It’s November, ladies! Which means it’s time to spend your late nights studying at the library, listening to everyone coughing and sneezing along with you. Then again, maybe not. There are plenty of ways you can keep the cold and flu away on campus.
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- Make sure you’re consuming fruits and veggies regularly
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We all know this is extremely hard without mom’s home cooked meals but there are meal swipe options and a few easy cheats for you picky eaters.
If you’re willing to shop for your options try sticking to citrus fruits such as oranges, grapefruits, tangerines, and clementines. Drink orange juice for Vitamin C. Ginger shots are also a great way to not only boost your immune system but detoxify your body after binging White Claws and chicken nuggets during game day… we see you!
Picky eaters should try to kill two birds with one stone by buying lemons or lemon juice to put in your water to boost your metabolism and immune system. If you don’t like orange juice or other fruits, try the Vitamin Gummies and fruit infused yogurt.
Ditch the migraine inducing coffee for caffeinated Green Tea; rich in polyphenols that have effects like reducing inflammation, boosting your immune system, and helping to fight cancer and aging free radicals in the body.
All American college campuses are required to have vegetable and fruit options for their students on their meal plan. At The University of South Carolina Russell House; Panera pairs an apple with your meal, Spice has vegetables and vegetable fried rice, and even Chick-Fil-A has fruit sides with a little overage on your swipe.
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- Exercise!
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As Cocky will tell you at every UofSC Football Game, try to exercise for at least 30 minutes every day. Exercising during the morning, rather than at night, will give you that extra kick of energy you need before classes and will also improve focus and mental abilities all day long.
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- Maintain a healthy weight
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Track your calorie intake. Use a BMI calculator or ask your doctor if you’re at a healthy weight. You can then use a Daily Calorie Intake Calculator to view the appropriate number of calories you should be consuming on a daily basis according to your current weight and height in order to lose, maintain, or gain weight.
As we mentioned earlier, try to include Green Tea in your daily routine instead of coffee. It is known to improve fat burning and body performance throughout the day.
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- Drink in moderation
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Keep the blackouts to a minimum, girls. Replace beer with vodka to maintain a healthy weight but try to LEARN. YOUR. LIMIT. It’s not cute to be that messy girl nor is it cute to have the flu.
- Get plenty of sleep every night
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You should get an average of 7 or 8 hours of sleep every night, meaning your late night study sessions should still leave you with at least 6 hours of sleep. No one can retain information with a lack of sleep or energy, anyways.
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- Invest in a few dorm/home essentials to keep from getting sick
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A small air purifier will remove contaminants from the air to improve indoor air quality. You should also keep hand sanitizer and disinfectant wipes handy especially if any of your friends or roommates are sick.
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- GET VACCINATED!
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If your beliefs contrast from those we’re about to address, stop reading. Vaccinations are extremely important and one non-vax person can ruin the health of an entire community as a whole. Get your flu shots, Td or Tdap vaccine, and your HPV vaccines which protects against the types of human papillomaviruses (HPV) that cause most cervical, anal, and other cancers, as well as genital warts. Don’t put your friends or classmates at risk.
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No matter what, remember your health should ALWAYS be a priority. As the weather gets colder, be sure to take care of yourself.