Mind Body Nutrition
Students for Preventive and Integrative Medicine
Meet your Spring 2013 officers.
Officers
Mind Body Nutrition
Howard Yang
Co-President
C/O 2016
Major: General Biology
I became interested in nutrition my senior year in high school for reasons typical of teenage boys (gotta build them muscles) but it has become so much more than that for me. After delving deeper into nutrition than I would have liked, I aimed for a perfection that was both impossible and unnecessary, and ended up developing some eating issues. After much self-reflection, learning, and long talks with friends and family, I have slowly made the transition to having a healthier and happier relationship with food (but there's still room for improvement!) and has reaped the joys of vibrant energy, self-confidence, and peace of mind that have come with this change.
My journey with food has led me to the deep-seated issues of obesity and other diet-related diseases, as well as eating disorders, both of which really prevent a person from unleashing his/her full potential, and so my main goal is to break through all that and help people truly live and enjoy life!
Billy Nguyen
Co-President
C/O 2016
Major: Neuroscience and Physiology
You could not find more polar opposites between me and healthy eating. As a child, I could never stomach salads, or vegetables. On rare occasions I would happen upon fruit, if only to play a game of catch with it or appease my mom and her desire for me to grow into a big, strong boy. As I entered high school, a few events changed my entire perspective on healthy eating and its necessity in maintaining and preserving my health. One of which was brain surgery, helping me realize that nutrition can and does impact every facet of our health—emotionally, physical and cognitively.
I'm interested in the preventive medicine and social impacts of nutrition on the U.S. health care system. As an officer, I want to address the social and legal ramifications of poor nutrition and diet on students and how our current choices will affect not only our future but our country's future in terms of rising health care cost and increasing complications coupled with obesity.
Unique Fact: I was born in Asia.
Dennis Luo
Publicity Director
C/O 2016
Major: Biochemistry and Cell Biology
I began becoming really interested in nutrition when many of my athlete peers in middle school would complain to me about how their coaches would make them swim endlessly if he caught them drinking soda. In high school, where I was active in sports, I became aware of what I was eating as well. There is fascinating science behind everything you consume, and one of my goals is to inspire and educate people about this science.
Unique fact: I'm a bit allergic to peanuts.
Emma Jackson
Treasurer
C/O 2016
Major: Human Biology
Health and nutrition have always been a driving force in my life. I grew up playing sports and listening to my parents tell me how essential it is to take care of your body, because in reality that's all you have. The importance of physical and mental health hit home when my sister had a pretty major health scare, and firsthand I watched the deterioration of a perfectly healthy person into someone who was not so fit. It was a scary time for my family, but it enforced firmly the ideal that your health must come first. This year my goal as an officer is to live up to the health ideals that our club believes in myself, because if you cannot help yourself, helping others will not be an easy task.
Unique Fact: I went to three different middle schools, in three different cities.
Kajal Verma
Social Chair
C/O 2016
Major: General Biology
I became more interested in nutrition at the beginning of my first year in college, when I realized that my mom was not there to cook healthy, homemade meals for me, nor did I have a kitchen in my dorm to cook nutritious food for myself. I found myself eating out more often, both at the dining halls and off campus, and I made an effort to educate myself about making healthier choices. My suitemates and I continuously encourage each other to eat healthy whenever possible; however, we have also discovered that balance is key and it is better to eat everything in moderation rather than deprive ourselves of certain foods. My goal as an officer is to educate students on the importance of good nutrition and making healthy choices when given a limited number of options.
Unique Fact: I have a passion for hip hop dancing.
Dennis Ku
Webmaster
C/O 2016
Major: Computer Science
Exercising has always been a major part of my life. I started swimming since I was six and swam competitively for through middle school and high school. I also enjoy going to the gym in my free time as well. Through my experience in swimming and training, I learned that nutrition comes hand in hand with exercise. To reach most if not all my fitness goals, I had to balance what I was and eating and drinking. MBN is the perfect place for me to learn how to reach my goals because everyone has something to share about their experiences with health and nutrition.
Unique Fact: I enjoy playing the cello and piano.
Nam Trinh
Why MBN? Like many college students I know, I have found it harder to stay "in-shape" once I started college. I played high school basketball, so it was pretty easy to get the regular exercise I needed. However, during college, I looked past health and wellness; and instead focused more onstudying and hanging out with friends. I have found that this attitude seems to be a common trend amongst the college population. We go in with the mindset that other obligations are more important and more worthwhile than diet and exercise. Yet with a healthier lifestyle, we often find that we become more productive and efficient. I have found that dedicating time to our health and wellness is how we gain the most reward for our time .I've joined MBN with the believe that we can live happier and healthier
Annette Luo
Secretary, Professional Development Chair
C/O 2017
Nutrition and exercise did not play an important role in my life until recently. I was always the bigger child and never really paid attention to what I ate. By the time senior year of high school rolled around, I was morbidly obese. That hit hard. I was mature enough to understand the consequences of continuing my unhealthy lifestyle and decided to make a big changes in my life. I didn’t want the mistakes I made throughout my childhood to affect my future. Little by little, I incorporated exercise into my daily routine and swapped out unhealthy food for more nutritious food to fuel my body. Slowly but surely, I was able to lose a significant amount of weight. To me, my journey is something I want to share with everyone. My friends and family all lent me support and gave me so much motivation to do my best. Without them, I wouldn’t be where I was today. That’s why I am a part of Mind Body Nutrition. We are a community that share a similar goal: to better our health --mentally, physically, and nutritionally.
Unique fact: I powerlift competitively.
Karen Medgyesy
Social Chair
C/O 2017
Major: Physiology & Neuroscience
Health is extremely important to me because I am fascinated by the relationship between nutrition and exercise with how efficiently our body works. I realized how grateful I should be for my health after I had a knee surgery. It's hard to remember not to take simple capabilities for granted. The body is a temple and I want to help more people realize how special theirs is and how to take care of it.
Tiffany Kwan
C/O 2017
I believe that healthy living is about having a balance in life. I enjoy hiking and swimming in my free time. An interesting fact about me is that I've been on an underwater scooter.