section 4: Taking Care Of yourself
College can be a time of spontaneity and lots of responsibility for schoolwork. In turn, sometimes we forget to take care of our bodies in the midst of preparing for exams or writing papers. This section will cover the importance of taking care of your body by eating right, taking your medicines, and getting adequate sleep.
Food allergies are an autoimmune condition. Many people with food allergies have other autoimmune conditions such as asthma, thyroid disease and celiac disease. Seventy percent of the immune system is in the gut - which is why it's important to eat lots of fruits and vegetables. Eating hard to digest food such as too much meat, prepared food, fried food and sugar is taxing to our digestion and our immune system. If we don't eat enough fiber from fruits and vegetables "junk" food will sit in our gut, rot and produce bad bacteria, which will cause our immune system to malfunction. Sometimes digestive enzymes and probiotics are needed to help us absorb the nutrients we need from our foods that boost our immune system.
Taking your medicines can be a pain, especially if they have bad side effects or have to be taken at a particular time that is inconvenient. It is important though to try your hardest not to miss doses of your medicine because they will help keep you healthy. If you have trouble with missing doses, try getting a weekly medicine container and pre-organize your medicines for a week. This will also help you keep track of how often you miss your medicine doses so you can adjust your schedule. If you take prescription meds, make sure to refill them at least a week before you are out just in case the pharmacy needs to order your prescription.
In addition to healthy food and our medicines, our bodies need sleep to function properly. Expecting any college student to get plenty of sleep may sound ridiculous. But for a student with immune system issues it is a necessity. So, while you are budgeting time for shopping and cooking, budget time for sleeping as well, even if it means napping... but not in class.
Food allergies are an autoimmune condition. Many people with food allergies have other autoimmune conditions such as asthma, thyroid disease and celiac disease. Seventy percent of the immune system is in the gut - which is why it's important to eat lots of fruits and vegetables. Eating hard to digest food such as too much meat, prepared food, fried food and sugar is taxing to our digestion and our immune system. If we don't eat enough fiber from fruits and vegetables "junk" food will sit in our gut, rot and produce bad bacteria, which will cause our immune system to malfunction. Sometimes digestive enzymes and probiotics are needed to help us absorb the nutrients we need from our foods that boost our immune system.
Taking your medicines can be a pain, especially if they have bad side effects or have to be taken at a particular time that is inconvenient. It is important though to try your hardest not to miss doses of your medicine because they will help keep you healthy. If you have trouble with missing doses, try getting a weekly medicine container and pre-organize your medicines for a week. This will also help you keep track of how often you miss your medicine doses so you can adjust your schedule. If you take prescription meds, make sure to refill them at least a week before you are out just in case the pharmacy needs to order your prescription.
In addition to healthy food and our medicines, our bodies need sleep to function properly. Expecting any college student to get plenty of sleep may sound ridiculous. But for a student with immune system issues it is a necessity. So, while you are budgeting time for shopping and cooking, budget time for sleeping as well, even if it means napping... but not in class.