Back at med school

I'm back studying at med school. Things are going ok so far, but my initial thoughts of having a more balanced life seem impossible now only a few weeks back. I'm beginning to wonder how other people do it.

I guess I'm already a little disheartened by my grades so far. Mostly, because I thought I was doing really good. In my mentor meetings I feel confident, like I know what I'm talking about. I read about the diseases and think "Oh yeh, I know this" and cross read other references and it all looks familiar, I actually complete the allocated readings, then all of a sudden it's quiz time and one week I do amazing, and then next really poorly. I can't make heads or tails of it.

I suppose all I can do is hope they will take me back into the MBBS program if the MD thing doesn't work out. I can't believe how negative I sound already. I guess this is a good warning to potential med students that it can be a real hit on the self esteem.

My parents are coming over from interstate to visit and I've basically had to tell them that I don't have time to spend with them. They're all like "Just one day together will be fine" and I'm seriously thinking "No, I don't even have one day". I have a really good mate's baby shower on the weekend, I promised my best friend I'd help her prepare for it by making the vegan food, and another party back in my bf's hometown and I'm basically cancelling on everyone. I feel dreadful.

To make matters worse, I feel I can't train and I'm still off work with a broken toe. Talk about feeling completely useless right now. At least I don't have major anxiety like last time or chronic fatigue.

To sum things up, I suppose things are not going well for me back at med school after all. They were last week and I didn't feel like blogging so excuse me while I vent now. I guess this is how I got into this blogging in the first place! If things keep going bad for me, then expect more posts. If you don't see any, then assume things are going well.

One positive thing is, I do have a really good academic advisor this time. She is very friendly, helpful, and supportive. Do you remember that the last one laughed at me (literally in my Skype-face) because I didn't have a solid microbio background? My new ones is all like: "Med students always put too much pressure on themselves. You can't know everything. It's ok not to do well in everything - you're still learning." I know some people prefer tough love, but I like the softer approach and gentle reassurance. I also like the fact she sounds like Oprah, although I haven't been exposed to many people with that type of accent in rural Australia.

Perhaps, one of the worst things is, I feel like I would make a really good doctor. I feel like I "get" things quickly and can work my way through diagnoses no problems. It's frustrating me that I'm stuck in the purgatory of pre-clinical.

That is all. Excuse my complaining. I'll try and end on a positive note, perhaps some sort of positive affirmation, each time to avoid the bad mental state I got myself in last time I was studying at med school. I don't want to get those grey hairs back again. It may not be original, as I need practice, but here goes:

I can do this. Whatever it takes, I have the ability.

Edit: My former mentor is mentoring me again, I've been told I have to repeat neuro at 50% tuition if I want to complete an MD (MD>75% vs MBBS>60% as I got 60) although they didn't offer it this term so I'm doing renal and seeing how I go (if I get 60-75 then I'd seriously consider changing back to MBBS if they will allow me - I haven't asked - and not worry about the USMLEs for now), and my tax return pretty much covered my tuition fees but I wasn't able to do a 12-month tuition plan until January so I have had to pay a whole module. Oh, and I broke my big toe during my taekwon-do tournament and have had the past 6 weeks off work!

Beach shack weekend

I had a great weekend down at the beach. The BF and I borrowed and beach "shack" off a friend. It was really like a modestly understated home. On the beach. It was a lovely warm-up to the coming road-trip next week.

I had a few drinks and got very merry, but just now I checked out the sclerae of my eyes and they are yellowing again at the bottom. This has me concerned about the state of my liver. It was once like that (at the beginning of the year) but I slowly cleared it up with diet. I think this is the warning I need to steer-clear of alcohol which is sad as getting tipsy can be so much fun. Sad face :(

Only a few days left at work too so now is the fun part of making sure my inboxes are clear (the physical one and the email one), my locker is in order and locked (I keep a spare uniform in there so I don't panic if I'm running late back from my holidays), I have all my gear off the ambulances, my draw and files are in order, and that's about it when you're a paramedic - it's quite simple!

