Not everyone is great at math, but in monitoring health we can get pretty good with numbers, from counting calories to pounds. Even getting on the scale is like hoping for a lesson in subtraction. Something we forget to count, however, is food groups.

In truth, there is more to consider than tracking your servings, making the food pyramid unreliable. The USDA dietary guidelines, on the other hand, provide you with detailed and current advice for a body that looks good and functions well.

As a college student with time to better your eating habits, you should get to know a few of the guidelines since they more accurately describe what you should be eating. So what are they, and what’s wrong with the pyramid?

Problems start at the tip of the triangle, telling you that fat should be eaten sparingly. USDA guidelines point to the contrary. Omega-3 oils, found in flax seeds, walnuts, salmon and soybeans, are considered essential, helping you with brain function, immunity and weight loss. Many other oils like those in avocados and olives are also healthy. Moreover, fat should comprise 20 to 35 percent of your diet. To get what you need, the USDA recommends at least eight ounces of fish per week, about the size of your hand, and getting fat mostly from oils.

Contrary to popular belief, we are not eating too much fat, we are eating too much saturated fat. Found in animal products, from meat to butter, they speak to America’s number one cause of death: cardiovascular disease. Oils, on the other hand, reverse the risk.

This is why you should limit saturated fat to 10 percent of your diet, or about 20 g per day. Be aware, you can easily go overboard with fast food and dairy. McDonald’s chicken strips provide about 100 percent of this, and a slice of cheese provides about 25.

Although some dairy foods are high in these fats, they are a great source of calcium. As weak bone mass currently affects over 40 percent of people 50 years and older, leading to bone breakage, calcium can be crucial. Hence, it is recommended you consume 1000mg or three servings of calcium-rich foods per day, like three cups of milk, or one and a half cups of yogurt daily.

Another problem with the food pyramid is its push for milk since 25 percent of adults are lactose intolerant, including 85 percent of Asian Americans. Luckily, there are other good sources of calcium, like hemp and soy milk substitutes, savory, thyme, sesame seeds, almonds and tofu.

The pyramid also does not show that too much calcium can be harmful. More from food appears to be fine, but too much from supplements can increase your risk for kidney stones and calcium deposits in your body. What you should instead be indulging in is fruits and veggies, which are also good for your bones.

The USDA recommends at least five servings per day. Typically, one serving comes out to the size of an apple for fruit, a half cup for vegetables and two cups for salad. Arguably, vitamins, minerals and fiber can be found in other foods, but plants contain thousands of other chemicals not found elsewhere. Fruits and vegetables, therefore, can be more protective against our number two cause of death: cancer. Despite this, barely one third of California college graduates meet the minimum.

What we eat plenty of instead, aside from protein, is carbohydrates –– but empty ones. As a result, we easily fulfill the six pyramid servings of starch, but only little over half of our USDA requirements for fiber, which is 25 to 38 g. Fiber is important because it aids in vascular and cancer disease prevention. For more fiber, try replacing refined breads with whole grain ones.

As research progresses, food servings continue to become more specific, which is why you want to stay updated with USDA guidelines instead of checking out an oversimplified diagram. A picture may say a thousand words, but the pyramid is just plain confusing.

So as my best recommendation to you, have more oils, fresh produce and whole grains to avoid being part of the typical American diet. It can be difficult to break the norm and change your lifestyle but, in this case, you are better off failing some of these changes than succeeding in all of the norms.

THERESA RICHARDSON is bringing you the latest research to keep your college waistline and health in check. Feel free to contact her at terichardson@ucdavis.edu.

I am writing this letter as a member of the UC Davis community, proudly serving as a staff member since 2005. Today, as my friend and I left Froggy’s Bar and Grill for a relaxing lunch hour respite, we crossed G Street well within the confines of the crosswalk when a white car driven by a young man turning off Second Street came within inches of hitting us. We stopped short, he stopped short, and as he drove off I counseled him calmly (after all, I am representing UC Davis even during my free time), “Watch where you’re driving.” His reply as he sped away? Let’s just say it was a variation on a vulgar four-letter word.

Let me get this straight, young man (who I assume is a UCD student): You drive carelessly, almost take out two young women who are lawfully inside the crosswalk, and when you are respectfully advised to be careful, this is your response? This is not the first time I have been harangued as a pedestrian walking through Davis city streets. Just crossing in a crosswalk in the evening has earned me an admonishment in the form of less than polite language.

