Whilst on holiday in September, we followed a hiking trail over the hills to the next town. Initially it took us along roads used by the occasional car, but at one point, it detoured up hundreds of stone steps and through a shady grotto, before leading us back out into the hot sun.
It made me think, as I was walking along, of patients I have treated and also of friends and family, whose paths through life and health haven’t been easy. Some people are lucky and have been gifted great genes, healthy immune systems and resilient mental and emotional states. Others have drawn shorter straws and may have inherited fragilities or predispositions and they are constantly fighting to keep up.
Chinese Medical theory tells us that each of us are born with ‘pre-natal qi’ (what we would now call your genetic inheritance) and this is supplemented by diet and lifestyle - your ‘daily qi’ (ie energy gained from food). So, we could inherit, for example, our dad’s weaker teeth or mum’s eczema, but by eating well, resting, taking on the right vitamins and nutrients, we can counter some of that inheritance (up to a point).
That’s why acupuncture sessions are always accompanied by lifestyle and dietary advice.
On my walk, I was also thinking about how some people grab the advice with both hands and put it into action and others are resistant. I don’t judge - each to their own - but I do try to encourage individuals to make small and doable changes and judge for themselves whether they are feeling the benefits or not. In our first session I get a good idea from you, what you eat and how you rest and are active. I can then compliment the acupuncture treatment with guidance suited to you, to help you navigate your health journey more easily, be it straightforward or long and winding.
