My health since I’ve arrived in Tainan has been on a terrible up and down rollercoaster. Almost every month I experience one or two health issues that I have no idea what they’re related to, and every once in a while there’s one that really puts me down. It’s allergies, viruses, chronic fatigue, Buddha knows what else, but it all seems to overcome my body’s defenses as if they don’t exist. I try to live healthy, staying away from unhealthy food by eating a lot of fruits and vegetables, taking vitamins and all that, but it fails to help. In Tainan, health is a constant concern, and I’m never sure why.
Last week, as part of my attempt to improve all that, I went together with a Taiwanese friend to my second attempt at the traditional Taiwanese health system, the first being the bone-crushing electrolyzing Shao-Lin master in YongKang.
This one was far more main-stream, and is actually provided with the National Health Insurance. I paid my 100NT$, waited for a short while and was greeted with a friendly and young Taiwanese doctor, who spoke a bit of English. He listened to my pulse, asked me a few questions and then made some instant observations about my health condition that were right on the money. He said it was a text book case of foreigners – pollution sensitivity and allergic reaction to just about everything in this country. He prescribed a combination of spices (?) and herbs which are to be taken 3 times a day after every meal and which are almost as unbearable to swallow as they are to smell. I still fight with myself every time I need to put that thing into my mouth.
The second thing he did was put those two burning ‘candles’ on my two hands and I had to sit down for about 10 minutes while they were, I’m not sure, somehow allowing the special medicine to flow inside.
The best part, which I have to say was a God sent, was going up to the second floor for a 30 minutes free traditional Taiwanese back massage, where I was told that my back is a bit screwed up and that coming there every week or so would help me a lot. With a terrific feeling of flexibility afterwards – that wasn’t hard to convince me into.
I don’t know if it helps or not, but then again – I never know if western medicine works or not either. I just figured I have nothing to lose, and I got more from that visit than I usually get from visits to western doctors with the chemical ingredients drugs. I think it’s worth a try, right?
I just went to the Chinese doctor for the first time two weeks ago. I had a nose and throat cold, so the doctor took my pulse, didn’t even look in my mouth, set me up so a steaming mist was on the back of my neck for 10 minutes, and then they put me on a massage table and used something hard to scrape my back and put me in pain. They gave me many bags of that foul medicine too to drink. The next day my cold was feeling a lot better, but my back was very sore… Read more »
I have a bunch of friends here who’ve been through wetern medicine – pills -, homeopath, and now end up with chinese medicine. seems like chinese medicine sure have something to offer. also, years ago I fixed my terrible horrible insomnia with such herbs they gave me. almost unbearable to swollow, but yeah, I became fine after a month. (by the way, I was really really committed to it, since that insomnia was I felt almost killing me, I suppose the healing was also my will power, heheh 😉 I have to admit my bias, because I kinda have a… Read more »
Hi Fili,
Just checking back in to see how you’re doing and noticed you weren’t able to catch my last comment. I really hope you’re feeling better. I believe the Taiwanese medical community is top-notch even if some of the methods used seem a little strange. Hopefully, they’ll have you back to normal soon.
Carri – Finally, your comments show up. Remarkable, isn’t it?
Yeah, I think the Taiwanese medical system, both traditional and western is quite good. I will give it a try for a while…
Yuri – thanks.
I can’t even imagine not using chemical pills at all, although it’d be interesting to talk to those doing it that way.
I think that especially when it comes to improving quality of life and maintaining a healthy life, traditional medicine has an advantage. When it comes to more serious problems, I think western medicine is kind’o mandatory.
I have gone to an Eastern Medicine physician before. I had a high fever and was experiencing hallucinations. Apparently I have had a high fever for over 2 days, but because of where I was, I wasn’t able to see a physician prior to this. What he did after checking my vitals and head, he pulled out 6 glasses (the kind that people drink a scotch and soda with). He then placed small candles in the parts of my body that he deemed important in order to receive this treatment. After lighting the candles, he placed the glass over each… Read more »