#ClubOfTheWeek – Meet the AMESF

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This week, we’re talking to Justine Rizzo, president of the Montpellier Midwifery Students’ Association (AMESF). From its goals and initiatives to its mission—find out everything you need to know about this association in this interview!

In a nutshell, what is AMESF?

AMESF is the student association for the midwifery program in Montpellier. Our goals are to represent midwifery students, provide services and recreational activities for our members, and organize solidarity and humanitarian initiatives. To this end, we are part of several student association networks. First, at the local level with AGEM, the General Association of Montpellier Students, and also at the national level with ANESF, the National Association of Midwifery Students.

 

What activities or initiatives do you organize throughout the year? 

Our year is punctuated by several events, some for entertainment purposes—such as the End-of-Year Gala—and others, like the Concert en rose, which is a charity event benefiting the Naître en Rose association.

Throughout the year, we also organize several community outreach events where our members can volunteer to help us staff booths. During “Pink October,” we raise awareness about breast cancer and hold a fundraiser for the organization “Cancer du sein, Parlons en !” We also participate in the Telethon and Sidaction. 

This year, a new project was launched for the first time: the “Endometriosis” project. It is particularly close to our hearts because this condition is not well known, yet it affects about 10% of women.  We visited several faculties in Montpellier to meet with many students and faculty members who aren’t necessarily in the health field (Faculty of Sciences, Paul Valéry University, and the Faculty of Sports Science). We were able to raise awareness about this condition through flyers, quizzes and games, and an information display. We concluded the week by organizing a “film-discussion” event at the Faculty of Medicine on the topic. Following a short film, a discussion took place between various healthcare professionals (midwives, gynecologists) and the audience. We thus raised awareness about this condition and also raised significant funds for research through the “EndoFrance” association.

Finally, we also partner with the French Blood Establishment; every month, we raise awareness about donating blood, plasma, and bone marrow, and announce the various collection sites through our publications.

Why did you personally choose the midwifery program? In your opinion, what does the association offer students in this program?

What I love about being a midwife is working in healthcare, helping families during a special time in their lives—such as the birth of a child—and being able to guide, support, and advise women throughout their lives. Being a midwife requires a wide range of skills and knowledge, including gynecological, pediatric, and obstetric expertise. This profession involves having a thorough understanding of women’s physiology and being able to detect even the slightest problem.

For its part, the association provides students in this program with support, activities, and opportunities to explore various issues. It also allows them to participate in various community service and humanitarian projects, as mentioned earlier. The association offers support to both new students and upperclassmen in this program.

Why do you think someone should join your organization? 

Membership offers many benefits, which we have categorized into several areas. 

The Education Division
The Entertainment Hub
The Student Services Office
The Partnership Division
The Representation Division
The Solidarity Division
It allows us to set up a system for sharing notes and printing out course materials in paper format. We also place group orders for books and supplies for the workshops.  It allows members to attend the events we organize and enjoy special rates at select restaurants, bars, and nightclubs in Montpellier. It’s also an opportunity to foster a sense of community through our events, such as the end-of-year gala. It provides access to “SOS Nounou,” a service that connects midwifery students with parents looking for babysitters. We also offer the option to order vegetable baskets at affordable prices. It allows our members to get discounted prices from our association's partners It allows students to stay informed about the various discussions and training sessions organized by AGEM and ANESF and to participate in them. It entitles members to participate in all the activities we organize, such as those mentioned above.

How do I sign up?

By paying the €10 membership fee at the AMESF office, located on the Arnaud de Villeneuve Campus at 641 Avenue du Doyen Gaston Giraud, Montpellier 34090. 

Starting this year, any student, regardless of their major, can join our association. While they don’t have access to all the same benefits as midwifery students, they’re welcome to attend our social events, share their ideas, or get involved in our various projects, for example!

A few words about the 2020–2021 board?

We have complete confidence in the next generation; great things are in store, and we can’t wait to see them bring all their projects to life! 

In the meantime, you can find us on all our social media platforms!

Facebook: AMESF – Montpellier Association Association of Midwifery Students in Montpellier

Instagram: amesf_sfmtp

Snapchat: amesf_sfmtp

Twitter: AMESF_SFMTP

 

 

 

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Sports: Health Benefits

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Physical activity isn’t just a way to lose weight. Exercise offers significant benefits from medical, social, and economic perspectives. It actually helps boost the immune system and promotes overall well-being: walking, running, or gardening activates metabolic processes—in other words, biological reactions—that take place within our bodies.

