I felt a whole lot better this morning but was still not completely well. Nonetheless, I was pleased enough with the results to venture back to the little cramped half shop to see Ms Anne Li, the TCM practitioner. I'm not sure how to address her. Is she a doctor or not? She certainly didn't look like one. No middle-aged doctor I know would be wearing lycra tights and figure hugging mini-skirts.
But hey... you can wear a loincloth to work if you want. As long as you know your stuff, you're well worth the money spent. I respect your knowledge and competence... and you.
A side effect of Anne's medicinal herbs has been to give me back warm hands and feet. Part of my PMS experience involves very cold hands and feet. I actually need a hot water bottle on some nights!
Golly! I sound like I'm 80 years old!!
I was very pleased with how my energy levels had improved. My hands and feet were warmer. My phlegm had all but gone away. WHAT did she give me that brought the blood circulation back into my hands and feet?!
I ventured a 2nd visit to Anne. She took my pulse and listened to my cough. I've been advised to go on a pregnancy confinement diet. She thinks that my PMS symptoms are rooted in having had no post-natal confinement care for one, or even both my pregnancies. I was impressed because she was right. I had had practically no confinement care at all after the birth of The Daughter. I did not make the same mistake with Little Boy's birth.
I'm quite pleased with Anne's prescription. I looooooove Chinese pregnancy confinement food!! And now I have full license to indulge!! Miam! Miam! I think I have been very stupid to be staring eyes wide shut at my entire Chinese cultural history without thinking that my PMS symptoms could be managed with Traditional Chinese Medicine. How could I miss something so obvious!!?
I also regret my love for Western food - cheese, milk, yoghurt, bread. These are all foods that cause "damp heat", resulting in inflammation and phlegm. I've also been doing salads every day. That has overcooled my body to the extent that the "qi" is stagnant, so circulation is poor.
Ok! I have NO CLUE what all that means. I just know I am feeling healthier.
Anne Li, the TCM Practitioner in her mini-skirt and lycra tights.
Anne Li's clinic assistant
The cramped little half shop
The medicinal herbs, pills and powders
Anne Li's name card
Cooking up my herbal medicine in a small thermal pot.
2 comments:
Hmmm. And maybe I should give Miss Anne a visit. I'm thinking of consulting a TCM doctor for my recurrent yeast infections. My gynae just treats me with anti-fungal medication and within months (sometimes even weeks), I'll have another attack. Ugh.
oh.. no confinement is a problem?! ops.. I dont eat pork.. and i dont like sesame oil so I didnt eat any confinement food in the traditional Chinese sense. I just ate lots of fish, vegetables, rice and bee hoon. Opsssyyyyy... and I slept in aircon and took hot showers everyday! Haha. oh dear.
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