Glendale Community College offers many ways to help students and faculty lead a healthy life.
The Culinary Arts and Nutrition department and the Physical Education department are of the the most integral departments regarding general wellness.
One class that is a great beginner’s class on nutrition is Culinary Arts 125 (Culin 125). This class gives an overview of the many aspects of nutrition including problems of today, the nutritive processes of the body and dietary planning.
Nutrition and Dietary Program Coordinator Sona Donayan said, “This class is a great way to increase your knowledge of nutrition. You learn how what you eat affects your life now and later.”
There are two classes that the college offers that can help further ones career in the health field. The first is Culin 114 (Nutrtion and Menu Planning) where students learn to make menus and critique menus for hotels and restaurants.
The second course is Culin 118 (Dietary Health Care) where students learn the function of a health care facility dietary department. Prof Donayan added that in the course students learn how to “comply with federal regulation.”
A new course promises to be the most exciting of them all. This course, Culin 150 (Healthy Cuisine for Kids), was created with grant money provided by the state. This is the first of three entry level courses.
Glendale is working in partnership with Fresno City College, UC Davis and San Jose State University (SJSU) to train those who wish to work in the child nutrition field at different levels.
After students finish the entry level courses, they can go to UC Davis or SJSU to take high level courses.
“This program will create a career ladder for child nutrition,” Donayan said. Previously there were no requirements for those working in child nutrition. This creates a system to have properly trained workers in schools.
Another excellent, healthy- life option the college offers is the use of the Lifestyle Fitness Center and Weight Room next to the Verdugo gym. The only requirement to using the fitness center and weight room is that the student be enrolled in one of four different physical education classes.
“Whether your goal is to lose weight or train for a sport, the gym can help you,” said Lee Balkin, assistant coach for track and field.
The gym also offers assistance in creating a training program or giving tips to workout a certain part of the body. “We have first rate fitness trainers,” said Balkin. The coaches from the sports teams come to the gym and give guidance to students concerning their workout.
The two rooms in the fitness center and weight room have many different machines to keep students in shape. The cardio room has treadmills, ellipticals and stationary bikes to get the heart rate up. The “super-circuit” has different weight training machines that will help with resistance exercises.
Those that are interested can find the classes in the course catalog under Culinary Arts for Nutrition and Physical Education.