Mr. Acupuncturist takes 2

My second appointment with Mr. Acupuncturist.

I don't know if you can remember my blog that I posted on the first appointment I had for acupuncture. This was 3 weeks ago (and it feels like a lifetime..but that's besides the point). Well, today was the second appointment.

The last time, it started out not so well, but ended pretty ok. Today I wasn't sure what to expect. I was feeling more "on this planet" than I was the last time I went, so this was bound to work to my advantage. The first time, he needed to asses me to get an overall picture of my state of well-being. He needed a detailed understanding of my lifestyle, diet, work, medical history and emotional state. This is all to establish the specific treatment and the frequency that is required. We dealt with this last time, so we wouldn't have to go into any details this time round.. thank god.

Before the actual treatment itself, we had a short chat to see if and how my physical and mental state have improved since my last visit.
So just to fill you in: He wanted to know how I was adjusting to the Chinese medicine I have been taking, if my appetite has increased and if I have been eating more. Have I been acting on my hunger pains? I said I was.. But he suggested (out of nowhere) that I should eat an extra slice of bread of day.. O god.. panic..(I wanted to shout at him that I haven't started eating bread on daily basis yet!!! What are you playing at.. How dare you!!", but of course I didn't). The thing is, I've got my whole schedule with Diann, and now he's coming along and muddling it all up by wanting me to eat even more.. "This wasn't the deal dude.. Mr. Acupuncturist!!!".. He could see the panic on my face. So now he suggested a half a piece of toast... Humm... I'm not too sure.. I lied, and said I would, but I'm not 100% convinced just yet..

He wanted to know how my digestive system is at the moment, well to be pretty frank.. up until a few days ago, I wasn't sure I had one.. I reckon it just went on strike.. And the burning, aching and stinging sensations in my stomach were still there, with an enormous amount of bloating.
He wanted to know how my energy levels were.. They have increased in the past 3 weeks, definitely, but I'm not too sure if that's down to the supplements or the Chinese medicine that he has me taking. I started them both 3 weeks ago. Maybe it's a combination of both. So hunger pains and energy levels rising.. I was responding to the treatment. It was going in the right direction. Concentration? This has also gotten better. My desire to get better and realizing how ill I am? Also increased.
I mentally ticked all the boxes..

This is all well and good, acupuncture and I sort of know what it's all about, but all this progress that I just summed up.. is this down to the supplements or his medication? or a combination? or is it just me taking it easy that is making me feel this way? I wanted to know, exactly what the acupuncture will do to my body and more importantly HOW and WHAT benefits will I FEEL from it? It all seemed a little vague, so he was more than pleased to shed a little light on it for me..

A brief lesson in acupuncture..(for those who aren't that interested..skip this paragraph, this is more for me, just process the info he gave me.. very boring)..
Apparently, Our health depends on the body's energy (Qi) moving in a smooth and balanced way through a series of channels beneath the skin that connect the interior and exterior of the body, and the internal systems to each other. This energy can be disturbed once someone becomes ill. Acupuncture aims to bring all systems into balance when the needles are inserted into certain channels. It depends on the health issues as to where to needles are punctured.
The treatment (takes around 30 minutes to 45 minutes) as well as the Chinese medicine I'm taking are a combination of alternative treatment. They are both aimed at strengthening my spleen (which is a common symptom when having anorexia). Your spleen can be found in your stomach somewhere..(not too sure where exactly) and it's responsible for the creation of the Qi that is required to keep energy levels up, along with blood and holding your internal organs in place. When the Spleen is weakened caused by malnutrition, all of these processes will get "out of whack" and effects other organs in the meantime.
This results in lack of energy and appetite, bloating of stomach, stinging, constipation, disrupted digestive system and it also causes the period to stop.
I mentally can tick all the boxes again..
Once the treatment starts to work, I should start feeling hungry again (that is slowly starting to happen), I will then eat more, which will stimulate my digestive system, which will in turn increase my appetite and I will be taking in more nutrition which will stimulate the amount of blood I produce which in turn will give me more energy. Once I start to feel more energized I will want and need more energy and keep on needing and wanting more nutrition to keep the process going... It's all linked together.. Everything will start to balance out again and therefore It will slowly make me feel better and better. The better I feel the more I will benefit from the treatments..
Very technical.. but so interesting. How unique is the human body.. I'm amazed..

I was so excited, when I was sitting there.. I could see the buzz in his eyes when he was telling me how I was going to feel once I start to feel more energized..I was just getting all this energy by the way he was talking about it all.. I was like "Right, can I order one of those thank you!".. But of course, it's a slow process.
After a brief discussion about how I'm feeling about wanting to get better and the realization of everything, he said that we're on the right track, slowly but surely, taking "baby-steps".. But it's positive.

He initially wanted to treat me 2 times a week, but he reckons my body is still too weak, so for now, I'll be having 1 session a week, until I'm physically stronger.

Then the treatment itself took place, but it wasn't as relaxing as the first appointment. He used more needles.. and they hurt man! I felt numb, and when I closed my eyes I was floating but with only one half of my body.. weird.. The longer the needles were stuck in, the more numbness I was feeling, and kind of sickly as well, and sore.. But I tried not to think about that.. In head I was on beach in Thailand.. which was pretty relaxing...

Anyway, this acupuncture is so interesting, and I can't wait till I start feeling all this energy that he was talking about.. Pity it's not instant..