Oriental Medicine: Part 4

To give a little update on the oriental medicine/acupuncture, it has been working quite well.  I will admit that a few days I was really wondering if it was working because I had one day where I had bad heartburn and felt really fatigued.  However, I was very impressed when I went in for a treatment that day.  I couldn't translate to tell him the issue since I didn't have my phone in my hand, but all he did was check my pulse and asked to look at my tongue and he said "no energy".  I don't know what "mapping" he did for the needles that day but it certainly gave quick results!

The one main thing I noticed with acupuncture is that it takes away any stress.  When I'm done, I often feel like I just finished a yoga session -- calm, relaxed, and tired.

I did ask him about getting treatment for seasonal allergies, but the procedures involves sticking a needle into the side of your nostril, moving it a bit, and then taking it out then do the other side.  It then causes the nose to bleed, so you blow all the blood out.  I would've had to do that procedure 10 times over 10 days (like this treatment).  Needless to say, I turned that one down.

Corn dogs and chestnuts

This weekend I went hiking and came across a little food stand.  I had some roasted chestnuts (that are pretty common in the fall/winter in Korea -- so I'm surprised I found them now!) and a corn dog.  The way they do corn dogs here is a bit different.  They put some ketschup on it but they also sprinkle it with sugar.

Japanese Cherry Blossoms

The cherry blossom trees have officially bloomed! More pictures to come once I get a sunny day.

Oriental Medicine: Part 3

To give an update on my oriental medicine/acupuncture -- it has been working fairly well though, of course, I have to watch diet along with the treatments.  I have felt a lot more "balanced" than I was when I first came in for treatment.  At this point, the majority of the time I don't feel the needles at this point in the same way as I did at first.  The first two times it felt a bit more sore and tender.  However, I will admit today there was a spot or two that was uncomfortable for a little while.  

Today I kept my phone in my pocket so I could take a picture to show what some of this looks like.  Prior to the acupuncture treatment, they apply heat to the area.  Naturally, they don't use just a simple heating pad but rather this heated-pot looking thing with some sort of incense that they light and put on my stomach with just a little cover the size of a napkin underneath.  I lay there on the heated table (traditional Korean style) with this pot on my stomach with additional heat being pointed at my stomach above the pot.  The smell of the smoke is actually quite relaxing, so I normally take a little nap for the 20 or so minutes that I lay there before they do the acupuncture.  When they do put the needles in (which are actually quite small and thin -- certainly not the size needle for when you get a shot or blood drawn), they keep the heated lamp above the area.

Middle School ESL Activities Blog

I've recently made another blog that focuses on sharing the work, ideas, and thoughts of my Korean students.  My hope with this blog is to provide some ideas for other ESL teachers and to simply share the work of my students to people from all walks of life.  Perhaps by sharing this will provide those who have never been to Korea a small taste of what life is like for these students.

The blog can be found at: Yeonghwa Middle School ESL Activities

Korea's "time of the month" remedy

I came to work today and it was, well, "that time of the month" for me so I went to the nurse for some pain relievers to help with cramps.  She gave me two Women's Tyenol and then gave me some little advice on what to eat and not to eat (according to what Koreans believe is best).  Her advice was: don't eat any fruit, don't eat any cold food, and eat only warm food.  Apparently the belief is that if you keep your body warm then it will help keep you more balanced and reduce any potential symptoms that will surface.

Oriental Medicine - Part 2

I went in for my second session on Tuesday.  It was predominantly the same procedure as Monday by involving both heat and acupuncture,  but the needles were placed in different areas.  The first time it felt like the needles were placed in positions that influenced different digestive organs.  It was a little weird feeling at times, but it felt good over time of them being there.  I was actually excited about going in for my second treatment.  This time I'm not quite sure what kind of "map" he used to place the needles but I can say that they were definitely placed in more tender areas and I was a little bit sore in spots afterward.  It felt like perhaps it just really hit some muscles that are a little of "out of wack".

I actually didn't go in yesterday because of my schedule.  That's one of the interesting things about Korea and doctors: There are no appointments.  You just walk in whenever you have the time in your schedule.  Of course, if it is something critical then you need to go in according to a certain schedule but for the most part they are pretty relaxed about it.  And the best thing is -- for not having an appointment, so far I have spent less time waiting.

My attempt at oriental medicine

Yesterday, I gave in and decided to make an attempt at oriental medicine.  For anybody who is reading this and can read Hangul (Korean text), you will already know what it says on the bottle.  For those that can't (which I'm sure is the majority) at the top it reads: Herbal Remedy for IBS.  After trying to manage and cope with this for a few years with worsening and spontaneous attacks despite watching diet. Going to any traditional doctor has told me (and likely anyone else with this) to "watch your diet", but I've found that this is never consistent, as any little thing can throw it off.  After feeling the desire to almost give up eating, I've decide to give this a shot.

The treatment is supposed to take only 10 visits, which the doctor told me I can just come in 10 in a row whenever I am able to.  The treatment involves: heat, acupuncture, massage (mechanical), and herbal medicine.  I have to take 20 of these little herbal pills after each meal, 3 times a day.  If my stomach is unsettled yet, I can increase up to 30 pills after the meal.  I'm not exactly sure what herbs they are (since it's all Korean), but its a mixture of several.

The total cost for 10 days of treatment?  Only W47,000, which is about $45 so whether it works or not I felt it'd be a good experience and definitely worth a try for such a price.  Crossing my fingers that I have at least an improvement if not quite a "cure".