2012
Chiu-Nan Lai, Ph.D.
Question:
Some time ago, my menstruation stopped for about six months. I went to the hospital for a check-up and the doctor said that it was polycystic ovary syndrome. He prescribed some medicine for me, and assured me that my menstruation will return ten days after taking the medicine. Indeed it did. But I wonder if western medicine is too strong? After this incidence, I adjusted my lifestyle and mentality (primarily, I used pendulum to dowse food before consumption), and started taking Chinese medicine. Consequently, my period became more stable, but based on my Basal Body Temperature Chart, the Chinese physician said that there was no ovulation!
Today, I read a book that mentioned about vegetarian diet stopping ovulation, but this is very contrary to my views. The amount of protein in soy milk is high, and it is easy to consume too much daily. Hence, I would like to ask Dr. Lai:
Your personal views on how vegetarianism affects ovulation? (I am a vegetarian and I feel that all sentient beings have parents, so how can I eat them? I am also afraid of forging unpleasant relationships with the living beings.)
I am currently taking Chinese medicine, is there still a need to take motherwort from organic shops?
Respectfully from a serious student
Answer:
For some people, their bodies needed time to adjust to a change of diet. Sometimes, irregular menstruation or temporal menopausal may happen. This may be due to insufficient body fats. You may like to supplement with appropriate amount of nuts and seeds, such as sesame, sunflower seed, walnut, etc. Generally, soy products tend to be ‘cold’, so it is not recommended to eat too much, especially for women with ‘cold’ constitution. You may change to eating black beans and chickpeas. Sesame oil is also ‘warming’ in nature. Try to choose organic food because chemical toxins also affect hormone secretion. If your home or office is recently renovated and toxic materials were used, these might also affect ovulation. Apart from these factors, it is also important to consider electromagnetic waves and microwave interferences. There were many whose menstruation turns regular and period pain relieved after a change to natural vegetarian diet. Some of them were even able to conceive and give birth. So does vegetarian diet affect ovulation? It depends whether one is eating appropriately, hence it cannot be generalized.
If you have a trusted Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) practitioner who prescribes for you, you do not need to take motherwort. Basically, TCM practitioners prescribe suitable medicine based on your physical condition. Ideally, from time to time, the prescription is adjusted according to your condition.
Question:
My son accidentally fell off a building when he was four years old, resulting in brain injury. He is now 25 years old and has to take three tablets every morning and night to control his epilepsy. I would like to know what we could do about his lifestyle and diet in order to improve or prevent his conditions from worsening. Would you describe more about brain injury patients with epilepsy and how to take care of their health?
Answer:
People with brain injuries may take Hawthorn Sea Minerals. Nick was injured in a car accident and suffered from headaches for seven years. He recovered after taking Hawthorn Sea Minerals. (Please refer to Lapis Magazine, August 2006).
Enzymes can also repair old wounds. Take 3 to 5 tablets (dowse for quantity) between meals. It is not necessary to take that amount for too long, maybe try for a week. Normal consumption is one tablet along with meal.
Of course, young people should avoid cell phones and wireless internet. Take natural vegetarian diet. And take anti-electromagnetic measures. These are ways to help patient’s condition from deteriorating.
If epilepsy is not caused by brain injury, it may be due to parasites and will need to de-worm. In such cases, it is much effective to supplement with probiotics (friendly bacteria).
Question:
May I ask, under what conditions do we take Chinese medicine such that it will not damage our health? Does regular consumption of traditional Chinese medicine damage the liver and kidney?
Answer:
There is a Chinese saying, “Food nourishment is better than medicinal nourishment.” Nourishment through food is a long-term approach for good health. Appropriate short-term use of drugs may be effective, but it is not suitable for regular use. There are Chinese medicines that are ‘gentle’ in nature, like food, given based on the patient’s constitution, and must not be used wrongly. Presently, many Chinese medicines on the market are not wild-grown or cultivated through natural farming, so the properties of the medicine have changed. And there may be pesticide residues. In addition, they may have been treated or preserved by sulphur, and regular consumption harms the liver and kidney. Learn to use local wild herbs, they are the freshest.
Question:
What is the difference between tapping with chopsticks and tapping with the hand?
Answer:
The hand has qi, and has energy. The effects will be better than using chopsticks. The hand is also softer.
Question:
I have read some articles commenting that exhalation should be longer (duration), while others said that inhalation should be longer. In actuality, which should be longer and how much longer?
Answer:
When we are discharging foul air from the lungs, exhalation should be longer than inhalation. If it is for nourishment, inhalation should be longer than exhalation. When we relax, our breathing is slow and long; it should be natural and not contrived.
Question:
Is it alright to use induction cooker for cooking?
Answer:
You may test the induction cooker yourself. Compare the water boiled by the induction cooker with water boiled by other fuels. Check the impact they have on plants or sprouting, and observe the differences. Water is the source of life. If the appliance does not destroy the water structure, it will not harm the living organism. Microwave-boiled water makes plants grow poorly, so we should consider its effect on humans.
Originally published in Lapis Magazine (Feb 2011)