I just graduated from medical school. After 8 years of
post-secondary education (I like to tell my pediatric patients that I’m in the
21st grade), apparently I’m an expert in how to be healthy. So you
would think that I would be the healthiest person I know, but even I have a hard time following my own
advice sometimes. In large part, that’s because medical school is just tough –
it’s difficult to get enough sleep, cook healthy meals, and find time to
exercise in between long shifts in the hospital and studying for exams. I’ve
realized that a huge part of being healthy is building good habits into my
life. These habits should be required pre-requisites for entering medical
school, along with physics and o-chem.
Whether you’re a pre-med or not, here are a few foundational
things that I wish I had focused on more during my undergraduate years. College
is the perfect time to start implementing these skills. After all, you’re at
university in order to train for whatever God is calling you to do in life, and
being healthy is going to help you achieve those goals. College is the time
when you finally get to make decisions about every part of your day – no one is
forcing you to eat your broccoli at dinner or run laps during gym class. And as
you get older, you’ll quickly discover that staying slim doesn’t happen
magically, the way it did for many of us in high school.
These tips aren’t new, but hopefully if you hear these
nuggets of common sense from someone with extra letters behind their name,
they’ll stick.
I’ll include links to scientific articles to back up each item,
in case you don’t believe me. And if that all of that isn’t enough, I can
always play the ‘God said so’ card: “Don’t you realize that your body is the
temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do
not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor
God with your body” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). Actually, that should be the first reason you should look for ways to
stay healthy.
1. Get enough sleep
The foundation for a great day starts with a good night’s sleep.
Students who have sufficient amounts of sleep perform better. All-nighters may
seem like a solution to your procrastination, but you won’t learn as much as
you would with a full night of sleep. Plan your study schedule so you can avoid
that last minute crunch.
Try to get a solid 8 hours of sleep each night. Practice
good sleep hygiene, including limiting TV, computer, and smart phone exposure
in the last hour of your day – the bright light can suppress melatonin
production. If you’re still sleepy during the day, learn how to nap well! Power
naps are powerful, if you do them right – 15-20 minutes is refreshing, and
won’t leave you with that post-nap drowsiness the way a longer snooze can.
2. Exercise regularly
Consistency is key when it comes to exercise. Thirty minutes
each day, even if it’s divided into three 10-minute segments, is better than
one extra-long workout each week. Getting your exercise in can mean walking
briskly to each of your classes, even if you can’t make it to the Rec Center
that day. If you’re living off campus or can’t go to the gym, you can check out
the second link for simple workouts that don’t require fancy equipment.
3. Eat a balanced diet
Obesity is an epidemic in our country, while eating
disorders are scourging our university campuses. Almost 1 in 5 college-aged
women have diagnosable or subthreshold bulimia; add in those students who
struggle with anorexia and the proportions are even more staggering! Being
controlled by your relationship with food – whether you eat too much or too
little – is unhealthy, doesn’t allow you to reach your full potential, and disrupts
your relationship with the Lord. We are called to have self control and avoid
gluttony. We are also called to enjoy the gifts that God gives us (including
the sustenance He provides) and to trust in Him for our worth (not our
appearance, or a skewed sense of control). A balanced diet means the eating the
right food groups, in the right amounts. Eat a small meal or healthy snack every
3-4 hours. Don’t skip meals, especially breakfast! For a few reminders about
healthy eating, you can check out the second link below.
Staying hydrated is also important. Adults need to drink 2-3
liters of fluids each day. Water is best. Juices aren’t ideal because of their
high sugar content, but are generally better than sodas because they do have
some nutritional value. Beware of energy drinks! The long-term side effects of
excessive amounts of caffeine are unknown as of yet, but in the short-term
caffeine toxicity can be associated with heart, kidney, muscle, and neurological
problems. One study even showed that students’ energy drink consumption was
correlated with poorer academic performance. Try to keep your energy drink
consumption to 16oz or less each day (and limit your other sources of
caffeine). If you’re following the advice in #1, then you won’t need a constant
source of caffeine to stay awake throughout the day.
