holistic medicine

Yes.

That would be exactly what I aspire to practice in the future. 

Holistic Medicine. 

Being able to provide my patient with a solution that he is comfortable with. Both physically and financially is of utmost importance. 

If my patient refuses mass produced pharmaceutical products based on years of research and clinical trials, and his choice ought to be respected. 

Then again, I do not advocate abandoning the individual, rather provide him with options that may or may not be on par with the medicine I have been taught to practice. But if it brings about positive changes I ask why not?

I grew up on Ayurveda, Siddha and Homeopathy.

Along the way, I was exposed to Hatha Yoga. 

I attended medical school in the East and was educated on Acupuncture, Traditional Chinese Medicine along with my medical (western) degree. 

Given the background, I suppose this take of mine comes as no surprise. Late maybe.

PS: A specialization on Emergency Medicine would be an icing on this varied cake. 

After the CT scan...

I am Anemic and I self-diagnosed myself.

OK, maybe that was not the right thing to do. But I am a Doctor-To-Be. And it seemed like the best option to analyse myself. If I can't diagnose myself, I probably can't diagnose anyone else.

A summary of how I came about to diagnosing myself was like this:

1. My CT scan is clear: Which eliminates any hemorrhage and what not
2. But my dizziness still persist!
3. I get cold feet and hands when temperature drops

Which can only be explained by the fact that I am either pernicious or Iron deficient. But most likely Iron deficient.

Ever since I moved to the dorm I became lazier and stopped cooking entirely. I eat at the canteen sometimes but mostly live on bread and random junk food. Being a vegetarian, most of the food I find I can't consume. So, with my sabbatical from cooking, brought in a significant distance between me and vegetables cooked without meat.

They add meat in vegetables too at times. Annoying! 

And because I have been experiencing excessive amounts of hair fall, increased heart rate after climbing 6 floors and loss of appetite. I can only say, I am anemic.

Its a mild case, which is why I can still walk and type this post. Otherwise, I'd be face down on my keyboard before this post ends.

However, now that my condition is somewhat deduced. I have to eat more stuff that is rich in Iron and Vitamin B12 to get back onto the fat, noisy Usha that I am. :)

Can't run for a while, for it takes a while for the body to be accustomed to strenuous exercises and especially ones that require massive amounts of Oxygen. The last thing I need now is to faint on the streets of Shanghai. 

My diet has been changed to include more citrus foods and a big fat reminder: DO NOT SKIP MEALS!

I used to skip meals so very frequently, it became a habit. A bad one as I have now learned. :s

Note: By the way, do not try skipping meals at home. Self diagnosis is also not recommended.

"Double-Edged Sword," He says.

A friend's brother who has been a doctor for seven years now, and is only one step away from becoming a full fledged surgeon, has decided to give up medicine entirely. .

"He is being idealistic", the mother claims.

"No point in practicing in something I hold no belief in." He responds.

The former doctor has now ventured into the public speaking arena to tell people to revamp their lives before its too late. He feels that, by the time they make that doctor's visit their health is beyond hope and they spend large amounts for better healthcare. Truth is, the body has already been deteoriated and doctors are only providing an environment to improve your existing damaged life. Cure is not always the case And he encourages a healthier lifestyle before going all out with the cash to the best hospitals.

"I have seen so much suffering  and pain, I find no hope in medicine when the body is capable of healing itself. Why torture the body in the first place? Take great care of the temple and work at improving individual lifestyles."

I have been studying medicine for two years. The rate at which the healthcare industry is changing is rapid. Medications and its side effects transform at an equally terrifying rate. Considering how different medications respond towards different immune systems, sometimes even the healers themselves lack answers to never ending questions.

My Father, a Homeopathy Physician who ironically is sponsoring my education in western medicine has no faith in what I am being taught. He finds the entire industry hypocritical and perhaps indifferent towards human life. Research annoys him when they are unable to find a cure. For one thing, I am not too sure if he understands the concept of research. Oh well, that's for another day. 

But of course, you can't stop the ones who believe in these high cost welfare. All patients want is to get better and back on their feet. If high cost means improvement, even if it is temporary; there are loads to plunge into it. There is no one to blame.

Back to the story, the ex-doc is now making arrangements to meet people and tell them to invest their hard earned cash with improving their health without any external contamination of medications or whatsoever. Rather, 

"Do it the traditional way by having more greens in the diet, exercise and positive energy."

Positive energy brings about a whole lot of changes into the environment that he believes changes things that scalpel fails to bring about. Which I gotta agree. :-)

An Irredeemble Mistake

One of the hospitals, here in China, resorted to purchasing blood from illegal dealers. The blood was then transfused into 14 patients.

The 14 individuals are now 14 HIV positive individuals.

And I thought we were working towards saving lives.

Life is short, and Art Long
The Crisis Fleeting; Experience Perilous
And Decision Difficult.

The Physician must not only be prepared
to do what is Right Himself

But also to make the patients
the attendants, and externals
Cooperate.

- Hippocrates -