| During a casual chat with a dentist friend, we had | | | | that the body consists of organs that are all |
| a difference in opinion on the efficacies of | | | | interlinked and their yin & yang composition |
| Western Medicine and Traditional Chinese Medicine | | | | determines how the energy flows within the |
| (or "TCM" as it is more popularly known). Neither | | | | organs of the body. TCM thus goes right to the |
| can she bring herself to concur on my suggestion | | | | root of the health problem instead of just treating |
| that Chinese Astrology studies like Bazi (or 4 | | | | the symptoms. Rome is not built in a day, and |
| Pillars) and Zi Wei Dou Shu (ZWDS) are useful | | | | neither should we expect our health problems to |
| towards maintaining good health. | | | | be fully cured by a TCM practitioner within a short |
| To most people, Western Medicine is scientific, | | | | period of time. For those that have developed to |
| more widely accepted and belongs to the main | | | | a critically late stage of illnesses, I still advocate |
| stream tools toward health and wellness. Hence, it | | | | they rely on Western Medicine as the short term |
| is the defacto choice for them. While I have | | | | cure but use TCM as the longer term fallback |
| utmost respect for the advancement Western | | | | solution. |
| Medicine have made until today, I have come | | | | When do Bazi and ZWDS come into play? They |
| across enough cases that makes me convinced | | | | hold the key towards a comprehensive diagnosis |
| that TCM is the superior choice to Western | | | | of the health problem and medical prescription. I |
| Medicine when it comes to achieving good health. I | | | | am a firm believer of the adage that "prevention |
| will say TCM is more effective at keeping people | | | | is better than cure". Bazi and ZWDS will be able to |
| in the pink of health while Western Medicine is | | | | identify the inherent health deficiency and medical |
| better in treating sick people. When people are | | | | problem of a person even way before the |
| severely ill, naturally Western Medicine is the | | | | symptoms or the illness sets in. They can also |
| better choice of treatment. | | | | help to identify the Fengshui aspects of the house |
| What is my basis for concluding so? Western | | | | or environment that the person lives in that will |
| medicine treats symptoms but do not get to the | | | | prevent such illnesses from setting in. An |
| root of the problem. For someone suffering from | | | | understanding of Bazi and ZWDS also holds the |
| headache they usually prescribe pain killers but | | | | key to prescription of a comprehensive cure. This |
| falls short of addressing the real cause of the | | | | is because the patient may not articulate the |
| headaches. When a patient has fever, sometimes | | | | medical problem clearly enough and an effective |
| they ask the patient to dip in cold water or stay | | | | cure can only be achieved when the TCM |
| in cold air-conditioned rooms to combat the rising | | | | practitioner understands how the energy flows |
| temperature. Proponent of Western Medicine may | | | | within the organs and their yin & yang |
| challenge me to say why make a fuss when the | | | | predisposition. |
| illness is "cured". I will say the symptoms may be | | | | Opponents may still claim that I am bigoted |
| cured but the root cause of the illness is merely | | | | against Western Medicine. In my next article, I will |
| subdued. The result of which is a weaker health | | | | share a few examples of how Western Medicine |
| constitution in the long term. | | | | failed or how TCM + understanding of Bazi/ZWDS |
| TCM is very different as it seeks to identify the | | | | cured a problem that was not satisfactorily |
| underlying health deficiencies. TCM acknowledge | | | | resolved by Western Medicine. |