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/water/NU00283
(lots of informative nutrition links on this page)
4. Limit alcohol intake
Regardless of your theology regarding alcohol consumption,
the fact is that drinking is a huge problem on college campuses, and I would be
remiss if I didn’t discuss it. Almost 45% of university students admit to binge
drinking (more than 5 drinks in a short period of time). 31% of students meet
criteria for the diagnosis of alcohol abuse. Alcohol has permanent effects on
your brain, heart, liver, and kidneys – not to mention the potentially deadly
consequences of reckless drunken behavior. Most people don’t realize that the
medical definition of drinking in moderation (where risk of organ damage is minimal)
is not more than 2 drinks a day for men, and 1 drink a day for women; and you
can’t save up your “allowance” for the week and enjoy it all on the weekend.
The Bible speaks strongly against drinking to drunkenness, and it’s not just
because God is a party-pooper – it’s really for our own good.
Tobacco and illegal drug use certainly deserve discussion,
but I don’t have room here to give them justice. Just don’t do it. You can read
more at the last link in this section.
5. Take your medications (and only YOUR medications)
Whether you’re taking allergy medications, antidepressants,
acne medicine, or ADHD pills, it can be hard to remember to take them
regularly. But depending on the medicine, keeping a consistent level of drug in
your body can be integrally important to its effectiveness. Pick a time when
you are least likely to have distractions and set a reminder on your phone.
Keep a few pills in your backpack so you’ll have them when you need them, but
keep the main stash in a secure place in your dorm room.
If you’re taking prescription meds that were not prescribed
for you or taking your own medication
in a way that is inconsistent with your doctor’s instructions, you’re abusing a
medication. 20% of college students report non-medical use of prescription
drugs, most commonly ADHD medications and opioids. Non-medical use of
medications is associated with an increased risk of abuse of alcohol and
illegal drugs. You also put yourself at risk of taking a medication that you
could be allergic to, or that reacts with other medications you’re taking. If
you feel that you need treatment for a condition, go to the doctor and get a
prescription, then follow the instructions!
6. Get vaccinated
Most universities require that you have your vaccines
up-to-date before you enter school, so your meningitis and tetanus shots are
likely taken care of. However, consider getting those “optional” vaccines.
A common complaint I hear is, “I’ve never gotten the flu,
but I always feel awful when I get a flu vaccine.” It’s true that you can
experience some mild flu-like symptoms after receiving the influenza
immunization. The fever and achy feeling is from your immune system fighting
against what it perceives as a threat, and creating a memory that will protect
you when the actual virus attacks. Vaccinations are there to prevent the awful
effects of a viral infection, which can sometimes be severe (young people died
from swine flu!); preventing the symptoms is a nice side effect, but it’s not
the main goal. You’re at high risk for being infected, so suck it up and get
that shot or nose spray. You can take some Ibuprofen if you need it.
If you’re following the Bible’s teaching about saving sex
for marriage, you may think that it’s unnecessary to get immunized against HPV
(Human Papillomavirus). But even if you do everything right, you never know whom
you’ll fall in love with. People make mistakes and God redeems them, but it
doesn’t mean the consequences go away. It’s smart to get vaccinated when your
body will be able to respond strongly (now), and then you won’t have to worry
later on.
Depending on your individual risk factors, you may need
other vaccines – use the second link in this section to take a quiz and get
personalized advice.
If you’re planning on studying abroad, make an appointment
with a Travel Medicine specialist or your primary care doctor. He can create a
plan for immunizations and other medications you’ll need while you’re
traveling. It’s best to make these appointments as soon as you know where
you’re going – some vaccine series can take months to complete. You can find
directories of travel clinics at the third link below.
Kim Lehecka, MD, UBC & TCU Graduate, Class of 2007
Disclaimer #1: This blog should be used for informational purposes
only. It does not serve as professional, personalized medical advice,
diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your doctor when making health-related
decisions. Reading this blog does not create a physician-patient relationship.
Also, the views expressed in this blog belong solely to the author and do not
represent those of University Baptist Church, UBC staff, or the author’s past,
present, or future university and employer affiliations.
Disclaimer #2: With each passing year of education, Kim
has remained just as wonderful as she was as a young freshman, but apparently
gotten wordier. Therefore, please accept these amazing tips and related links
in installments. Kim doesn’t mention this, but too much screen time is
reportedly also a hazard to your health.
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