I am always interested in new ways of experimenting on myself. I have tried Yoga, Pranic Healing, Raw Foods, Vegetarianism, The Sylva Method, Tao Meditation, The Secret, Colonic Hydrotherapy, you name it. Lately my ambition has been to see if Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is good for my health.
I chose TCM after a friend of mine mentioned that a friendly Chinese lady solved her long time ailment that had been bothering her for decades. The lady felt her pulse and declared that my friend’s problem was none other than a hormonal imbalance. She drank bitter herbs the lady gave her and in less than six months she was in hormonal paradise. She hasn’t had a problem ever since. And on top of that, the Chinese lady got rid of her mother’s psoriasis for good, too.
So, who could blame me for wanting to try TCM after that type of promotion?
Another friend recommended a practitioner and a week later, here I am in Chinatown, sitting in an office of The doctor (I won’t say the shop’s name yet, should I die and permanently damage their reputation). Downstairs is a store with herbs, roots, and shark fins galore, and large slicing knives that you see in movies about Chinatown and stuff. The office looks ordinary enough: just a desk and shelves of files and may be hieroglyphics on the walls next to licenses and diplomas.
The doctor feels my left wrist as I fill in the health history form; then the right, at the same time drawing neat little symbols on the paper. Then a few questions follow to determine my condition, after which he says, “Your kidney energy is low.” I try to suppress a smile; I am not sure why (probably because I image my husband, who is sitting next to me, trying to keep a poker face and at the same time bursting from laughter). The doctor explains that in TCM the kidneys are very important, they are like the heart and that if they are not working properly, it can cause a lot of health problems. We need to warm up the kidneys, so he will give me some herbs to drink twice a day for 5 days. “Do you live far? Queens? Then ten days is better”. I am to add all the powder to two cups of hot water and drink twice a day after meals. Then come see him again.
“Are there any exercises I should do for kidneys maybe?” I ask. He mentions breathing yoga exercises and tai chi.
I am happy because I found out something new about myself and because he seems like he knows how to reign in my stray kidneys.
We say Good Bye and go downstairs to the store where they fill my prescription by placing packets and packets of herbal powder into small bowls, seal the packets in plastic bags and out we go full of hopes for radiant health.
Later at home I googled (like I do with everything) about the kidney energy and a lot of interesting things came out.
Apparently, kidneys and like Cinderellas of the body, i.e. really the princesses in disguise. They hold all the essential energy and control a wide range of essential hormones that regulate metabolism, excretion, immunity, sexual potency and fertility. Thus the kidneys control sexual and reproductive functions and provide the body’s prime source of sexual vitality, which the Chinese regard as a major indicator of health and vitality (http://www.lieske.com/channels/5e-kidney.htm). A lot of stress seems to disrupt the proper work of kidneys and cause knee, lower back and neck issues, circulation, hormonal problems, dry skin, premature aging, infertility, feelings of fear, indecisiveness, sluggishness, and lack of energy, and.
But lucky for me I have a nice Chinese doctor who will fix my problems (or kill me if he is a fraud, lol).
Do you have any of the symptoms mentioned above? And do you have experience with TCM?
Please share, I would love to hear your thoughts.
Cheers
