There was a real case told to me by my neighbor- there was an old lady was feeling very tired and fatigued. Her sons, being concerned for her, bought the Brands Essence of Chicken for her.
After taking about 3 dozens of the essence everyday for about a month, she suffered from kidney failure.
I did not think that the chicken essence was the cause of her kidney failure- but undoubtedly it was the factor that accelerated it. One of the symptoms of kidney problems is fatigue- there would be a kind of tiredness that cannot be relieved with exercise or rest. Had she went for a blood test, it would have revealed that her kidneys were weakening- usually this condition takes years to take its toll. Our kidneys work very had each day. Before the condition became irreversible, perhaps something could be done. But usually, we would try to relieve with usual remedies like taking herbs, acupuncture and exercise.
However if the condition does not get better, it is strongly advisable to take a blood test to rule out any possible health problems. Nowadays, labs like Gribbles and Pathlab does offer discounts- with discount, a comprehensive test could tell any blood issues, hepatitis, kidney and liver function.
Another case that was published in the papers a few days ago, about a man who spend RM30,000 on Traditional Chinese Medicine treatment but loses both his kidneys. The poor man, having kidney problems for many years was told to pay RM30,000 for treatment with a sinseh in his late twenties. About 30 needles were inserted in his head and following subsequent treatments, his kidneys suffered complete failure and had to be removed to save his life.
No doubt, there are controversies surrounding those who have opt for traditional Chinese treatment of acupuncture. And as alternative practices are not yet well regulated here, there are unscrupulous individuals who take advantage to make a quick buck.
However, traditional Chinese healing, practiced for thousands of years have healed many people. Another lady shared that when her daughter had a stroke and was rushed immediately to hospital- she bought her daughter to do acupuncture after she was discharged – to avoid a second attack. It had worked so far and she had not gotten any second attack despite her daughter is still much overweight.
It is similar with Western medicine- because it is an accepted mode of treatment given that to qualify as a doctor one had to attend medical school for 6 years and do 1 year of housemanship, the treatment is supposed to be the most effective. In the general public, there is still trust as the treatment is supposed to be the best it can be because tonnes of sterile literature seemingly supports it.
Yet, countless of people had died from treatments and even from simple operations like to fix a dislocated shoulder. But as families often sign the ‘indemnity letter’ that indemnifies the doctors from any responsibility- and that whatever performed is at one’s own risk, the family would just take it as fate if the patient is not healed or died as the result of treatment and operation. Believe me, lots of things happen on the operation table can that can effectively covered up.
But if anyone going to a herbalist suffered adverse reaction, then the herbalist would risk going to jail or being sued.
There is no good or bad- often such things are really circumstantial. You can call it luck or fate- of having meet someone who could heal or kill you. Providence ensure that one meets the best healer (either from Western or alternative medicine) that can effectively cure one of one’s illness. You may think that I am taking nonsense here but I’ve seen one too many of such cases all my life that it cannot help but not believe.
And how to earn providence? Through one’s own thought and deeds- being kind, living life with a clear conscience, prayers. Money earned through cheating and unscrupulous may end up being used to pay for expensive but ineffective treatments. If that is the case, one might as well live a simple but more carefree life.
I always remember the talk I heard from one monk about disease more than 10 years ago. He said even with all the money in the world, one cannot buy health or a cure if one is not meant to be cured. A rich man with cancer can see the world’s best oncologists but still die. A poor man, who had cancer and was too poor to afford treatment- may resort to drinking his own urine because someone told him it can work- and get healed from it (please don’t try this at home).
