By Ryan Lynch / Asst. Photo Editor
Taking the pressure (Ryan Lynch / Asst. Photo Editor)
By Ryan Lynch / Asst. Photo Editor
This year’s Health Fair hosted some of the most valuable organizations and programs in the community.
They ranged from child care to telephone typewriter phones.
The main focus was college students and health prevention of all sorts.
“I’ve attended this fair for four years and this year the weather is a big deterrent, but the students we have spoken with are very happy to know we are here,” said Cindy Cave of the Riverside City College Health Services Department.
Besides providing walk- in doctor and counseling appointments on campus, the Health Services Department can also write prescriptions, send for lab work and offer dental referrals.
“RCC has a great health program that helps a lot of students who might not have help elsewhere, I love working here,” Cave said.
Among the most visited booths was the Northwest College Health Team.
The team of licensed vocational nursing students offered both blood pressure and blood sugar tests as an early detection of Diabetes and other problems.
“High blood pressure doesn’t only affect elderly people, it could be genetic,” Elizabeth Rios said.
“I check my blood pressure at least once a month,” Rios said. “I like being able to help people it’s a good career.”
“I saw them testing blood pressure and I wanted the test,” Juan Carlos Viramontes said.
Some students hesitated when wanting to get tested for something because of a certain sharp object.
Viramontes declined to take the blood sugar test.
“I’m scared of needles,” he said.
Joyce Mosley of The Southern California Witness Project provided information on cancer.
“Even men should check at least once a month, it’s not just women anymore, so many people wait too long,” Mosley said.
Besides offering information on prevention, a lot of organizations helped students find health care at student prices.
Health Works offers doctor visits for $60 without insurance and hosts clinics in almost every city across Southern California.
Babak Aminpour D.D.S INC. offers free examinations as well as oral or maxillofacial surgery with a discount over 50 percent.
The Riverside County Office of Education, Children and Family Services Unit will help you find and possibly pay for child care as well as answer any questions about children.
“We are the 411 of child care,” Marilyn Yaeger said.
The Childhood Asthma program and Tobacco Free Families displayed the effects of smoking with a black lung, bad teeth and a block of tar which proved ineffective to Jeff Ritz
“Those are my lungs,” Ritz said.
Another booth was the Nine Zero Project: nine months, zero alcohol.
One of the most important booths this year was the Rape Crisis center.
One out of three is affected by date rape or sexual assault.
The crisis center in Riverside offers free self defense courses as well as a new art therapy course titled the art of healing.
They are always accepting volunteers to assist with hotline calls.
Volunteers go through a four month program before starting, if interested contact the rape crisis center.
Healthy diets were also a big part of this event.
Juice Plus promoted an all natural product made by juicing a wide variety of fruits and vegetables and then concentrating them into a powder.
“But it’s not all about the product,” Pam Ford said. “My thing is education.”
Juice Plus offers a 24 hour hotline, 1-800-942-1260, with the latest discussions about health and nutrition.
Herbalife is another product offered.
It offers a wide array of products to supplement meals and help users lose or gain weight.
It includes a core product for individuals who just want to regenerate their cellular structure.
The college years are a crucial time to keep up on routine check ups, exercise, and a healthy diet.
The stress of school and work make it easy to forget about a healthy lifestyle.
This summer the Health Service Department will be open Monday-Thursday 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
They are located downstairs to the right of the bookstore.