Doctor’s tips: How to stay healthy this back-to-school season
Toronto Metropolitan University welcomes students back to its downtown campus along with its first-ever MD learner cohort, along with clinical faculty members, who will be starting the academic year in Brampton at the new TMU School of Medicine. Medical school faculty member Dr. Zainab Abdurrahman shares tips on a healthy start to school.
Back-to-school season is more than just managing transition and course loads, it’s also about setting yourself up to thrive. University is a time of growth, new challenges and personal development, so taking care of your health is key.
From building immunity against the latest bugs to establishing sleep routines that actually stick, small changes now can make all the difference in how smoothly the months ahead unfold.
We asked Dr. Zainab Abdurrahman, assistant clinical professor of the TMU School of Medicine and president at the Ontario Medical Association (OMA), to share health tips for a healthy start to the academic year.
As the new OMA president, one of Abdurrahman's main priorities is to address the urgent family physician shortage in Ontario, a key goal of TMU’s School of Medicine.
“Making family doctors accessible to patients improves preventative care by allowing us to catch health concerns early, addressing specific health-care needs from the start and keeping them out of emergency rooms,” she says.
She is looking forward to training the next generation of physicians who will represent the communities they’ll serve with compassion and be the bold change the system needs.
Dr. Zainab Abdurrahman, assistant clinical professor of the TMU School of Medicine and president at the Ontario Medical Association (OMA), is a practicing clinical immunologist and allergist. As a professional in health-care leadership, Abdurrahman understands the importance of representation in health care and is working to address health-care gaps in the province.
9 tips to keep you healthy this fall
Immunity is the body's ability to resist infection. Abdurrahman reminds us that you can get proactive about your immunity through vaccination.
Before the start of classes, check your immunization records to ensure you are up to date with the roster of publicly funded vaccines ( (PDF file) See the full list on the Ontario government website (external link) ).
Rest plays an important part of a healthy lifestyle.
“Sleep is critically important for a strong immune system,” says Abdurrahman. “Poor sleep affects both the innate or natural immune system humans are born with, as well as the acquired and adaptive type of immunity that develops after exposure to a pathogen or vaccination.”
Sleep deprivation, Abdurrahman explains, can weaken the immune system, making individuals more susceptible to illness and potentially hindering recovery.”
Young and mature adults alike typically require between 7 to 9 hours sleep per night.
“Consider limiting screen time in the hour before bed and having a wind down bedtime routine to help you relax before sleep,” she suggests.
Student Wellbeing at TMU encompasses a variety of health, wellbeing and academic services and supports at the university, and is committed to developing and sustaining supportive environments that foster wellbeing and academic success.
Abdurrahman advises students to alert close friends and roommates about any immunocompromising conditions so that they understand the importance of infection prevention.
In addition, she recommends alerting professors in case you need future accommodation to write your exams separately in the event of a campus outbreak.
Additionally, you will want to be fully vaccinated, including staying up to date on flu and COVID boosters.
Good hygiene is helpful too, so regularly washing hands, sanitizing surfaces, wearing masks in crowded spaces or on transit if needed, and avoiding close contact with sick individuals will make a difference.
It’s exciting stepping back on campus, whether it’s for the first time or for the new school year. There are so many activities that you’ll want to be a part of, says Abdurrahman.
“But it’s important to listen to your body and notice when you’re not feeling like yourself,” she says. “Catching symptoms early can help prevent worsening or spreading illness.”
Here are some early warning signs that you might be coming down with something:
- Fatigue or trouble concentrating
- Sore throat or body aches
- Headaches
- Mild fever or chills
- Increased irritability or mood changes
- Digestive issues
- Changes in appetite or sleep patterns
If you notice any of these signs coming on and especially if you’ve got more than one, Abdurrahman recommends you rest, hydrate and seek care if symptoms persist.
Abdurrahman says our bodies work well when our systems are in balance.
“This is called homeostasis,” she says. “I recommend you maintain balance as best as you can during high stress periods, like exams.”
Balance can mean prioritizing sleep over cramming. Abdurrahman says adequate sleep optimizes health.
It can also mean practising mindfulness or breathing techniques.
Eat balanced meals and avoid too much sugar or caffeine. Stay hydrated and limit alcohol or recreational drug use.
Take short study breaks with movement or stretching. “Stay physically active as exercise supports immune function,” she says.
Abdurrahman reminds students to check local air quality indexes (AQI) daily and limit outdoor activity when AQI is poor.
It’s also important to always have asthma medications (inhalers) accessible and up to date.
Make sure to alert both your residence staff, close friends and roommates about your condition so that they understand the importance of infection prevention as colds can be a trigger for asthma.
Also let them know what distress looks like for you so they can recognize if you are in trouble and where your medications are.
Avoid other known triggers like smoke, dust and strong perfumes.
For students with season allergies, Abdurrahman advises you track local pollen counts using services such as the weather network and avoid the outdoors when the rating is high.
“Keep windows closed when the pollen counts are high and be sure to shower and change after being outside,” she adds.
Follow your doctors’ avoidance measures specific to your allergies as well as any treatment regimen prescribed.
If you haven’t been treated for allergies but think you need to be, consider seeing your family doctor if this is an option or speak to a doctor at the Medical Centre in the Student Wellbeing office about management options.
For students wondering what the rule of thumb is when returning to class after illness, Abdurrahman says there is no specific guideline as it varies depending on the illness.
“If you have a common cold, generally you want to be fever-free without medications, and have most symptoms resolved,” she says. “If diagnosed with COVID-19, follow current isolation guidance.”
For stomach flu illnesses such as Norovirus, Abdurrahman says you should stay home from school or work for at least 48 hours after symptoms (vomiting and diarrhea) have stopped.