Things about today that made me particularly happy
- feeling the burn on my abs after doing tabata: which is good because it means I'm using the right muscle groups
- managing to get my WOF done and my car passing: every single time I drop my car to get its WOF, it is uncanny how similar waiting for the results is to waiting in a doctor's office
- getting a car park next to my flat: let me explain. I live quite close to the city centre and my street is full of free parks. Unfortunately, this means that every single resident on my street AND anyone else who works in town and who has to drive in from the outer suburbs compete for parks. So, it is honestly, so incredibly difficult to find a park if you have moved your car before 6pm, which I had done to get my WOF. I was praying in my mind, "Pleaaaaaase God, give me a car park, pleeeeaaaase" and lo and behold, there is a free one. Right outside my flat.
- my dinner: not gonna lie. It was pretty damned good. Dukkah coated chicken tenders on a bed of couscous with a tzatziki dressing and it didn't take me too long to make
- E.: I told him that mum had some serious cravings for some green tea cake and since he was visiting home tomorrow, he went and bought some to fly up with him. I think it's cute how my parents are so eager to hang out with him, but at the same time, how willing he is to see them. Without me. Also he bought me shoes. And shoes as everyone knows, is the true way to a girl's heart
Thursday, March 27, 2014
#medstudentsyndrome
So, uncanny timing last night (cheers, for that brain), whereby it decided to have a migraine - I shit you not - just as music practice for Sunday was meant to start. Obviously, this wasn't very conducive to playing the piano because I couldn't see everything in my right visual field. So I sat out on practice and fortunately, one of the singers for Sunday is an incredibly talented pianist (who normally plays on Sunday anyway) stepped in. Poor guy. This Sunday must've been a rest day for him. Not that he actually needs to spend time practicing anyway.
Anyway, I got driven home and went straight to sleep because in my experience, I usually can sleep off migraines. Oh nonono. At 1am, my head decides to wake me up with a splitting pain and I can tell you that it was probably the worst migraine pain I have felt in a very, very long time. Call me a pussy, but I was thinking subarachnoid haemorrhage. Also because I am a hypochondriac and doing neuro is not doing wonders for that, because now everything feels like it could be caused by a stroke, haemorrhage or brain tumour. So I was sitting there, nay lying in agony, questioning myself if this was really truly a migraine, and not a subarachnoid haemorrhage, which would mean my ICP rocketing sky high in a matter of moments and me losing consciousness as my pupils blow. I was quite tempted to actually get out of bed and test my pupillary light reflex. But instead, I listened to my rational self (no, you have no evidence of trauma. But you do those damned bicycle crunches in which you fling your head back and forth, surely you could have torn a vein. Yes, but that'd make a subdural more likely and there would be reports of that shit happening to fitness freaks. And if it was a subdural, you don't normally get splitting pain. Also your pain is one sided LIKE A FUCKING MIGRAINE instead of being generalised. Oh, alright) and got out of bed to get paracetamol instead. And within half an hour, I was blissfully asleep again - so yes, I must've been a pussy if paracetamol was enough to take away my pain.
Also whilst in the throes of my migraine, I finally worked out how the optic nerves decussate and decided that something was happening in my left optic radiation to cause my right homonymous hemianopia. Whilst also a sign of something vascular affecting the posterior cerebral artery or perhaps a brain tumour, a transient right homonymous hemianopia is also a common part of the aura phase of a migraine, especially when accompanied by a 'scintillating scotoma'. Is that not the coolest term ever? It just means a fuzzy shimmering thing in my visual field which gradually expands as my vision starts to go all funky. Chur, Wikipedia.
My thought process also was like, oh - it's the left side of my head that actually hurts. May be it's referred pain from my left optic radiation as my blood vessels are vasospasming. But the brain doesn't feel pain. And then I couldn't really go any further from there. Also because thinking hurt my head.