What’s wrong in Davis? Why the hostility? If you younger people are so frustrated and impatient just waiting for a person to cross a small town street, how will you deal with the real issues in life — waiting to hear if an interview yielded you a job to pay your bills or anticipating news of whether or not your biopsy for cancer is benign or malignant, just to cite a few examples? If you (young man driving) were trying to impress the young woman sitting in your front seat, let me tell you as a woman — it’s not attractive. That sort of attitude is the reason why our society is suffering from a crippling lack of civility.

I understand that there are much more pressing issues facing our university and our world at this time. But why make things worse by being so rude? It comes down to this. Be nice, be kind, treat others as you yourself would like to be treated and please, watch where you’re driving.

Larisa Archer
Student Affairs

Do you hear it? The sound of a slow, jazzy horn section blowing a seductive rhythm? It can only mean one thing: This week, we’re talking about stripping. Specifically, we’re talking about how to strip for your lover if you’re someone who has never tried anything so brazenly exhibitionist. Because it is a type of performance, stripping is a good way to learn how to embrace and express your own sexuality as well as give your partner a thrill.

Remember, while the resulting nudity will be much appreciated, we live in an era in which anyone can see a naked body. Thank you, Internet. So, what makes stripping arousing is the build-up, the tease. Creating that atmosphere of anticipation is what we are going to focus on. To acquire most of this advice, I was lucky enough to talk with a lovely young woman who I will refer to as “Trixie,” who has first-hand experience stripping. Granted, she has worked larger crowds than the single-person audience most of you will be performing for, but the basic rules for a successful routine apply to both scenarios.

The first two steps in creating your striptease can be taken care of well in advance of the event. First, you need to select your music. You can pick any song you want, although one that makes you feel sexy will obviously make it easier for you to get into the right mood for stripping. The most important thing is to choose a song that allows you to move slowly. We’re going for maximum time to tantalize your audience, so the slower the better.

Now, once you’ve got your song, it’s time to get suited up. Trixie offers three qualities to consider when picking an outfit to strip in/out of: it looks good, is relatively easy to move in and comes off without difficulty. All of these traits will help your routine go smoothly and look sexy. If you find these rules too broad and are still stuck on what to wear, try picking a character. It may be someone from one of your role-plays, or it may be a totally new persona. Choose an image that you think your partner finds attractive, be it naughty student, librarian or Sherlock Holmes. Once you have that idea to guide you, follow Trixie’s guidelines and you should be set.

Now, as with any skill, stripping requires practice. The more you do it, the better you’ll become and the more confident you’ll be. So, if you’re feeling at all nervous (which is natural, even when you’re doing this for your lover), practice is your best friend. Set up your space the way it will be when you perform and cue up your music. Determine what level of undress you want to reach by the end of the number, be it completely nude or just down to your underwear. Then, get to work figuring out your choreography.

When I asked Trixie to suggest some uncomplicated yet sexy moves her response was floorwork, because it looks good but doesn’t require balancing on high heels. Floorwork involves movements like crawling towards your audience, doing the splits, etc. In addition to figuring out what floorwork you like, you should practice taking off your clothes in the slowest way possible. For example, see how long you can make unbuttoning your shirt last. Remember that this is all about making the audience putty in your hands by taking your time. So important is build-up that Trixie cites a co-worker who advised, “If you think you’re moving slow enough, slow down.”

Once you feel comfortable with your routine, it’s time to treat your partner to it. Sit them where you want them and go over any rules. “Hands off” is a useful one, as the sensation of something desirable being close enough to touch and yet can’t gets many people quite excited. Once your audience is in position dim the lights and go for it. Be sure to make eye contact with your partner and to interact with them. Sit in their lap, whisper saucy things in their ear and brush them with your hair. Above all, own it. By the time the music has finished, you will have enjoyed yourself. And so, hopefully, will have your partner.

SAM WALL would pay to see a Sherlock Holmes striptease. For her reasoning and other advice, contact sewall@ucdavis.edu.

If there was one thing that made the UC Davis communal-living and saliva-exchanging culture induced cold season bearable, it was the warmth and relief of a $1 cup of ASUCD Coffee House (CoHo) hot tea.

Of course, for all the specificity that grammar can bring, this is in past tense, a relic of better days on the UC Davis campus. The price of tea on campus rose to $1.25 for a small, $1.50 for a medium and $1.75 for a large. This is a problem.

