It’s common knowledge that where there is a large amount of people there will be colds lurking in the background. Here are some tips and tricks to keep yourself healthy and, if you’re like me and already cursed with the “sick bug,” there are some things that should help you get through it.
1) Rest. I cannot stress how important sleep is in your daily life, but even more when you’re sick. Countless studies have been done on how sleep effects your emotions, brain, energy levels and mental health levels, so getting the correct amount of sleep can be very important to a having a successful semester. There are many different types of sleep aids out there -- ZzzQuil, Melatonin, and NyQuil, just to name a few.
2) Liquids. Water, juice, sports drinks and milk. It doesn’t really matter which of these you choose to drink, but keeping yourself hydrated is a key step to helping your body stay healthy. Caffeine can be really good as a morning pick-me-up, but I would try to avoid making it your go to drink all day long. You’d actually be surprised how effective getting a good night’s sleep, eating two to three full course meals a day, and drinking lots of water can help improve your overall energy levels.
3) Meals. Shoot for having at minimum two or three full-course meals a day. Living in the house makes this easier to do, but for those of you living in the dorms or the apartments it can sometimes be a struggle. Our bodies need food to stabilize our blood sugar levels throughout the day. You’ll be able to feel the difference in how energized you are after about a week of just eating a full meal. It’s really helped me.
4) Vitamins. This is really more of a personal choice. I can encourage you to take them, but I know that the vitamin bottles are expensive so it’s okay if you don’t take a vitamin on the daily. If you do want to get into the daily habit of taking a vitamin there are a few that I recommend vitamin D, vitamin C and vitamin B or just the mulch-vitamin. To help you find out which vitamin tablet is right for you, you can check out Vitamin Ideals online.
5) Medicine and Remedies. When you actually are sick, the medicine you take can differ depending on yourself and the illness. For the common cold, we all know to take NyQuil and DayQuil, but there are other things you can take or use to help make life a little more bearable when you’re sick. A Neti Pot is a small pot filled with warm filtered water and nasal salt that you pour into your nose. This sounds really disgusting, but it’s has the same effect of going swimming in the ocean. The salt dries up the bacteria residing in your nose and the warm water flushes out the mucus that seems to be pooling in your sinuses. This small treatment works wonders for those of us sniffling all through the winter. (Please see the NETI POT website for more information and safety tips.)
Drinking hot lemon water is a good way to soothe a sore throat and, as an added bonus, it gives you a little zap of energy. Also, there is actually a thing called Aloe Vera Juice, and it can be purchased online or in select drug stores.
6) Generosity. My last tip for those of you who are currently sick is to avoid overworking your body in its current state. Give your body a helping hand by allowing it to recover. Going to class is important, but your professors will understand if you need to take a sick day. Constantly disrupting the class by sneezing, blowing your nose, or coughing isn't something that most professors want.
Exercise can be a helpful tool when sick. However according to Lewis G. Maharam, MD, a New York City-based sports medicine expert, "the danger is exercising and raising your body temperature internally if you already have a fever, because that can make you even sicker." So if you're running a high temperature, it's probably best to sit it out.
Being sick is terrible, but we all manage to get through it. I highly encourage utilizing the Boynton Health Services center on campus if you feel that your cold has escalated into something more serious, or you're running a temperature. Best of luck to you all, stay healthy and for those of you who are sick, get well soon.
