A Welcome Vacation

This is essentially what I have looked like for the past five months. If my nose wasn't in a book looking for the answer, it was likely that I was in lecture or group study.


First Semester

The semester has come to an end and the final grades are not yet posted. Exams were an extremely nerve racking experience to have spent so much time preparing only to find I was partially being tested on the material I didn't review in detail. Fortunately, I had plenty of house to clean and other projects to occupy my time while I mulled over my responses. After a weekend of making furniture, I think I am prepared to see my grades for better or worse.

Overall this first semester started as an exhilarating experience. When the novelty of it all wore off and each day blurred into the next, the reality of medical school sunk in deep. Hard work, all the time. Coming into this I knew it would be the case, but the three classmates who dropped out didn't know what was coming. Medical school is difficult and rewarding at the same time. I am still very excited to be learning the art of medicine and have a much greater respect for the practicing physicians who have endured through a similar experience.

Living in Las Vegas I didn't expect to have a 'White Christmas', but we were all surprised when 3-8 inches of snow fell on our city. As the last time this happened was 30 years ago, everyone was in shock. The worst part yet is that schools were closed for a day including Touro, despite the final exams. As if that didn't add to our stress. Coming from a rich background in snowfalls much greater than 3 inches, I had a hard time swallowing a 'snow day'. Oh well, now to enjoy my two weeks of vacation before heading back to the grind.

Clinical Corner

Dietary Fiber

With oversized holiday meals, excessive treats and plenty of unhealthy goodies to temp us, I thought a healthy alternative would be good to discuss. Foods rich in fiber have many health benefits that we can not afford to neglect for now and our future.

Better than the sprinkle on fiber supplements are the foods with natural fiber (grains, fruits, vegetables etc). Benefits include:

• Relieving and avoiding constipation - Fiber absorbs water making it easier to pass food without straining the bowel.
• Prevent diseases - Cancer, heart disease, diabetes, diverticular diseases, and kidney/gallstones
• Weight control - In addition to giving the feeling of satiety, fiber will bind to bile made in the gallbladder. Bile is used to break down fats in the diet. Normally, very little bile is lost, but when bound to fiber it is removed from the body in greater quantities and the body loses bound cholesterol more readily.

Have a great holiday and remember to eat healthy. Other great reading and recipes.