For young adults, the college years provide an opportunity to define ourselves mentally, physically and spiritually. The choices we make and the habits we form will likely persist for many years to follow. The independence we find in our young adult lives allows us to practice a healthy lifestyle and make it a natural part of our lives before the rigors and responsibilities of the ‘real world’ make forming new healthy habits more challenging.”Jeremy Stidham, M.D.
CULLMAN – A college student’s day consists of running from class to class, running through a fast food drive thru, running to the library, running to study with friends. A lot of running. But often, it consists of very little actual running on a treadmill and very little hydrating from all of the aforementioned running. It is rarely fueled by the nutrients required to keep a body healthy. In turn, run-down college students become easily susceptible to illness. They become exhausted and lose that baby fresh enthusiasm from the first week of class.
Jeremy Stidham, M.D., an internist with Cullman Internal Medicine, stated, “For young adults, the college years provide an opportunity to define ourselves mentally, physically and spiritually. The choices we make and the habits we form will likely persist for many years to follow. The independence we find in our young adult lives allows us to practice a healthy lifestyle and make it a natural part of our lives before the rigors and responsibilities of the ‘real world’ make forming new healthy habits more challenging.”
Stidham is in private practice at Cullman Internal Medicine, and admits patients to Cullman Regional Medical Center. According to him, here are some of the best ways for a college student to stay healthy and focused on school:
– Coming into contact with illness is unavoidable. As a physician, I am in constant contact with disease. Maintaining our overall fitness is the best defense we have against contracting illness. Routine exercise, a healthy diet, weight management, avoiding toxins (i.e. tobacco, drugs and alcohol), and using available vaccinations will keep our bodies' defense systems sharp.
– Don't bite off more than you can chew. There are many opportunities to be involved in at the college level and you should take part in them, but focus on the activities that you enjoy the most.
– I am often asked about using a medication for stress. The best medication for stress and anxiety is routine exercise. The hormones our bodies produce with cardiovascular exercise are more potent than any drug on the market. Make time for it.
– Maintain your spiritual health. Become and remain active in your faith. Humans are spiritual beings and practicing our faith fortifies us against stressors.
– The National Sleep Foundation recommends seven to nine hours of sleep nightly for adults aged 18 to 64 years. The quality of our sleep is equally important. We can improve the quality and quantity of sleep in a number of ways:
– Stick to a sleep schedule, even on the weekends.
– Exercise routinely.
– Avoid cigarettes, caffeine and heavy meals in the evening.
– Practice an evening routine.
– I once was told that "Quitting smoking is easy, I've done it 15 times!" Tobacco abuse is the most common cause of disease in the Southeast, followed closely by obesity. Unfortunately, quitting smoking and losing weight are two of the hardest things I ask of my patients. It's much easier to say no to tobacco if you never start in the first place. Maintaining a healthy body weight is equally difficult and just as important. A healthy diet heavy in lean meats and vegetables along with regular cardiovascular exercise are the best tools to help us do this. Find an exercise that you enjoy. Find a consistent time to do it. Your body will love you for it.”
This is not only medical fact; it is real life. Instructors from Wallace State Community College also gave their advice to college students. These teachers work closely every day with their students. They see this medical advice taken into effect or shunned and they also see the consequences of those decisions.
Tiffany Richter, director of the Wallace State Choral Program, said, “Reducing your stress level helps your health. College is a stressful time when kids are doing things that are new to them, taking on more responsibility and doing more adult-like activities. But it’s also difficult because you’re learning new things and you don’t really know your place in the world yet. All of those things work to create an atmosphere of anxiety.” She also says that putting away phones and devices before bedtime in order to quiet your mind and quiet your body every day before you rest is important to learn at a young age. Richter added, “The stressors in life don’t get smaller, they get bigger and they multiply. So if you don’t learn how to do it in your early 20s, then in your early 30s you’re starting to have some health issues. So you have to learn how to balance that a little better.”
Fine and Performing Arts Secretary and Wallace State Cheerleading Coach Stefany Pate encourages college students to look into their schools’ or universities’ fitness facilities. Wallace State students can work out for free at the gym, but unfortunately not many people know that.
Lauren Cantrell Salerno is in her ninth year of teaching theater at Wallace. According to Salerno, college students need about nine hours of sleep at night, “Whatever time you need to be up, work backwards from there, and get sleep! It’s probably the most important thing you could do.” She also encourages getting citrus and eating apples on a daily basis. “I drink orange juice every morning which keeps allergies at bay, “she said.
“One of the best things I did when I was in school was get a planner. Keeping track of things you need to get done and prioritizing that will help so much. Also, take a class each semester that gives you fun, that you know you’re going to enjoy going to. If you have that hard class that you’re dreading taking, then it will only help you if you have something to sort of balance that out.” Salerno has been a student, herself, for many years and is currently working on her doctorate, so she understands the life of a busy student.
All of these tips may seem small and meaningless to some people, but in fact they may very well have a major impact on the rest of your life. Keep your future bright and healthy by making these tips daily habits. Start healthy habits today, not tomorrow or next semester, or even after college ends. Because today is when you need to study, today is when you ace that test. Today is when you work on your future.
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