Anyway, I got driven home and went straight to sleep because in my experience, I usually can sleep off migraines. Oh nonono. At 1am, my head decides to wake me up with a splitting pain and I can tell you that it was probably the worst migraine pain I have felt in a very, very long time. Call me a pussy, but I was thinking subarachnoid haemorrhage. Also because I am a hypochondriac and doing neuro is not doing wonders for that, because now everything feels like it could be caused by a stroke, haemorrhage or brain tumour. So I was sitting there, nay lying in agony, questioning myself if this was really truly a migraine, and not a subarachnoid haemorrhage, which would mean my ICP rocketing sky high in a matter of moments and me losing consciousness as my pupils blow. I was quite tempted to actually get out of bed and test my pupillary light reflex. But instead, I listened to my rational self (no, you have no evidence of trauma. But you do those damned bicycle crunches in which you fling your head back and forth, surely you could have torn a vein. Yes, but that'd make a subdural more likely and there would be reports of that shit happening to fitness freaks. And if it was a subdural, you don't normally get splitting pain. Also your pain is one sided LIKE A FUCKING MIGRAINE instead of being generalised. Oh, alright) and got out of bed to get paracetamol instead. And within half an hour, I was blissfully asleep again - so yes, I must've been a pussy if paracetamol was enough to take away my pain.
Also whilst in the throes of my migraine, I finally worked out how the optic nerves decussate and decided that something was happening in my left optic radiation to cause my right homonymous hemianopia. Whilst also a sign of something vascular affecting the posterior cerebral artery or perhaps a brain tumour, a transient right homonymous hemianopia is also a common part of the aura phase of a migraine, especially when accompanied by a 'scintillating scotoma'. Is that not the coolest term ever? It just means a fuzzy shimmering thing in my visual field which gradually expands as my vision starts to go all funky. Chur, Wikipedia.
My thought process also was like, oh - it's the left side of my head that actually hurts. May be it's referred pain from my left optic radiation as my blood vessels are vasospasming. But the brain doesn't feel pain. And then I couldn't really go any further from there. Also because thinking hurt my head.
Tuesday, March 25, 2014
#culinaryexcitement
I can't wait to try paprika, cumin and garlic roasted chickpeas with dukkah coated chicken tenders. Oh, the nomnomnoms. I've decided that the advent of doing proper exercise means that I can afford to eat a bit more. Also, eating sub 1000 calories a day is probably putting my body into starvation mode. And now, I think I'm more concerned about just losing tummy fat as opposed to losing global body weight.
- Weds: Deconstructed Vietnamese spring roll salad (which is what I've been eating for virtually the last three months... still haven't gotten sick of it. Especially now that I've substituted the rice flakes for egg noodles. And fuck me, it just adds next level texture)
- Thurs: Chickpeas and chicken???
- Fri: Choy sum and soup?
I am going to make that crustless cottage cheese, smoked salmon, spinach and tomato quiche this weekend. Sooo spinach leaves, cottage cheese and tomato are on the shopping list for this week! Ah, thinking about eating healthily makes me happy.
- Weds: Deconstructed Vietnamese spring roll salad (which is what I've been eating for virtually the last three months... still haven't gotten sick of it. Especially now that I've substituted the rice flakes for egg noodles. And fuck me, it just adds next level texture)
- Thurs: Chickpeas and chicken???
- Fri: Choy sum and soup?
I am going to make that crustless cottage cheese, smoked salmon, spinach and tomato quiche this weekend. Sooo spinach leaves, cottage cheese and tomato are on the shopping list for this week! Ah, thinking about eating healthily makes me happy.
Monday, March 24, 2014
postscript
HAH. in your face, John Reynolds. The oculomotor nerve derives its fibres from the general somatic motor efferent nuclei (the oculomotor nuclei) AND the general visceral efferent nuclei (Edinger Westphal nuclei), NOT derived in the branchial nuclei as you said.
#endorphins
I forgot the rush of endorphins that comes after you do a decent workout and take a hot shower. My muscles are all currently telling me that I am a retard, but it was totes worth it. It was surprisingly enjoyable - well, maybe until the last tabata when I was doing bicycle crunches and toe crunches. But apart from that, it was actually quite fun and definitely different from what I've been doing for the last three months. And I've realised that I have not been pushing myself at all... by the second tabata, I had sweat dripping from places that I forgot could even sweat (i.e. the popliteal fossa). And the best thing was that it happened after EIGHT MINUTES. Not twenty minutes of running and getting bored out of my mind.
I don't think I can go back to running for 45 minutes again. Best things about tabata:
I don't think I can go back to running for 45 minutes again. Best things about tabata:
- the exercise changes after 4 minutes (or even sooner if you want to do a mixed tabata) so you don't get bored
- you get an entire body workout: the fact that every single muscle in my body is currently aching is evidence of that
- I can change the exercises when my body gets used to one (although doing 96 odd squats with weights is going to take awhile for my body to adapt to...)
