It is very easy for all sorts of illnesses to spread when everyone is in close proximity at college, but campus health is very important. Sickness also spreads easily while people are under high stress, which almost every college student is. Do not fear though! Students can take preventative measures if they wish to avoid sickness. They are not fool-proof methods, but they can help. God has created our bodies with systems to help keep us healthy. There are so many various parts of our body that work together to protect us from germs and other dangerous bacteria. When our immune system isn’t working, we are susceptible to attacks. Thankfully God has given us ways to maintain our health.
One way to boost our immune system is to eat healthy. Eat plenty of fiber- and vitamin-filled foods. Try to primarily eat foods that are fresh and not over-processed. Fresher foods have more of their nutrients still in them while processed foods can decrease the nutrients they contain. Limit those donuts from Oram’s or the ice cream from Alexander Dining Hall, as tempting as they might be.
Sleep is also important to keeping yourself healthy, and it is something many college students struggle with maintaining. While sleeping, your body builds proteins called cytokines, which help grow and control the cells that fight disease. If you don’t sleep, your body isn’t building these. You also have less infection-fighting antibodies when you aren’t getting proper amounts of sleep. So, make sure to sleep for approximately eight hours a night!
Exercise is another way to boost your immune system. There are several theories as to why this happens. One theory says exercise might help flush the bacteria out of the lungs and airways. Exercise also slows down the stress hormones, an abundance of which can make you sick. Increased blood circulation is also supposed to spread the white blood cells around the body, which makes it easier to fight bacteria in various parts of the body. Exercise helps stimulate your immune system.
Managing your stress also boosts the immune system. Yes, college is stressful, which is part of why college students are more susceptible to sickness. While in college, it is your calling, so you can’t just get rid of it. You instead need to focus on healthy ways of managing the stress you might be feeling. This includes taking time to relax and be calm. Doing your devotions daily can help you control stress. Don’t let yourself fly into a frenzy. Take deep breaths, pray for God to give you peace and strength, and then work hard. Talk to professors, talk to your RA, go to counseling if you need to, and use chapel as a mid-week refresher.
Doing these things will help to lower the risk of sickness. No one is perfectly immune to sickness, but taking care of yourself certainly can help prevent one from constant illness. While in college, one definitely wants to be able to focus on schoolwork and friendships and not be worrying about blowing one’s nose all the time or about throwing up. Take care of yourself and these will be less likely to happen.
Anna Eshelman '24
Opinions expressed in the Geneva Blog are those of its contributors and do not necessarily represent the opinions or official position of the College. The Geneva Blog is a place for faculty and contributing writers to express points of view, academic insights, and contribute to national conversations to spark thought, conversation, and the pursuit of truth, in line with our philosophy as a Christian, liberal arts institution.
Dec 1, 2023
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