Which car?

Currently deciding which car to take up to Byron.

BF's car aka "The Bomb":

• comfortable seats
• can sleep in the back if necessary
• no need to worry if it gets damaged
• the BF can fix it himself if it breaks down
• 
  

My car aka "The Tiny Car":

• aircon
• radio
• recently serviced
• new tyres
• very economical on fuel
• 
  

Hmm... decisions, decisions....

We're waiting to see if the BF gets his new job for which he had an interview this week. Fingers crossed he gets it and that he doesn't start until we're due back form Byron!

NYE 2012

I actually have New Years Eve off this year (and Christmas) so I am planning a road trip to Byron Bay and the Gold Coast.

I managed to find a campsite in Byron Bay for NYE which is virtually impossible this late, but I did it. Finding anything on the GC is another story but I will continue to search.

I'm also looking at the theme parks as the BF is pretty keen. 

As for me, I'm simply picturing myself on white sands and blue water.

Road trip!

We just got back from a road trip to Mildura and Broken Hill for 5 days.

The BF asked me what I wanted for my birthday and I said sunshine and fresh fruit. Mildura is the "fruit bowl" of Australia and has lovely sunny warm weather this time of the year, unlike my home town.

We were spontaneous with our decision to drive further north to the outback town of Broken Hill. We had a great time there - it was very different indeed.

On return we visited Penny Hills

And Mungo National Park

We managed to source lots of lovely fruit at the farmers market and local stores, although I nearly had a melt-down when I couldn't find any watermelon or green coconuts for a day.

We camped on the Darling Rive which was lovely and got some much-needed sunshine.

Dream Journal

I thought I'd start a Dream Journal section on here because of them are so weird and I want to record them. Even though dreams are not "real", they are still an interesting part of life and often provides insight into your thoughts patterns and emotions.

So last's night's dream:

I was on my honeymoon with the BF. We stopped off in LA on our way to Mexico. We went out to a bar and met Tom Cruise. He was a little strange but nice enough and we had a few drinks with him and he taught us some sort of bar game.

Later in the night, the BF and I went to leave the bar and walked out to our car in the carpark which was a new model black VW Beetle. We saw in front of us Tom Cruise and his bodyguard in their car, which was a small delivery van. Their battery was flat so we offered a jump-start. All four of us were in the van when I asked the bodyguard to be careful with the jumpstart wires and then he decided it would be funny to electrocute me. I begged him to stop but he kept going until I had to be resuscitated by paramedics.

Analysis:

The BF and I want to go to Mexico and we will probably fly via LA. We're not sure when we're going to go. When we were in Bali we got asked numerous times if we were on our honeymoon. I think it's perhaps because we looked so happy and in love, and because Bali is a popular honeymoon destination.

Tom Cruise has been in the media lately since his split with Katie Holmes. I was reading the front of magazines at the supermarket a few days ago. I wondered to myself how weird he might be in real life. A few weeks ago I was looking up his strange Scientology rant on YouTube out of boredom. I considered how strange it would be to be married to someone like that. I used to think he was really good looking too.

I used to own a new model black VW Beetle and often think about getting a new one again. I don't need a new car but I still think about it some times.

I don't know where the van came from.

A few weeks ago the BF had trouble jumpstarting a car with his battery-powered emergency starter and he said yesterday that he wants a new one for his birthday. When people use them I always get worried they will electrocute themselves. As a paramedic, I know how dangerous electricity can be.

Sometimes when the BF tickles me I ask him to stop and he keeps going. I don't like the feeling of being disempowered and often wonder how horrible it would be for some women to be in a violent relationship.

