How group projects/papers are like Survivor

Whenever I hear about a "group" assignment, I cringe a little inside. I don't think it's an aversion to working with others, but it's all the little problems that go along with it. It's like first episode of Survivor where all the contestants must work together, or they'll probably die in their sleep.... except I don't think anyone has died yet from not participating in a group project...

1. You have to accommodate the schedules of 4-8 people and find a time and date when everyone can meet. This alone is almost impossible. In survivor they just drop you all from a plane and you HAVE to swim to the island, otherwise you'll die. It's pretty good incentive.
   
   
2. You set up your shelter: When you finally meet your tribe, the natural-born leader will speak. If not, the challenge is to try having only one of you speak at a time; and figure out how to build the damn thing well, so you don't die in the middle of the night.
    
3.  You play the reward challenge. You are no longer an individual but you're playing for your whole tribe: You have to completely lose your writing style and morph it into the writing style of a 5-headed creature named John-Becky-Joe-Sally-Mo.
    
4.  You have to put your faith in John... and Becky and Joe and Sally and Mo... and trust that they will actually do their individual parts/tasks for such project. If they don't, you will starve that night. And you are likely plotting on having them cast off of the island. You can't do that in real life. Although I'm sure there's some sort of group-work blacklist that we all create in our heads.
    
5. You also must trust that they'll do their portion on time. If their individual part is not completed fast enough, you fail.
    
6. Then Jeff comes over to your tribe and asks the leader, "Tell us what happened out there today?" Which is similar to having a master editor to go over the whole thing to make sure it doesn't sound like 5 different people wrote it. After all, you're suppose to be a tribe that works together. If you start singling people out, they're likely to have their torch put out.

So really, when you think about it, would you rather be stuck on an island alone and have to do all the work yourself, but not deal with a whole shwoop-a-loop of people? Or be stuck on an island with a group and face the challenge of working together (knowing that you'll have the hard workers and the shit-sippers all mixed together) but ultimately do less work than you would have alone?

The Black Sheep of the family

Every family has a black sheep. It's like Sesame Street: "One of these things is not like the others; One of these things just doesn't belong..."

Or as Meredith Grey once described "He's dirty Uncle Sal. Who embarrasses everyone at family reunions, and who can't be left alone with the teenage girls, but you invite him to the picnic anyway."

I think we encounter quite a few "Dirty Uncle Sals" in our and in many other professions. There are always going to be chiros, naturopaths, nutritionists and dieticians who bring down the profession and give us a bad name in the public eye.

I had to learn this lesson last week when a friend posted an "article" - which was actually another blog post - from a nutritionist in the states. The advice she posted seemed really absurd, so I took it upon myself to contact her for a list of her resources. It turns out all of her references were either cell culture studies, in vitro studies on rat tissues or mice studies (with small subject groups) and she used this information to come to the conclusion that a specific supplement was dangerous for humans.

I replied to her with several human studies (one which had 11,000 human subjects) which showed the exact opposite of what she was claiming. I then offered her the advice that she should be looking at human studies or meta-analyses rather than in vitro studies when she's giving health advice to the world.

Saying that something we prescribe is "dangerous" to all humans is a scare-tactic which the media often uses. It's really unfortunate that this is the way she's trying to reach others and give them health advice.

I had to do this research for myself, but it came with a lesson: Although I'm worried that the general public will take the wrong message from publicly-made information such as this, it's really not my job to seek out these people to prove them wrong. I don't have to justify my profession to anyone.

It's an unfortunate circumstance that the media (and basically anyone with internet access) can post whatever they want on the internet and when that information comes from a "professional," people accept it without question. So I'm going to take it upon myself to teach my patients when they come to me with questions, but I don't need to prove someone wrong. If you want to post really unreliable information on the web, that's your prerogative, but I'm going to be the type of practitioner that gives Naturopathic Doctors a good name.

So to all the Dirty Uncle Sals in the natural medicine world, I think most people can pick out the fact that we can't trust you "around the teenagers" but we'll invite you to the picnic anyway, and let you make your insane claims about what you think is right and wrong.

The Un-naturopathic naturopathic doctor?

When the topic arises, a patient will always ask me, "Do you drink coffee?" And I want to answer truthfully, but at the same time I want to set a good example. I think there comes a time when you just have to be honest and hope that your patients realize that you're not perfect.

But I've heard this before... you go to your family doctor who is a smoker, or who is overweight, and you think "This guy is suppose to be my doctor and help me be healthy, and yet, he/she is not healthy him/herself? What a hypocrite!" Seeing as how one of the naturopathic principles is "Doctor as Teacher," I don't want to be a hypocrite. So where do we draw that line?

