Interesting Tid-bits 5.

- Allergies are always against a protein. For example, air-born allergy symptoms arise when the body is sensitive to a protein lingering in the air, and citrus allergies are due to a reaction against a protein within the fruit (note: everything is made of protein, not just meat and beans). Oh, and the technical word for allergy is hypersensitivity.

- Why do many people of African decent have sickle-cell anemia? Because it was evolutionary beneficial for their survival. A case in point: Having mis-shaped red blood cells (i.e. sickle-cells) prevented the contraption of malaria.

- Seeds (including pumpkin, flax, sesame, and sunflower) are helpful in regulating menses (aka female periods). For the first 15 days of the menstrual cycle, both sesame and sunflower seeds should be eaten daily. Then, for the latter half of the cycle, pumpkin and flax are to be consumed.

- Appointments with Naturopathic Doctors (ND) are not just for when you're sick. NDs are trained in maintaining overall wellness . You could go see an ND to receive some relaxing acupuncture, massage, counseling, or to be taught some at home water "spa" techniques, breathing exercises, and at-home meditation techniques. Remember, NDs promote preventative medicine and believe that everyone should be feeling their best!

Some interesting tid-bits just about me...

- I now have weekly human cadaver labs down at the University of Toronto's Department of Anatomy. This past week we examined brains, real and very squishy brains. We also got to examine lots of human skulls.

- Today I had a baking flop. Boo! I used such good quality ingredients that I can't bear to part with the not-so-great-tasting scones. For now I have banished them to the freezer until I have come up with an idea of salvaging them.

- I have a bunch of new classmates (well, sort of). There are two ways to start the ND program at CCNM: in September or in January. I now have 50ish new classmates who I will join in September 2011. For now, the January students will learn all the things I did last semester and will continue studying into the summer in order to catch-up with the September students. My Anatomy prof made a joke regarding the newbies: "The January students are all smiles. They are smiling because they have no idea". Ha ha.