Health
Medicine Cabinet Essentials For a Healthy Spring Semester
Source: Communications Strategies, Inc.
Mar 10, 2006, 09:15

NEW YORK--(COLLEGIATE PRESSWIRE)--March 10, 2006--The Spring semester has begun and you are only months away from finishing another year.  Before you begin to make summer plans, it�s a good time to take stock of your medicine cabinet.  Does it have the essentials that every college female needs to get through to the end of the semester? 

The truth is that most dorm-room medicine cabinets contain none of the essentials we need, when we need them.  Look for yourself and you�re likely to find an out-of-date bottle of cough syrup, tampons scattered around and a few dried-up bottles of nail polish.

Our advice � give your Spring semester a healthy start.  Re-vamp your medicine cabinet and get organized with what you really need.

When asked just what does every college co-ed need in her medicine cabinet, Nancy Jasper, MD, Clinical Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Columbia University Medical Center, says, �There are several items that young women should keep stocked in their medicine cabinets.  These include items that you use on a daily basis and those that you may only need occasionally.�  

Jasper recommends getting started by organizing your medicine cabinet with the following �must-haves�:

* Multivitamins (with iron): Provides a convenient way to take a variety of supplemental nutrients from a single product. Contains folic acid, which acts as an anti-oxidant, calcium to help promote strong teeth and bones, and iron to prevent anemia.  There are also varieties designed especially for women.

* Sunscreen: Helps protect your skin from sunburn and skin cancer.  Pick a broad-spectrum sunscreen that protects against UV-A and UV-B rays and has a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 15.  Apply 30 minutes before being in the sun and don�t forget to reapply after being in the water or sweating.

* Condoms: The only form of protection which can both prevent pregnancy and stop the transmission of sexually transmitted diseases such as HIV.  Condoms have an expiration date so throw out any that are beyond this date.  Condoms are one of the most effective methods of birth control when used properly and consistently. 

* Emergency Contraception:  Emergency contraception can help prevent pregnancy after contraceptive failure or unprotected sex.  It can be obtained with a prescription through your healthcare provider or at the student health center.  Since timing is critical � it must be taken within 72 hours of contraceptive failure or unprotected sex � women should talk to their healthcare provider and, if indicated, request an advanced prescription so it will be there for them if they need it.

Make sure you have all the essentials to have a great Spring semester!