Let's start off by saying I believe in modern medicine to a point. I believe the research is good. I think the doctors know a lot, but I also think a lot is a guessing game. I think the medicines out there are not meant to cure anyone, only to band-aid them. If medicines cured, then the pharmaceutical companies would be way out of business. So who do you really have to trust?
I could always state the obvious...kind of like Dr. Phil (who I think is a douche). Logic is not really hard to follow. If you get type-2 diabetes because you are overweight, then lose weight. If you keep getting acid reflux from eating certain foods, then, shit man, stop eating those foods! If you ache in the morning, then stretch. It is not really that hard. The drug companies make you want to just take a pill to make it all better and still enjoy your "lifestyle" and they prefer your lifestyle to be unhealthy so they can stay in business.
We are so brainwashed through advertising to "reward" ourselves with bad things (think Kit-Kat -"Give me a break (and) break me off a piece of that Kit-Kat bar!", or Budweizer - "For all you do, this Buds for you"). Long ago are the days when "An apple a day keeps the doctor away."
I have been studying, learning, listening a lot about food, health and different remedies. Part of my studies have directed me to Chinese Medicine. Logic is telling me that "hey, they have been doing for thousands of years, and it is working for billions of people, so they must be on to something."
A little over a month ago I decided to cross the line of just taking herbs and drinking (often times horrible tasting) teas, to trying out acupuncture.
It all began when I was super stressed from work. I was not sleeping well. I was not pleasant. I was tired. At work we were understaffed, working a lot of hours, and unsure where our project was headed. We were barely treading water and it was all getting to me. Add that to feeling bad that I was not seeing Walter much, sex drive was way down, and when I was around him I was not always the most enjoyable to be with. I tried some anti-stress herbs and vitamins. For the most part, Niacin was working well to keep me fairly perky, Melatonin was a trial to help with sleep, which, I still need to test more, my other vitamins I just got tired of taking, even my pro-biotics got pushed to the side. I needed the next level, but not the "here's a prescription, take this and hope you don't get any of the bad side effects" kind of level. I had heard, and talked to friends who did it, about acupuncture. My insurance covered it so I said "what the hell!"
It all began when I was super stressed from work. I was not sleeping well. I was not pleasant. I was tired. At work we were understaffed, working a lot of hours, and unsure where our project was headed. We were barely treading water and it was all getting to me. Add that to feeling bad that I was not seeing Walter much, sex drive was way down, and when I was around him I was not always the most enjoyable to be with. I tried some anti-stress herbs and vitamins. For the most part, Niacin was working well to keep me fairly perky, Melatonin was a trial to help with sleep, which, I still need to test more, my other vitamins I just got tired of taking, even my pro-biotics got pushed to the side. I needed the next level, but not the "here's a prescription, take this and hope you don't get any of the bad side effects" kind of level. I had heard, and talked to friends who did it, about acupuncture. My insurance covered it so I said "what the hell!"I called and made an appointment at the highly recognized and very recommended Academy of Oriental Medicine at Austin . I was going to a student clinic where students took care of you under the supervision of a professional. I went in nervous and slightly skeptical. I was guided into a room and sat down. The room was low lighted (imagine if you were going to get a massage just without the candles and in a more sterile room). I was then asked what I came in for. I explained I was stressed, and a little boost to the ol' boner would be nice too. They asked me a series of questions to the tune of: "how many hours do you normally sleep? is it good sleep? how often do you have a bowel movement? is it usually hard or soft? What is bringing on your stress? How does your stomach feel after you eat? etc etc etc. It was interesting because the focused more on the bodily functions than they did on my stress.
The students then left the room, grabbed a Doctor and returned to convey to him what I had said to them and he asked a question or 2 more. They then left only to return back without the Doctor to give me my diagnosis. Apparently my "Heart and kidney were in disharmony AND I had liver 'qi' stagnation. Being fully open minded about this, I was able to not laugh. Reading it now, and thinking of all the not so opened minds may read this, it sounds hokey. After giving my diagnosis (I was laying down on the table by this point) they proceeded to poke the needles in my body. There were 21 that were going into me that day (1=forehead, 5= each hand, 2=stomach, 3=each foot, 1= each thigh). Putting them in did not really hurt.
The doctor said he would come back in 10 min to check on me. I lay there, arms stretched out checking the clock every min. I did not understand. Everyone told me how they fall asleep. How the feels so relaxed. Me? I was looking at the time. I was so not relaxed. The doctor to be came in to check on me. I said I was fine and he said he'd be back in 30 min then. I lay there. I could not relax. I reached for my phone to take pictures (that's where the one above came from). Snap. Snap. Snap. I think, "This is so funny. I should put the camera away in case the doctor comes in." I put the camera away - not the easiest task to do when you have 5 needles in your hand and forearm. I lay, look at the clock. Only 5 minutes had passed. I lay, then look again. Three minutes. "Damn," I think to myself, "This is going to take forever!"
I continue to play this game for about 10 more minutes until I finally relaxed. Then I heard the doctor in training walk in. I looked at the clock one more time. 25 min had passed. He let me know that he kept me in the room for a little longer than normal. I felt pretty good and a bit energized. I was not going to blame this on the acupuncture - I was still a bit skeptical. I left the office in a slight state of Nirvana.
On my way home I called Walter and all he had to tell me was "You just sound better" that took my skepticism away. If you could hear it in my voice, then it must be the same as what I was feeling.
I have been once since. It still felt good afterwards. I will continue to go as needed. Ancient Chinese secret...totally! Now to just add massage (recommended by the doctor in training) and I should be perfect!
