Indian medicine - Ayurveda clinic

I am always ready to try different methods to get my health better, especially my back because I've been fighting with it for 4 years. I'm using 3 different medications for the pain, and those are not the ones to only take when needed. I've been reading about natural medicine a bit, but haven't really done anything related to it. Maybe because of being scared or skeptical or whatever reason, there could be behind it. 

But now, my mom found about Ayurvedic medicine, which is traditional and also one of the oldest natural holistic medicine. She, of course, told me about it and after that, we made an appointment with one practitioner in Finland. He has been studying in India, so it sounded promising.

The main idea for me was to go there open-minded. No pre-assumptions. And I totally went there like that, because I didn't know much about it. I just knew what was written on their website, and that's all. BUT I had a goal in my mind, one day reduce the number of my pain medications. I'm just tired of living with chronic nerve pain (wow who would not be), and using so many different meds. Basically, I was and am ready to try anything. And now, afterward, I'm happy that I am so open-minded and can try different methods, such as Indian medicine. 

First, he asked me about my overall health concerns and what meds I am currently using. And oh boy how many meds I'm actually using! I've not been really thinking about it much, but when I started to tell the meds, and he was writing it all, and I saw the list, it just hit me hard. Something has to be done about that. 

Anyways, that's all about my meds. I could write a book about all the meds, so let's not go to that this time.

The next thing he did was trying my pulse with his fingers (I felt like having a meeting with a psychic). Based on my pulse he told me what was going on with my life. "You have a lot of stress." "You have issues with your digestive system" (this was before he knew about my IBS).. Stuff like that. Every time he said something, I was in my mind like "that's true", "how he knows about all this stuff?" Of course, you can always guess it, make it look like knowing something but in fact just guessing it all. But it was nothing like that. 

Next, he checked my fingernails and tongue, and based on those and my pulse he told me which Indian medicine type I am. Apparently, from the three of the types, Vata, Pitta, and Kapha, I'm Pitta. He directly told me that my body type is like Kapha has, but because my meds are definitely causing my weight gain I am not Kapha. Again, he knew about my weight gain without even checking the side effects of my meds. And I am telling you, no one would remember which side effects each med has. No one. Of course, again, you could guess those things, but again, it was nothing like that. 

We also talked about the type I am, which kind of natural vitamins and supplements I should take (my first thought was "not again, not more meds again"). Those have no side effects with my current meds. The thing we most talked about was my diet. He said we should start with my diet because there are so many things connected to it. And that's something I've thought about already before the appointment. I know, that if your digestive system is not working, you can't lose weight, and you can't feel the best mentally either. So, my digestive system is not working properly, and I was just recently diagnosed with IBS. My diet can be a reason, or partial reason for so many health issues, such as my tremors.

There are certain foods I should eat more, and certain foods I should avoid. Based on my body type.

So here's the list of the foods I should avoid:

• raw food diet
• alcohol and coffee (I have no issues with those)
• vinegar (again, no problem)
• full-fat meals, such as pizza and lasagna
• yellow cheese
• nuts
• chocolate (oh no, I am eating a bar of chocolate right now)
• sour berries (for example cranberry and cowberry)
• molded cheese (yes, that's a real thing over here)
• rye
• egg foods (there goes my favorite snack rye bread and an egg)
• milk-based yogurts
• raw onion and garlic (I love garlic btw)

And then there are foods I should eat more:

• normal butter for cooking (no more coconut oil)
• cooked green vegetables
• beans peas, lentils
• sweet fruits and berries (YAASS I can eat strawberries)
• basmati rice, oats, barley, buckwheat
• turmeric, coriander, cumin, curry, black pepper, ginger, cardamom, fennel, mint, basilica, nettle (I don't like coriander though)
• soy-based yogurts
• cooked cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, etc.

I know the lists are long, but thankfully it's not only about the foods I CAN'T eat. 

At the end of the meeting, we talked about the Ayurvedic clinics/hospitals in India. I need to add here, that we have been actually thinking about traveling to India soon with my mom. Of course, we have to wait that the covid restrictions get better and the overall situation with covid will get better. So anyway, now we got even more reasons to visit there. Because, as I said, I am ready to try anything. The cost in the clinic for the treatment is around 1 000 - 2 000€. That sounds a lot, I know. My first thought was "I will never have that kind of money." BUT it includes everything you need, except flights. Accommodation, meals, the treatment itself, all the tests, meeting different doctors, all the natural supplements... The treatment itself would last for 3 weeks, so going there for a month would be perfect. Then we would have time to see India itself for one week.

So about the appointment. I made a new one for August, to see where we are. AND all I can say is, that if you suffer from any kind of illness(es), try something new. Make an appointment with another doctor to get a second opinion (or third, or fourth). Question the need to use your meds (if it's not an obvious reason - to stay alive). And maybe, just maybe, you could try something else as well. I am not forcing anyone, or saying it would help everyone, but you don't know if you don't try. And maybe it could be beneficial for you, to try for example natural holistic health care treatment.

You can think it like this: having an appointment with a private health care doctor might be over 200€. I also know you probably get some money back from your insurance company, which is different than having an appointment with an Indian medicine practicioner. My appointment was 130€, which is less expensive if you have max. 2 illnesses. With 3 or more it's, unfortunately, the same as I had. Anyway, probably, your insurance won't pay for your Indian medicine visit. Well, because, our modern world really focuses on modern health care. Getting meds after meds and sometimes, not even knowing for what those meds are. Getting one to feel better, getting another to block the side effects of the first one. But oh well, maybe someday we will see that traditional natural medicine can also be one healing part.

That's all I have to say. Any questions? Just let me know.