The benefits of exercise can be seen not only in one's physical appearance but also in one's mental health:

Physical health

Combating obesity and diabetes-related diseases

Strictly speaking, exercise alone cannot prevent obesity or being overweight. However, physical activity is often recommended as a complement to appropriate treatment to help patients achieve their goals.

In general, exercise helps regulate weight with the goal of achieving a more toned physique. Muscles can produce certain hormones, called myokines, which have metabolic effects on various organs at a distance. As Cédric Moro (research director at Inserm within the Institute of Metabolic and Cardiovascular Diseases in Toulouse) explains, “In an obese patient, muscle tissue contains some fat. Exercise burns this fat, and insulin then becomes more effective at supplying the muscle with glucose. This notably reduces the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.” 

The positive effects of exercise on weight issues or diabetes are only beneficial if done correctly. There are guidelines that must be followed to ensure effectiveness with minimal side effects. 

Cardiovascular diseases

When it comes to cardiovascular disease, the risk factors are well known: smoking, stress, high blood pressure… Regular physical activity improves and regulates the functioning of the cardiovascular system, thereby reducing cardiovascular risks:

  • Potential 50% reduction in high blood pressure
  • Increase in good cholesterol levels
  • Blood sugar control

We also know that below a certain VO₂ max threshold—the maximum amount of oxygen the body consumes during intense exercise—a patient with heart failure requires a transplant. Thibaut Guiraud, a physiology researcher at I2MC, explains that “With exercise, you improve your physical capacity and can move out of the ‘red zone,’ which is above 5 METs (equivalent to the ability to walk at 4–5 km/h for a few minutes).”

Regular physical activity helps strengthen the heart and thus prevent or delay cardiovascular problems.

 

Cancer

It’s no secret that physical activity can help with the recovery from certain cancers.

Cancer is the leading cause of death, ahead of cardiovascular disease: the number of cases has doubled over the past 30 years.

Exercising during treatment helps the body counteract certain negative side effects of treatment, such as fatigue. Provided, of course, that the exercise is moderate and tailored to the specific treatment. Béatrice Fervers, an oncologist at the Léon-Bérard Center, explains that “The sooner a patient begins physical activity after diagnosis, the better they are able to counteract side effects.”

In fact, physical activity alters body composition (reducing visceral fat and maintaining or even increasing muscle mass) as well as muscle strength. The potential effects of regular physical activity on the mechanisms involved in tumor proliferation can be explained: the best-documented effects pertain to breast cancer and involve glycemic regulation, increased insulin sensitivity, an anti-inflammatory effect, and hormonal regulation.

According to researchers at ISERM, physical activity may help reduce the risk of recurrence in breast and colon cancer.

Mental health

As we saw in the article on meditation, physical activity contributes to better mental health.

Exercise doesn’t just help people with health conditions. It also promotes well-being in those who engage in it, helping to reduce psychological risks.

Stress relief

Physical activity can help reduce stress. In fact, exercise triggers the body to release hormones called endorphins, which are known as “feel-good” hormones. As a result, anxiety levels are reduced after physical activity. 

Dr. Martine Duclos, an endocrinologist and head of the Sports Medicine Department at the Gabriel-Montpied and Estaing University Hospitals (Clermont-Ferrand), explains that exercise can help reduce the need for anti-anxiety medications; for example, “in anxious or stressed individuals, regular physical activity provides the same benefits as anti-anxiety medications, without the side effects or risk of dependency; it also has an effect similar to that of antidepressants in people suffering from mild to moderate depression.” Exercise also stimulates the release of neurotransmitters involved in depression when they are deficient, serotonin being the primary one.

Beyond its calming effect, exercise also allows us to take a break from our daily routine and forget the little worries that usually occupy our minds while we’re working out.

Sleep quality

It’s just a short step from reducing stress to improving sleep. 

Dr. Duclos notes that “exercise has two positive effects: you’ll have less trouble falling asleep, and athletes will wake up less often in the middle of the night.”

This is largely due to the regulation of blood pressure and the release of endorphins, which help us relax more effectively. As a result, exercise reduces stress, leading to physical fatigue rather than mental fatigue.

In addition, participating in sports requires people to be more organized and, as a result, to regulate their biological rhythm (also known as the circadian rhythm). This also involves eating better to improve performance. All of these factors play an important role in sleep quality.

“However, it’s important not to exercise too late in the day, because that will push back your bedtime,” Martine Duclos points out.

The Brain and Depression

Finally, exercise causes the brain to release dopamine. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter involved in the reward system.