Coconut oil for hair and skin (and general update)

I bought some raw organic coconut oil from the organic grocers the other day. It's the stuff which is solid at room temperature. I bought it to ?cook with ...even though I'm trying for 100% raw...anyway, I bought it and I used it in my hair as an overnight treatment (well, originally I thought I rinsed it out but it needed shampooing out the next day) and it worked amazing - better than any other salon treatment I've ever used, and I used to be a hairdresser. I tried massaging some into my scalp and it seems to have helped my dandruff for sure.

As I was in the bath, some got onto my skin through it rinsing in the bath water and my skin looks amazing too, so I thought I'd put some just on the dry patches on my face, and they looked and felt amazing too. So I thought I'd put it all over my face and neck last night and I woke up with beautiful skin. So this morning I "washed" my face in the coconut oil and I am loving it. I never have nice skin.

I'm also currently using beetroot as a blush (the fresh stuff, not canned) and I love that too. The mixed blackberry and spirulina powder works good as an eyeliner and ok as a mascara. I got these tips from Megan Elizabeth.

Perhaps my skin is looking so good because I'm at the end of my fives weeks off work, I went to Bali in the sun and surf, or that I've been eating 100% high carb raw vegan for a week (minus one big mishap yesterday afternoon which I'm leaving in the past). Probably all of these combined I'd say.

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I've bargained with myself that if I get >1500 words of my assignment written today I'm allowed to go shopping for an outfit to wear this weekend for the BF's birthday. I'm trying to reward myself as bargain for eating well as I can usually study no probs, but on annual leave from work I'm finding it painful to be at the home desk instead of...anything else!

I wouldn't normally buy a brand new outfit for an occasion, especially not form a high street retail store, but the BF requested it so instead of arguing my case I've decided to "let go" of being right and instead by loving.

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Med school update: I've requested a deferral from OUM so I can figure out what I'm doing. I'm still waiting on a letter of recommendation to finally submit my application to IUHS. It's unfortunately all come down to finances. I'm so glad that I can see the light at the end of the tunnel re my finances so it will be a matter of re-grouping and going again. I'm really super-keen, but I can't do what I can't do and I still haven't won the lottery....

I've now purchased the Dr Najeeb videos as they are currently on sale, so I will be doing those at work daily when I go back next week.

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Fitness it on the back-burner right now but I'm hoping it will make a come back soon as the weather improves along with my heath.

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Container house: we have our first one on our land now! Yay! It needs some work but I'm hoping to start semi-living in it shortly when I'm at the BF's farm.

That is all and I better go finish this assignment.

BF's b'day

It's my darling's birthday this weekend so I'm taking him out to Melbourne. VIP tix and lux accom is what my baby deserves.

Here is what I've booked so far:

Hope he likes it...

What to do between study periods

So I'm in between study periods of my Chinese Medicine and International Health courses, and I am likely deferring med school until the new year. Today is my first day of annual leave from work. I go to Bali in a week, so what to do until then?

Apart from obviously catching up with sleep and friends, I real like to get organised between study periods. This really helps alleviate stress - both now and when I go back to study.

Today, I've began organising my study room. I'm going through the cupboard which is the most packed cupboard in my house (besides the pantry). I houses my stamp collection, my craft projects currently 'in progress", recycled bubbles wrap and wrapping paper for who-knows-when, two sets of Chess pieces, the uniforms I never wear and some other clothes I hardly ever wear and don't want them in my wardrobe (formal dresses and the like), pictures and certificates that need framing or are in a broken frame, and some other random stuff I didn't even know was in there!

Also, I've cleaned my Mac screen, keyboard and mouse so they look good-as-new. Walls are getting a wash and then eventually I'm hoping to slightly re-arrange the furniture. I hope the change will be stimulating and I've since obtained a second desk for the BF so he can study when he's at mine. At the moment, the desk configuration could be more optimal.

That's about it.

I've also marked in my diary the due dates and term dates for what I know now (I have all the term dates but now all the assignment dates).

Ready to roll again in two weeks time!

Grateful

Tonight, I feel my life couldn't be more perfect than it is right now. I mean, there are still things I want, but I'm so grateful for what I have.

