By Kenneth Meserole
You’ve seen the headlines. You’ve heard the reports. The coronavirus (COVID-19) has made its way to the United States and is continuing to spread. While no one is fully certain on the real impact it will have, the old-standbys for staying healthy hold true.
Recent advice from the World Health Organization urges people to exercise frequent hand washing and to avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. That means that whenever you sit down to enjoy a nice meal, please be sure to wash your hands thoroughly: either with soap and water in one of the restrooms on campus, or with the alcohol-based hand rub provided at the stations around the dining halls. How thorough is thorough? Well, per the Center for Disease Control, 20 seconds is the golden time. Want to count to 20 in a fun way? Well, they recommend humming “Happy Birthday” to yourself from beginning to end twice.
Among handwashing and maintaining proper hygiene, protect your fellow classmates in the dining halls and use the disposable gloves provided to you before helping yourself to the buffets. Also, be sure to get enough sleep and to eat right! There are a lot of healthy, vitamin-packed options on campus to help you do it.
Whether its an açaí bowl from Urban Eats, avocado toast from Healthy by Nature, or a well-balanced breakfast from one of our dine-in locations, staying healthy will be a cinch!
Here are some tips from campus dietitian Laura Martorano on how to eat right:
Tip 1) Increase your vitamin c
Citrus and other vitamin C-containing foods will help boost your immune system. Vitamin C will help protect your cells from harmful molecules by encouraging the body to create more white blood cells which fight infection. Sources of vitamin C include: apples, oranges, broccoli, kale, spinach, bell peppers; you can find these in the campus salad bars!
Tip 2) Consume extra Zinc
Your body doesn’t not create Zinc internally, it needs to be consumed. Some sources of Zinc include: breakfast cereals and snack bars, which are fortified with the mineral. Zinc is able to support DNA synthesis and stimulates growth of immune cells. Snack bars can be found in the emporium, market and at the dessert station in campus dine-in.
Tip 3) Fluids! Fluids! Fluids!
Drinking water helps flush out toxins in your system. Hydration stations are located in each dine in. Citrus fruit water will be offered at hydration stations in dining halls across campus; this is a great way to increase your vitamin c too!
Tip 4) Eat fresh salads and stay away from fried foods
Fresh salads will provide you additional micro nutrients that you could be missing throughout the day. Fried foods will make you feel sluggish and tired
Tip 5) Fuel up on fiber and probiotics
Probiotics from yogurt can help your body fight off infections that may be lingering in your GI. Fiber is found in fruits and vegetables, whole wheat breads/ wraps and whole grains. Individual yogurts are available in all our retail locations and in the breakfast salad bar.
Works Cited:
“Advice for Public.” World Health Organization, World Health Organization, www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/advice-for-public.
Monnier, Jen. “Sick of Singing ‘Happy Birthday’ While Washing Hands to Fight Coronavirus? Try These Pop Hits Instead.” Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 3 Mar. 2020, www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/music/story/2020-03-03/coronavirus-hand-washing-20-seconds-happy-birthday-10-songs.
“When and How to Wash Your Hands.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 3 Oct. 2019, www.cdc.gov/handwashing/when-how-handwashing.html.
