Welcome to the Campus Wellness Center!

The Campus Wellness Center is your one-stop shop for health and wellness resources. Our center is operated by Campus Wellness Education Leaders (CWELs), students who have been trained as certified peer health educators to give accurate health information to students, faculty and staff. The Wellness Center is open to all ECU students, faculty and staff free of charge, and includes:

• Materials to check out such as books, videos and models
• Health screenings
• Educational resource packets for research projects and papers
• Nutrition diet analysis and referral
• Educational programs on various health topics


If you have comments or suggestions about what we should offer in our center, e-mail Campus Wellness at campuswellness@ecu.edu.

October is Cancer Awareness Month!

Great Ways To Prevent Cancer

Avoid cigarette smoke, whether it be actual smoking or secondhand smoke.

We hear a dozen times a day how bad cigarettes are for us and the risk of lung cancer. Why? Because smoking is the most significant risk factors for cancers that we can reduce. Did you know that smoking can increase your risk of many other cancers? Need help quitting? Check out www.quitlinenc.com for great tips and support.

 

Practice sun safety and recognize when skin changes occur.

Skin cancer is becoming more common, especially among young people. Wear sunscreen when outdoors, even if it is shady, and try to avoid the outdoors during the sun's peak time, which is 10 am - 2 pm. Knowing your skin's moles and spots is essential. Any changes need to be reported to your doctor ASAP.

 

Eat your fruits and veggies.

Fruits and vegetables are rich in antioxidants, which help repair our damaged cells. Green veggies as well as orange and yellow fruits and veggies are your best bet.

Watch the meats you eat, especially smoked or cured foods.

Research suggests that a diet high in animal fat can lead to the development of certain cancers. A diet high in smoked foods, salted fish and meat, and pickled vegetables increases your risk factor for cancer.

 

Limit your alcohol intake.

Drinking excessive amounts of alcohol regularly increases your risk factor for cancer. Studies suggest that men who consume 2 alcoholic drink per day and women who have 1 alcoholic drink per day significantly increase their risk factors for certain types of cancer.

 

Exercise for cancer prevention.

Being overweight greatly increases your risk factor for developing cancer. So, exercising to maintain or reach your ideal weight is one of the best defenses against cancer.

 

Know your personal and family history of cancer.

Research tells us that some types of cancers can be genetic. Knowing your family history of cancer can help you make more informed decisions about your healthcare. 

 

Practice safe sex.

Unsafe sex can result in the infection of the HPV virus, a known cause for cervical cancer and a risk factor for many other cancers. HPV is a virus transmitted through sexual intercourse.

 

Be sure to keep up on screening tests like the Pap, mammograms, and DREs.

Make sure you have regular screening tests like the Pap smear and mammogram if you are a woman, and a DRE (digital rectal exam) if you are a man. The Pap and DRE can detect cellular changes before they become cancerous, and the mammogram may be able to detect breast cancer early. A rectal exam should be part of a woman's yearly gyn exam.