Yes, okay, I love my coffee in the morning. I don't drink pots of it, but my one mug in the morning is what gets me going first thing. It also helps with those morning workouts. I don't fill it with garbage sweeteners and milk... I have my almond milk and 1/2 tsp honey - but here I go again trying to justify it to myself. And really I should be admitting to that occasional extra mug that I'll drink in the afternoon if I'm having a super rotten day...

A naturopathic doctor once told me that "One cup of coffee is a tonic, and more than that is toxic." I try to keep this in mind, but really, we're human, and coffee is addictive. So I think my internal struggle is, (and I wonder if we all feel this way) how do I tell my patients to do something if I don't follow it myself?

Maybe that's why I work so hard at keeping in shape, eating healthy and trying to maintain a healthy mental status - which is a whole other struggle!

This program is so un-naturopathic. The hours are irregular and varied, we're stressed all the time with our workload, we're given group assignments at the most inconvenient times (well, in my opinion), we're all sleep deprived, and trying to cram in as much information as we can without our brains exploding. Meditation? I can't get my brain to stop thinking! Yoga? Haven't been to a class in weeks (probably more like months). Home-cooked meal every night? Who has the time to go grocery shopping all the time?! Maybe that's why I'm so in love with my slow cooker... because finding time to cook dinner is like trying to find an extra hour in a 24-hour day... and truly that only happens once a year for daylight savings time.

The one thing we have going for us is knowing how to take care of ourselves when things go wrong. I wonder how many of us CCNM students are on an adaptogen right now? How many supplement with more than the recommended dose of vitamin D per day? How many of us use homeopathic remedies when we're ridden with stress? And don't forget about those cold socks and steam inhalation when we're sick. We do a lot for ourselves, but how much of that is caused by this program in the first place?

When does trying so hard to be healthy become unhealthy?

My hope is that a patient will respect me more for being honest with them, but I guess only time (and experience) will tell. 

City vs Country... drastic differences in a rough week

You may have noticed that I haven't blogged in a while. This week has just completely drained me. I think Toronto can do that to you. The people are angry, the weather is shitty, the streets are dirty, traffic blows, and the energy is so overwhelming!

So after staying up late a few nights in a row trying to get school work done, I was sleep-deprived, socially deprived, and stressed from the city. Plus when you add PMS to the mix, it's just a disaster. I ended up staying in bed for most of the day on Thursday, just trying to let my body rest and reset. I mean, when you start to feel flu-like, it's time to start listening to your body and give it what it needs.

My intern at the school's clinic gives this to me as my homework. She says to put your feet up and do absolutely nothing for 5 whole minutes (which can seem like an eternity) and ask your body what it needs. Maybe it's water, maybe it's food, maybe it's rest, maybe it's movement and exercise. But it's all about tuning in to my body and not letting all the "other stuff" run my life.

On Friday, my boyfriend and I were lucky enough to shadow Dr. Frances Turk at the Rockwood Naturopathic clinic together.  The drive there alone was uplifting. We left very early in the morning and as soon as we were north of Milton, our entire surroundings went from an industrialized, dirty mess, to a winter wonderland. Everything was covered in a gorgeous blanket of snow. I had forgotten how beautiful the "country" could be and just how different the weather can be when you drive even 20 minutes north of the city.

I should mention that the first amazing bonus to this day was that I got to wear slippers the whole day in her office. I mean seriously, right then and there I was in heaven. Slippers are one of my most favourite things and my friends can attest that I usually have a pair packed in my purse. So once my feet were nice and snuggly, I looked out the window and saw nothing but a snow-covered forest. It was so quiet and peaceful that I really didn't want to leave. It truly was a healing environment. 

But for all of you who are stuck in the city, I must say that sunshine greatly helps to dissipate the great dark cloud of grim that absorbs us into its swirly vortex of grumpiness and fatigue. It's like the universe has dumped boxes of sad kittens onto all of us.

So... I guess my conclusion is that I desperately need more sunshine and less city... Though it's not always easy to do. I think we all need a break from this swirly vortex of grey. So if you get the chance to escape - take advantage of it! Make time to check in with yourself. Make time to escape even if it's just for a few hours.

If Y2K and the Mayans can't cause the end of the world, I'm pretty sure Disappointment won't either

We interrupt your life for Breaking News: Local school administration upsets students. Details after this...

Okay, so I know that I'm an extremely sensitive person. It doesn't take much for me to cry. Again, I think I may have mentioned that March of the Penguins had me going through half a box of Kleenex and anxiety can send me into a panic attack of palpitations and tears. But it's only been recently (past 2-3 years) that I've been able to identify it and to calm myself faster than in high school or undergrad.

