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Health & Fitness

Chinese Medicine in San Francisco Among Family and Friends

Meeting your new in-laws is not the time for stomach upset. I found a way to preserve the harmony and made some wonderful friends of my new family.

I went to San Francisco California to meet my daughter-in-law’s family this summer.  We sang karaoke, danced and ate delicious Filipino food together. There was Lumpia, the Filipino version of the egg roll, some with meat, some vegetable only but the best was the banana filled with the sweet glaze and crunchy skin. They served the most tender beef steak and a georgeous Pancit…a  noodle dish with vegetables and chicken and/or seafood.  My new In-laws were the most charming hosts who took me to their favorite eating places around the Bay area.   We had a family feast at their favorite Korean restaurant and another family dinner at New Lim’s Garden, Hong Kong style Chinese food in Concord California, the place were my son proposed to their daughter.  

It was wonderful; until my stomach reminded me that it couldn’t keep up with all the good food I was eating. Don’t get me wrong…all the food I had was great.  The problem is, in Chinese medical terms…my Spleen is too weak to process what I ingest so I end up with nausea and stomach problems.

Normally, I start my day with simple foods like homemade congees (rice porridge) which I supplement with a protein meal replacement.  Starting my day like this with simple cooked and room temperature drinks I can usually eat what I want later in the day without issues.  In my hotel room there was no way to make congee and I didn’t find out about Imperial Seafood dim sum and their delicious seafood congee until the day before I was to return home.

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Congees are usually made from rice or other grains and cooked with up to 6 -10x the water normally used to which herbs, vegetables or meat and fish can be added.  It is usually served to people who are recovering from illness but to me its just food.  My favorite so far is seafood congee with the texture of creamy grits with seafood bits.

Fortunately, I was able to find a Chinese herb store that carried Bao He Wan, a Chinese herbal remedy for Stomach upset caused by overeating. In English the name means "Preserve the Harmony". My problem wasn’t overeating but it was useful to resolve stomach issues making it possible for me to enjoy the food, company and culture of my new relatives.  My best advice if you think you would like to try this is to find a Chinese Medicine herbalist who can determine if this is the proper formula for you.  

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While in San Francisco, I got the chance to meet Dr Kong OMD an old school acupuncture doctor who gave me a personal prescription for my Stomach. His prescription looked so pretty that I will make a copy of it to get the prescription filled and frame the original.  Another good thing is that the prescription is all herbal so I don’t have to worry about chemical reactions.

Along with his prescription he gave me a personalized Qi gong routine to follow.  The single routine is so simple, yet to repeat it 5 minutes at this point is challenging.  There is a bit more to it but basically the goal is to lower and raise my arms with my breath for 15 minutes once a day.  This one movement combined with the herbs should help resolve my Stomach problem as well as my breathing issues. (He heard my respiratory distress as I was breathing rather loud, so he added something to the treatment for it.)  I find that Chinese Medicine is not a passive activity where you go to see your doctor and he makes all the decisions and you get well.  It is a 50/50 proposition so I have my part in the healing process too. I will visit Dr Kong again in 3 months after I have completed his instructions. 

A caution if you are in the Bay area and want to see Dr. Kong, practice walking on an inclined treadmill ahead of your visit.  My first trip to him found me gasping for air after walking up the inclined street and then up to 2nd story where his office was.  Luckily my son who is a trainer had me stand and raise my arms above my head until my breathing became easy.  This worked and I was soon able to stop gasping for air. 

I can’t wait to get back to San Francisco and China Town, to see if I will be able to walk the hilly streets like a native San Franciscan without hesitation. When I get back there I plan to visit my in-laws again. They are remarkable people with a strong family ethic. No matter what anyone may say, food and family go together.  I am truly happy to have such a great OMD to me solve my GI problems  and such wonderful family to share food with!

 

 

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