I have the most beautiful and sexy life partner, a rewarding and fulfilling career, I lovely home which is keeping me safe from this wild weather and includes a most excellent housemate and awesome cute pets, I live in a lovely town with nice clean air and plenty of green yet is close enough to the city for nights out, I'm studying three (!) courses which I'm absolutely passionate about and severely enjoy studying which I can study at work and just relax when I get home, and I'm going to Bali in three weeks for what is sure to be a fantastic holiday with thoughts on India for NYE. What else? Hmm...

Lots of things.

Oh yeh, my family is pretty awesome. I got a good one in the lucky dip of life. I have enough money right now to do things including building a second house (although slowly) and I feel relatively liberated from the grip of consumerism.

 A major break through for me today was 1) I felt appreciated by my superiors at work which made me feel validated as a professional in my field (this never happens, except for my direct supervisor however we are really good friends) and 2) I've decided I don't NEED to be on a diet. And about an hour after that I decided that I still CHOOSE to do a workout tomorrow and to continue focusing on my nutrition. I choose to eat healthy because that's what fit and healthy people like me do. I have decided that I am already pretty darn fit and healthy. I mean, I can run 9kms. I don't always have time to do it but I've done it (well, technically run 4.5 and walked/run the last 4.5) almost every week with other workout sessions in between. It's not every day, but I think I can sustainably manage three times a week for life.

My diet looks pretty good even though I originally got upset about today because I ate about 100g of chocolate and about 100g of lollies, but apart from that it was all veges and herbal tea and muesli and almond milk. So maybe my clothes fit a little tighter right now, but I still look toned, tight, and healthy and I remain in my healthy BMI. Don't get me wrong - I still want to shed some of this weight, but I've decided I'm not going to kill myself to do it, put my life on hold until I get there, or hate myself for how I look right now. I am loving the 12wbt though.

The biweekly videos from Mish are inspirational, I'm loving the vege meals provided by her nutritionist, and I even do the set workouts with a smile on my face. What I can't or don't want to do includes waking up early from my fatigue break to workout when I'm absolutely stuffed, working out every day at all costs even when I feel my energy is low, spend a whole Sunday cooking in advance for the week, and going hungry worrying about if it's time for my snack. What I'm resisting right now but am willing to continue working on is: counting and recording calorie intake, staying away from soft drink (including diet soft drinks) and saving my alcohol calories to once or twice a week wines with dinner, being more organized and doing just one weekly grocery shop (howevere I'm finding even though I'm supposedly buying for "one" that im actually ending up with a large excess of food in my fridge each week, so I'll just buy 3 or 4 days work once and week and go from there).

 So, is that too much information?

Under pressure

Wow - what a weekend. Been at the BFs again. Got spoiled by him a lot. We also picked up a baby miniature donkey to foster for a while on his farm. So cute.

I'm back on the 12wbt bandwagon. I'm glad to say that missing last week didn't have any majorly negative effects.

This week - I'm at work all week until Sunday night. I will be: working out in the back room, cooking up a storm, studying for next weeks exams, and preparing my house after work for my parents who are coming to stay next week.

Today, I made a nice berry smoothie for myself and my housemate for breaky and a nice Thai pumpkin soup for myself and my workmate for lunch.

Oooh - exciting news. My blood pressure is down to 115 (systolic) now! Yay! Hibiscus tea must be working. I had a massive weekend (alcohol+++) and am feeling under pressure with these exams and my parents coming to stay, and I was nervous to have my BP read again, and I haven't been taking the three cups of hibiscus tea per day like they did in the study, but still I'm so glad to be "normal" again.

First day of 12wbt

Today is the first day of the 12wbt. Already I've run into some obstacles and hiccups. I was going to rant about them here but I'm feeling a bit down and I think it would only perpetuate my mood.