So, the fact is, I had two satellite clinics that I had my heart set on working at and I was just too far down the selection list to get either of them. That was the moment I realized I'm not going to get a shift outside of the RSNC (our school's clinic). It truly isn't the end of the world, but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't upset. I thought that this was a learning experience that would greatly benefit me and was told continuously "Make sure you get a satellite shift!!" So my initial response was heartbreak, and then panic and then some crying as I realized my clinic experience had just been chopped short.

It took me an hour to calm down and realize that this isn't a deal breaker for my career. It's unfortunate, but I had to understand the master plan. I wasn't meant to have that shift. It might sound absurd to some of you, but it's the truth. It's how I ended up at CCNM, so I'm taking this as another sign. Back in my undergrad years I dreamed of being a doctor and applied to traditional medical schools in Canada for 3 consecutive years, writing the MCAT each time. This stuff isn't cheap! I spent thousands of dollars on study materials, applications, exam fees and it was all just there to show me that I wasn't meant to be a traditional Medical doctor.

Because of that "rejection," I was able to see the big picture and find my true calling: to actually help people to heal, to use preventative medicine, and to teach others by becoming a naturopathic doctor.  But trust me, all of those rejection letters and shitty MCAT scores felt like a kick to the face each time... actually, like Joe Rogan kicking me in the face - and that's really saying something! 

The hardest thing was to realize that I didn't fail, I was being pushed in a different direction; the one I was meant to follow. So that's what I'm making of today's gong show that we call Day 1 of Clinic Shift Selection. I wasn't meant to go anywhere but the RSNC and I can deal with that.

As quoted by Tom Hanks' character Jimmy Dugan. One of my favourite movies. I have to remind myself of this often.

I see so many frustrated students out there who keep hitting a brick wall. Ones who are trying to get into one field and yet they are struck by that road block each time. It was so hard for me to learn this lesson, and I know that others have to learn it for themselves, but I found it necessary to share my story so that maybe we can all sit back and think "Okay, this CLEARLY isn't working out for me. There has to be a reason why! There has to be another way!"

If you keep hitting a brick wall over and over again, maybe it should be taken as a sign. Maybe it's not meant to be that particular way. I don't mean for you to not try something, or to give up on your dream, but if you've attempted something 3 or 4 times and it's still not working out for you, try to think about why it's not working. Find a different path to get from A to B. I'm still going to be a doctor, but I'm becoming the doctor that I was meant to be - not one who sees patients for 5 minutes and hands out prescriptions like candy on Halloween.

So, although our school's organization wasn't at it's best on this particular day, let's not get angry; let's deal with what we have and appreciate it. I'm not going to be a terrible doctor just because I won't be spending a semester working with Dr. Ladd or Dr. Gowan.

It's truly not the end of the world. The dinosaurs that are up in heaven are laughing at us right now. I'm pretty sure they wish they could all kick us in the face for being so dramatic about our lives. Or eat us.

For my own personal mission, I want to be more mindful and grateful for what I have. And I hope I can remember that the next time I feel heartbroken or disappointed.

I was bit by a dog, but experienced more anxiety from my phone

So today (meaning yesterday) was one of those days where I just wanted to smack myself and yell out "SERIOUSLY!" There is only so much you can do to stay bubbly before the world just spits in your face - or in my case, bites your leg.

On my way out to my car I noticed someone had double parked and blocked me in. Just great. So in addition to having to go door-to-door trying to find the culprit of the park and dash, I was attacked and bit by a dog. Now, I wish I could say that this was a huge ass dog with fangs like a Basilisk and paws like a bear... A dog that was frothing at the mouth with rage in its eyes! But embarrassingly enough I was bit by this tiny white fluffy -what I call a - "kick-me dog". Okay, so take that picture there just below and imagine him just a little bigger and mangier!

Image from: http://www.dailypuppy.com/dogs/max-the-bichon-frise_2009-01-02

You know what I'm talking about and don't even pretend like I'm some Death Eater who's out to kick puppies. I love dogs. I love puppies even more (hard to believe), but there is something about the small, yappy vicious dogs where they bark at you one too many times and you have the urge to punt them like a kicker going for a field goal. Yet the whole time I could feel this little shit's teeth trying to sink into my leg, all I could think about was how annoying this stupid dog was and how I just wanted it out of my way.

But being bitten, or even just ambushed by an animal can be a fairly traumatic experience for someone and cause a lot of anxiety. I'm going to switch gears and share with you the real source of my anxiety, which came later on in the day: technology.

