Following Healthy

 Girls Trip! Those might be the most beautiful words I have heard recently. I live for travels and spontaneous trips. What is up next for my summer traveling destination? Lake Tahoe.  When I think of Lake Tahoe I think WATER adventures, HIKING adventures and sunshine. If you are a winter person-- you might shame me for not raving about skiing, but this girl has other plans. I'm more of a summer person anyway, but don't get me wrong, I do love any outdoor activity no matter the time of year.  My whole life I have been a camper. Since I was little, I can remember pitching our tent, playing cards around a campfire, listening to the owls at night and then dying in the morning when the sun hits your tent and you have to run outside because you wake up in a drench. I do love camping. It is kind of funny to me that as a society, we have taken something that used to be kind of the way of life-- "roughing it" and turned it into a pastime.  This time, we are not camping! The p...

  What motivates you?      -Feeling better physically, mentally?     -Looking better and fitting into those new jeans?      -Gaining new friends?      -Getting in the best shape of your life?      -Being the fittest mom, dad, or grama on the block?  There are so many motivational factors and you can have an as you go through your journey. Use them to help you stay consistent! Write them down, put them up where you can see them every day. Have someone keep you in check! Journal how it's going for you- that could be visually with pictures, videos or write it down how much better you are feeling.  How is your consistency journey going?  Above all else, know that each person is unique and your body is serving you where you are at right now in life. Don't beat yourself up. Love your body and feel your best in it!  xoxo Jamie

 Ya'll, postpartum is tough.  That sweet baby is SO SO worth it though 💓 When I was pregnant, it was so hard for me to find everything put together to know what I would need after I delivered. Wanted to share what helped me so much! If you don't want to know, then in the words of Bridesmaids-- "Look away!" 1. Upside Down Peri-Bottle: unless you want to spray your hand with water, get one that is upside-down. You'll thank me later.       -Amazon:  Upside Down Peri Bottle 2. Disposable Underwear: You won't want to wear anything super fancy for a couple days. Just trash it girlfriend. The hospital may give you some, but it may be nice to have some on hand just in case!     -Amazon:  Disposable underwear 3. Instant Ice Maxi Pads: Your Vagina NEEDs these. Ice-Ice Baby, pleasantly prepared just for you     -Amazon:  Perineal Ice pads 4. Witch Hazel Cooling Pads: Just say yes. anything you can get to ease the pain is a Green-Li...

Hi guys! I can't believe I am about to say this, but we have finally come to the end of didactic year! -- only 22 more days and we are out from under all those books and endless powerpoints and into the hospitals and clinics with patients. For those who don't know, didactic year is the first year of PA school, where we learn all the body systems, take classes on how to diagnose and treat patients, practice physical examinations, and much more. I also want to throw in a plug for Jefferson PA program in Roanoke, Virginia because I love our faculty and also feel like they picked a pretty dang good class full of awesome people that I am super glad I have had to go through this with. Also--Roanoke is an awesome place with lots of good hiking and weekend adventures (check out Smith Mountain Lake and hikes like Dragon Tooth and Devils Marbleyard and of course the notorious McAee Knob --pronounced Mac-a-fee-- and really fun laid back people! Definitely a place to check out. ...

unity.  we're not made to do life by ourselves. deep down we all desire connection. we all want acceptance. we need each other. we each have our own story filled with a life of our own experiences. we're all human.  and the thing about that is we live in a broken world. no one is perfect, and certainly no one person is going to fix that. it takes everyone.  give a smile. lend a hand. listen.  say sorry.  do something without expecting something in return.  spend time.  reach out.  share. accept differences. lift each other up. love your neighbor.  we're in this together.

So here is an analogy for you. A few years ago, my friend gave me this explanation of school: It's like taking spaghetti and throwing it on the wall and seeing what will stick. Now imagine this: there's a giant DUMPTRUCK of spaghetti and the truck is literally taking the spaghetti and catapulting it towards a wall. Now that is PA school. There are so many things we have been learning! Which is very exciting but somewhat terrifying because honestly I don't even remember what I ate for breakfast yesterday. I just think my brain is making room for other important things. I have noticed this in other ways too, for example: I have this urge to abbreviate EVERYTHING. My spelling has gone downhill? Writing on paper, you bet my hand is vigorously writing, and I feel for the poor soul that has to attempt to read that masterpiece. Yikes. You know you are in PA school when Quizlet is on your laptop and phone and also on your most visited sites. The second s...