I'll give a brief overview:
Interrupted sleep+++
Slept in
No money to get all of the groceries
No food weighing scales at work
Didn't print the Intermediate workout and only had the 1/2 marathon one (which wasn't going to work today)
Did my workout not knowing what exactly I was supposed to be doing and go frustrated without having a goal

I did 40mins cardio and I've just checked I only need to do some ad stuff and I've done the Beginners group workout for today. So that is ok. I'll do Intermediate tomorrow.

I did my measurements last night before bed and I have a lovely "before" photo to take tonight.

I feel very supported by my BF but not so much by a few of my friends.

Yep, low mood today so I'll leave it here for now.



Starting weight (14/05/12): 67kg (BMI 24.6)
Current weight: 66.0kg

Goal weight 1: 65kg

Goal weight 2: 63kg

Goal weight 3: 61kg

Goal weight 4: 59kg

End goal weight: 57kg (BMI 20.9)

Ultimate goal weight: 54kg (BMI 19.8)

Things to do today

I just got back from the BF's. I took the train back which took about 4.5hours. I trundled my suitcase down the road home, but I got to go past my favourite foal and Shetland pony that are currently living on an acre spare block in the town. They are so friendly. I love to feed them the long green grass they can't reach over the fence.

My dog is currently naked after he busted out of his collar like the Incredible Hulk busting out of shackles. I, the BF, the dog, and the BF's dog were all at the end of our 4.5km run on Monday when they went silly and the dog decided he needed to go and chase some poor innocent sheep. He will be nude until tomorrow. I was going to oder him a reflective collar from eBay but now I think he needs a strong chain.
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I almost finished my History essay on the train so I just have to do that today and hand it in tomorrow at TCM school.

Today, I also have to do my fitness test for the 12wbt. This is what is (roughly) involved;

• 1km run time trial
• pushups - as many as possible
• sit-ups - different levels of difficulty
• "wall-sit" (holding the squat position against a wall for as long as possible
• flexibility test

Then Michelle gives you ranges and if you, for example, do 21-35 pushups then you're in the Intermediate  Group. Participants are divided into Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced (and then there's the Lean and Strong group for those who don't actually want to lose weight).

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Other things on my to-do list today: get uniforms ready for working week, get workout gear ready for week, get grocery shopping list from 12wbt (it's released tomorrow - perfect timing as I'm in Melbourne where the "good" groceries are), and finish this history essay.

Running

The scene of today's 3.5km cross-training run on hills and sand.

I didn't want to go but the BF motivated me. He said I'd feel better. He was right.

Our Container House

About 6 months ago the BF and I started thinking about building a second house. He has some land classified as rural living and is about 5 acres. What we really want is to work towards living a simple life that is fairly self-sufficient and low-cost and virtually debt-free. A massive mortgage is not what we want. We want to be able to take time off work and travel whenever we need to and not feel the stress of making enough for mortgage repayments. Living consciously and ethically with the environment in mind is also part of the plan. Renting out the one I'm currently in to ensure ourselves another asset for financial security.

 We started looking around at housing ideas and funnily enough we both we interested in the concept of converting shipping containers into homes. Containers are generally a standard shape and size (the come in 6m and 12m, and special heights too) and are designed to be modular, stackable, weather and vermin proof, cheap to manufacture, and have the strength in their corners thus allowing for doors and windows wherever. It is recycling of old containers and is extremely affordable. More and more people are doing it, and even in our shire, which makes is easier for us to convince the local authorities of our plans.

 So, just this weekend, the BF bought our first container! We will be using 12m containers of standard height, beginning with one and expanding as we go to eventually about 6-8, and maybe another for storage (shed). Our first container is partially converted into a dwelling already. It is roofed, floors, insulated and plastered, wired, plummed, partially painted, and has the kitchen carcas installed. We need to do a few things such as the kitchen doors and bench top, cooker, the entire bathroom, and the electrical switchboard, and then we're ready to move in! We want at least a second one before fully moving in and with timing of everything we may have am a bit more progress before we move in.

