 |
| https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Kleenex-small-box.jpg |
Week 2 of our English 109 Honors journey starts with Dr. Bell's section 29 class applying the rhetorical situation of audience, purpose, and context to each individual student's unique major. Today, some students seemed to have contracted the cold like I have. I could smell that cough drop smell temporarily lingering in the air. As the lecture continued, my throat was rather parched, my nose was drippy, and my head was gently pounding. With that aside, I decided to major in pre-physiology not only because illnesses could e such an inconvenience, but for other reasons also.
 |
| https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Female_anatomy_1897.jpg |
As a youth, I was not always healthy. My parents tried to take care of me, but had no time so they eventually enlisted the help of my somewhat pushy aunt who opened a doorway to a healthier lifestyle. She believed that food was medicine introducing me to exotic herbs and pointing out the health benefits of the foods she fed my sister and me. Lotus root prevented or reduced the chance of bloody noses, white fungus "cleaned" the lungs, prunella (or as my aunt referred to them xia ku cao) for dissipating heat, and the list continues. Also, Chinese children are expected to take care of their parents when the parents are older which makes a doctor a suitable occupation. These factors combined inspired me to seek a job in the medical field whether it be a doctor, surgeon, or pharmacist.
A few people and companies in the medical disciplines have made the headlines recently. Some are famous while others became infamous, but I will focus on the famous ones for now. One of them is Ben Carson, the neurosurgeon who is running for the presidency. Not only do his credentials look appealing, but his "straightforward and logical" thinking has garnered him some supporters, but whether he will win remains debatable. Another influential entity is the Centers for Disease Control or CDC which is well known for its work inside and outside the country such as during the Ebola outbreak in Africa. The news plays a vital role in making these two figures well known to society although there may be more leaders.
For those wanting to know what is new in the field of medicine, the top journals are The New England Journal of Medicine published in Massachusetts, The Journal of American Medical Association published in Illinois, and The Lancet published in the United Kingdom. As I finish this post, I feel my cold has receded.
Reflection: After reading both Kian Blackey's and Dee Schwartz's blogs, I realized that life is full of niches, but that education plays in vital role in making people see the possibilities life has to offer. In both their blogs, they mentioned that some inspiration came from their teachers. As a pre-physiology major, I have many options in front of me yet soon I'll need to pinpoint a body part as a specialty. I might consider trying to be well-rounded in my knowledge and open minded maybe even hoping to become a modern Renaissance man.
Yup, I remember my own family trying to apply holistic natural medicine for infirmities--sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn't. I am happy to see another person trying to get into medical school. Many biologists like me also aim to become doctors, too. In fact, biologists and pre-physiologists are essentially two peas in a pod! The one question that I have is this: are there any other possible careers for pre-physiologists, as far as you are aware? Good luck on becoming a doctor!
ReplyDeleteThank you! Good luck to you as well. Pre-physiology is a broad subject encompassing many aspects of healthcare related occupations. ANything body related usually falls under this category if it does not already have its own major such as optometry, emergency medicine, and the list does go on. Here is a list of most if not all of the possible jobs: http://physiology.arizona.edu/sites/default/files/full_career_brochure_-_feb._2008.pdf
DeleteI enjoyed your post a lot, I think eastern medicine is very interesting! My question is, do you feel that it actually shortened/treated your illnesses? And if you become a doctor/primary care physician would you incorporate it into your practice?
ReplyDeleteI am glad you enjoyed my post. As for the effectiveness of the medicine, it can be variable, but usually helps with minor ailments. I would say they shortened my illness to the point where I can recover on my own, but a few times, I had to resort to pills especially when I have a more severe cold that is unbearable. If I become a doctor, I might consider incorporating it, but will administer it if the situation calls for it. Each patient is different in their own way so I would have to take that into consideration as well as the severity of the illness as more natural forms of medicine prove to be not as effective when it comes to treating severe illnesses.
DeleteThis post was very well written and informative! I had no idea about how good the lotus root, white fungus, and prunella could be for you! I also was never very sure what a physiology major could lead to but now I know it can lead to an endless supply of opportunities for jobs! Do you know of any other foods which can help benefit ones health immensely like the other ones you mentioned? Great post!
ReplyDeleteI am hesitant to say these foods can cure illnesses, but they can prevent or alleviate them. As for the health benefits of each food item, that is determined by the consumer's body composition, tastes, and any conditions. I can say what my family usually has on hand, but can't really judge their benefits on other people. My family usually has ginger in part due to my culture and it helps my aunt who has bad digestion, lemon for the vitamin C, apples, and dried chrysanthemum for tea. There are more, but these are the main food items my family has on hand. To say that these foods are the healthiest would be unfair as most if not all foods have health benefits which can even supersede the ones I mentioned, but that all depends on your body type. Moderation does play a role and like medicine, some foods/drinks I mentioned can't mix such as the teas which can't be taken with fruit according to my aunt.
DeleteThis post was very interesting. I had no idea how successful the holistic approach to medicine was, I have always been a skeptic myself. Best of luck with pre-physiology, you have a lot of schooling in your future! My only question is, where do you want to go to medical school? Best of luck to you!
ReplyDelete