Yesterday was the first day of my Medicine in China class. This class is taught by Prof. Shapiro on Tuesday nights. Mr. Shapiro is one of the most interesting characters I have ever met. He is so enthusiastic about what he teaches that he manages to maintain our attention for the three hours in which we sit and listen about medicine. The main topic of yesterday's class was based in the difference between Eastern and Western Medicine.
Western Medicine and Eastern Medicine as we know them started as one many thousands of years ago. They separated into two different branches later on. The Chinese Medicine and Greek Medicine. It would not be premature to assume that Greek Medicine is the ancestor of medicine- the medicine we have today.
One of the most interesting facts that came to mind is that we, egotistic Americans, believe that medicine is what we know and have in the United States. That we have the BEST medicine. As a matter of fact, we have the best bio-medicine. The medicine that treats acute illnesses and emergencies. We have the best, cleanest facilities to operate in invasive procedures and we have great emergency response. I dare say that when it comes to ER's, well we know whats up. However, Chinese Medicine has it huge advantages as well.
The Chinese have been doing their medicine for as long as there have been chinese people. If you know what I mean. Their society is highly educated in the medical field,their remedies are based on years of passed experiences and it is completely surrounded by the idea of preventing and not treating. Though at the beginning their reason for being healthy and strong was not because of the "Yin Yang" as many yoga instructors may tell us so, in the last few hundred years this has been their purpose. The mind, your thoughts and what you eat have a huge effect on your health. If done carefully and correctly your overall health can be outstanding and you can live for many more years that what life expectancy is with western medicine.
What a great knowledge and there is still so much more to learn. In the future, one would wish to travel and tell their patients :" I understand what you believe, I understand your culture and home remedies. If you wish to use them instead we can do that.
We will do whatever we can to get you healthy".
We can understand and respect people, we can believe in flexibility to help through preventive care with remedies and acupuncture .In serious cases through our extensive knowledge of invasive procedures . The benefit of a healthier population of the globe would be the perfect yin yang of the western and eastern medicine.
