Annual wellness fair spreads the word about awareness, prevention

Each year, SUNY Poly’s Health and Wellness Center presents a wellness fair. The most recent one was held in April, and attendees were greeted by the question: “If you don’t take care of your body, where are you going to live?” on a monitor in the Campus Center gym.

“The purpose is to educate the college community as well as the public on issues related to health and wellness,” said Stacey Genther, Wellness Coordinator for SUNY Poly. “We had vendors representing a variety of health topics, the Oneida County Health Department administering vaccines, massages and much more.”

More than fifty vendors from a variety of health-related organizations and fields lined the gym floor, offering demonstrations, information, and insight into a myriad of topics including, but certainly not limited to Alzheimer’s Disease, Suicide Prevention, Organ Donation and Transplant, Chiropractic Health, Dental Hygiene, and much more. Organizers of the annual event hope that it raises awareness about all manner of health treatment, especially preventive measures that can cut down on the need for treatment and its cost, and the potential for even more severe health issues.

“It’s best to be able to prevent a problem rather than treat it after it’s been diagnosed,” Genther said. “When we can make people aware of all aspects of health and focus on that, we can hopefully prevent health issues from occurring.”

Among the many displays offering insight were health-related research and discussion by a number of SUNY Poly nursing students; Svetlana Petrovets was on hand to promote walking for health to students as well as members of the local community. She says that conditions like heart disease, high blood pressure, and other similar issues can be tackled through the simple act of hitting the pavement.

“One of the causes of these issues is a lack of physical activity,” Petrovets explained. “Walking is easy. There’s no special equipment or place that’s required. Everyone can do it.”

She says that the benefits of getting out and walking each day are numerous and can make a large difference in a person’s overall health.

“It can alleviate depression and insomnia. Walking 30 to 40 minutes a day is enough to prevent many types of chronic conditions,” Petrovets said. “It’s not just for sick people or old people or young people. It’s for everyone.”

Nursing student Rachel Kaufman was also among those demonstrating research findings and talking better health with attendees. Her presentation was on insomnia after she assessed the SUNY Poly college community and found that many students she talked to had trouble sleeping. She said that roughly nine percent of college students, in general, have insomnia of some kind, and she offered tips on how to combat it.

“I’m hoping that they can differentiate some good habits versus bad habits,” Kaufman said. “The routine of going to bed and waking at the same time, even when on vacation and holidays, is very important.”

Like many others in attendance, Kaufman and Petrovets stressed that preventive measures are a great place to focus one’s attention to health.

Sponsored by SUNY Poly’s Health and Wellness Center and the Central New York Disability Services Office Employee Assistance Program, the event offered more than just health products and services to the community. It offered the unique opportunity to think, and hopefully make positive change.

“It’s important for people to be aware of current health issues and to be able to educate themselves on prevention of those issues,” Genther said. “We want people to be able to take what they’ve learned and to use it as a way to make change in their behaviors in order to live better lives.”