 So today I'm designed the finally layout and working backwards to our modular plan so we know where to position the first container, and then the second and so forth so as minimal changes need to be made once we've already done some work, ie we don't want to be ripping up the tiles we just laid a few months earlier. Also, I have the feng shui bagua to help me with the plan.

Even if I didn't enjoy TCM....

....I'd probably still come to class to be around the very intelligent, wise, warm, and kind people that are my classmates. Today we learnt about the formation of blood and qi, the relationship between the liver and spleen, and the relationship between the lungs and kidneys. Then in the history class we went through about the 200-600CE era in China. In preparation for the looming exam I've breifly revised what we've done in the Foundations of TCM class so far, here are the topics we've done per week; *yin and yang *five element theory *essence, qi, blood, body fluids *heart, lung *spleen, liver *kidney, original qi, Ming men *fu organs (stomach, small intestine, large intestine, urinary bladders, gallbladder, san jioa) *extraordianry organs (brain, bones, marrow, uterus, blood vessels, gallbladder) *cause of disease (environmental and emotional) *formation of blood and qi In my Resources page there is a link to Cat's TCM Notes. There she has put up her notes from her TCM course which are much better than I could provide at this time, for anyone that's curious to discover more of what I've been learning. I can't wait to get into TCM pathology though, so I can incorporate some more ideas into my Lotus Jewel Health wellness program. Today, for example, we spoke about blood stasis causing sharp localized pain, and the relationship between the kidneys and willpower, motivation, and energy. Chronic pain and lack of energy are two common medical complaints that are often not easily or well-treated, let alone cured, but western medicine alone. I got my nose pieced yesterday, on a sort of a whim, and I've occasionally forgot about it through the day, feeling a scratching feeling in my nose. They chilli I had at lunch also didn't help things when my nose started running. This weekend I'm staying at the BF's and we have a hike planned tomorrow so I'm looking forward to that and hope be able to post a photo. Also, he bought a portable home for us this week, so I get to see it in person and I am the desingated interior designer. He/we already had a flat, rural 5 acres it's going on so that's very exciting to have this progress with this other property of ours and to be another significant step closer to our dream of self-sustainability. It's only small, but it's livable and modularity suitable for extensions over time, space, and money!

Over it.

Had a lovely morning being Valentine's Day - it is all about who you spend it with for sure. As the BF and I are saving to build our new house and want to do a bit of travel soon and we don't want reject materialism/consumerism, we tend to do "quality time" activities instead of buying gifts. This morning was breakfast in bed and a nice massage for me before work. Lovely.

We also did some cool stuff in the city as our sort-of V-day-weekend. We went to the National Gallery of Victoria (free!) and walked the city streets on the warm Summer's night to a short-film festival put on by the United National Association about sustainability and transitioning to a greener world. We then went down Chinatown and had an interesting(!) cheap meal there, which my positive spin was something like "Well this mutton stew will be good practice for us when we go to Mongolia!" lol

Ever since one of the BF's horses bit him really hard on the arm, I've been scared of them. I'm scared of his cows too. I can handle the Shetland pony mostly. When we walk around his property I just anxious if I realise I'm in the same paddock as them and if they start walking or running towards us I freak out. When I hear jobs on the work radio about people being injured and even killed by their livestock I shudder. I have no idea how I'm going to handle living on a farm.

Veganism - I have been caught a few times "forgetting" that I'm vegan. I even nearly ate meat on the weekend - the chicken sandwiches looked so tasty! I managed to get a vegetable sushi roll but as I got halfway through it I realised there was mayonnaise in it. Darn. I'm back at home now so it should be easier again.

And my study - well, my motivation and enthusiasm is at an all-time low. I have 3 weeks left and I really can't be bothered. I am at risk of failing if I don't get my act together. I'm just so annoyed all the time at the remote proctor not working and the issues I have with trying to communicate with the faculty staff. I'm annoyed at the lectures being compulsory and my internet being unreliable and stressing about losing grades. I'm annoyed that the lectures are mostly the students talking and the stress of being put on the spot to answer questions I may not have read about as yet. I'm really annoyed that the quiz questions are commonly poorly written and so dis-jointed and often don't reflect the learning objectives of the week making me suffer losing valuable marks. 

