Doctor Tammie

Another year has passed and many see this as an opportunity to revisit their goals and values. The past few years have honestly been a time of transformation and growth for me. I've learned things and I am a completely different person than when I was. For the most part, I feel like I have grown for the better and developed a better attitude towards life.

I feel like most people look at me now and think that I live in a delusional happy bubble, like I am naive in thinking that it's easy to be happy. This cannot be farther from the truth. I've been there, I know how hard life can get. I am not stupid to think that life is easy. I know it's much easier to live in a personal circle of apathy, not care about anything, and waking up every morning with a "FML" demeanor. 

You can imagine that after awhile, this type of approach was no longer sustainable. Negativity is as strong as any disease. Long story short, I've come out strong and I feel the need to share what I've learned with others. It just may be a tough time for most, but it really burdens me to see that most of my friends are stuck in a rut at the moment that they can't seem to pull themselves out of. 

People are different. People know this but they don't really know this. I think it's because we were all pointed the wrong way from childhood, with the famous golden rule of "treating people as we would like to be treated." I think it is more appropriate to treat people as they would like to be treated. Whether it is medically or socially, I feel like the ability to grasp this concept is very important. Just as how you could not treat one patient the same way you'd treat another, this should not be the case in your relationships as well. We all show and receive affection in different ways. Most of the relationship issues I hear about (friends or lovers) is due to a discrepancy in this misunderstanding. Knowing and remembering this has prevented many calamities in my life when it comes to my social relationships.

Don't expect more than you are willing to give. I am advocate for equality so this is a no brainer for me. Unfortunately I find that most people who are looking for "equality" are actually looking for more benefits for themselves. This goes to holding standards for others that you have no intention of applying to yourself. Decide how you value everyone in your life and nurture those relationships. Do not get upset if someone does not value you as much as you'd like them to when you don't have the same kind of attention to give them.

Avoid regarding to others as 'lucky.' In most cases, the term 'lucky' is used passive aggressively, as if the person being described doesn't deserve all that they have. We all have our stories that no one can understand. Knowing this, it is important to never be envious of others. Be grateful for all that you have and mind your own business. Fostering a sense of envy bodes an underlying negativity.

Look at the world as a mirror. If you smile at it, it will smile back. If you frown at it, it will frown back. Sometimes, the only thing you can control is your attitude. Whether good or bad things happen, you can always control how you receive and react. Just remember that nothing positive can come from having a negative attitude. Believing so is a selfish thought, because it would mean that things should just fall out of the sky for you without giving any effort.

Life is short, don't worry. There is literally no need to worry because we are in control with our lives. If we can do something about something, then we should do it. If we cannot do anything about something, then there's no need to worry anyway. Stress free people are not as likely to fall to sickness (big or small), and thus it is very very important to learn to control our emotions.

Here in Houston, any time the temperature drops below 60 is considered winter. I've noticed that everyone around me has gradually fallen sick. The most fascinating part of my journey to becoming an acupuncturist is the ability to draw connections. Whether you do or do not believe in the theory of Chinese medicine is a moot point when certain relationships between seemingly unrelated things come up. Here are a few tips to help out with the winter blues from the perspective of a first semester acupuncture student.

So for a little basic understanding of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), everything in the world can be explained through the concept of the five elements and yin/yang. For the sake of not having a super long entry, I will not go into detail about these concepts, but rather just use them to explain the main idea of seasons changing.

So the season of Winter is the element of Water, which is the most Yin element of them all. The water element is related to the Kidneys and Urinary Bladder. In the Western sense, Kidneys play a big role in water metabolism by separating unwanted and wanted liquids. The unwanted liquids move to the Urinary Bladder where they are stored until they are eliminated while the wanted liquids are circulated and used by the body. In TCM, the Kidneys are also in charge of keeping bones and bone marrow healthy. Since winter is an incredibly dry season, it is very common for our joints to become dry. That is why it is important to maintain good daily stretching throughout winter to keep our bones and joints lubricated. Without doing so, many experience lower back paint, knee pain, and all kinds of joint issues during this season.

