Nutrition, Health and Wellbeing

"Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity."

World Health Organization

Society often thinks of health as something biological and physical: the condition of our bodies, how healthy we eat, the physical exercise we do. However, a key component of health is missing from this list: mental wellbeing. Mental wellbeing encompasses our inner workings and the way we describe how we are in our lives. Mental wellbeing, in general, is the state of thriving in various areas of life, such as in relationships, at work, play and more, despite ups and downs.

At AUS we acknowledge the importance of both physical and mental wellbeing in leading a happy, healthy and fulfilled life. In line with the definition provided by the World Health Organization (WHO), we believe that mental and physical wellbeing are a prerequisite to realizing your own potential, to coping with the normal stresses of life, to working productively, and to engaging with other individuals. It’s the knowledge that we are separate from our problems and the belief that we can handle those problems.

AUS University Counseling Services (UCS) provides psychological support to students, faculty, staff and their families as they pursue their personal goals, and to enhance the quality of each community member’s experience at AUS. We aim to support the healthy environment of the university by promoting positive mental health for the community through counseling, crisis intervention, consulting, assessment and referral that are responsive to the individual, cultural and demographic diversity of our community.

To schedule a consultation of for areferral appointment, please contact [email protected].

Physical activity is an essential part of a healthy lifestyle. Linked to other positive lifestyle choices, it promotes good physical health and contributes to people’s emotional and social wellbeing. AUS offers  a range of indoor and outdoor sporting facilities, freely available to students, faculty, staff and members of the AUS community.

Through  Student Athletics and Recreation, we offer an exciting range of men's and women’s individual and team sports, as well as broad-based competitive and recreational fitness programs. Students are given opportunities to participate in local, regional and international intercollegiate sports tournaments.

For more information on the Student Athletics and Recreation program, please contact [email protected].

For faculty and staff, the AUS Wellness Program provides a broad selection of fitness and wellbeing opportunities designed to helping members of the AUS community reach and maintain their optimal level of wellness. In addition, members of the AUS community can engage in personal training sessions specifically designed for them.

For more information on the Faculty/Staff Wellness Program at AUS, please contact [email protected].

Our dedicated University Health Services (UHS) provide primary healthcare, as well as education and supportive services to the AUS community, including students. With three full-time physicians and five full-time nurses, we provide a large range of health services, including regular cancer and blood pressure awareness campaigns.

For enquiries regarding health services offered by UHS, please contact [email protected].

In addition to physical and mental wellbeing, a well-balanced diet forms a cornerstone of good health. Consuming a healthy diet helps to prevent malnutrition in all its forms as well as a range of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and conditions, such as diabetes, heart disease, stroke and cancer. Increased production of processed foods, rapid urbanization and changing lifestyles have led to a shift in dietary patterns across the globe. People are now consuming more foods high in energy, fats, free sugars and salt/sodium, and many people do not eat enough fruit, vegetables and other dietary fiber such as whole grains. The exact make-up of a diversified, balanced and healthy diet will vary depending on individual characteristics (for example, age, gender, lifestyle and degree of physical activity), cultural context, locally available foods and dietary customs. However, the basic principles of what constitutes a healthy and responsible diet remain the same:

• Eat a well-balanced diet of natural foods.
• Choose fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts and grains that were produced without harming the environment (this includes organic and biodynamic options).
• If you eat animal products, buy from sources that respect and promote animal wellbeing (this includes free-range, organic, biodynamic options).
• Avoid beverages containing high amounts of sugars or artificial sweeteners (this includes all types of carbonated or non‐carbonated soft drinks, fruit or vegetable juices and drinks, liquid and powder concentrates, flavored water, energy and sports drinks, ready‐to‐drink tea, ready‐to‐drink coffee and flavored milk drinks).
• Limit consumption of industrially produced foods and pre-packaged snacks (this includes all types of fast food and ready meals, industrially produced cakes, cookies and salty snacks as well as all types of candies).
• Choose locally grown fruits and vegetables to reduce transportation related GHG emissions.
• Avoid single-use plastic water bottles and using a long-life, re-fillable drinking container instead.
• Avoid take-away foods and drinks to cut-down on single-use cups, plates and cutlery.
• Minimize food waste where possible.