Before the spring flowers can bring allergy season, students must endure winter weather and the annual flu season.Staying healthy is especially a concern for students as midterms approach — but experts say the solutions for preventing illness are easy.”The first thing you want to do is keep your body’s immune system functioning,” said Kathy Saichuk, Wellness Education coordinator at the Student Health Center. “That means getting enough sleep, eating healthy, drinking plenty of water, exercising and trying to keep stress levels as reduced as possible.”To prevent illness, Saichuk suggested washing hands frequently, using antibacterial sprays on commonly used things and avoiding sick friends.Cold viruses grow mainly in the nose but can also be located in the sinuses, ears and bronchial tubes, according to CommonCold.org. The common cold is most contagious within the first three days of infection.Saichuk said rest is the best remedy because the common cold has no medical cure. She said sick students are encouraged to visit the Health Center to see a doctor. The Health Center does not give out excuses for missing class, she said.”The risk of the cold progressing gets more serious if you don’t take care of it,” she said. “When you have a relapse, the cold is usually worse because your immune system is already compromised.”Saichuk said students who are sick should drink a lot of fluids such as water and fruit juices, eat balanced meals with protein and stay home to rest. She said alcohol weakens the immune system, so sick students should refrain from drinking.”If you’re a smoker, and you have a cold, you need to stop smoking,” she said.Saichuk said students living in close quarters have a higher risk of sharing illnesses than students who live alone. But students still have the same risk of getting sick if they’re in class with a sick peer, she said.Saichuk said to make sure common areas shared by roommates are kept clean and sterile. Jay High, Residential Life communications director, said students come into contact with each other and can spread illness throughout campus whether it’s in a dormitory or in the Student Union.After the H1N1 outbreak, ResLife posted healthy living tips on their Web site and around the residence halls called “Know the Five, Do the Five.”The five steps include staying at least 6 feet from sick people, covering coughs and sneezes, washing hands frequently, keeping personal and shared spaces clean and avoiding contact with eyes, nose and mouth.High said ResLife installed hand sanitizers in the lobbies of residence halls around campus, and the residence hall bathrooms are cleaned twice a day with hospital-grade disinfectant. He said RAs are kept up to date on different healthy living practices.High said the tools for students to prevent illness are available, but it’s up to the students to use them.”Helping students to stay healthy is one of our great objectives,” High said. “Once the students are trained, it’s up to them to develop good personal habits that help them stay healthy. Nothing can protect everyone from all sickness, but if they follow the steps, they’ll minimize their chances of getting sick.”—-Contact Mary Walker Baus at [email protected]