Integrative Medicine at its finest

Well, my recovery from food poisoning is now nearly 100% complete. I feel MUCH better, thanks to the care I've received at my Chinese hospital. It's actually a great example of how they apply integrative medicine here. I presented with an acute, severe condition that needed to be rectified immediately, so the first line of treatment was Western medicine, which is fast and effective in emergency situations (would you call your acupuncturist if you had just broken your leg? I don't think so). So I was pumped full of fluids, electrolytes, antibiotics and vitamin c for two days. Now that the bug is out of my system and my symptoms are relieved, it's time for TCM to do what it does best - restore balance, strengthen the body, and generally get things back in prime working condition. I'm taking a delicious (seriously!) herbal formula to strengthen the Spleen and Stomach, tonify qi, transform dampness, relieve distension and promote digestion. For you TCM folks, it's basically Xiang Sha Liu Jun Zi Tang with a few extra treats thrown in.

So tomorrow it's back to Internal Medicine, this time as an observing doctor and not a patient! I'm looking forward to being back on my feet, learning more, and of course taking more pictures (other than the IV bottle dangling over my head).