Itās normal to experience stress from time to time ā itās part of the human condition.
As students, we experience stress and anxiety too, from many causes- academic demands , deadlines, test anxiety, relationship, parents, Ā environment ( especially students that are away from home) and on and on.
But the good thing about stress is that it can also be easily brought under control.
Different people have different ways of de stressing themselves. The thing is you need to find your own way out of this. Thereās no point in following othersā way of stress management, what might help oneās might not help you, and worse, might lead to added stress. We often associate alleviating stress with indulging unhealthy vices, like clubbing, smoking, drinking, stress-eating, addiction , and etc. š„
The trouble is, after one of those activities, youāre rarely left actually feeling betterāin fact, you usually feel worse, leading to added stress.
But what if one of the best stress relief activities is actually something good for you and your wallet and itās fun? Yes, you guessed it: Ā Cooking is one of my way of de stressing. It is indeed very therapeutic and relaxing. š
As quoted from the internet,
Food Networkās Alton Brown has said that cooking is āa very calming ritual. Itās a different kind of stress relief than I get doing anything elseā¦[we] find kind of a physical solace doing things with our hands, more and more in the kitchen. The sounds, the smells, the feels of that room are comforting to me.ā
"Cooking is a great destresser because it serves as a creative outlet," says Debbie Mandel, author of "Addicted to Stress." "And while stress can numb your senses, cooking activates them. It's a sensory experience with aroma, taste, touch, visual delight and even sizzling sound."Ā Ā
Mental health experts even credit cooking with helping to relieve depression, anxiety, and its manifestations, like eating disorders. Mental health clinics have started using cooking as a type of behavioral therapy, much like music or art therapy. Not only is the act of cooking meditative on its own (chopping, whisking, stirring), it also leads to improved diet, which experts are now recognizing as crucial to mental health.
During normal school day, I still cook/prep my own lunch, especially starting this year- my intermediate cycle in RCSI, our classes are based in Beaumont hospital, which is my college teaching hospital. It is 40 minutes away from the city by public transport. Thereās a staff cafeteria in Beaumont hospital (that we students are allowed to use) and a deli in our student building. However, most students still opt to bring their own food. The reason is straight and clear- hospital food- they are mostly tasteless and not as flavorful.
Cooking our own meals will also give us a greater degree of control over what we are putting in our body, and there is a definite link between the foods we consume and how well we cope with stress. Some food are linked to stress reliever, such as salmons, potatoes, walnuts, lavender Ā etc.
Also, Trying a new recipe is Ā definitely a great way to relieve tension while learning something new. Start by taking a few minutes to find recipes that look delicious and healthy. I often search online from the internet for recipes or learn from some Culinary Facebook pages/Instagram accounts that I followed. They even will provide some short videos to help!
I will then grab the ingredients needed in Asia Market or Dunnes. And Now, Iām ready to get indulged in the act of cooking.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Last but not least- Ā Make cooking social.
The one thing I always do whenever I cook is COOK IN BULK. not for myself, but to share with my friends there š Ā Great satisfaction comes from sharing. Its better than leaving the ingredients on the shelf. I learn and improve from advices and special techniques from my friends. Moreover, their appreciation for your creation can boost your mood too!
Physically, cooking satisfies an immediate need and offers quick gratification and that is why it makes a way to feel better about life. Because honestly, at the end of the day, weāre all just a bunch of animals who need to eat. The joy of cooking is real, just give it a try.Ā Ā
For me, studying abroad is a journey of self-discovery, even when it comes to the kitchen. I didnāt know that cooking can be so smoothing since iāve been living with my parents and have no cooking experience. Ā
Iām no food expert, no chef, I burnt the pot during my first time cooking, but I do improvise through experience. Ā
Below are some simple dishes that is cooked by me (in my second yearš) - they still doesnāt look appetizing enough, but it was way better than my first semesterās cooking!
