Chiro to the Stars: Managing Back Pain in Anping

Dr. Mark Signore checking my daughter

I was asked by three people this week about making an appointment with my chiropractor, so I thought I'd just write a post.

Call it an occupational hazard or byproduct of  modern living, but my back is messed! Bending over to help little bodies and picking them up, bad posture from the computer whatever, my back pain predates Tainan. I thought I did something having a major car accident at age 16 (we totalled my friend's car, the guard rail was singed into the motor). Or when I was a PTA in a nursing home, we were understaffed and had to lift heavy, often combative old people on a daily basis. So I've noticed the past 8 years or so whenever I get stressed out (bad sleep, argument, driving too much, etc) the left lower muscles seize up and gets rock hard. I always thought since my back was so strong and flexible it would in moments like this pull itself out of alignment.

In the summer of 2012, the expats of Tainan had our Beach Olympics. I didnt actually participate in the competitions but I did get a little too rowdy and fell hard and basically twisted my pelvis out  of alignment. My recovery has been a slow process. More like 1 step forward, 3 steps back ever since. The flexibility in my left leg still isnt the same as it used to be, I suffered from piriformis syndrome until I found Dr. Mark and even after being adjusted, have continual sciatic and shoulder pain that comes and goes in intensity (I'm sure standing all day doesn't help.)

Boy was I shocked when I saw my x-rays and did it all suddenly make sense.

My lower back is S curved and where it torcs is where my muscle often "seizes" up. Also one hip bone is smaller than the other and thus one leg is slightly shorter. This means my musculoskeletal has to seriously overcompensate so my head sits up on  my shoulders.

My back care regime is basically practicing yoga several times a week, weight lifting as heavy as I can in moderation and 2 full body massages a month. Before last year I also would go to the local physiotherapy clinic for some electrical therapy cupping and infrared lamps. It costs only 50NT ($1.70 USD) each time. I dont go there anymore because I just don't have the time,  I seriously need to rethink my current schedule. Its mostly just old people in there, the woman therapist speaks English. The clinic is across from the Fire station on Yonghua and Yuping Road, on the 2nd floor. Its nice to go there with my headphones and chill out for 30 minutes.

My Massage:Hurts So Good

The massage couple I go to are amazing. It costs 800NT ($27 USD) for 80-90 minutes for a full body traditional Chinese (deep tissue/meridian/tuī ná 推拿) massage. I have been seeing them religiously for 5 years. It's not your soothing, soft, Swedish style massage. I brought several expat friends there who only went once and never returned. Its excruciating--in a good way, if you like that sort of pleasure/pain--which I do. I'm muttering coarse words, and then drooling on the floor, eyes rolling in the back of my head, purring like a cat. After so many times, the woman (whom I prefer) knows exactly what I need, where I need it; her hands are a symphony of knuckles, elbows, oil, pounding and finger tips. Often a session includes a round of cupping (拔罐).The massage is good for stress release and also because I do regular weight bearing exercises. The cupping is good for circulation, blood and lymphatic health.

There were several times,when they were pressed for time and they both worked on me at the same time. Magical. I couldn't tell my legs from my arms, its a seriously mind altering experience. They also do foot/leg massages for 400NT, takes about an hour and is definitely not my cup of tea. After about a 5 minute foot soak in boiling mugwort water, all the sensitive areas on your legs and foot are prodded and poked and smacked. I was alternating between crying and laughing from being tickled. 

To get there from Tainan City go west on Mincyuan towards Anping. When you passed the light/intersection at Huaping, its your 2nd U-turn, flip one and park it. (439 Mincyuan Road Sec 4). Its the building on the end beside a side alley (Anping lane 406) that goes to Anping Road. They dont speak any English and its recommended you call first and make an appointment. Their hours are 9 am-9:30pm. 2269227 or 0931878923.

TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine)

My TCM Dr thats in my neighborhood (Yonghua and Huaping) suggested I see his friend (also in my neighborhood) Dr.Su.The good Dr didn't adjust me the way Id hoped, or he didn't adjust me at all. With very little examination except reading my pulses (that might be all he needed), he threw acupuncture needles like darts into my shoulder, and hooked them up to a machine that sent excruciating electrical impulses. It seemed to work. When it was time for my left hip and sciatic, it was just too painful, I could barely stand it. 



