Taking the Chinese medicine

Entrance to Dr. Ye's practice in Saint Leonard's

 

We learnt about the Chinese medical practitioner, Dr. Ye, a year ago from our joiner, Olly Adams. Paul consulted him (the doctor, that is, not the joiner) with total success about the cold-sores that had plagued him for years.  Having myself been a victim of headaches and migraines for around four decades, I thought it might be a good idea to go and see whether he could do anything.

 

Paul's treatment has been mainly dietary, with the abolition of yeast and yoghurt from our daily diet, a change of mealtime regimes so that lunch is the main meal rather than dinner, and regular consumption of warm water.  As a result of my visit this afternoon, I have been told to stop drinking all alcohol (I was down to one glass of wine a day, but that was treasured, so it's going to be a sacrifice), and abandon tea and coffee, but to drink warm water instead.  And eat more of - guess what?  Beans.  Hmm.

 

So far, so sensible.  After the initial advice, based on questions and answers, looking at the tongue and feeling the pulse, the good doctor proceeds to track the meridians while the patient lies on a massage couch.  Tracking meridians involves the pummelling of acupressure points and felt like being run over by a giant bulldozer.  In fact, the process was so painful that, between yelps, I asked whether he was torturing me for information - if so, I'd gladly give it to him.  I now know that I would be no good as a spy in enemy territory.  Curiously, the whole business was so bizarre that I found myself getting slightly hysterical with laughter at the same time. 

"Did your back feel like putty at the end of it?" Paul asked when we were comparing notes on my return.  Actually, no.  But I'm hoping that with the new regime of no alcohol or caffeine and loads of beans I shall feel newly energised.  Strangely, I was feeling quite good before I went.  But I suppose that's what preventive medicine is all about.

Antony Mair