Memory, cognition, mood: Physical exercise enhances mental performance and health.

A team led by Lisa Weinberg at the Georgia Institute of Technology (United States) conducted a study involving students who were asked to memorize 90 photos. The first group was asked to perform leg exercises while the other group remained seated. Two days later, the students were asked to identify as many images as possible from a set of 180: the group that exercised was able to identify 60%, 10% more than the control group.

Researcher Martine Duclos observed a “positive correlation between their physical fitness and the type of high school they attended (academic, vocational, agricultural).” According to Dr. Duclos, this can be explained by the fact that “muscle activity triggers the production of myokines, proteins that, through a complex mechanism, prompt the brain to produce growth factors, neurotrophins, and more specifically BDNF (brain-derived neurotrophic factor). It promotes the formation of microvessels (angiogenesis) and the production of new neurons (neurogenesis).”

Sports at the University – ASMM Association (Montpellier Medical Students' Association)

This sports club consists of 3–4 members dedicated to serving medical students who wish to engage in regular physical activity. With the aim of promoting sports, it provides them with sports facilities and equipment and organizes intercollegiate competitions.

Our projects:

  • Formation of a women's volleyball team;
  • Formation of a rugby team made up of medical and dental students;
  • Formation of a basketball team made up of medical, pharmacy, and dental students;
  • Organization of futsal, tennis, pétanque, and beach volleyball tournaments.

Office:

President: Mustapha MOUSTAFAOUI
Secretary: Maxime FOULQUIER
Treasurer: Youssef TRIGUI

 

 

Contact:


Institute of Biology 4 Boulevard Henri IV,
34965 Montpellier Cedex 2

Instagram

 

Sources: 
https://lejournal.cnrs.fr/articles/le-sport-est-bon-pour-la-sante-cest-prouve
https://www.naturaforce.com/blog/2017/06/03/bienfaits-du-sport-sur-la-sante/
https://www.sciencesetavenir.fr/sante/bouger-ameliorer-le-cerveau_29226

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Meditation & Health: 3 Physical Benefits of Meditation

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Stress and anxiety affect our cardiovascular system, which in turn leads to increased stress and anxiety. It’s a vicious cycle! However, non-pharmacological solutions do exist and are accessible to many people. Among them is meditation.

Meditation is known to have several positive effects on health.

Stimulates the brain

One of the unique aspects of mindfulness meditation is that it helps improve memory by fostering attention. This involves treating the mind as a muscle. Just like any other muscle, to strengthen it, you need to exercise it daily through mindfulness meditation.

This helps keep your attention focused on a specific idea and prevents your mind from wandering too much.

Did you know?

Mindfulness meditation, or mindfulness, involves focusing on one’s sensations, breathing, emotions, and thoughts without passing judgment. It was developed by Jon Kabat-Zinn, a professor of medicine at the University of Massachusetts. 

Studies conducted in the United States by neuroscientist Sara Lazar of Harvard Medical School have shown that meditation may increase gray matter in the areas of the brain associated with learning, memory, and emotional regulation.

This study also showed that meditation can be highly beneficial for people with attention disorders: it reduces hyperactivity and impulsivity, thereby improving attention.

Antidepressant 

Research has shown that among the other benefits of meditation is its ability to reduce stress and anxiety, and thus lower the risk of depression. How does it work? You focus on your breathing by simply becoming aware of your inhalation and exhalation. These techniques are easily accessible to everyone, even children.

Did you know?

Professor Tu-Anh Tran, a faculty member at the School, has posted four guided meditations* on her YouTube channel so that children and their families can practice them throughout the day to find inner peace and focus on their work.

Episode 1:

Watch the video

Episode 2:

Watch the video
 

Episode 3:

Watch the video
  

Episode 4:

Watch the video
  

 

This method increases respiratory movement, allowing for better oxygen diffusion throughout the body and, more specifically, in the brain. Finally, mindfulness meditation improves the functioning of the prefrontal cortex, which is responsible for managing emotions. It enhances intuition and creativity while reducing negative emotions such as stress, fear, and anger.

“Meditation balances the levels of activity in the two hemispheres of the brain. This balance promotes harmony between body and mind. Meditation is a valuable resource in an era that generates more and more psychosomatic imbalances” – Marc de Smedt, French publisher, writer, and journalist, specialist in meditation techniques and world wisdom.

Immune booster

Finally, meditation is also valued for its benefits as an immunity booster. 