- It takes me half an hour to work out and I am pretty knackered (no, destroyed) after that, whereas I used to have to do an hour's work to get to the same level of exhaustedness
- I don't even have to leave the house. When I was running at the gym, it'd take me half an hour to get there and back, plus time to get changed and to find a bloody car park
Also, said couple in our med class who got married? They brought a flippin' wedding cake to class today to share. Honestly, I thought we should've bought them a bloody cake. And fuck me, it was actually the most beautiful chocolate cake I've had in quite some time. So rich and moist that half a slice was more than enough - except, I kinda wanted to go in for seconds after nomnoming it down in a matter of seconds.
Sunday, March 23, 2014
#healthyeatingyay
Just made the most amazing creamy marinara sauce over zucchini pasta. I am still buzzing over it because it was so tasty and so damn healthy.
Ingredients (serves one):
- 2x zucchini
- 1 can of diced tomatoes (mine was flavoured with garlic and basil)
- 3 mushrooms
- 1/4 of an onion
- handful of basil leaves
- crushed garlic
- olive oil
- 1/4 cup of light Greek yoghurt
1. Using a grater, grate the zucchini into long shreds (so it resembles pasta) - mainly because I don't own a mandolin and so I read somewhere, that if you use a grater on its side, it's pretty much the same and so far, I haven't had any major issues.
2. Lightly fry the zucchini with a little olive oil and salt and then set aside.
3. Dice mushrooms and onion. Cut basil leaves into bits.
4. In a saucepan, add a tablespoon of olive oil and fry the onion and minced garlic.
5. Add mushrooms and cook until the mushrooms are done. Add some dried mixed herbs/basil (optional, but we have oodles of dried herbs lying around the house, and I think it adds to the flavour)
6. Add the can of diced tomatoes to the saucepan and heat until the sauce begins to thicken. At that point, at the basil leaves, with salt and pepper to taste.
7. Remove saucepan from heat, and I waited maybe two minutes for my marinara sauce to cool down before I added half of it to the Greek yoghurt.
8. Add this mixture to the rest of the marinara sauce in the saucepan and mix well.
9. Mix into the zucchini pasta and serve :)
Honestly, I love light Greek yoghurt. It tastes like it should be waaaay more unhealthier than it really is. But at a measly 25-ish calories for 1/4 cup, it makes the marinara sauce just a weeeeee bit more derishious.
Had a great tabata workout today and I am running hiiiiigh on endorphins. Yay. Time to tackle neuro.
Ingredients (serves one):
- 2x zucchini
- 1 can of diced tomatoes (mine was flavoured with garlic and basil)
- 3 mushrooms
- 1/4 of an onion
- handful of basil leaves
- crushed garlic
- olive oil
- 1/4 cup of light Greek yoghurt
1. Using a grater, grate the zucchini into long shreds (so it resembles pasta) - mainly because I don't own a mandolin and so I read somewhere, that if you use a grater on its side, it's pretty much the same and so far, I haven't had any major issues.
2. Lightly fry the zucchini with a little olive oil and salt and then set aside.
3. Dice mushrooms and onion. Cut basil leaves into bits.
4. In a saucepan, add a tablespoon of olive oil and fry the onion and minced garlic.
5. Add mushrooms and cook until the mushrooms are done. Add some dried mixed herbs/basil (optional, but we have oodles of dried herbs lying around the house, and I think it adds to the flavour)
6. Add the can of diced tomatoes to the saucepan and heat until the sauce begins to thicken. At that point, at the basil leaves, with salt and pepper to taste.
7. Remove saucepan from heat, and I waited maybe two minutes for my marinara sauce to cool down before I added half of it to the Greek yoghurt.
8. Add this mixture to the rest of the marinara sauce in the saucepan and mix well.
9. Mix into the zucchini pasta and serve :)
Honestly, I love light Greek yoghurt. It tastes like it should be waaaay more unhealthier than it really is. But at a measly 25-ish calories for 1/4 cup, it makes the marinara sauce just a weeeeee bit more derishious.
Had a great tabata workout today and I am running hiiiiigh on endorphins. Yay. Time to tackle neuro.
Saturday, March 22, 2014
#tabata
I. Am. So. Sore. and it's only been three hours since I did my first tabata workout and my core is sooooo sore. But hopefully this will help shave off the last remaining bits of unsightly belly fat over my abs. I want a bean bag over my tummy...
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