Wellness Expo gets students on the health track

Image by Tony Cecala, courtesy of Creative Commons

Eli Vera/Contributing Writer

Now that Spring break is over, its time to get back on track with a healthy routine to prepare for summer.

Student Health Services signature event, “Wellness Expo 2014” will put you in first hand contact with a variety of health experts and organizations.

A new spin this year are the vision screenings provided by the Conventry Health Care, Inc., providing optometrist consultations that allow students to get a glance at their vision health.

“It’s a brief consultation, so if you are having a problem they will tell you and provide you with a referral, its to at least tell you if something is going on or nothing is going on,” said Ludovica Virgile, program assistant for the Wellness Center at BBC.

March is eye health awareness month,  and the Eye Bank Association of America (EBAA) every year promotes this month as the National Eye Donor Month to raise awareness of the need to donate eyes.

It is also Workplace Eye Wellness month, reminding individuals the importance of eye health and regular exams provided by healthcare services at the work place according to Prevent Blindness America website.

Among the different types of screenings available to FIU students and the community, is the spinal screening, which lets you know how good you’ve been holding up your posture.

“We have local vendors and others from the health department as well that will come out to do spinal screening and blood pressure screening,” Virgile said.

This year the Wellness Expo will bring close to 25 vendors that include the American Red Cross Healthy & Safety Department demonstrating a CPR demo, EarthSave will present information on healthy cooking from a recipe book and the Susan G. Kowen for the Cure will be giving information on breast cancer, just to name a few.

There will be new health vendors like the Pop Lab, a local ice pop vendor.

“Her focus is making healthy ice pops, so she only uses fruit, water and basically blends that are healthy, so no sugar no preserves and she uses all natural products,” said Sarah Kenneally, senior health educator at Student Health Services in Biscayne Bay Campus.

Another standout at this year’s expo, an organic coffee vendor will provide students their caffeine fix for the day.

“We will have the organic coffee that is coming and will be providing coffee samples and give away baskets,” said Kenneally.

Overall, the goal of the Wellness Expo is to engage students as well as the community to learn more about smart and healthy choices, while introducing them to local vendors.

“The event is geared for the students but it is open to everyone, we are also partnering up with HR so its geared toward student and staff faculty because we are going to be bringing the insurance vendors, everyone that provides benefits will be there as well for employees to talk to,” said Kenneally.

After the expo Kenneally says that there is usually an increase in the visits to the Students Health Wellness Center due to the positive experience students have.

“There is an increase in massages and tri fit, a baseline assessment of your body fat, strength, flexibility and it kind of gives you an idea of where your at physically, so for people who are starting to work out, helps them to see what they need to change,” Kenneally said.