It is true that in China, people would pay their doctor when they were well – rather than when they were sick. The Doctor’s job was to keep them well, right?? Our health system is quite different, we focus on what we can do once something happens. How would it be like to be clear on what would ensure health while we still have it?
I notice with patients, that each person is different. We all have our own unique response to what is happening in our lives and the stresses that come. No two remedies would be the same for two people, not when looking through a Chinese medicine window. Chinese medicine takes your individual presentation and tailor makes a treatment.
Regular treatment is like a gentle reminder to your system. Bringing you to a state of balance and addressing any of the ways that you drift away from wellness, we all have our weaknesses. Health is acknowledging what your weaknesses are and doing your best to support them. I do think it is true that sometimes our weaknesses become our strengths. Why? Because we give them so much of our attention! Once you know where you often get stuck, you can look towards balance.
An example is a patient I had with pre-menstrual tension. She would get headaches, sore breasts, be irritated and emotional and then would feel wiped out when her period came. After some regular treatment, this reduced considerably, yet she also needed to change her day to day behaviour to help make the change stick. I encouraged her to exercise regularly before her period, even if she didn’t feel like it. Sour food is great for the Liver so warm lemon water was suggested each morning (you could do this most mornings anyways!). In order to keep her emotions flowing, she organised a regular get together with friends as she got later on in the month. No late night internet or afternoon coffees helped with her headaches too. Coming along to acupuncture once a month before her period would help soothe her symptoms and was a way to support the change with me reminding her of what she could to do. A valuable tool.
Team work with health is imperative. For change to happen systemically there needs to be a multitude of changes throughout the life. Acupuncture helps move the Qi to get things changing and supports the process while alleviating symptoms. And you, the patient, are responsible day to day to make the best choices – this can be lot easier when you are educated about what can help.
Arohanui,
Lori-Ellen