Hey! So here is this week's episode of LIFE IN PA SCHOOL. Buckle your seatbelts. It is approximately week 4 of school and I think it feels like I have been here for half a century. Do I feel like I have learned a thing or two? Maybe. Do I remember what I have learned? I guess we will see!! Our professor today was SO stifled when he asked us about a disease we learned five days ago and saw a classroom of glazed looks staring back at him..had to ask us if we EVEN remember who our OTHER professor is that gave us the lecture. Yes. Safe to say, I think we are all a little exhausted. At least, I am. SO, here's some inspiration, ya'll.  :)  I am so excited right now for some pretty amazing reasons. Tomorrow we get to sleep in!!! AND we have a half day tomorrow!!! What?! Is this real life? Pumped. Also,, it is my birthday tomorrow, humble brag, and my friend is coming in to town! woop! Fun Fact: You can indeed wake up still buzzed from coffee. Thank you Starbucks. I did ge...

Hey guys!                                             Wow, what a whirlwind it has been. I'm still alive, and surviving PA school.. so far. :) It is now our third week and we have jumped right into Neurology. (sink or swim, right?) I am also in Virginia (37 hours later driving from Boise, Idaho) and 2 hours time difference from Mountain and 3 hours from Portland (cough cough people you need to set a timer if you want to catch me before I go to bed). End rant, just joking but I love you all, please keep calling and thank you for your calls and support!! SO, I thought I would write a little bit about what I am learning so it can be another way I can remember it (so sorry about all the med terms you non med people- so follow the FUN FACTS)  and because this stuff is pretty cool and interesting. I just hope to not gross anyone out when I talk about anatomy and cadavers- Sor...

In my medical assistant class, I have enjoyed the opportunity to be surrounded by people from all walks of life, different experiences and backgrounds. I have really appreciated the dynamic that it brings to the class as a learning environment, one where we can help each other expand our knowledge of the medical field through sharing our experiences and insight.  Recently, I was conflicted with my knowledge on vaccines and autism. While I am bringing up this subject, it is widely debated and I am not trying to stir the pot or bring this topic to be debated... The most important thing I learned this past week was to accept other people's views no matter how much you disagree with them (and to do your research to decide your personal view). It sounds really stupid writing it out because I feel it is a no-brainer, but I really think that it is easy to forget when you're in the moment. You don't realize you are doing it, and in the end, you feel terrible. I felt really ba...

As many of my friends and family know, a lot of changes have happened in my life lately! Not only have I graduated college, I moved back to Oregon to be closer to family and started a new job as a caregiver/med aide in an assisted living facility to gain more experience in a healthcare setting. This time in my life is kind of like ... I'm a boogie boarder so I'll relay it to that... it's like sitting there far away from shore and you can see a great wave in the future and you're positioning yourself just in case so that you can ride that wave all the way back to shore. .. but in those moments you are still waiting for that wave... Being 22 is a weird stage in life.. a lot of people have accomplished great things at 22 or even younger! I was disappointed in the interviewer as I sat in the chair in Alabama as he commented at my age "How old are you?! 12?? " umm... nooo.. and I felt funny saying it but sorry sir, "I think I have accomplished a lot for...

The two sides of the coin. Health is a really difficult matter. While you may be encouraging those around you to eat healthy, exercise, do all the things to really help themselves, at the end of the day you can only do so much. It ends up as to how much will they take what you give them and actually DO SOMETHING for themselves. Some people really take your advice and change their life, prevent future diseases and stop their diseases from exacerbating. When will people actually go to the doctor before their problems get severely debilitating? While we know what's good for us, why aren't we taking those measures and following through with the true cause of the problems and not just resorting to a last minute quick-fix? As I was job shadowing with a PA, I saw countless cases of patients with diabetes. There is a difference now, between two different types of diabetes. One is commonly referred to as "juvenile" diabetes, which is basically a genetic predisposition t...

I probably should be taking pictures, but sometimes pictures just don't show you how tasty something really is..  In like 5 steps I will be giving you one of the healthiest and yummiest recipes you can make in like 10 minutes... This doesn't take hardly any cooking knowledge, and I didn't think it would turn out this good but WALA! It did.. therefore, here you go all you health-nuts::: 1. Go to the store and grab: A . Broccoli   B. Cauliflower   C. Firm Tofo     D. Stir Fry Sauce 2. Now that you have successfully done that... cut broccoli and cauli up into however big you would like and steam them in a stir fry pan with some water and pepper! Put the lid on it so it doesn't lose water. 3. Add your tofu into other manageable pieces with the stir fry sauce (I recommend House of Tsang Classic Stir Fry Sauce) add enough to turn water brownish. 4. Let that mix around a little and cook for a little longer until cauli and broc are soft to your likin...

Why carbs, why!?? I'm trying this new thing out... it's called.... eating less bready carbs!! With running I don't think I could even remember all the times I have heard to carb-o-load.. which for me means stuff my face full of spaghetti the night before a race. Why is this important? Carbs are excellent source of instant energy, it's pretty much the first thing your body burns. After that is fats then proteins. While eating carbs is not bad for you, I realized it is SO addicting. I realized that my body was craving the bad carbs..  So many times I found myself instantaneously getting home and looking in the cupboard for the first yummy bready thing I could find. Why are they so dang addicting??? Not good carbs like the ones in fruits and vegies but the bready kinds like muffins, pancakes,,, yada ya. The list goes on and on. What happens when you don't burn all that extra glucose floating around in your body? It gets stored! I decided to make a little switch: It...

