“Health is a state of complete harmony of the body, mind and spirit. When one is free from physical disabilities and mental distractions, the gates of the soul open.”- B.K.S Lyengar
For the past couple of years, I have focused my attention away from Western medicine and onto homeopathic doctors. It’s really changed my health for the better.
When I came to Taiwan, I wanted to explore Chinese medicine and all that it has to offer. I asked for some recommendations through Facebook (Thank you, Taichung Ladies group) and found a doctor who speaks English and isn’t too far from home.
As soon as I walked through the door, I knew this was the place for me. The first thing I saw was vast jars of Chinese herbs. The receptionist didn’t speak English but called this woman doctor who would be working with me.
I heard the quick shuffling of feet and then this tiny woman appeared. “Hi, I’m Doctor Chen Yuzhi.” I thought to myself, “OMG, she is so dang cute.” In our initial visit, she discussed Chi, the energy that flows through our bodies. At times, it gets stuck which causes health problems.
She connected me to this machine that scanned my whole body and gave her a clear picture of what’s going on with me energetically. Dr. Yuzhi Is exceptionally knowledgeable and took her time learning about my medical history and explaining Chinese medicine to me.
I’ve been seeing her for about three months, and I have seen some changes in that time. Moving across the world can impact you in so many ways, from the mental to the physical. I went from experiencing four seasons in Massachusetts to a subtropical climate in Taiwan. My body was screaming, “hell no!”
The most pressing issues have been with my health and the stressors of a new way of life in Taiwan. I’ve dealt with lack of sleep as well as neck and shoulder pain. Also, my body is highly sensitive and any change causes a reaction. I struggled with severe itchiness and found out it was the detergent I was using.
I sought out Chinese medicine for acupuncture, which has helped me in the past with various pains. In the states, I had a great acupuncturist. Sessions were about 1.5 hours and so relaxing. Here, it’s a different story. First of all, it’s much cheaper and covered by insurance. I pay 100 NT($3USD) a session. These sessions are the basics. I’m currently doing full treatments, so that’s about 600 NT ($20USD). I won’t get into what I paid in the states for acupuncture, but it was so much more.
The sessions here last about 15 to 20 minutes. I love Dr. Yuzhi because her explanations are so thorough and she can tell when I need work in a particular area by scanning my body for my energy.
I’ve also done a process called Gua Sha (scraping), in which they scrape your skin with a massage tool that draws out toxins from within your muscles. It allows the body to flush these toxins away and nourish the local area was flesh blood. It is not a comfortable process. I can tolerate pain (former rugby player here), but ouch! I find it does help alleviate pain and sensitivity in my muscles.
Last but not least, the Chinese herbs. They were used for centuries in China to address unhealthy body patterns that manifest into various symptoms and complaints. My doctor explained to me that the herbs aim to help you regain balance in your body and strengthen your body’s resistance to disease. Just a warning, Chinese herbs taste awful, but I do feel like it is improving my health. My Taiwanese coworker saw me taking them and said, “I thought you would only be interested in Western medicine.” LOL. I told him I’m a different breed of Westerner. He just laughed.
I’m grateful for this lovely doctor and her knowledge. I’m glad that I put in the research and looked at all ways to improve my health. We are all unique and our bodies are all different. If this resonates with you, I suggest doing some research and check it out.
Sneak Peak:
INTO THE DAWN is my new podcast section. Here you can listen to my life stories, thoughts and teachings. I want to share this with you,since you are part of this project that is born from the depths of my soul!.
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