Health = Wealth

“Top 15 Things Money Can’t Buy
Time. Happiness. Inner Peace. Integrity. Love. Character. Manners. Health. Respect. Morals. Trust. Patience. Class. Common sense. Dignity.”― Roy T. Bennett, The Light in the Heart

As a medical student, your clinical years are vital and during these years be it one or two, where you're now interacting with patients on a daily basis and finding it hard to adjust to life on the wards, it is important to ensure you take proper care of yourself so that you can limit the number of absences and can absorb all that you be taught.

2017 for me was a year that was filled with ailments which equated to more absences than I would have liked. With the inception of your clinical years, this post will serve as your guide to ways to maintain adequate health during these years in which you'll be ran ragged.

1. PLAN TO BE WELL

Like most things in life, if you don't have a plan, chances are you'll take longer than necessary to arrive at your goal or you may not achieve it at all. 

Your health is detrimental to your overall success as a student. The only way that you can appreciate what you've studied during the first three years of medical school (for those enrolled in an M.B.B.S. programme) is if you spend time on the wards speaking with patients, conversing and working with the nurses and shadowing your seniors.

Of course initially things won't make any sense, but with time, those algorithms for management of the patient with a stroke will become as comfortable as the alphabet. 

At the start of the New Year most persons write down a few resolutions, if you're one of them, be sure to put at the top of your list "STAY WELL!" 

Planning to be well requires a lot of effort. It requires commitment and daily reminders that your main goal is to avoid getting sick as the semester progresses. 

2. WHATCHA' EATING?

You've heard it time and time again, breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Ensuring you start your day with a balanced breakfast will allow you to have the necessary energy to go through the first several hours of your day and survive those long ward rounds. 

Breakfast is to be the largest meal of the day; it is to be packed with healthy nuts and grains, fruit and a source of protein as well. The easiest way for me to fit breakfast into my daily routine is to plan it. 

Meal preparation on the weekends can save you so much time during the week and it allows for you to always have something on hand to eat that is not only healthy and nutritious but also pre-made and easily accessible. 

One way to fend off the mundane meal packing is to keep your meals colourful, creative and simple. By doing so it allows you to change up your meal while not getting bored before hump day. 

Simple snacks such as mixed nuts, dried fruit, homemade granola and yogurt are great ways to stay fuelled long after ward rounds are over. They're also small enough to fit in your coat pocket for intermittent snacking on the go. 

Your main goal is to practice eating foods that will build your immune system and aid in fighting bacteria and other pathogens which you are exposed. 

3. STAY HYDRATED

Over 60% of the human body is water; because of this it is vital to maintain a level of hydration for muscle function, protection of joints and the brain as well as immune health, digestion and mood. 

By ensuring you're well hydrated certain benefits are yours to have such as weight loss as you're reducing the amount of sugary drinks you consume you would also decrease the excess calories found in same. 

Staying hydrated also helps with keeping your skin supple and moist and reduces the risk of developing issues such as dermatitis and recurrent infection. 

As previously mentioned your muscles benefit as well. Water aids in oxygen transport to muscles so they will be well prepared once you're well hydrated during exertion. 

Some ways to guarantee you're receiving sufficient amounts of water is to track your consumption. This can be done via an app or by simply creating a space in your planner if you're a planner nerd like me, to fill in. 

Another way to help motivate you to drink water throughout the day is to buy either a pretty water bottle something you'd be sure to carry around or one that's not just pretty but functional as well. 

I purchased mine from blogilates.com. It's a 26oz water bottle that comes with a fruit infuser as well as marked timed intervals to help me stay focused. 

By using a water bottle with a timer and infuser, you'd be able to add some flavour to your water especially if drinking 'plain' water is hard for you to do. 

Another way to help you get the recommended amount of water in the day is to keep a carafe of water filled by your bedside. I've been doing this for about a year and half now and it has definitely helped me maintain my weight and reach my water consumption goals.

Before having breakfast or even getting out of bed, I pour myself a glass of water which I add apple cider vinegar to overnight. I've noticed that I tend to drink at least 2 glasses before getting my day started without even thinking about it. 

4. EXERCISE

Once you're hydrated, your muscles are now prepared to take on some strength training. Exercise allows the body to release natural chemicals such as endorphins which assists with relaxation. As a student, you may find it hard to fit exercise into your routine, but you MUST plan to participate in some form of physical activity at least for 30 minutes twice a week. 

The main purpose of studying is to either learn information or to refresh what you've been taught. Studies have shown that exercise helps to improve memory and focus and to actually improve sleep. 

Imagine that; something that you don't have to pay for can help you increase productivity and even your performance. If that's not incentive for you to implement exercise into your life, then I don't know what is. 

If you're finding it hard to start an exercise program or to find what works for you, install a free pedometer app either on your smart watch or phone and start tracking the number of steps you're taking within a day.

Another thing that you can do is to begin each day by either stretching or doing one exercise for only one minute each day; you can alternate the activity during the week if you wish, eventually you'll begin to notice that you're now working out in the mornings for 10 minutes while still getting walking in during the day. 

5. GET ADEQUATE REST

Yes, I included rest in this list because our bodies needs it.

In order to maintain an exceptional level of health, you must ensure your body is well rested. 

As a student, it's easy to want to follow what your peers are doing, which may be consuming unhealthy amounts of caffeine and studying on the bare minimal of sleep. Your goal is not to be the best walking zombie on the wards, but to be a well rested, focused, grounded and knowledgeable student. 

