Staying Healthy

Adjusting to life in a new country means excitement, challenge, and the unexpected. No amount of preparation can guarantee a trouble-free transition. There is one area, however, in which you do not want to face the unexpected: medical care for yourself and your family. The United States does not have a national health plan, and the government is not a major provider of medical care. Arranging and paying for medical care is your responsibility. You will need to purchase the Health Insurance Plan offered by the University.

Health Insurance

Northern State University requires all International students to carry health insurance. All International students (including Canadians) who are not government sponsored are required to purchase the Mega Life Plan. The company Northern works with is Mega Life Insurance – Student Insurance. NSU will send information regarding insurance with materials you receive concerning registration at Northern. If you are sponsored by an organization such as USAID, IREX or one of the Fulbright programs, that organization may have its own health-insurance policy.

Health Services

If you are feeling sick, do not hesitate to get help. Unless you have a real emergency, however, such as uncontrolled bleeding or a broken bone, do not go to a hospital emergency room for treatment. Emergency rooms are very expensive and, if your condition is not life threatening, you may have to wait a long time for care.

When you need medical care, go first to the Health Service in the University Center Room 217. A nurse staffs the office and if she feels it is necessary, she will refer you to a doctor. You may not see a physician when you first seek medical care.

The nurse is available form 10:00AM until 2:00 PM Monday through Friday at no cost. More specifics on the health service can be found on the Health Services Office web page.

What about AIDS

You are undoubtedly aware of AIDS, or Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome. You may wonder whether you will be at risk for developing AIDS in the United States. The answer is simple, you are no more at risk in the United States than you would be at home; your risk of infection depends almost entirely on your own behavior.

As you probably know, you do not get AIDS in the same way you get a cold, influenza, or other contagious illnesses. You can become infected with the virus only if it gets into your blood through contact with the blood, semen, or vaginal secretions of an infected person. This can happen only if you engage in sexual activities involving the exchange of body fluids, or if you share needles (for example, for injecting drugs, acupuncture, tattooing, or ear piercing) with someone who is infected. Always use a condom if you engage in sexual contact and, in any activity involving needles, make certain the needles are sterilized.

You do not get AIDS from:

• Swimming in a pool with swimmers who are infected
• Sharing drinks or eating utensils
• Insect bites
• Everyday contact with those who have AIDS
• Eating food handled, prepared, or served by someone with HIV or AIDS
• Donating blood

For more information, consult the Health Services Office or ask for a pamphlet on AIDS from your Health Services Secretary.

You May also obtain information from the Center for Disease Control.

Exercise and Eating Right

An important part of staying healthy is eating a nutritious and balanced diet. Finding the right foods in a new country may be difficult. The food everyone is eating may not appeal to you.

It may help to find some traditional foods from home, especially when you first arrive. If you have special dietary requirements, contact the Northern State University Food Service Office, the food service director may be able to accommodate you. Be sure to check with the food-service director about your requirements if you do not readily find the foods you need. It is perfectly acceptable to be assertive when looking for a diet that meets your needs and preferences.

Exercise can also contribute to your health. If you exercise regularly you will get sick less often, have more energy, and feel less stress. All of these factors will, of course, improve your academic performance. The Barnett Center is a great place to workout. Facilities include an indoor pool, indoor track, weight room, racquetball courts, basketball courts and a full range of intramural activities.

Staying healthy in a new environment, with all the differences in climate, food, and language, is a challenge. If you have adequate health insurance, get medical care when you need it, eat a nutritious diet, and get regular exercise, you will stay healthy and get much more out of your experience as a foreign student at Northern State University.

As a student, you will have access to the NSU Health Service Office. Treatment there is free. You will receive a discount for prescription drugs and, if the nurse refers you to Aberdeen Family Physician, you will be given a free meeting with the physician, though you will have to pay for any treatment, X-rays etc.