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MAY 2021 |
VOL 4 ISSUE 9
In this issue:
- Eat Well
- Financial Wellness
- Food and Mood
- Food as Medicine
- Houston Happenings
- MS4 Advice
- SPOTlight
- Tasty Recipes
- Thrive at UT
- UTHealth Wellness Connection
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The Well is a monthly newsletter that serves to
positively impact the well-being of the McGovern student community
by highlighting a myriad of wellness-related content.
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Click here to share your thoughts on The Well!
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One of the beauties of living in a city as ethnically diverse as Houston, is having access to its diversity of food. From restaurants to specialty stores, Houston affords exposure to tastes from all over the world. As we come into our second COVID summer (armed with more knowledge and more vaccines) and as things continue to open up, the hope is that you’ll be able to take advantage of what Houston offers and intentionally make a necessary activity, like eating, part of your everyday wellness. From this month’s issue, we hope you’ll take away not just new restaurants to try or events to attend, but tips for using food and mealtimes to bring balance into our very hectic lives. Happy eating!
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As future physicians, (congratulations, MS4s!), we know providing holistic patient care benefits both the patient and the provider. And what’s more holistic than discussing the impacts of what we fuel our body with? Keeping access to resources in mind, check out these suggestions on healthy foods and how to use them.
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Olive Oil | A healthy source of “vitamin E, polyphenols, and monounsaturated fatty acids” that all help reduce the risk of heart disease. Step aside, butter, and swap in olive oil instead.
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Nuts | Hazelnuts, walnuts, almonds and pecans, oh my! These are great to snack on, and come with so many different seasonings. Nuts are high in fat, low in carbs, and a great source of several nutrients, including vitamin E, magnesium, and selenium.
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Green Tea | With antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties, adding this delicious and calming drink to your routine won’t disappoint. For a zing, add some lemon and enjoy!
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Garlic | Not only does garlic make everything (everything) taste better, it’s packed with manganese, vitamin B6, vitamin C, and fiber. Try stirring some in with your current recipe favorites.
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Turmeric | Curcurmin, the active ingredient, has been supported to have anti-inflammatory effects. It’s poorly absorbed by the body, but mixing it in with black pepper helps and when added to eggs provides unique texture and flavor.
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Spotlight | Cooking Classes
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While food is an important part of one’s wellness, sometimes the prep process is just as life giving. For those looking to splurge a bit, try out cooking classes with Cooking with a Twist. Support a locally owned business and choose classes with Southern or Cajun recipes. Grab a friend and enjoy a class! https://cookingwithatwisthouston.com
Check out these other cooking classes around Houston:
- https://www.eventbrite.com/o/central-market-cooking-school-houston-30372805718
- https://www.visithoustontexas.com/restaurants-and-bars/cultural-fare/cooking-classes/
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Food is more than just fuel, especially when considering that 90% of the body’s serotonin receptors are located in the gut. When you eat good, you feel good, and the literature is actually able to support that notion. The ever so ubiquitous Mediterranean diet has been implicated with protective effects against depression, and there even is a study that delineates an Antidepressant Food Scale with a list of nutrients that can both treat and prevent poor mental health states. It should be noted that eating alone does not work as the sole approach in treating depression and anxiety, but it certainly does not hurt your mental health to have a balanced diet that avoids inflammation-producing foods.
With that being said, here are some suggestions for food strategies that can help your mood! The main idea behind these tips is in improving gut bacteria, which in turn is beneficial for your mental health.
- Adding fermented foods like kefir (unsweetened), sauerkraut, or kimchi can help to maintain a healthy gut, promoting the gut-brain axis for wellness
- Include probiotic-rich foods in your diet, such as plain yogurt without added sugars
- Avoid packaged or processed foods, which are high in unwanted food additives and preservatives that disrupt the healthy bacteria in the gut
- Eat enough fiber, and include whole grains and legumes in your diet
- Balance seafoods and lean poultry, and consume less red meat each week
Source: Harvard Health
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As you go through clinical years, really be mindful of the moments when you feel fulfilled. I personally wrote about my experiences in a journal at the end of each rotation, but you can just dedicate a few minutes to considering why these experiences mean a lot to you. For one thing, this will help you when it comes time for residency applications and you want to include a patient story in your personal statement or give specific examples during interviews. But more importantly, taking time to evaluate what you love about medicine - a specific patient population, acute or chronic diseases, or practice environment - will guide you in choosing a specialty and defining your career goals.
| Sarah Linson, MS4
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Hot Topics
Click on a topic for tips on tackling the issue
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Financial Wellness Resources |
Financial Wellness @ McGovern
- https://med.uth.edu/admissions/wellness-resilience/financial-wellness-2/
Student Financial Services
- Newsletters | https://www.uth.edu/sfs/newsletters-and-information/
- Website | https://www.uth.edu/sfs/
- YouTube | https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrdQD4Kixa5GUWD_Lu8YHRQ
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| Ombudsperson
Are conflicts or concerns causing you undue stress? Contact the Office of the Academic Ombuds. Robin Dickey, PhD, MA, LPC, is available as a listener, mediator, and coach for all members of our UTHealth family. Make an appointment today! https://www.uth.edu/evpara/academic-ombuds.htm
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Thrive at UT is a free app designed to enhance UT student well-being and help busy students live their best life. Thrive helps you make small changes in your routine that have powerful long-term impacts.
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| UTHealth Wellness Connection
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UTHealth Student Counseling Services has introduced a blog bringing mental health and wellness resources to you. Click the link below to read the latest!
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Brought to you by the McGovern Student Wellness & Resilience Committee
Questions, Comments, or Contributions to The Well,
please email MS.Wellness@uth.tmc.edu
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