Rest not only helps with maintaining your overall health, it also improves your ability to concentrate. By depriving your body of sleep you're setting yourself up for a lower GPA as your concentration level decreases when you're sleep deprived; your memory is also affected as well as your ability to learn. 

Take the time to check out this website for more information on the benefits of sleep. 

6. SKIN/PERSONAL CARE ROUTINE

For me 2017 was all about learning to take the time to care for myself. I was able to try my hand at a few Pinned DIY home made face scrubs that were not only easy to make with the items that can be found in my pantry, but also stored well so I didn't have any excuse to neglect my skin. 

Find a recipe for a facial or body scrub online and get to making it. This is one way to save money and pamper yourself during a study break. Your skin will thank you for it. 

If you're not adventurous enough to try a DIY face scrub but you are one who likes  having your feet and hands well polished, then take the time to treat your cuticles and clean and polish your nails. 

The goal here is to ensure you're becoming one with your body and taking care of every inch of it. By paying attention to your own body you'll become more aware of any abnormalities that may arise. 

7. CLEAN YOUR SPACE

I find it terribly hard to function in a cluttered, dusty or unkempt space. With the start of a new year, take the initiative to address your living and studying space. If your walls are in need of a fresh coat of paint, go ahead and paint them a soothing and welcoming colour or just give them a good wipe with an antimicrobial wipe. 

While I was in Trinidad, Sundays and Wednesdays were designated as my "reset" days. Reset days were days where I basically took the time to ensure my space was clean, fresh and organised. By doing this twice a week, it reduced the amount of cleaning I had to do all on one day. 

Once a month, I would take the time to clean the windows, reorganise my space if I needed to and I also went through my desk drawers and threw away any paper that was not important. I would also wash and change my curtains and cushion covers and treat my space to a new candle or air-freshener.

At the end of each semester, I went through my closet and got rid of items that were worn to rags or donated items I no longer wore. This made packing for trips home simpler and allowed me to bring new items back with me. 

Since I was taught to make my bed as a  child, before heading to school after setting my feet on the floor I always made my bed; it just has this way of bringing order to the space. If you have a hard time making your bed in the morning, try doing this initially only on weekends and then add  another day during the week and eventually you'll be making your bed before you leave your house on a daily basis. It has a way of keeping you focused and bringing order not only to your space but to you as well. It's one less thing you have to worry about doing when you get home. 

By keeping your space clean you're creating a welcoming environment to get things done when you enter at the end of your day at the hospital and limiting the excuse of not having anywhere to study and the distraction of having to clean up. 

8. VITAMINS/PROBIOTICS

If you're finding it hard to adopt a healthy lifestyle but have every intention to be healthy, then adding vitamins or probiotics to your daily routine may be worth it until you are able to get all of the vitamins you need via the foods you consume. 

The only disadvantage here is that the money you spend monthly on multivitamins can go towards healthier food options, as vitamins can be pricey if you aren't able to find a good multivitamin. 

9. FLU SHOT

During my first three years of medical school I was quite healthy. When I began medical school, I was an avid juicer, I ran 3 miles daily and religiously paid attention to the foods I consumed and the amount of sleep I got. 

My mornings were welcomed with a run around the medical complex followed by a green juice and another juice before heading to my first class. Since I've returned home for my clinical years, I can't tell you the last time I went for a nice run or even woke up early enough to make a green juice, hence the reason I resorted to getting the flu shot. 

There's only so much the flu shot can do however, so you have to make every effort to put in the work and listen to your body especially when it is in dire need of rest. 

10. SAY GOOD-BYE TO THE NEGATIVITY

Believe it or not, negativity takes a toll on your body.

By holding onto negativity behaviour, thoughts, you may find yourself with chronic stress which offsets the body's hormonal balance leading to damage to the immune system. It can also deplete the brain of chemicals that are responsible for  happiness like dopamine and serotonin. 

If you notice that you are more irritable, easily annoyed and always in an unpleasant mood, re-evaluate yourself and take an inventory. Ask yourself: "Am I getting enough sleep?" "Did I drink any water today/How much water did I drink today?"  "Did I eat yet for the day?"  Your solution may be just as simple as answering one of these questions. 

If you find that something that happened during your time on the wards or during an interaction with a patient made you upset, take the time to address your concerns. Try to leave the negativity behind. Some ways that you can do this is to start a daily journal. 

Journaling is a good way to rid your mind of all that may be troubling you. If you find that you're no longer content with what you have, try starting a gratitude journal and be sure to review it at the end of the year.

Writing may not be for you, that's understandable. Youtube has a plethora of motivational videos that you can access that are under 10 minutes. TedTalks also provides motivational talks that you can listen to and advice on how to be more positive on a daily basis. Leisurely reading may not be something you think you have time for but trust me audible books has made this so easy to do. Start a book club with your peers where your aim is to read a non-medical book at least twice a year. Before long you'll be surprised to see the number of books you've read that aren't a medical textbooks. The last three months of 2017 I successfully completed three books-When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi; Year of Yes by Shondra Rhimes and Body of Work: Meditations from the Human Anatomy Lab by Christine Montross- that gave me a greater appreciation for medicine, life and daily opportunities. 

By ridding yourself of the negativity little by little, you'll be able to appreciate all the positivity that lies around you and that will then be transferred to the patients you meet and your colleagues with whom you interact with on a daily basis.