Sunday, February 20, 2005
Argh, Again
In the Western medicine context, eczema is ..
A group of skin conditions which can affect all age groups. The severity of the disease can vary. In mild forms the skin is dry, hot and itchy, whilst in more severe forms the skin can become broken, raw and bleeding. Although it can sometimes look unpleasant, eczema is not contagious (repeat that!) With treatment the inflammation of eczema can be reduced, though the skin will always be sensitive to flare-ups and need extra care (Read : Incurable)
However, in the traditional Chinese medicine genre, eczema is
A condition that is closely associated to the individuals' lifestyle, diets as well as his/her stress levels. Individuals who have suffered from stress, who favour spicy foods and take away, and consumes alcoholic drinks are more likely to suffer from eczema than those with a healthy and regular lifestyle. This is because spicy, greasy and take away foods, alcoholic drinks as well as smoking and stress (what the heck, i don't drink and neither do i do fag!), with time, can accumulate into harmful bi-products which become toxins in the body. Chinese herbs are used in treating this condition to purge the toxins out of the body and reduce / calm the over-reactive immune reactions which are found in the cases of eczema. (Read : Eczema is no-big-deal)
Ok, being a fellow life sciencer, i technically should be standing over at the side of conventional medicine and proclaim that the chinese medicinal way of treating eczema is nothing but some overhyped crap. But, returning to the practicality of things, would i root for something that insists eczema is incurable or the other alternative where i'm bound to be flake-free in a matter of a few dong guais?
Earlier this morning, aunt marlyne, aunt irene together with their mom, aunty ma (what a mouthful) brought me to consult a sinseh at Ghim Moh regarding my recurrent skin problem. Bless their dear souls. Well, let me make it clear that this is soo not the first time that i'm giving in to people's concerns and went ahead being a guinea pig with what ever sort of treatment they claim is miraculous. I'm simply tired of protesting.
The quaint shop was nestled in the midst of a construction site at the front and other disturbingly similiar medicinal shops at the sides. Interestingly enough, i was amazed by how it still manages to sustain itself despite everything that is going against it; the modernisation taking place right at its doorstep and the competing force of conventional medicine, threatening to wipe it out of existence. Being a teochew myself, i had no trouble understanding what the sinseh was trying to convey , which is nothing i have not heard before. Dismissing the skeptic in me, i went ahead and bought into what he said, about me being curable (yay); about me having to take the pills which cost 70 cents each 3 times a day, 5 pills at each intake; about me having to abstain from crustaceans and molluscs and chicken and eggs and get this: bread and oats! How am i, being a serial carbo-addict, going to live through life and monday mornings not having my chicken pau and red bean buns?! This is so not going to be pretty.
Besides, he also stated an assumption that sent a wave of startling revelation through me and the ladies who were there. According to his findings, eczema is caused by a certain immunisation i took when i was young. It could either be the triple booster, bcg, polio or the rubella. He said that after the jab, i could have not taken enough egg yolks(?) to purge myself of the toxins in me. Therefore, the skin disorder is a side effect of that particular jab and the chemicals which were in it. Interesting. Were we even supposed to eat eggs after they were immunised? Wait..here's my 70 cents worth: Eczema sufferers (usually the first born, don't ask me why) have not taken enough eggs when they were young, causing them not to produce the certain kind of antibodies required. So...as time passed, when eggs and chickens and other animals that came from eggs were ingested, war broke out, and we were raped of our freedom to eat normal food ever again.
Darn the nurse who didnt mention that i needed more eggs in me.
