Wai Yuen Acupuncturist Center

For almost a year now, I have been going to Chinatown for herbal remedies for my lung problems. In case you are unfamiliar with «Chinese medicine,» the doctor who treats you must be able to do two things very well:
(A.) diagnose your ailment or the precise stage of your discomfort due to your illness and
(B.) prescribe the correct compound of herbs.
HERBAL MEDICINE: a patient’s perspective —
A patient being treated by herbal medicine has to spend a lot of time each day boiling these dried herbs and roots, straining the herbs/​roots, and drinking the warm brew (which can taste bitter and awful).
Though I had seen some improvement, thanks to a few talented herbalists up and down Canal Street, my recovery had stalled. Dr. Mei Guo (who owns Wai Yuen Acupuncturist Center) explained to me that he uses a purer form of Chinese medicine: dried herbs. Dried herbs cost more because they are supposed to be purer and more regulated by the FDA. According to Dr. Mei Guo, the acid rain in China can taint the herbs that most of these herbalists are using. According to him, the dried herbs have all the impurities removed, therefore, I would have better results. Yes, the dried herbs are more expensive but the prep time is much shorter: boil 8 ounces of water, stir in the powders, and drink. Voila.
Unfortunately, though he’s a good talker, Dr. Mei («Chuck») Guo cannot diagnose. .. first problem. He merely takes a patient’s pulse, then he hooks you up to a computer that «analyzes» your electrical impulses. The analysis goes to China and the results come back in a few minutes — after which Dr. Mei Guo prepares the selection of dried herbs you will take home, dissolve in boiling water, and drink once a day.
BAD DIAGNOSIS: the computer used by Dr. Mei Guo indicated I had joint problems, stomach ailments, possibly an ulcer, and a bunch of other peculiar things I do NOT suffer from. I insisted that his computer is not accurately analyzing me but he waved away my disagreement.
INACCURATE HERBAL BREW: the packets were labeled in English and Chinese, so I looked up all the ingredients he prescribed for me. Many were «digestives» (even though there is nothing wrong with my digestion and I’ve never even gotten a stomach ache in my entire life). The first week I drank his «brew» it neither helped nor harmed me. But he charges roughly about 3X what other herbalists charge, so I am wondering. .. what the heck. And then the second week I drank a new «brew» he selected for me with many different ingredients. I got so sick that I had to stay in bed FIVE DAYS. Naturally, I phoned to tell him I was feeling terrible and he had to give me something else. «This is the prescription that’s correct for you!» he said.
Naturally, I am not going to return to his office.
I did not get any acupuncture there; I don’t need it.
Since his waiting room never had anyone else there, I had no opportunity to ask other patients about their experiences with his. .. ahem. .. methods.
— - — - — Caveat emptor! — - — - -