Immune System Support

By Genevieve Benson

It feels like it is always flu season. Someone around you is sick, tired or rundown, and blames it on the “student lifestyle.” Being a college student is difficult, and on top of that, illnesses create more barriers and negatively impact numerous parts of life. Here are some tips to strengthen your immune system and avoid sick days.

Garlic, Ginger, Repeat

A wise woman (aka my mother) once told me the trick to avoid getting sick is eating a few cloves of raw garlic and drinking hot tea with lemon and ginger. This natural remedy is not the sole solution, as modern medicine has done wonders for society, including creating antibiotics, vaccines, radiation therapy and much more. Above all, I get it, raw garlic seems unappetizing. In tandem with cold and flu remedies, such as Emergen-C vitamin supplements, Nyquil, Tylenol, etc., the ginger and garlic combination soothes the throat and improves the immune system. Why not choose both routes?

R&R - Rest and Relaxation

Sleep is crucial for any individual, but especially for young adults! This may be common knowledge, but most research suggests brains are not fully developed until age 25. Even if you’re 25 and over, downtime and quality sleep are vital for staying healthy and happy. Mood, performance and energy depend on the REM cycle, so positive sleep habits are important to develop at an early age. An all-nighter happens once in a while, but prioritize wellness as well as academics.

Boynton Health

Picture this: an on-campus hospital and wellness service dedicated to students, staff, faculty and the surrounding Twin Cities community. If it sounds too good to be true, it is indeed real, and located on the East Bank and St. Paul campuses. Boynton Health offers a wide variety of services, with clinics dedicated to primary care, dental and optics, STD/STI testing, mental health and therapy, as well as physical therapy. For more information regarding facilities and services, visit the Boynton Health website.

If you are feeling under the weather, Boynton Health offers an absence note for students to provide to their professors. The brief form can be found at z.umn.edu/absencenote, and is available to all University students.

Cover your cough. Wash your hands. Most importantly, take care of yourself and listen to your body.