eating more fruits and especially more vegetables.  

Get to Know Your Gear this week will focus on Ice Climbing Tools. What is Ice Climbing – Ice climbing is an adventurous sport that integrates rock climbing with winter weather covered terrain.  The tools involved in ice climbing are similar to the ones used in rock climbing, but with the addition of an ice tool (ice axe) and crampons, and of course, cold weather gear. How do you use an ice tool and crampons – An ice tool looks similar to a hammer, having a long “pick” on one side of the ice tool’s head and a shorter “adze” on the other side.  The pick is used to impale the snow or ice during the ascent.  When climbing, the pick should always face the snow or ice so it can be effectively used if the climber slips or begins to fall.  The adze, the smaller shovel looking side, is used more for chopping small steps and can be used when self-belaying.  Beginners are advised to use the leashed type, which has a wrist wrap to ensure the axe doesn’t fall to the ground if dropped.  Crampons are attached to the climber’s boots and consist of multiple thick metal points protruding from the outward from the bottom of the boot.  They greatly improve traction on ice and can be used to kick foot holds during climbing. When should you Ice Climb – Ice climbing is a winter sport focusing on climbing icefalls, frozen waterfalls and cliffs or rock slabs covered with ice and packed snow.  Once the free flowing water becomes completely frozen, the ice climbing season begins.  Knowing when it is safe to climb comes with experience, but consistent below-freezing weather is usually a good sign ice climbing will start soon.  Keep in mind, crampons and ice tools are available for rent from the Outdoor Recreation Center throughout the winter season.   Ice climbing is a great form of exercise and allows you to enjoy the outdoors during the winter months.