I HATE blogging in China because I can’t open 90% of blogs that I’m subscribed so I can’t tell you Merry Chrstmas “in person”. 
I LOVE being in Shanghai!!! I don’t think about research because I’m soooo busy being happy! 
It has been a week since I arrived and I was busy doing these:
- meeting with relatives and friends
- doing shopping
- sleeping 9-10 hours a day
- dentist
- chinese medicine treatment
I mentioned in the last post that I have some health issues to update: I went to a Traditional Chinese Medicine based wellness centre. The essence of traditional Chinese healing is to see the body as a harmonious whole. Health is achieved by maintaining the body in a delicate balance of Yin and Yang, which are mutually dependent opposites. Yin is the dark side of the mountain, cool, passive and still. Yang is the bright side of the mountain, warm, active and open. The body’s harmony is also based on the interplay of five elemental forces represented by earth, metal, water, wood and fire. Each of these elements corresponds to an internal organ as well as emotions, tastes, colours and sounds. When a correct balance of forces exists, Qi, the essential life force, flows smoothly through Meridians connecting the organ systems.
The doctor took pulse in several points of my body and concluded that I’m over-stressed and over-used my body. The body as whole is tired, like an old machine, needs time to repair, several functions are not working properly. For example my appetite is not good, I don’t get hungry and whenever I eat, it takes long time to digest and feel hungry again; I feel exhaustion more often than before; my period is irregular, etc. According to chinese medicine, each of them is symptoms of the whole body malfunctioning, not the problem itself.
How to treat it? Meridian system and herbs. The meridian systems are used in most Chinese medicine as points that will help to heal. They are most often used in acupuncture and massage. These particular points, when measured scientifically, are known to be like pressure points that affect other parts of the human system. Currently, Western science does not recognize the existence of discrete “energy vessels” in the body that are analogous to blood vessels; but to the Chinese the meridians that carry Qi are actual anatomical structures that can be palpated and treated. The function of meridians is to transport Qi and Blood, connect the internal organs, and provide pathways between the inside and outside of the body.
Through the meridians, every part of the body is connected to the whole: the internal organs communicate between themselves and have access to the surface of the body; the skin, muscles, and extremities have networks of secondary meridians that circulate energy on the surface and also tap into deeper levels. Each principal meridian is associated with a group of symptoms that appear when the meridian is not functioning properly. For example, cough, dyspnea, asthma, sore throat, and a feeling of fullness in the chest are associated with Lung meridian dysfunction.
The meridian system is used in several ways in the diagnosis and treatment of disease. Sometimes the problem is with the meridian itself, as in the case of simple tendonitis, muscle strain, or an atrophied area of tissue. These are generally viewed as local problems, and are treated locally to the injury. In other cases, the problem is an imbalance or disease of an internal organ, and the meridian system is utilized as an avenue to the seat of the problem. For example, a digestive problem would be treated by using acupuncture points along the Spleen and Stomach meridians, since these meridians connect directly to “their” organs.
I found this fascinating and I’m learning a lot! I’ll talk more about it if you find it interesting too! 
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Unfortunately I can’t upload dancing noodles video (youtube.com is blocked), but I do have some pictures
We went to hot-pot restaurant. Several snacks are offered.
pop-corns
whole grain soy milk (soy beans, black beans and sesame seeds)
aduki bean porridge
there is a hole in the table to put a big pot with fire underneath
the hot pot with stock made with meat, fish and some veggies
more snacks: peanuts, seaweed and sugar cane.
a variety of sauce
I made mine with soy sauce, chili sauce, sesame oil, fermented tofu and green leeks.
we add different kind of veggies and meat to the hot pot It’s a fun meal to share with friends and family!
At home we eat this kind of food: soup of duck feet with taros
bok choy with mushrooms
chinese leek with smoked tofu
My mom and I happily meeting friends!
Star arrives this afternoon and we’ll going to celebrate my birthday with family! Stay tune for the recap!
Merry Christmas to YOU and Happy Birthday to ME!
I don’t know how I converted to a meat eater in just a week. It was an unconscious conversion and I happily accepted the fact! 
