Looking after your healthy.

As the season turns, we are prone to catching cold and flu as our immune systems adapt to the colder weather. This guide will advise you on how to look after your health and keep your immune system strong so you can fight off illness this winter.

Causes

The peak in cold and flu around freshers’ is caused by a mixture or physical and psychological factors which can affect your immune system and leave you feeling rough. Main causes of the illness include:

Bad hygiene

Life as a student is notoriously messy and adapting to living independently is bound to have some teething issues. It’s important to make sure basic areas are kept tide particularly the kitchen and bathroom as harmful germs and bacteria can spread which can make you sick.

Lack of sleep

Sleep is one of the key factors that impacts your immune system. A lack of sleep from partying every night and coming into early classes is likely to bring down your bodies defences and increase your chances of getting ill.

Diet

Food is fuel and it goes without saying that junk food isn’t going to help build a strong defence against the cold. Whether it’s deep fried hangover cures or 3 meals of toast a day it’s not going to help your case. Make sure to get some vitamins and fibre in your diet so you can build up your immune system.

Easy health boosts include smoothies, soups, curries and pasta sauces. Here are some cheap and easy healthy meal recipe guides to get you inspired.

BBC Good Food

Jamie Oliver recipes for students

Olive Magazine (This site lets you search by ingredient and provides loads of recipe ideas to help you use up left over items in the cupboards).

Delicious Magazine

Remember, a good diet will also improve your mental and physical health. Eating well can improve you energy whereas unhealthy food can be detrimental.

Alcohol

Drinking and partying is obviously never good for your health, but also something you are more than likely to do quite a bit of as a student. Moderation is key. Eat a good meal before you go out and maybe don’t dance ’til you drop every night.

Stress

Studying is full of stress, whether it’s from living in a new place, making new friends, deadlines stacking up, or concerns about your future career. It’s important to address these feelings so as not to make them any worse. Please make sure to reach out if your struggling. You can speak to your tutors or contact our Student Welfare Officer (Sarah Bradney) who is on hand to help with any personal issue you’re having.

Staying healthy

Registering with a GP

If you’ve moved to Manchester, or moved to a new area in Manchester, you’ll need to register with a doctor in your local area as soon as possible. Make sure you register with a GP as soon as possible.

To find a doctor (known as a general practitioner or GP) when you arrive, use the NHS service search.

Once you have registered, medical practices provide a range of services by appointment, including:

• medical advice
• examinations
• sexual health screenings
• vaccinations
• prescriptions

Wellbeing

Ain’t no sunshine when summers gone. But getting out and about as much as possible is as important as ever. The shorter days and general lack of sun is not only bad for our mental health but it can cause deficiencies in vitamin D. Furthermore the knock-on effects of less sun, leads to less exercise which snowballs into further negative effects on your health. The answer is simple, get outside as much as possible. Even if that just means walking into Spirit a few days a week or taking a walk around the block on your breaks.

Hygiene and precautions

If you start to feel unwell then you should avoid coming onto campus (but make sure you let us know you’re unwell by emailing attendance@spiritstudios.ac.uk) or going to any social gatherings. Try to stay at home and reduce your time with others. Make sure to wash your hands frequently, particularly when entering and leaving public places.