After this treatment I had to sit and get my lower left back steamed with mugwort steam. I did this about 3 times, but it was just too excruciating  His office is on Yonghua in Anping between Yuping and Jiankang 3rrd Street, go passed the light where Xiao Bei Store is and its next to Toto's Hair Salon, on the 2nd floor. 

American Chiropractor in Anping

Nancy, Mark's wife with Alex

My buddy from San Diego was playing tennis and met Dr. Mark. I saw him 6 months after he and his wife moved from LA to Tainan to care for her sick mother. He has a sweet set up, state of the art scanners and tables. The first consultation is free and he will not adjust you without proper xrays. 



Although he is certified to x-ray (he had xrays in his office in LA), by Taiwanese law a clinic may not and also the Taiwanese medical system doesn't recognize chiropractic medicine as a legitimate medical science. Which is weird because tuī ná 推拿 could also include manual adjustments

Xray tech at home in his underwear

I went with my yoga buddy Aleks for our free consultation and xrays. He sent us to Beiman Rd near the train station. I guess this x-ray tech will take the xrays according to Dr. Mark's detailed requests. The xrays have to be standing at certain angles to see how gravity affects the alignment.

After the xrays, Aleks and I quickly returned for our adjustments. After that first visit every visit is 700NT and for me takes about 45 minutes to an hour, for Aleks less. He also adjusted my daughter for free. 

Dr Mark Signore's philosophy is that he shouldn't adjust a patient more than once or 3 times, it should not be a chronic therapy. He is such a holistic Dr and has helped heal people over so many years he came to his own conclusions in terms of diet and nutrition, unresolved emotional issues, mind/body connection and even delving into the spirit world. Just don't call him "New Age'  as he is a practicing conservative Catholic. He is very thorough and published his observations in a book.I cant tell you how refreshing it was to speak with someone who not only speaks English but is so professional.

 Natural Health Restoration Centre Dr Mark Signore: Spinal care consultation, spinal subluxation correction, energetic balancing 098-1111-675  06263-1515, 1-16, Xinle Road, South District, Tainan City 702. To get to his office from Tainan City go west on Jiankang Rd Sec 2, towards the beach. Passed the light where Giant bike store and Poya's  (Jiankang + Zhonghua W Rd) its the next light on your left. You'll see big, expensive, empty looking buildings, its there with the green sign.

Saturday October 19 at 4-8 pm Natural Health Restoration Centre will have free spinal consultation and check ups. At the United Love Garden (Rui Fu and Dadong night market square ). There will be  more than 100 stalls, including Dr. Mark's. All charity and food revenue will be donated to this charity. Natural Health Restoration Centre pitch will be in area B. 10月19日星期六下午4點到8點大東夜市廣場瑞復＆美善聯合愛心園遊會。共一百多個攤位。所有義賣＆美食收入全捐獻給此慈善机構。自然健康整復中心攤位在B區，免費脊椎諮詢和脊椎錯位檢查。歡迎大家告訴大家，前往支持此愛心活動。

"If you have become so habituated into the conventional belief mode that you think it’s normal for everyone to get cancer, then maybe for you it’s already too late. However, if you understand that your body was made to last for 120 years, you are still in the game. The human body was not designed so that the thyroid gland should become dysfunctional at 50 years of age, the heart seize at 60, and the liver become cancerous at age 70.  As mentioned previously, car parts are designed to fail after a prescribed time. But in nature’s biological assembly line, the parts are supposed to wear out together. If the systems of your body are breaking down prematurely, you have two choices; try to live with it, or change it. To change it (beyond just covering up the symptoms) will require a thorough and objective evaluation of your beliefs. Why? Because so far, your beliefs as to why you are sick and what’s needed to get well have obviously not worked. If they had, you would already be better." 

(from Dr, Mark Signore's book Heaven and Health.)

Biking In Baihe 白河區

Lotus seeds, Baihe 白河區

It was June 22 and I needed as the saying goes, "to get the heck outta Dodge". A day trip was in order.

I told my Chinese teacher that early Saturday morning I was going to hop on one of those free shuttle buses the local Tainan government provide to get people into Tainan county, but the itinerary was going to mango farms and nothing to do but eat mangos. I like mangos but not enough to ride several buses there and back when I get perfectly fine mangos from my local fruit dude.

