Chinese Charlie

With a title like that... oh my.

There's too much backing up and filling in. Simply - I'm again riding the yoga-wave. Trying classes, adjusting diet, etc. I've been a mostly-vegetarian since last January (2012), and even stopped eating fish this year. I feel better than I nearly ever have, still weigh about the same, but feel healthier. And my body is not afraid to tell me when I eat something that's not on my good-normal-food-list (cheese, soda, Snickers bar, piece of cake, whole box of Girl Scout Caramel Delights, sigh!). 

So with this added yoga, I re-introduced myself to an angry right wrist. It functions okay for normal activities, but hurts like a !#)(*$@#  when in downward dog, any sort of arm balance, side plank, etc. I've been whining about it for awhile, but when I started thinking about maybe taking a yoga certification course, I thought I might need to get this checked out. So at a yoga studio in central Tucson with one of my girlfriends, I asked the ladies around - who would you go to for an angry wrist? How about a veggie diet that your friends and family are sure you're missing minerals and will die from?

The unanimous answer: Chinese Charlie. No, Charlie isn't Chinese, but he does practice Chinese medicine. Finding out today - he has an undergrad in biology and a master's degree in Chinese medicine from a (unnamed private) university. Hmmm.

So I make an appointment with Chinese Charlie to check my minerals, and maybe my right wrist. Let's just call him CC for ease of conversation. I tell my boyfriend about this because I'm so proud of me for doing something. Matt is much less impressed, and tells me to get an x-ray first. After some whining on my part, I agree. Today, today is the day.

I go see Southern Arizona Orthopedic. The hand specialist is still a doctor, but she seemed okay. X-rays show no broken or fractured anything, but there might be a cyst between my ulna and carpal. Or my cartilage or ligament could be slightly torn. MRI would tell for certain, but otherwise rest, wear a brace, take a steroid shot, and some anti-inflammatory drugs. Right now, I'm definitely not in for the steroids. Will see what happens, but no commitments from there. 

Then, after a quick first appointment (thankfully) and some errands, I drive over to CC. Hmmmm. I wait for my appointment time, go fill out so much more paperwork, and go for it. His form questions were much more pertinent - how's your energy level? What do you eat on a typical day? What ailments are you suffering from?

So I fill it out and then meet CC. Not who I expected. Mid-to-late 30s, looks like you'd see him hiking the Appalachian Trail, not doling out medical advice. So I talk to him about my diet, my road to vegetarian where I am today, food habits and weaknesses (Caramel Delights are the devil), and why I'm concerned. Okay, I don't know that I'm concerned necessarily, but I'm more curious. And I wanted so bad to prove to myself/family that I'm healthier than I was two years ago. Problem: I have no data from two years ago. Hm. 

So we start talking, he asks what I want, and I explain that I'm looking to ensure that I'm balanced, and explain the sore wrist, that my tummy has always been finnicky, etc. So he then tells me he needs to check out my PH levels, so I get to pee in a cup. Lovely. Apparently I'm a 6.25, so I'm slightly acidic (perfect is slightly alkaline, 7-7.5). We talk about minerals, and ones I might not be getting. Worried about iron, calcium (and D3, which helps you absorb calcium, found in sun & meat), B12. He mentions getting me on a few minerals that could help me digest, that my body doesn't seem to be absorbing minerals correctly. Temp suggestion to see if it balances - take 1-2 tsp of apple cider vinegar before each meal, namely those that are raw, as the body has a harder time digesting raw. Hmm. 

Also, my tummy levels of hydrochloric acid do not appear to be high enough. How do we find out for sure? He tells me to drink a bottle of beet juice tonight and let him know if my urine turns pink. (I hate beets. I hate them more now than I did this afternoon). I drank said beet juice on the way home and had to stop myself from hurling. Still feel the hurl. Damn beets. And my teeth are pink like Jenny's were once. Anyway, apparently pink urine would mean that the HCl in my stomach doesn't break down things well enough to absorb them. Will drink more. Hmm. This could be fixed with either a "hydrochloric acid initiator" or actually putting more hydrochloric acid in my stomach. The latter sounds awful. 

I told him I hate supplements, that I should be able to get what I need from the right food. I definitely believe that. CC's response, "well, I'd try to convince you to eat some meat." I don't like that answer. He said that vegetarians, if they don't take care of themselves and their minerals, have joint issues later in life. Okay, I get it, less fatty tissue. I just want to be healthy now and forever. (CC is also a meat eater, periodically. He eats fish 1/week and a rare beef something once/month. The thought of rare beef makes me want to hurl that beet juice up, so I'll forego that thought for now.) 

My task: see if my pee is pink (ew), and then take some apple cider vinegar before each meal. Go back and see CC in two weeks, and we'll work on a plan. I'll see if I go back. I want a vegetarian coach to just conflict a little with his advice. 

As far as the wrist, he said I was low on cortisone. He wants to try electrodes plugged into acupuncture needles to get my wrist to heal itself with cortisone from the brain. That also freaks me out, I didn't try it today. We'll see if I get brave. Or another opinion. 

Let the adventure continue!