Get healthy next week in the MUC

By Tina Foster
News Reporter

Better, healthier living can be yours by attending SIUE's health fair.

Information on HIV, AIDS, blood pressure, nutrition and fitness will be presented Tuesday in the Morris University Center.

"The health fair is held every year," Wellness Coordinator Assistant Cristy Higgerson said, "but this is the first year the Wellness Center is coordinating it. It used to be planned by Health Services."

This year, experts in more than 30 different booths will answer students' questions on health-related topics. These booths include on- and off-campus programs.

The School of Nursing will offer free blood pressure checks.

St. Anthony's Hospital will offer cholesterol and glucose checks for $7. "This is a really good price for students," Higgerson said.

The fight against AIDS will be well represented. Health fair booths will include the St. Louis Effort for AIDS Prevention, the Madison County AIDS Prevention Program and Bethany's Place. All of these programs will offer free advice, free information on HIV and AIDS prevention and free condoms. They will also give referrals for those who would like to get tested for HIV.

Information on posture and wellness will be offered by Vuagniaux Specific Chiropractic.

The fair will also offer information on nutrition, fitness and other topics for healthier living.

"This year we're doing something different," Higgerson said. "We will have an interactive game where you can win door prizes."

People attending the fair will be offered a piece of paper with a list of topics. Participants must match the topic with a booth. Those people correctly matching 20 to 25 topics and booths will be eligible for a prize drawing.

"You don't have to be there to win," Higgerson said. "But if you are not there, you get to choose from the leftover prizes."

The prizes include a home-cleaning kit, a laundry kit, an inflatable chair with speakers, a compact disk player with a car adapter and hand-held games.

"The prizes were donated to us by local business and from some of the booths," Higgerson said. "These are prizes people need or want, but don't want to buy themselves."

Tuesday's health fair in the Goshen Lounge will open at 9 a.m. and close at 3 p.m. For more information, contact the Wellness Center at 650-3872.