The Bike Route

My Chinese teacher (and friend) Kevin, advised we take a 45 minute train north to Hou-Bi. So after mid morning yoga class thats exactly what we did.

We hopped on a train to Hou-Bi, and took a 10 minute taxi to BaiHe 白河區. He dropped us off at a bike rental shop in the middle of car-free bike trails and loads of lotus ponds. It was the season of the lotus flowers in bloom, the locals have a Lotus Blossom Festival every year. You'd think taking photos of lotus flowers would get old after so many years, but fortunately it doesn't. 

 

I was rejuvenated just seeing mountains off in the distance, hearing the wind in the tall grass, there were just so many happy birds chirping. 

Me on the path

The only problem was the weather was extremely humid. It could of been worse, the subtropic sun could of been blasting us, but it was overcast. My daughter was in one of her moods and complaining most of the time. It was during her afternoon siesta, so next time I would bike earlier or later. It didn't help her bike chain falling off twice. Still, even her sour mood didn't spoil the day for me and she was all cuddles on the train back to Tainan.

View of where we were when Z's chain fell off and we decided to eat our sandwiches.

Sometimes when I get antsy, a day trip is just the thing to keep me sane. Bai-He is near enough to get out of the city and in nature. I want to go back as we were only 5km away from a reservoir when the girl had about enough of sweating, chains and tiredness. 

The bike rental shop.

Raining Fire in Yenshui: 鹽水蜂炮

Yenshui

Lantern Festival 2013 was quite memorable. I had written off ever going to Yanshui Fengpao to check out their crazy famous beehive fireworks--where they purposely launch them into the waiting and armored crowd, because my daughter hates firecrackers, especially up close. She may have PTSD growing up here. One minute you're walking down the street or cruising on the scooter and suddenly out of nowhere the rat-a-tat-tat of some local shrine or temple's firecrackers (which in Tainan is every other block) means  someone is scaring away ghosts. Then my friend Tony called me up and his wife offered to watch our kids so we could get our adrenaline fix.

Yenshui is on a whole other level. The town itself is quaint, with an old street, traditional craftsmen like smiths practicing their timeless work. I love the old brick, one story houses with ceramic tiles. Sure beats the concrete charmless apartments that replaced most of them. Yenshui is a photographer's paradise. When the sun sets, the idyllic country town is transformed into welcomed chaos. 

o



The day started out with lunch in Jiali at ShuMin's Herbalife seminar/lunch presentation.

Poetry Road cafe and minsu

The kids were antsy so we took them to run around the grounds of the cafe on Poetry Road, while we drank coffee and listened to the owner recite poetry. The little lane has a wall with ceramic scrolls covered in traditional poems. One of  Shu-min's friends who were joining us to Yenshui translated a few. They were all pretty bleak and depressing.

Around 5pm it was time to head to Yenshui, we parted, Shu-min taking the kids back to their home in Sigang. We parked the car outside of town and walked in, carrying our helmets, gloves, raincoats, feeling li, sooe gladiators walking to the arena. (At least I did.) 

Yenshui, Fireworks, bring them on!

We were this eclectic group of gladiators assembled by Tony, ranging in ages 22- 80. We lost the Professor in the beginning  in the first wave of launches, so we tried (unsuccessfully) to regroup by this temple with bathrooms and wound up drinking a few cold beers and gearing up for more launches. The people who valued their bodily safety were out of harms way, launching massive red paper lanterns after rubbing a bull idol, whispering their prayers into its stone ear.

I didn't take any photos while being fired on (it was a bad previous year for me camera wise). The photos I did take were during our regrouping or intermission.

Me

Southern Politics

We all decided to go again next year of we can, it was just too much of a rush.

Tantalizing Taitung

View from Junyi School

Somewhere over the rainbow, there is a less oppressive, creative education system in Taiwan, starting with reversing the brain drain in Taitung. So said my friend Tony when he invited me last minute to Taitung with him for the weekend. How could I refuse meeting uber interesting people, when Shu-min, Tony's wife would take care of my daughter? It was all systems go! I love last minute getaways, thats when the magic happens.

