The winter season is a time for holidays and family, but it is also a time for illness. As it quickly approaches, everyone on the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater campus should know where to be treated and how to prevent illness. Students around campus also have remedies of their own when feeling under the weather.

Julie Martindale, Health Director at the University Health and Counseling Services (UHCS), wants student to take prevention from illness this holiday season.

“We have seen as many as 1,500 students in a month for a variety of reasons,” Martindale said.

The health center is open year-long, but sees the most visits from patients during the academic year. They provide services for many types of illnesses, and all students can make an appointment.

Martindale stresses that the UHCS is not an urgent care and the facility is not equipped for extraneous procedures. UHCS, however, can help with the many needs of students. The center is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Prevention is key to staying healthy through the school year, especially the long winter months, according to Martindale. She said washing hands is the number one way to stop the spread of germs and prevent illnesses.

Other ways to prevent the spread of germs is to not share utensils of any sort with other people. Getting the flu shot is a way to keep illness at bay, while taking over-the-counter medicines like Cold-Eeze or a variation of it will help fight illness.

“…it gives you a burst of zinc that helps combat colds or lessen the severity of them,” Martindale said.

UHCS supplied families and students with a pamphlet titled “Cold Self Care,” that gives information on the common cold and a few helpful tips to beat it. It is also located on the UHCS website within the “health information A-Z” tab.

The pamphlet suggests  taking Vitamin C in order to “help you to get over a cold.” Kayla Weidner, a sophomore, uses essential oils to help combat her cold symptoms. She has learned about the benefits of using essential oils from her cousin who sells the brand Young Living Essential Oils.

Weidner uses the oils as a remedy for headaches and stomach aches. Weidner will use peppermint oil for headaches on her temples and underneath her nose or in her tea to settle a stomach ache. Weidner also uses lavender oil to relax and have a better sleep.

“To intensify the oil use you can put it on and then stand in a hot steam shower,” Weidner said.

To make an appointment at the UHCS students can go to uww.edu/uhcs or by calling 262-472-1300.  Martindale recommends scheduling an appointment in advance because many students are scheduling appointments.