Posted by Larry Hoover on May 22, 2006, at 13:59:37
.....belonged on Social, because it's really a cultural observation.
Toronto has a vibrant, huge Chinatown. Really, there are three of them. And it's not just Chinese. Very interesting, wandering Spadina Ave., and shopping in the Oriental District. I just decided, that's a better name for it, Oriental District. Everything from "100 year old duck eggs" (only five for a buck!), to roasted things that beggar description. T-shirts as cheap as 7 for $10 (and I really couldn't find the flaws, if there were any).
Anyway, I recognized one Chinese apothecary/herbalist/traditional medicine place from my Internet wanderings. Very solid reputation. So, I went in there one time when I had some 'alone time'. Just following my muse. And the DCM (doctor of chinese medicine) was just standing there, and says I can get a full checkup/consult for $10. Ten bucks! I have this horrible neuropathic pain, and I live on opiates and such. Western medicine really hasn't done much for me, ya know? So, I take him up on it, and he asks me a lot of questions about my urine, and spends a long time studying my pulse. And he asks me if I "want tea", i.e. prescription of traditional herbs/roots/berries/?? I said, okay. Following the muse, ya know? And what I ended up with filled a plastic shopping bag! One day's tea is a good two cups of dried stuff. For less money that I pay for my regular meds, I might add. A *lot* less. Schizzandra, I saw, and ginseng. I really must remember to ask what all those things are.
I am going to go brew this stuff now.
I go back next week for "acupuncture, make the herbs draw heat from liver". Sounds good to me.
Lar
poster:Larry Hoover
thread:646916
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/social/20060521/msgs/646916.html