Blog 6: DOCTOR PEDRO MALDONADO´S TALK

In the last class we had the visit of the Dr. Pedro Maldonado, who realized a presentation about the human brain and the myths of this.

The brain is an organ of the nervous system rich in neurons with specialized functions. It contains about 100 billion neurons, each one can connect with thousands of others made synapses that allows brain function. Thanks to the circuits formed by nervous cells or neurons, is capable of processing sensory information from the exterior world and from the own body, and recovers sensory functions, motor functions and less defined integration features associated with various mental activities.

It is not rare to hear comments and statements about the brain that are far from certain

Among the myths that exist in relation to the human brain is that we only use 10% of this, which has been shown that this is erroneous because the man occupies 100% of this, it yes, not simultaneously. (In fact, only in big epileptic fits it is when it is possible to come to use 100 % of the brain to the unison). We used brain regions depending on the activity we are doing.

In addition, brain scans have shown that when we do work almost all brain areas, including much of this is working while we sleep.

Another myth we have is that the human brain is the biggest, which is false, since there are other animals have major brains than humans. What has demonstrated important in studies of intelligence is not the total brain size, but the relationship between brain and body weight.

In my view the presentation made by Dr. Maldonado was very good and very interesting because it clarified many doubts we had about this issue and we also clarified the myths about our brains.

This topic is very important for my career, because with the information provided we can guide our patients about the importance of the stimulation to infants according to their age and learning that everything is going according to specific period.

Blog 5: Abortion.

In the last class of English we were visited by Professor Lorena Binfa, who works as a midwife. She told us in his talk the history of abortion in our country, the visions we have of this and the various forms that exist today in our country and in others for birth control.

The abortion in our country is a taboo subject, and also very controversial, since it is considered to be a murder to a defenseless being, and for some years it is considered to be an illegal practice, and by this it was decided to penalize the one who realizes it. Also this topic is rejected by the Catholic Church.

The abortion not only brings with it the murder of the defenseless one, but also, it puts in risk the life of the woman in the moment in which it is realized. Today there is the abortion pill that is not accepted by our legislation, but in other countries such as Sweden, it is legal to give women who want this pill, provided it is before the age of 3 months of pregnancy.

In my opinion in Chile sexism still exists, as no considering the views of women about what they believe and want, and not given the opportunity of their choice whether or not a child. Y this is demonstrated as Chilean law, which are decision makers on these topics is composed mostly of men.

Despite this, I do not agree with the topic of the abortion, since though the woman has right to decide what wants, nowadays diverse forms exist to control the birthrate and there is a very good accessibility to obtaining contraceptives, since these the women are given them in the doctor's offices, or, they can accede to them in the pharmaceutical trade.

Blog 4: DEALING WITH STRESS

Every day we meet people who spend most of his time working within these people are health workers who live overwhelmed and anxious to seek perfection in perform the work space neglecting important aspects of the life as the family and the friends. These are situations which often lead to individuals become addicted to their jobs and the same are which usually cause stress.

In Chile 40% of work absence is caused by stress and 30% of medical leave due to cause of this disease.

The stress can be caused by multiple factors that are affecting the person and that are producing a negative reaction in the emotional field of this one, inside the factors we find: the physiological (diseases and injuries of the body), psychological (emotional vulnerability, interpersonal troubled or insufficient relations, frustrating conditions of work or study, etc.), social (social changes in which every epoch brings new challenges to confronting, technological intensive changes that the person cannot integrate, etc.) and environmental (supply denaturalized with industrial toxins, places of work with little safety, catastrophes, etc.)

Some of the symptoms that the stress presents are emotions of anxiety, irritability, fear, fluctuation of the spirit, confusion; thoughts of excessive self-criticism, difficulty to concentrate and to think decisions, worry for the future, excessive fear of the failure; crying, impulsive reactions, sudden treatment to the others, to creak the teeth or to press the jaws; increase of the consumption of tobacco, alcohol and other drugs; major predisposition to accidents; increase or decrease of the appetite; cold or sweaty hands, headache, problems of back or neck, disturbances of the dream, stomach discomfort, rough breathing or throbs, between others.

The strategies to confront the stress seek to anticipate or to control the excesses in the demands proceeding from the environment or of us themselves. Some strategies that have tried to be effective, and that they can help you to face situations of many tension are: to relax realizing activities that allow him to renew physics and psychologically, to realize exercises, to support a healthy diet, to organize his time, to try to support realistic expectations and to share his emotions.