Hello All! Firstly, I wanted to say sorry for not writing.. FOREVER.  I have been immensely swamped with tasks to prepare me for .. drumroll.. PA School Applications! I cannot wait to hear back and see where my next adventure in life will be! I thought I would share 5 tips for the start of a healthy school year and what help me stay sane in my crazy life, that I love! 1. Staying optimistic. I truly believe that being optimistic will propel you in life. Each and every day find something to look forward to. If you can't do that, then search for something that interests you! Why can't life be fun? Wake up and take in the fresh air or even look at all the trees getting ready for fall. Don't Complain. Just don't do it. Instead, look for the positive. The easiest way to stay optimistic is to realize you are not alone and the world is full of beautiful and amazing opportunities and people that are there to inspire you, help you, and keep your imagination and spirit runni...

Simple ways to get in a little bit of exercise: Life can be crazy busy. As important as it is to be on time to all your events, work, and have enough time to spare with family and friends, it is important to schedule in some time for yourself and for exercise. I figured I would share some easy ways to get in a little exercise in your day that do not take too long. These are probably the easiest, cheapest and best ways for simple toning or maintaining while building your difficulty level (add some weight for more intensity)... 1. Abs I always do this before I take a shower and get ready for bed but you can kill two birds with a stone and do 10 minutes while watching tv :) = entertainment and exercise! Pick several different ones that you like the best or are varying difficulties. Doing it with family or friends makes it more fun as well, listen to music too! My friends and I go through an ab circle and have some favorites (depending on how difficult it is or how many you have done ...

What is the best way of knowing you are alive? What if you were just living in a dream? Remember when they say,"Pinch me, am I dreaming?" well, I have always tried to figure out why I like to run the 800. For some strange reason, whenever asked what event I run and I respond with, "the 800!" with a happy smile on my face (always expecting the same sad answer "Why??") and they look at me like I am crazy. I am here to explain myself, and explain why you should like running too.. or exercising.  You should really think about it: When you workout, it's painful. You are essentially tearing down your muscles (that doesn't sound fun at all) but in the end, they are rebuilt! They are stronger, more durable and you look better too! Maybe you do it for the results, but when you are pushing yourself to the limits, there is something that you can enjoy in those moments. Y ou feel alive.  You are doing something to better yourself. You are taking some...

As this semester comes to an end, I thought I would share some of the most interesting things I have learned: 1. You can get more energy from an apple than coffee.  2. If in desperate need of water (desperate as in stuck in the mountains with no other method of drinking) drink the still water as opposed to the running water for cleaner water.  3. Limiting caloric intake (not starvation, but within reason) and drinking red wine (ingredient resveratrol) prevents aging. 4.  Eating  6 pds  of chocolate is equivalent to smoking a joint. 5. Successful aging takes into account lots of things, but a major impact is staying positive and adapting ! 6. It is possible to synthesize the smell of a banana (isoamyl acetate) from only a couple of chemicals  (isoamyl alcohol and acetic acid), that before do not smell like a banana!  7. You can make a mirror from only a little silver nitrate and glucose solution.  8. Antio...

My favorite.. food! Wherever you are in life and whatever you are doing, you need to be eating healthy (finding the right foods to fulfill the essentials: proteins, carbs, fats, vitamins, minerals, water) to fuel you. Whether you are fueling your mind and studying the night away or fueling your body and training for competitions or just living a healthy nutritious life, knowing how to eat and what to eat is exponentially important for your body. Nutrition is especially important and all the while, complicated. Note all the strict diet plans and explanations throughout the world. In an extremely simplistic way, I am going to try and tackle some essentials for nutrition and how to do it on a budget: take into mind..college. How do I eat right on a budget?? What is important??  First off, 1. Cut the unnecessaries: this means bye bye chips and ice cream.. at least to an extreme minimum. Tip: stick to the outside aisles of your grocery store. 2. Find the superfoods: this me...

For myself, I'm going to put this out there 4 hours til track practice. 7 hours til work. 12 hours til lots of homework is due. 2 days until I leave for a big track meet. and one week until 2 tests in Cell Bio and Organic Chemistry. blah blahaoeijenaneoiueoknael k  ... AHHHHHH!!  What I SHOULD be doing is scrambling around the house trying to get stuff done before I leave and preparing myself for my track race..but...I would much rather sit here instead and write, watch t.v. and relax...YAY :) Personally, I think life is all about balance. That is thee 1 and only way I have been able to get through school, work and track in college while still managing time to have fun with friends and RELAX.. the most important part. As good as I am about balance, I am even better at one thing.. Procrastinating. Dun Dun Dun. Which is what I am doing right this very second, what I will do during my trip and probably next week as I "prepare" for my tests. As you are re...