Health 101: What every girl should know before starting college

Jul. 31--In many ways, Dr. Jennifer Wider's college experience was typical of a young woman living on her own for the first time.

She had a great time, learned a lot and watched some of her closest friends go through some hellish personal traumas.

One was date raped. Another was hospitalized with an eating disorder.

The problem for Wider and her friends was that in the midst of their classmates' health scares, "We were clueless. We didn't even really know what we were witnessing, never mind know how to deal with it."

With her own freshmen naivete in mind, Wider, a Fairfield resident, former medical journalist and adviser to the Society for Women's Health Research, decided to write "The Doctor's Complete College Girls Health Guide."

The book covers a broad spectrum of health concerns -- from common colds to sexually transmitted diseases. "My goal," Wider says, "was to write the book I wish I had packed when I went off to school."

Wider says that just as parents play a role in preparing their children for the academic demands of college life, they also need to ready them to manage their health independently.

While many college girls' most prominent health concern is the dreaded Freshmen 15, the weight gain often associated with college snacking and drinking, Wider says their concerns should be much broader.

"This is hard for some parents to hear, but their daughters are heading off to a very sexually charged climate. And they also won't be there to be on top of a cold with the first sniffle."

Before heading for campus, help your daughters prepare for school by booking their first gynecological examination (if they haven't had one already) and making sure their vaccinations and prescriptions are up to date.

As for her sexual health, "you really don't want your daughter going to the OB/Gyn for the first time in an emergency. If she has to go in a crisis on campus, it is just going to add to the trauma if it's her first time."

If possible, Wider notes, find specialists in the vicinity of their school. "The quality of campus health care has improved considerably, but if your child has very particular health needs, it's good to have a person near campus they have a relationship with, even if you still expect them to see their specialist at home."

Two other musts: Make sure vaccines are up to date and pack a well-stocked first aid kit. (See sidebar).

Also, make sure your daughter (and son) are ready to pass their first exam: mastering the tricky test of dormitory hygiene.

"They are not the cleanest places, to say the least," says Wider, who advises every freshman to keep a pump bottle of instant hand sanitizer at the ready because, "You don't always have access to soap and water."

Her tips for staying clean and healthy include laundering sheets and linens at least every two weeks, always wearing flip flops in communal showers and spraying feet often with an anti-fungal foot spray. Treat blisters wrought by hoofing it on campus promptly to avoid infection. And be knowledgeable about the risk of sexually transmitted diseases. "Two-thirds of them are contracted by women. It's critical girls know what they are and how they get them."

Researching her book, Wider networked with young women at several major college campuses, including Fairfield University, and says even amongst bright educated women, "There was a stunning amount of misinformation about sex and safe sex."

Wider also cautions her readers that college women are particularly vulnerable to depression. The incidence of mental health issues is on the rise in the female collegiate community; it's important for a girl to understand the symptoms.

"Lots of girls will get bummed out in college. But depression is very real and very serious."

She advises freshmen that if they even suspect they are depressed to seek counseling. If the issue arises with a roommate, "While you can try to help, you should also talk to others. Talk to your RA (resident adviser), the campus counseling service or call their parents. It is not crossing the line to get them involved."

As for drugs and drinking, it's another reality of campus life. Some campuses attract fewer partiers than others, but Wider stresses young women need to understand that their bodies metabolize booze differently than men do. "Drink for drink, women are much more affected by alcohol than men. 'I can drink until I'm sick' just doesn't work for women. And intoxication can lead to all kinds of risky behavior."

Now, for the unlimited campus buffet.

You can eat smart in the dining hall by avoiding fried food or piling on the desserts and building large, healthy salads, but Wider suggests some other tricks. "Probably the worst thing you can do in the dining hall is eat two or three meals in a sitting. With all the food options and ability to get seconds, it's easier to do."

Some of her suggestions for keeping the pounds at bay:

* Create a social network through exercise. Invite a new friend to join you for a walk, run or a trip to the campus gym. (Many campuses have amazing workout facilities.)

* Yes, you can eat the take-out pizza. "But just have a slice."

* Bring a blender and make your own all-fruit smoothies. They tend to have less calories and are often more healthful than those that are commercially prepared. And they are a great study break snack.

* Ask your parents to send care packages of healthful snacks such as whole-grain crackers; snack-size, lower-fat cheeses; and dried fruit.

* Avoid beer. It packs on pounds.

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Copyright (c) 2006, The Stamford Advocate, Conn.

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