As fall finals and the holiday season ends, students like Ferris business administration and pre-DMS sophomore Hope Orent find their immune systems a little weaker.
“I think it is just because people tend to let themselves go a lot. Like, they are not eating as well and are focusing on studying more,” Orent said.
According to “What are your odds of getting the flu?” on webmd.com, December through February is the peak time for when students start to experience illness the most, with 5 to 20 percent of the U.S. population getting the flu on average.
While many students may have thought their headaches, upset stomachs and chest pains were due to the stress of finals week, “The effects of stress on your body” by webmd.com states that these can also be symptoms of an oncoming illness.
For Ferris psychology junior Alison Chesterfield, simple tasks become challenging when she is sick.
“Stress weakens your immune system and the weather doesn’t help. Since everybody goes to the UC and library to study, and germs get spread a lot easier in confined spaces with a lot of people,” Chesterfield said.
According to Mayo Clinic’s Healthy Lifestyle Stress Management section titled, “Chronic stress puts your health at risk,” a person’s body releases cortisol when stressed. This cortisol can suppress the immune system, reducing the response of fighting off viruses and bacteria. When under continuous amounts of stress, it can increase a person’s chance of getting sick.
When you feel you’ve hit the wall and find yourself going through many boxes of tissues, Ferris hospitality management freshman Katie Bittner recommends following the traditional advice of getting enough fluids and frequently washing your hands. Bittner also recommended keeping a distance between yourself and other, getting plenty of sleep and taking medicine proactively.
Birkam Health Center advises students, through the guidance of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, to try to avoid contact with sick people, clean and disinfect surfaces and eat plenty of healthy food.
For students on campus who are looking for medical attention, Birkam’s hours are 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, and if it is an emergency, call 911.
Keeping your body on track
Eating and drinking the right foods can be difficult when ill. BestMedicine.com found some top options for individuals to try when dealing with an upset stomach.
What to eat when you’re sick:
– Chicken noodle soup
– Broth
– Bananas
– Oatmeal
– Toast
– Rice
– Applesauce
It is advised that when sick, a person should slowly add clear liquids into their diet by trying to sip on liquids every 10 minutes.
What to drink when you’re sick:
– Ginger ale
– Pedialyte
– Sports drinks (Gatorade, Powerade)
– Water (tap, coconut)
Home remedies
Living on a college budget can be hard and health care coverage isn’t always guaranteed. Sometimes getting creative for your own well-being is the only course of action you can take.
Here are five home-remedies to try next time you’re sick:
1) Ginger
Raw ginger in boiled water can sooth a sore throat or help in curbing off nausea.
2) Honey
Honey mixed with tea and lemon can ease a sore throat.
3) Echinacea
The chemicals within the flower can help reduce inflammation and treat
infections.
4) Salt water
Gargling salt water is believed to help prevent upper respiratory infections and
help in reducing cold symptoms.
5) Warm baths
Not only does keeping clean help in your overall health, it is believed that adding
Epsom salt and baking salt to water can help in reducing body aches.
Sick day survival kit
Being sick is never fun, so having something prepared to fend it off during the school year is always an important tool. Everydayhealth.com offers a list of things you should keep in your
cabinet to survive:
1) Pain and Fever Relief (such as ibuprofen)
2) Fever gauge
3) Tissues
4) Water
5) Soup
6) Tea
7) Sanitizer
8) Humidifier