The trip was all leading up to meeting Taiwanese celebrity and visionary Stanley Yen (嚴長壽). He is this self made, self educated hotel mogul whose passion is education reform and mindful sustainable development of Taiwan's east coast. He was the one during DPP president Shui-Bien's term  who fought against the construction of a super highway from Taipei to Taitung, because he didn't want this last vestige of pristine nature corrupted into another Kaohsiung or even (gulp) Tainan. Although Stanley is part of the system (he was hanging with his good friend, first lady Christine Chow Ma the day before checking out the art scene in Dulan); Stanley in many ways fights against the traditional mainstream establishment by constantly reconstructing his beliefs and makes his mark on Taiwanese society by transforming people's thinking. He definitely is not shy about using his platform. For him sustainable development starts with education reform. Stanley Yen's (嚴長壽) education reform experiment, is the Junyi School for Innovative Learning, which is a 1st through 12th grade bilingual school in Taitung. 

Upon arrival we were escorted to dinner by two of Stanley Yen's (嚴長壽)'s right hand women from his NGO  The Alliance Cultural Foundation. Mei is associated with Junyi School and Cheryl Robbins is a consultant, author and licensed tour manager and guide (Tribe-Asia) with a passion/expertise for Taiwanese aboriginal culture.

Mei, Me and Cheryl after the Spoon de Chop performance

 On the menu, fresh marlin! With just the food alone, Taitung is already tastier than Tainan. Nothing beats  fresh caught deep sea food from the Pacific rather than fish farmed bla from Tainan. It was more than I could handle, Tony helped me clean my plate.We waddled back to the open aired farmer's market and caught the rest of "Okinawa Night" at the outdoor stage of Tiehua Village. Cold Okinawa beer, Orion, hit the spot on this sweaty, humid Taitung night. We caught the last band Spoon de Chops. The music was a sublime mix of modern and traditional Ryukyuan folk music with the 3 stringed lute sanshin, and taiko drums. It was a very fun, intimate show, laid back and unpretentious  I met the owner of Tiehua Village and then the lead singer after the show.

Watch video bit of show here.

That night I slept well in the female dorms. 



 In the morning Mei gave us the grand tour of Junyi school and Cheryl acted as translator. Stanley Yen  (嚴長壽) arrived  earlier than expected, which was a good thing, because we all got a good hour or two to chat before heading out together for lunch. Of course I was nervous to meet the legendary Stanley Yen (嚴長壽). But he was so unassuming and humble and so incredibly sincere and engaging, I was immediately put at ease. He talked to me as an equal confident. I could see myself work hard for, bloom under this higher vision of education reform united with indigenous led sustainable development. How rewarding to not just work for a paycheck or even just the students, but a grander, long term vision. He was very candid and to the point, which was a refreshing change from Taiwanese leaders and managers that I have known.

The school itself was impressive, a Japanese architectural design fitted with a roof of solar panels, that contributes energy to the local power station. There are uplifting quotes dotting the grounds, a small farm, outdoor covered gymnasium and a pond. How familiar to see a picturesque mountain range in the background. The students and staff had read the popular book, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People (Stephen R. Covey), which was just a little shocking for me imagining how to teach this to 1st graders. Interestingly, it was the older students who were more resistant to the books maxims and the younger ones who were more open. He wants all his students to be ethical leaders. One of the things that won me over is Stanley's allowing part of the student body to be from economically disadvantaged indigenous, communities. He was frank on the both the good and bad aspects of that experience and how to improve upon his desire for inclusiveness.

Stanley took us all out for lunch at a cafe behind Tiehua Village, where there was more stimulating conversation.

Cheryl Robbins, me, Tony Coolidge and Stanley Yen (嚴長壽)

After lunch and goodbyes, we went across the street to the air conditioned Esl-lite Bookstore where we could see Cheryl's 3rd book newly published on the shelf.  Cheryl Robbins is an amazing and interesting, groundbreaking character in her own right. Originally from California, she married a Taiwanese man, had 2 sons, divorced and is so fluent in Mandarin she has worked as a translator before she became the first foreigner and woman to pass the Taiwanese government test to be a tour guide/manager. She easily connected with me, being divorced so long as to be a single mom, and we shared more than a few laughs about the dating scene (or lack thereof), men and the vibe of Taitung. She is passionate about sharing Taiwanese aboriginal culture by providing intimate tours of local mountain villages and knows  all the elders, chieftains, and dates of every festival (and there are loads up and down the East coast in summer). Her scene isn't the counter cultural, artsy foreigner vibe of Dulan, though she walks the beaches, but the remote mountain villages. I felt grateful to make her acquaintance. 

