Physical Health
Welcome to the Students' Union Physical Health section. Here you will find information about healthy living, exercise, illness and exercise. Look out for many Welfare campaigns throughout the year which will highlight several of these areas. If you need any further information or advice, simply email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
Physical Health Click a title below to expand or collapse
- Healthy Eating
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When you’re working (and playing) hard, you need to refuel with the right food and liquids that will make your body work to the best of its ability.
It can feel hard to be healthy on a budget, but the websites below prove you can be frugal and well fed. Check them out for healthy, tasty recipes on a budget:
http://www.beyondbakedbeans.com/
Remember to eat plenty of fresh fruit and veg, drink plenty of water and cut down on takeaways and fizzy drinks. Beware of the fresher “15”!
- Safety on Campus
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An Garda Siochana have issued a document about students and their safety, with some advice about how to keep you and your home and property safe. Check it out:
Don’t walk home alone from a night out. Go with friends or grab a
taxi.
Satellite taxis offer a discount to UCC students – 1890 202020
- Illness
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If you need to see a doctor and don’t have a medical card, contact the student health centre – 021 490 2311
Swine Flu
Please stop panicking – it is just the flu, it’s only dangerous to some groups of people. But do mind yourself; cover your mouth if you cough or sneeze, wash your hands, use tissues, dispose of them hygienically. Take Vitamin C and eat well. If you get sick and suffer symptoms like a high temperature and a cough, contact your doctor - especially if you’re in a high risk category like an asthmatic or someone with a suppressed immune system,
HSE 24 hr Swine Flu Information Line Freephone 1800 94 11 0
Meningitis: Know the Symptoms
Meningitis and Septicaemia are very dangerous and can kill in hours. Recognising the symptoms in its early stages can literally save lives. It is a rare disease but college students are one of the highest risk groups.
Both meningitis and septicaemia can be hard to recognise in the early stages because the symptoms are like many mild diseases – often there is fever, vomiting, headache and feeling unwell. Below is a list of what to look out for. The red flag symptoms often appear earlier than symptoms like neck stiffness and dislike of light, and before more serious symptoms. Be aware that confusion, one of the symptoms of this disease, can be masked and the person may appear drunk or aggressive.
Mumps
Mumps was everywhere last year, and UCC –like almost all other colleges in Ireland- was very badly hit. Please be vigilant this year and make sure your health is protected by getting the MMR vaccination if you have not received one since you were a child. To be protected at least 2 doses of the vaccine since childhood is recommended!
The symptoms of mumps may develop 14 to 25 days following exposure to an infected person. Mumps can be asymptomatic and there is evidence that 40-50% of mumps infections are associated with non-specific symptoms (slight fever, muscle ache, loss of appetite, tiredness, headache) or primarily respiratory symptoms, especially in children less than five years.
Fever may last 3-4 days and the parotid gland (located just in front and below the ear) often swells (swelling may be on one side or both sides of the jaw). Symptoms usually last 7-10 days. In almost 30% of the symptomatic cases there is other salivary gland swelling. If there are no complications, the illness recovers spontaneously.
For more information on mumps, symptoms, treatment, the vaccine etc please visit:
- Exercise
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Feeling squidgy around the middle and find playing a game of football on the street almost kills you? Now is the time to get active and get healthy!
Included in the 150 euro capitation fee you pay at the start of the year is membership of the Mardyke Sports Arena - that means that you can access it all year with no extra charges, including most of its fitness classes!
You can have a program devised for you to ensure you work at your own pace to get the results that you want – whether it’s too build muscle, lose fat or just become more fit and healthy.
Check out http://www.mardykearena.com for more details.
Why not make a pact with a friend to be gym buddies – it can be great motivation to have someone else to force you to get off the couch and get on the treadmill.
There are loads of clubs to get involved in, so regardless of your fitness, dive right in and get ready to participate – you’ll be glad you did.
See the range of clubs available here: www.collegeroad.ie/clubs