A hot tea consists of five things: A tea bag, a cup, a cup top, hot-sleeve and hot water. All of these elements are provided for the small, medium and large size. While the larger size require more material per cup, and a larger serving of hot water, there is no increase in tea for an increase in size.

Why, then, is there such a dramatic price increase for a larger size?

When asked in passing, a CoHo employee said they thought it was to stay competitive with other coffee shops. This was confirmed by Food Service Manager Darin Schluep, who added that the CoHo was eating a lot of the extra costs of the larger sizes. This extra cost includes the larger cup, as well as additional sugar and milk.

But it is hard to believe that the increments truly reflect the cost difference between servings.

Consider the real cost for students who expect to pay $1.

For the average undergrad, the extra $.25 for a small means an extra couple of seconds shuffling through one’s wallet for change, often at a time when those seconds are needed to run to class. The extra $.50 for a medium means saying no to that CoHo apple and sitting through lecture full of anticipation for lunch. And the extra $.75 for a large means leaving Swirlz entirely and buying a bagel with cream cheese –– the same price with a lot more nutrition.

As Schluep said, the prices are the lowest in town, and to their credit, tea is $.75 if you bring your own mug. And of course we want our campus coffee shop to survive financially…

But it is upsetting to see even an inkling of students being treated like faceless consumers. The CoHo shouldn’t act as a local competitor. The CoHo should act as a group of students helping out other students by filling their bellies at the lowest price possible.

Even if this means they’re settling for a lower profit.

Which came first, the chicken or the egg? If the professor on “Gilligan’s Island” can make a radio out of coconut, why can’t he fix a hole in a boat? Why does Nickelback suck so badly? Ahh, the timeless questions of life. Unfortunately, this is a finance column so I have to steer clear of those. Instead I will tackle a question I have been getting recently: What is the difference between banks and credit unions?

Ostensibly, the two are very similar. Both provide secure places to put your money as well as a number of financial services. Accordingly, many people do not really know how to pick between a bank and a credit union, or assume it does not really matter. However, there are actually a number of key differences between the two.

While both offer similar services, the benefits can vary significantly. The underlying difference between the two is that banks are for-profit institutions (although a number of their recent financial decisions might lead you to think otherwise), while credit unions are not. This has a number of important ramifications.

Banks are big. A good number of them are national, and they are in the business of making money. With banks you are going to see a number of fees and worse interest rates on both loans and deposits. If you open an account with a bank, you are a customer, not a member. Big banks’ incentives often directly contrast with their customers’.

Credit unions are small. They are designed to serve a specific group of people such as a neighborhood. When you join a credit union, you are a member, not a customer. As a member, you have a voice when it comes to making decisions and how the credit union is run. This is especially important because credit unions are non-profit organizations. This is aided by the fact that credit unions are tax-exempt while banks are not.

With credit unions, you are more likely to get a loan, and are definitely going to get better interest rates. A credit union can offer anywhere from a 10 percent to 300 percent better rate than a big bank. Although historically credit unions have offered fewer services than banks, this has begun to change. Recently, some credit unions are beginning to expand their services to include credit cards, checking accounts, student loans, mortgages and more.

A big benefit to banks is their size. With big banks, you are more likely to find a branch or an ATM in random locations. Additionally, if you have a problem, most banks are going to have 24/7 customer service, while credit unions probably will not. Banks are also much more likely to have useful online banking tools. And while banks are insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), credit unions are insured by the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA). However, both are backed by the United States government.

The small size of credit unions can also be a good thing. With a small group of similar people, credit unions are able to tailor their services to their members. Since they are non-profit, they do not need to make profit-driven decisions, and can instead do what is in the best interest of their members. Although their customer service will not be as robust, it will definitely be more personal.

Personalization is one big factor in choosing credit unions over banks. Many people feel that with banks they are just another account number, while in a credit union they are part of a family. With banks, you always have to make sure you are aware of changing rules and hidden fees to avoid penalties. With a more friendly not-profit-oriented credit union, this is unlikely to happen.

Although banks and credit unions offer similar services, the ways in which they offer them are significant. If you are looking for a place to store your money or get a loan, you should definitely consider credit unions and not just banks. As an old fashioned believer in doing business the right way, I think credit unions are the way to go. What’s best for you will largely depend on your financial situation and what you want to get out of your financial institution.

If you have any questions about banks and credit unions or answers to why Nickelback sucks so badly, let DANNY BRAWER know at dabrawer@ucdavis.edu.