With her 3rd travel book on Taiwan's indigenous, this one focused on Taitung.

Will I back in Taitung and will the stay be more permanent? Time will tell, but I hope so.

Six Months in a Nutshell

View from Wisdom Garden

I've been pretty lax with updating my posts. To make a long story short:

Z and I spent Christmas in Tainan. I finally got Christmas Day off! (Usually it fell on a weekend.)




We welcomed the New Year working our way from the Southeast Rift Valley to Hualien with my friends Binh and Kirin. We spent a night and 2 days in Yuli at the serene Wisdom Garden.

Wisdom Garden

Antong hot springs, New Life Resort, Yuli.

 From there Wisdom Garden provided scooters and we tried unsuccessfully to hike the Walami trail in the rain, followed by a long soak in the nearby Antong hot springs. 

Rueisui

Walami Trail

The next day we took a freezing, rainy scooter ride on the mountain highway to soak in Rueishui hot springs. We returned to Wisdom Garden and hopped on a train to Hualien.

 The first night we slept in Hualien city at a backpacker lodge. Everything booked fast for that weekend. I needed my space just with Z and asked to be switched to their other lodging in a residential suburb, which was the total opposite from the loud, social hub of the previous night. After dinner at the night market, we moved our bags to the other location.We were pretty isolated, not to mention after the taxi dropped us of, no one was there and the place was locked. The next morning we took a shared taxi with me, Z, Binh, Kirin and a Korean traveler into Taroko National Park.

Taroko Gorge was stunning, picturesque, but freezing! We were wearing all of our clothes, layers of 4 or more, under coats. We went to all the major sites, did some easy walks and hikes, had lunch there and ended the day chillin' (literally) on the Pacific ocean north of Hualien,

Chinese New Year, Z and I made it home to Colorado, for a long overdue visit with friends and family, it was 2 years since we saw them in Los Angeles for my bro's wedding. It had been 4 years since we last went back to the Mile High City. That trip deserves its own blog, but suffice to say I reconnected with friendships that are 20 years old and older. It was magical to have my folks watch Z and then be given the royal treatment by my friends. Lets just say I ate and drank well, all too well, I returned back to Tainan 5 kg heavier and it was worth it! Unfortunately I haven't lost any of it.



I've been struggling financially since then. My return paycheck was meager from missing 2 weeks of work and its been one step forward to steps back ever since we got back, but looking at the photos of our time, it was also worth it.

Garden of the Gods

In April we managed a weekend in Matsu. I went with my friend Vicky and her family, she planned everything. It was amazing scenery, beaches, very isolated. I will write a separate blog about it. Matsu is definitely off the beaten track.

Matsu day 1, Beigan

In May we took a trip to Taipei. I stayed with my old friend Monica at her sister's place near where I was having an interview and demo in Xindian (they haven't called me back).

Sunrise from my window, Xindian

Sherry, Z and Marion, saying goodbyes.

I may not have got the job, but I got to see my old manager Sherry from my Kid Castle Chu Wei days, my old roommate Marion from Tamsui and of course Monica and her family. We have all been friends since 2000, Sherry and Marion have visited me in Colorado over the years. Monica used to live in Tainan.

Which brings me to last weekend's trip to Taitung, very last minute, quick, full of happy surprises and outstanding individuals.  It was because of last weekend I decided to finally catch up on my blogs.

(To be continued, I hope),

Mind the Gap

Apologies for the gap in my blog posts. Quite a lot has happened worth recording in word and photograph; Western New Year in Eastern Taiwan, Chinese New Year in Colorado, and Lantern Festival in Yuenshui. I've exceeding my photo limit from Blogger so have to go back and reformat my photos and free up some space (or just pay, which I am not ready to do). So a blog post coming soon!

Seasons Greetings and Christmas Blessings from my little Dove and I!

Another free photo slideshow by Smilebox