5 Tips to Staying Healthy As a Student
16 September, 2019
According to the World Health Organization, health is not just the absence of disease but rather overall wellbeing encompassing mental, social and physical health. The practice of staying healthy has for the most part had much emphasis on only the physical aspect of it. This however should not be the case as overall wellbeing and being healthy covers a much broader spectrum including behavioral health, emotional health, mental health and physical health.
Staying healthy is a concerted effort of making healthy diet choices, exercising and generally avoiding substances and habits that would otherwise negatively affect your health.
1. Ensure you diet is balanced In between the rush that comes with school, early morning classes, late night classes/assignments or even a night out with friends, it is very easy to throw caution to the wind concerning having a healthy and balanced diet. Harsh as it may sound that happens to be the truth. Merely for convenience sake, students would rather go for fast foods as they do not need to be prepared and this for students is a big plus. Ensure you drink a lot of water during the day to keep your body hydrated.
2. Exercise a lot Engaging in rigorous physical activity plays a big part in maintaining your fitness and overall health. This does not mean you have to spend all of your time at the gym, as this will mean compromising on other aspects of your life as a student. Activities such as brisk walking, or jogging all go a long way in keeping your body fit and in shape.
3. Avoid negative peer influence Students are the most likely to be influenced by their peers, with this being more rampant among college students. This is so because they are mostly away from home with little or even no supervision from their parents and guardians.
One of the most prominent issues is drug and substance abuse. If left unchecked, it could severely affect an individual’s mental and physical wellbeing. If you have to cut off some of your mates encouraging such then please do so because in the long run, your mental and physical health stands to be compromised if you continue tolerating them.
At all costs avoid smoking as the health risks brought about by smoking are mostly life threatening. Diseases such as lung cancer are caused by smoking making it not worth it despite the thrill it brings. If you have already taken up smoking then seek assistance from your institution’s health center or programs set in place to help students quit smoking”, says one of the editors at Pro-Papers.
4. Assess your emotional and mental wellbeing Even though it is largely ignored, emotional and mental health, contribute a lot to your overall health and wellbeing. Therefore, should you feel any form of emotional distress or mental instability such as anxiety, depression or low self-esteem make sure to reach out to friends and family. However, should the situation be more severe, seek the services of a counselor or a professional with the expertise to deal with the situation.
You should also learn to manage stress, as it is all part of life. Find a way to manage stress in a productive and creative way. You could take up a new hobby take piano or guitar lessons. Whichever you choose let it be a way you can properly manage your stress. Additionally, you should consider taking up meditation or yoga. This will help you deal with stress and anxiety as well as improving mindfulness.
5. Always take preventive measure This goes a long way to safeguard your health. Make sure you are vaccinated in the case of disease outbreaks or in cold seasons when flu is more prevalent. Abstain from sex at all costs but in the case that you must, always practice safe sex. This will prevent you from contracting STI’s or other viral infections like HIV and AIDs.
Small preventive measures such as washing your hands also play a big role in preventing flu infection and typhus. Wearing protective headgear while skating or riding a bike also safeguards you from any possible injury.
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