Yeh, I'm over it.

Vegan nutrition and a horrible day at the office

Well apart from a few accidental slip-ups including eating honey and stuff that contained whey, I think I've done pretty good for my first fortnight of veganism.  In fact - it's been really easy and really enjoyable. I feel really really good. It has helped me a lot to think about what I'm actually eating and to stop and make good nutritional, and where possible ethical, choices. I do wish I had more organic fruit and veges available to me, but I'll do my best for now.

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I had my most horrible day in ambulance yesterday ever. We were driving back to branch when a dog got run over in front of us. I don't know much about canine medicine but he seemed to be decerebrate with obvious head trauma, was not reacting to outside stimuli, and had no pupil or no corneal reflex in my physical examination. He was still breathing though, but it seemed to be a sort of reflex. His owners came out - a lovely elderly couple - and they were very upset indeed. There is no vet in town and the dog was very old. I gave the owners the option of me calling the local copper to put him down using a bullet to the head. They decided to take that option. I was so upset. Much more than by human death. I had a nightmare last night as well. I went home and hugged my dog so tightly and I also couldn't help thinking about that baby emu my BF and I found with a terrible open leg fracture and also that worst night of my life when I agreed to go shooting. I have realised how much I love animals and reinforces my decision to go vegan. My BF is a little confused by this turn-around as it wasn't that long ago we were talking about raising our own cattle for food. He is supportive and has accepted the compromise that he can still eat meat, although he has really enjoyed and even requested some of my vegan dishes.

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I was driving home from the hospital in the ambulance late last night thinking about being vegan and thought to myself "why on earth didn't I do this earlier?" I guess I thought it would be really hard or I had somehow been convinced that I needed to eat meat to be healthy, but really as far as I can tell it's only vitamin B12 that I need to take as a supplement (which I have an awesome liquid multi in my fridge which I have as my little treat in sparkling mineral water and the body can store quite a lot of B12 anyway).  Other potential dietary insufficiencies include:

• Omega-3 - luckily for me, I absolutely love olive oil and avocados and attribute them to curbing my fat cravings and improving my skin.
• Protein - we only need about 100g a day which can easily come from the amount of tofu I seem to be newly addicted to. Other sources include: legumes, nuts, seeds.
• Iron - non-haem iron seems to be ok, especially when combine with the absorption enhancer vitamin C. Sources are again legumes, nuts, and seeds. Also, thankfully as I love it, watermelon has both iron and vitamin C.
• Vitamin D - sunshine or supplements.
• Iodine - as much as any other person - try to get table salt with iodine in it.
• Calcium - again soy, nuts and seeds and figs! Also in some fortified wholemeal breads and cereals.

So it looks like I'll be consuming a lot of soy from now on! Luckily, like I said, I'm addicted to it!

Back to reality

Back home and it's back to reality. My time with the BF was basically like a big party as per usual. As the BF pointed out though, we only party on my two weekends a month so somehow that makes it ok.

I'm at Code Organge. I feel so behind, do disorganized, and so at risk of getting very bad grades. My plan is to look at FA for the Step 1 tonight and get my act together for next week. Next week is only week 5 so it's not a complete disaster...yet.

Weekend

Another awesome weekend at the BF's. Currently doing some neuro reading on the couch while he watches Valkyrie.

Had the most hilarious and random night last night at one of the old local pubs here. It has been purchased and run by an old Greek couple that don't really care if they make money or not as they are just land-banking for their kids. The BF and I were the only two people in there and we were priviledged to some Greek home-cooking tapas and stories of how they met in Greece in the 50's and their 31-day boat trip out to Australia in the 60's, amoungst other great stories.

Ok back to spinal cord reflexes.