As Liv interns at FASD United, she will be sharing the things she is learning and doing to inspire and explore FASD awareness through a public health lens. In her time with our organization, she will have opportunities to experience the roundedness of our programs, aid in important projects, and explore her understanding through reflection.

“As every week goes on with my time at FASD, I continue to grow my understanding. One of my favorite projects I worked on this week was researching nutrition for the upcoming National Nutrition Month in March, especially studies involving FASD. I am personally very fascinated with nutrition since I have been a vegetarian for the past six years. Being a vegetarian means that I had to adjust my diet and learn about what vitamins and minerals I personally was lacking. Many vegetarians often have nutrition deficiencies, so it is extra important to make sure that we get essential nutrition elements in unconventional ways. I take supplements to help make sure I’m getting an adequate amount of vitamins. I also took a course in nutrition for college where I got to learn all about how important nutrition is for overall body function. I feel like a lot of people know that food is fuel for your body and that it is something you need every day; however, people don’t understand how truly complex nutrition is.

Throughout my education on nutrition, I have learned how it impacts brain function specifically with the hippocampus. Proper nutrition can help with long-term memory, and support the overall function of your brain. The first topic that I looked at is how important maternal nutrition is during pregnancy. I am especially fascinated by maternal health, so I know the basics of what pregnant people should limit in their diet and what they prioritize eating. However, I had very limited knowledge of how nutrition can connect to FASD. I got to look at many studies and research articles that highlighted that individuals with
FASD often have nutritional deficiencies. These nutrition deficiencies can help alleviate some stressors caused by FASD. The main idea of these studies was that additional research really needs to be done into the relationship between FASD and nutrition, so I am hoping that there will be further information available in the future.

I also looked into National Women’s Physicians Day which was February 3rd to learn more about it. This holiday not only highlights the achievements of women in the medical field but is also extra special because it is held on the birthday of Dr. Elizabeth Blackwell. Dr Blackwell was the first woman to receive a medical degree in the United States in 1849. Dr Blackwell is such an amazing role model for women pursuing their goals in a field that is male-dominated. Unfortunately, women have been underrepresented and untreated in the medical field. There is a gender gap not only in care for women, in pay, but also in opportunities. Women are less likely to receive any recognition or awards for research or clinical studies that they have completed. There is also a wage gap for women ranging from residency all the way to senior faculty roles. By celebrating National Women’s Physician Day, we celebrate the accomplishments of women in the medical field and acknowledge the challenges that they have faced in achieving gender equality. It is also a reminder that we must continue to support the advancement of medicine regardless of gender and affirm that anyone can contribute to improving healthcare.

I also got to work with Chris Melfi on future policy opportunities. I am going to look into my local and state representatives and try to get in contact with them. I love policy, and I am very excited to see what I can do with my representatives. Moving forward, I want to further my knowledge of the FASD Respect Act and look into it in close detail. It is important to me that I am updated on the act and know the ins and outs of it. I had a great week at FASD United, and I am excited for the future projects I get to work on.”

Reflection from 2/5 to 2/9 2024