Staying Healthy this Season

As we are all returning for classes, it is worth mentioning that we are in the midst of cold and flu season. I would like to inform all of you on ways to stay healthy as we are all coming in contact with many people everyday here at Madison College and anywhere else we should be going.

- Wash your hands. We are in public places everyday that is filled with all kinds of bacteria. A simple 30 second wash with antibacterial soap will do wonders in decreasing your chance of becoming ill.

- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth. Most bacteria enter our body through the mucous membranes in this location.

- Exercise. 30 minutes of aerobic exercise a day does great things for your health.

- Drink water. Everyone should be drinking about eight, 8oz. glasses of water a day. Most people are unaware that by the time you feel thirsty, you are already dehydrated. So drink before you feel thirsty.

- Get fresh air by cracking a window at night.

- Make sure all food is cooked, stored and reheated properly. Avoid eating out.

- Decrease stress. We all know it, and as students/parents/employees it can be difficult to do, but stress causes a lot of harm to our bodies.

- Get 8 hours of sleep a night. It may seem impossible at times, but try to get a little more sleep than you may usually get.

I personally just got over the flu this weekend. Had I been getting adequate sleep, exercise, and decreased my stress levels I may have avoided it altogether. Unfortunately, I am paying the price by trying to get caught up on school work. Hopefully these tips will help all of you by not making the same mistakes I did.

Rebecca Schave