In fact, mindfulness meditation affects pro-inflammatory genes, enabling the body to recover more easily after a stressful or anxious situation. 

The rest it provides is considered more effective and deeper than that achieved during sleep. The body produces fewer waste products thanks to increased oxygenation of the lungs, which in turn affects the hormonal, vascular, and muscular systems. This leads to a boost in immunity and a regulation of pain sensitivity.

Did you know?

The Montpellier-Nîmes Faculty of Medicine offers a University Diploma (DU) in Meditation and Health. 
Course Objectives: To understand the principles and benefits of meditation and learn how to apply it to improve the health of healthcare providers and patients.
Skills acquired

  • Identifying what meditation is—and isn’t
  • Understand the physiological mechanisms of meditation and their health benefits Identify potential applications of meditation in healthcare settings
  • Continue or strengthen your own regular practice
  • Implement a project that incorporates meditation into your healthcare setting (for your patients or colleagues)

Studies using the“Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction”(MBSR) protocol have shown positive effects on the reduction of pro-inflammatory genes, the immune response to the flu vaccine, immune signaling in people with cancer, and immune cell activity in HIV-positive patients.

Key Takeaways

During this unprecedented health crisis, it is important to find new ways to protect ourselves from the stress and anxiety caused by lockdown. Practicing meditation in a group, even remotely, helps break the feeling of social isolation and fosters a sense of belonging.

Meditation

  • Helps improve focus and boost memory
  • Helps manage stress and anxiety
  • May help the immune system develop

 

*These meditations are excerpted from her book *Méditasoins: Short Meditations for Children’s Major Ailments*, published by Thierry Souccar.
*Journal of Behavioral and Cognitive Therapy (2010) 20, 11–15 – Impact of the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction ( MBSR) therapeutic approach on mental health (stress, anxiety, depression) among students – C.Berghmans∗, C. Tarquinio, M. Kretsch

 

The Healthcare Professional:

We would like to thank Professor Tran for his assistance in the preparation of this article.

Tu-Anh Tran

Tu-Anh Tran

Professor, Head of the Pediatrics Department at Nîmes University Hospital

Professor Tu-Anh TRAN is a pediatrician specializing in inflammatory and rheumatic diseases in children, and head of the pediatrics department at the Nîmes University Hospital. A meditation practitioner himself, he was instrumental in creating one of the first university-level meditation programs in France, at the Montpellier-Nîmes School of Medicine: “Meditation and Health.” Professor Tran has been using meditation to treat his young patients for over 10 years.

 

 

 

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Books: Online resources for learning, studying, or entertainment

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The current situation is leading us (or bringing us back) to new activities, and reading is one of them. During this period of lockdown, many e-books have been made available for free online. Whether you’re an avid reader or someone looking to explore new areas of knowledge, there’s something for everyone.

 

Here is a list of several themes and platforms that might help you find what you're looking for:

 

Montpellier Interuniversity Library

The first stop for students at UM, the Montpellier Interuniversity Library (BIU) gives students at the University of Montpellier access to all the materials available on the platform.

There, you'll find:

  • Scientific journals
  • Books
  • E-books
  • Theses and dissertations

There's something for everyone, whether you're looking to learn, study, or work on your thesis. 

Access the BIU

 

Gallica BNF

The Bibliothèque Nationale de France also offers a wide selection of free books to everyone—but that’s not all! Check out:

  • Read: ePubs
  • Don't miss: the lectures
  • Check out: our curated selections
  • for students: resources
  • For kids: activities, coloring pages, stories

Go to Gallica

 

Online Reading – Medicine

In addition to the resources mentioned above, some websites offer PDFs and e-books related to your field of study. One such site is “Livres pour tous,” which has a section Medicine and Health section with documents that are accessible to everyone and free of charge.

The same applies to the “Univers médecine” website, which offers books on medicine tailored to different skill levels.

Medical World

Books for Everyone

 

Major corporations and publishers

To help the French people get through this health crisis, some major retailers and publishers have made free e-books available. 

With a wide variety of themes, you'll find:

  • Crime Novels
  • Romance
  • Fantasy
  • French Literature

 

A host of authors to delight you: J.K. Rowling, Harlan Coben, Stephen King…

 

FNAC e-books

Amazon e-books

Northern Ferret

Wikisource and Project Gutenberg

On these two websites, you’ll find thousands of books and articles available for free! With such a wide variety of topics, there’s something for everyone.

Wikisource Gutenberg

And if you still haven't found the book you're looking for using all these links, here's a link to this online book database!  

Online book store

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