When I had a short trip for a long weekend, both my son and I caught a cold, which lead to be bronchitis.

I was a sickly child, and I often was treated with anti-biotic, which I now believe weakened my immune system. As an adult, when I caught a cold, I developed bronchitis almost every time. My primary care doctor would give me a type of anti-biotic, which usually does not work, and the medicine was switched to a stronger type of anti-biotic. Without knowing, antibodies against antibiotics were developed in my body.

As I get older, I became attentive to nutrition. I also started regular physical exercise. I thought I was a healthy individual. During the trip, however, it was different. If we had stayed home, we could have eaten healthy warm food with lots of fibers, and we could have tried different remedies to prevent us from getting symptoms worse. However, days of being on long transportations and eating oily food away from home may have been already stressful enough to our body. On top of it, on the way home, we had to wait at the airport for many hours while my son had a fever. Our symptoms were truly the worst by the time we came home after midnight.

Our bronchitis lasted for more than three weeks. I cooked healthy food, did walk and physical exercise, and tried things that I thought would be good for me – but the pain all over my neck and shoulder stayed, and I was always exhausted. Although I thought about going to see my primary care doctor, I was hesitant to abuse anti-biotic anymore.

I then talked to Dr. Ming Wu about my symptoms during the class of Qi-gong that he teaches us. Dr. Wu taught me a couple of pressure points that I could press. When he quickly touched those points, oh my, it was deadly painful! Dr. Ming also taught me, if those points are painful, it’s the sign that those points need to be pressed further so that the conditions of organs that are connected with those points will be improved.

On the way home from the class, I already felt that my pains on the neck are much eased. I then went home and used a golf ball and a small stick to stimulate those points – including the feet. It was truly painful … but I continued it for about 10-20 minutes. The pain of various pressure points and almost all over my feel made me realize that, not only my lung and the air-way, but also other organ of my body had become “very tired.”

Over the week, the cough became lighter, and the pain of my neck and the shoulder became dramatically eased. I even felt energized – even comparing to the time before I got sick! I was truly happy to know that I now do not have to depend on Western medicine when I have such symptoms and possibly can be healthier ever.

I thank Dr. Wu for teaching us what is important for our life so generously!

----Mika ,MA