One of the many, many perks of being older (not being carded and the right to start sentences with, “When I was your age” being just a few) is the steady decline of your health. Maybe this is just me, but I can definitely tell that I am not the spry young whippersnapper I once was. Don’t fret, I won’t bore you with any of the details of my cracking joints or sore muscles. What I will share, however, are two of my personal, grown-up medical choices.
Acupuncture is the ancient Chinese medicine where very small needles are placed at specific points on your body to help unblock your Qi or blood flow. This method was reviewed by the World Health Organization in 2003 and was determined to be an effective treatment for at least 28 ailments from arthritis to depression. I had my first acupuncture session last Wednesday and I was so nervous and afraid as I HATE needles. It consisted of lying on a massage table in a very peaceful room while the acupuncturist placed these tiny needles all over my body, from my feet to the top of my head. Yup, even in my face! It was almost completely painless and very relaxing. Afterwards I felt really good, very energized and calm. I will definitely be going again!
Naturopathic medicine is as old as any other form of medicine, some say it even came from Hippocrates himself. Naturopathy is the treatment of the body as a whole organism, where all things are connected and should be treated as such using nature’s own remedies. I have been going to a Naturopath for over a year now and I absolutely love it. In my opinion there is no comparison between my Medical Doctor (MD) and my Naturopathic Doctor (ND). When I go to the MD I am seen for a maximum of 15 minutes. I’m not making that up, they told me they won’t see patients for more than 15 minutes at a time. What kind of quality of care can one get in 15 tiny minutes? At my ND’s office my appointments are between one and two hours long. They ask about your entire body and how all of it feels. They take into consideration the fact that all of our systems are connected and work together like an engine. This means that if one thing is wrong it can throw off the entire machine. In the Northwest we are very lucky to have many ND’s to choose from, most of which are covered by insurance. Check one out if you like, it is a wonderful experience.
I would love to hear about any of your experiences with natural or modern medicine, what works for you, what doesn’t, etc. Everyone has their own way of healing and their own comfort level with medicine(and aging gracefully), so please let me know about yours.
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