The emotion that is associated with the water element is fear. During this season, many experience anxiety, or perhaps, excess fear. When a person experiences anxiety, their blood pressure, which is stabilized by the kidneys, become elevated. Therefore, fear and kidneys have an indirect relationship with each other. In order to strengthen and maintain the kidney, it is important to accept our fears and not let them take over. If this is not kept under control, it is very common for people to become depressed or angry during this season.

The taste associated with water is salty. This means natural salt that isn't chemically derived (so this rules out anything with iodine, fluoride, etc.). Winter is a cold season, and salt can help warm and nourish the body. Because of the cold and dryness of this season, many people experience constipation because everything is slowed down. Salt has the property of softening hard masses and purging, so it is very important to invest in good quality, natural salt, especially for the winter time. It would also be wise to stay away from any raw food during this season, as raw food are very cold in nature.

Other things associated with the water element include:

Color: Black/dark blue

Orientation: North

Stage of Development: Storing

Sense Organ: Ears

Manifestation: Hair

The truth is, I never envisioned myself in grad school. After my post undergrad crisis, I was elated to find the job that would make me the happiest. As with most happy things, they latch on and continue to grow. What I love most about being a massage therapist is the ability to help people, physically, mentally, and emotionally. I honestly felt that I was a natural at massage because I genuinely love what I'm doing. They say that when you have found your calling, everything will just magically seem to fall into place. This cannot be more true, as I have gradually become a happier and happier person since the day that I started massage school. The blessings that I encountered along the way still leaves me speechless as to how I ended up where I am. 

This happiest definitely did not wear off, but I quickly became hungry for more. Something really magical happens when you feel like you're given the ability to touch people (no pun intended). I used to think about med school but quickly took out that option because of things like this. I had a sea of options but wasn't completely satisfied with any. 

I was very pleased with the massage school I had chosen, especially since I started interacting with massage therapists elsewhere and found that my education included a lot more. One course that was included in the curriculum was Theory of Chinese Medicine. I don't know if it's my roots or just my general thirst for learning, but I found that segment to be very fascinating. Long story short, I applied for acupuncture school.

Having just finished my first semester, there are a few things that I've learned that I need to do differently than all my previous schooling.

Old study habits have got to go. I'll say this, I am not a crammer. Seeing all my classmates go through cases of redbull and adderall on finals week was enough motivation for me to not let myself get to that point. My usual repertoire is to start reviewing everything that will be on the test starting about a week and a half before the test date. This got me through undergrad fine, as I was already better off than most of my peers. In grad school, I find that I will need to study they way that people always advised us to study in order to have a pleasant journey. In future semesters, I should review class material after class on the same day and also review last class' material before the next class. It will make the information stick much better and I will be more confident during tests.

I am in grad school because I want to be in grad school. Grad school is completely NOT required. I am in grad school because I want to learn the information that I have chosen to specialize in. I should pay more attention in class and not always look for the easy way out in asking for multiple choice tests, or any kind of shortened requirement. In the end, the more work that I must do will only mean that I will be better at what I do.

Besides passing, grades don't really matter. This one is really hard to remember, being a self-motivated Asian child. In the past, we always strived for the highest grade possible, because this will give us higher standing in being accepted for higher education. Well, if you're already in grad school, you're already doing more than you need. The only thing you really need to do is pass. This doesn't mean that I will stop trying to get my A's, but I need to frequently remind myself that B's (and even C's) are alright.

Your time is valuable, don't waste it. It is not in my nature to think that I deserve a break, EVER. This may be bad but that's just what's got me through these years. I always try to find something productive to do with my time, whether it's work, school work, or anything to improve any situation. The worst thing that I think a grad student can do is to believe that he or she can just do nothing.

Use your planner. I did a reverse psychology experiment on myself earlier this year. In the past, I would buy $5 planners and write in them for about a month and then forget about them. This year, I bought myself a glorious handmade planner for $30 in hopes of actually using it. Well, this worked, and I'm glad it did. Long gone are the days when I actually believe that I can remember everything I need to do and when. Writing down test dates, due dates, appointments, etc. will be one of your best assets.

Get enough sleep. It's time to let go of the fact that you can't go out every night and expect to be a productive member of society. Learning one's responsibilities is not a drag, but it's a necessity for growth. Know how much sleep you need to keep your mind focused, and get that.