Three New Subjects.

Today I started three completely new courses. While Tuesday was my busy day last semester, Thursday is the longest this time (830 AM until 6 or 7 PM). Even though it will be long, Thursday classes seem pretty relaxed. Here's hoping!

Embryology is basically the science behind pregnancy. or as my professor said it "the most beautiful story ever told in the field of medicine". How a baby is conceived (no, not that), how it grows and develops in utero, and how it is born, are three topics that will be at great lengths. Note: my Embryology prof is also my Anatomy prof, meaning I will be taught by him EVERYDAY this semester. Good thing I love his teaching!

The Art and Practice of Naturopathic Medicine will challenge me to start learning the "art" of practicing. I learned that the uniqueness of naturopathic medicine is not considered to be in its modalities or in its natural methods of healing, but is is in the way naturopathic doctors approach illness and healing. We have a whole different way of viewing health and while I was introduced to this way last semester (in my Naturopathic History and Philosophy class), I will be expanding on this knowledge in this course. It seems like a very thought provoking class with a lot of guest speakers.

Finally, Massage and Hydrotherapy will be an interesting class. The class is divided into two: half of my classmates learn massage while the others are learning hydrotherapy, then in February we switch techniques. I'm in the massage group first. By the end of the course we'll know the basic procedures and techniques in order to give a full body relaxation massage. However, we will not know anything near what registered massage therapists (RMTs) know (we study massage for four weeks, while RMTs study for two years). Today we gave a partner a back and neck massage (and then our partner reciprocated). Massage is incredibly healing and can affect dramatically the physiology of the human body (decreasing blood pressure, releasing built-up toxins, decreasing chest congestion, and stimulating the lymphatic systems).
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Now, just because I wasn't blogging for about two weeks, this did not mean that I also took a break from my infamous baking. I was happy to do lots of baking over the holidays, including two variations of my almond butter cookies, some buckwheat biscuits, gourmet pumpkin pie brownies, and most recently some walnut-spice granola bars (my own creation).

Although I am all sweets-out due to the sugary-ness of the holidays, I am eager to continue baking now that I have some lovely homemade aprons to wear in the kitchen (aren't crafty Moms wonderful? xo).