My supervisor in clinic said something really profound this weekend. She said that we're now in a world where we are expected to be available all the time, and where we're expected to respond instantly. And think about it: If someone doesn't respond to a text or email within 10 minutes, do you ever wonder why they aren't responding? Maybe they don't like you. Maybe they're with cooler people than you. Maybe something terrible happened to them. Maybe they're just busy and are ignoring their phone. You have no idea, it could be anything! But we get sucked into this need to constantly know everything all the time. We update our statuses religiously, and if no one "likes" something that we put on Facebook, we immediately take that as rejection.

For a teenager I can only image how influential this is on their mental well-being. I never had a cell phone as a teen. I carried an "emergency" quarter in my backpack in case I needed to use a payphone. We didn't have text messaging. Closer to the end of high school we had ICQ messenger... but it was on dial-up internet and if you were "offline" you truly were offline. Now, you can hide your status. Pretend like you're busy. Or maybe you really are busy, but no one really knows and we're all so obsessed with knowing!

Our phones have become our lifelines. And I didn't realize the impact it had on me until today. I actually switched from my Android to the iphone 4. Granted, it's not the new snazzy iphone, but it does the trick, and it likes to talk to my MacBook. I joke that when I plug my phone in to my mac, they form a shadow government and start syncing secret information. Because really, I don't know what happens in the Cloud and I'm pretty sure I can't even get access there yet.

My point is, for the entire day I obsessed over setting up this phone. Syncing my calendar, my music, making sure I still have Wham! as my ringtone, and transferring all my contacts which apparently can't be done. Seriously, we have the power to follow the trajectory of meteors but someone couldn't figure out how to transfer a contact list from one phone to another? And this was my biggest stressor of the day! That dog bite took the backseat on my anxiety scale.

So what is to happen to future generations? Will we be riddled with anxiety disorders? Depending on how we use them, will our brains evolve or dissolve? Or maybe the Bichon Frise dogs are just waiting for our phones to explode and then they'll eat us and rule the world!

What's "heat" got to do with it?

Well, I have to say that putting any type of meat into a slow cooker turns it absolutely amazing.
It's like putting coal into an alchemy machine (yes, I just made that up), and in 8 hours on low you get solid gold.

I've found "Paleo Slow Cooking" by Chrissy Gower to be really hit or miss. The sweet potato jalapeno hash with sausage was by far my favourite dish. This is definitely going to be a repeat breakfast! I used Sundried Tomato and Basil Gluten-free sausages from McMaster's Meats in Georgetown, and it was the perfect flavour! However, according to my spice-enthusiast boyfriend, there just wasn't enough "heat".

Okay, story time: I have an amazing boyfriend, who can cook pretty decently, but we have a difference in opinion when it comes to flavouring and spice. Now, I do love Indian food and a little "kick" to my food is always welcome, but unfortunately, my mouth is not equipped with a fire extinguisher like his. One morning he offered to make me breakfast - and really, who am I to refuse food being cooked for me?! That would just be crazy; So I let him do his thing in the kitchen, making me frittata to which he said he added just a tiny bit of jalapeno.

I braced myself because I knew we had a difference in palates. He can chug a bottle of Sriracha like it's a refreshing splash of morning dew and lemon drops and a gentle wind would blow across his face. Meanwhile with me, even just a taste of the hot sauce in my world would cause thunder to take over and giant dinosaurs would rampage the earth, crushing houses!, crushing mountains!, tossing lightning bolts into the ocean and electrocuting all of the fishes! The earth would open up and liquid hot magma would unfold from the tectonic plates, slowly devouring the planet as we know it! That is what hot peppers do to me. I turn into the unhappiest dragon of all.

So after my wonderful boyfriend presented me with this lovely looking vegetable egg frittata, I took a few bites and immediate I could hear the roar of the dinosaurs. I looked at him and asked him how much jalapeno he put in it... Turns out that my piece of frittata had all of the pepper and he didn't bother to remove the seeds because apparently "that's where the heat comes from."

Least to say, I never let him forget that moment and from then on he understood that when making me any dish, he had to "sarah-fy" it. So making this sweet potato and sausage hash was amazing for me. But when I make it again, I would use either two jalapenos - instead of just one (with seeds removed) or, add just a couple of the seeds to bring a tiny bit more heat into the dish. I also modified it slightly by adding a bit of cayenne for the boyfriend too. It still wasn't hot enough for him, but I loved the flavour!!

So if you decide to buy this book, realize that not every recipe is perfect. She also uses a LOT of tomatoes in her recipes, so if you're following an anti-inflammatory diet, your recipe selection becomes much slimmer.

I also didn't appreciate her use of Penzey's spices since they aren't available in Canada and trying to substitute with something here just isn't going to give that exact flavour. But for all you 'Muricans out there, go nuts - I'm totally jealous that you have access to Penzey's products.