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Haven't posted anything useful really, but I don't have much to say, most are just complaints about my program, the hospital, etc. But, I will be soon finishing this! I can't wait! I am thinking about a sub specialty after... but I REALLY want to eat and sleep at reasonable hours!
How can doctors-in-training learn to have hard discussions with their patients? Will, a fourth-year medical student intending to become an internist, recounts two formative patient encounters he had during his third year. In the first, he learned from an attending physician and a man dying from cancer the challenges of determining when itās time to end treatment. In the second, he realized a non-English speaking patient did not understand that she had lupus, and thus took the initiative to more effectively translate to her what the condition meant.
Discussions with patients can be very hard, ranging from questions regarding sexual history all the way to having end of life hospice care talks.
In todayās Inside Stories audio clip, Will tells us about the times when he realizes that just a few more minutes with a patient can be the difference between their best quality of care and just another hospital session.
Anya is live and ready to show you everything. Watch her strip, dance, and perform exclusive shows just for you. Interact in real-time and make your fantasies come true.
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Side note before I start this post- I totally just read one of my posts and I Promise you all I know how to spell. I may or may not just be too lazy to spell check..probably something I should start doing.
So disclosure, this post is mainly going to be aimed toward a childhood fear, my college major, and my fears now about medicine. So if youāre into that kind of stuff, I guess I suggest scrolling along to the next blog.
They say that if you have a traumatic experience with some before the age of 10, youāre likely to develop a phobia for that when youāre older. The only thing is, I really canāt remember having a traumatic experiences with needles. Just thinking the word makes my bodyĀ cringe though. It may be from the time I donated blood (remind me to never do that again) at our school blood drive and then happened to pass out at the juice table ten minutes later that gave me my fear. Or perhaps the fact that when I grow older I donāt want to give shots and IVs because I was never really given them as a child, and I know that they cause pain and thatās not something I want to do, even though I know it helps them. Although I got a biopsy done at the dermatologists office and didnāt flinch a bit when they put a needle in the back- it didnāt really hurt a bit! So why do I keep holding on to the couple negative experiences Iāve had, even though Iāve had more good experiences? Arg,I feel lightheaded anytime I think about it. Which isĀ a HUGE problem considering my major is Allied Health Science (basically most medical professions except pre-med). I want to be a Physicianās Assistant, and Iām not quite sure what else I would ever do. I love the idea of helping people and having a vast knowledge about the human body.
Even though my original antics and reasoning behind me becoming a PA may be considered āwrongā, they have now evolved in something more. When I was little, and by little I really mean late middle school/early high school, I was the most money-driven person I knew- probably in the whole state. So much so, that I would google the Top 20 highest paying jobs, and was convinced that one day one of those would be my job. So after evolving and researching, I came to becoming a PA. I know I want to work with kids, so Iām thinking neonatal or pediatric. I would go for OB/GYN except I really donāt want to deal with gross vaginas..but I guess anything could happen? Haha, moving along, now I couldnāt think of anything else I would do, but Iām confusing myself with what my motives are now. I would like to think itās not money, but unfortunately that may be part of it.
I really think that subconsciouslyĀ I am having panic attacks, which is causing my to get dizzy and want to pass out. Iām afraid one day Iāll be giving a presentation or interning in a hospital and I actually will pass out though! And I think that fact that Iām afraid causes me to think about it all the time which amplifies it to get worse and so on. I donāt like the idea of an IV but I feel like thatās such a small part that I canāt let that get in my way of what I want to do. I always resort to the worst case and grossest things, which isnāt even likely for what I want to go in to. Itās stupid that this is happening, out of all people, to me. Itās not even a fear of needles now as much as a fear of fainting around people. I want this, but now I fear I will not be able to accomplish it, and Iām at a bit of a standstill. Iām not quite sure what to do or what direction to go in; I guess this is what you could call being at a fork in the road, a pre-quarter-life crisis even? After all, this could effect the rest of my lifeā¦ oh boy, I think Iām getting a little light headed..
