Wellness Central: Cold & Flu

Wellness Central is part of an effort to promote health and wellness to college students, faculty and staff. This video is about the cold and flu prevention and care.

California Community College students can access the full Wellness Central portal on their Canvas account. Or, contact our Health Services office! https://www.gocolumbia.edu/health_services/

>> [Background Music] The last time
I got the flu, I wasn't able to go

to class and missed a lot of work.

>> The last time I got a bad cold or
a flu was actually just last week.

And I was on one of my long days, so I
missed a ton of class during that time.

So I sort of had to work extra hard just
to make up all the material that I missed.

When I was sick, I couldn't even leave the bed.

So it's not actually attending the lecture,
but also I could barely read when I was sick.

>> It did affect me as a student
because I would fall far behind.

Like, they would give me my work to do at
home, but, still, when you're not feeling well,

you kind of don't have, like, the
capability of doing your work.

>> The last time I had a cold, I had a
lot of trouble concentrating in class

because I constantly wanted to blow my nose.

>> I haven't had the flu in I don't know how
long, probably because I drink good, pure water,

exercise, and I eat good, pure food.

>> I definitely caught a cold
or flu from being at the school.

But it's just the biggest thing.

Everyone just starts getting sick
and everyone sneezing, coughing,

touching things, always on the computer.

So I don't know how often those get wiped down.

>> I think I was kind of lazy with hand-washing
because I would like touch doorknobs

or like the elevator buttons, and
then I would just eat with my hands.

Sometimes I would just have
food lying flat on the table.

And that's probably how I got sick I think.

>> The last time I was sick, I would
say I caught it from my classmates.

>> People who get the flu will pass it
on to an average of seven other people.

That means that seven people you're
in contact with will get the flu.

So if you do get the flu, take
precautions to protect those around you

and consider getting the flu
vaccine earlier in the season.

>> Increase your protein and probiotic intake.

This will help keep those
disease-fighting microbes in our bodies

in tip-top shape during cold and flu season.

Probiotic beneficial microbes are kind of
fermented foods like yogurt, kefir, kimchi,

sauerkraut, miso, natto,
kombucha, and sourdough bread.

>> It's actually interesting humans don't
produce vitamin C. And that's how we kind

of have that sort of link with our closest
relative, which is like chimpanzees

because they have that same error.

It's actually written in our DNA.

We have a gene that produces
vitamin C, but it's broken.

And chimpanzees have that same mistake.

So it's a flaw that we both share.

So it's important for us because
we also don't have that gene.

We need to have foods that
sort of supplement that.

Oranges or like guava, Kiwis, or red peppers.

Kale and parsley work pretty good too.

Things like that just gives us
vitamin C to sort of fix that lack

that we have in our genetic code.

>> Eating good, pure food and getting
plenty of sleep and good exercise.

>> Regular physical activity keeps cold and flu
away because it strengthens your immune system.

And we also know it's a great mood booster.

[ Music ]