Travels of a Female Physician in the Ming Dynasty

Recently, the ladies in the palace seem to have fallen into a collective outbreak of strange diseases.

One after another, it was either headache, chest tightness, or inexplicable allergies.

I feel like I'm almost becoming a full-time doctor in the palace, running back and forth in the palace every day.

However, having said that, most of these symptoms are caused by lifestyle and dietary problems.

Seeing that these ladies were well fed and well-maintained, yet always panicked because of some minor illnesses and pains, I thought to myself: instead of treating them one by one, it would be better to give them a "modern version" of health lectures and popularize some health knowledge at the same time.

So, the next morning, I submitted a proposal for a "Health and Wellness Lecture", and unexpectedly, it was approved by the Queen so quickly.

"Doctor Yang, your idea is good," the Queen said approvingly, "I think the ladies in the palace really need to learn how to maintain their health.

Please arrange it for tomorrow afternoon, and I will come in person to listen to the lecture."

My heart skipped a beat: Even the Queen is coming to listen? Such a high standard?

To be honest, I just wanted to popularize some common health knowledge to everyone, but I didn’t expect it to be so “formal”.

But since the matter has been decided, I have no choice but to bite the bullet and make some preparations.

On the day of the lecture, all the ladies in the palace came, and even the eunuchs and palace maids were watching nearby.

The entire Imperial Garden was elegantly decorated, with several exquisite couches and chairs placed in the center. The ladies sat in groups of three or four, all dressed in rich attire and looking dignified. Naturally, Zhu Yuan appeared from nowhere, hiding in the back with a malicious smile on his face. I glared at him: "What are you doing here?"

He shrugged and said with a grin, "President Yang, this is a big event, how could I miss it? Don't be nervous, I'll support you."

I rolled my eyes helplessly: What is this guy messing about?

As the Queen slowly walked in and took her seat, the lecture officially began.

I stood in the center, silently recalling what I had prepared, and began to speak: "Ladies and Gentlemen, today I have been entrusted by the Queen and all of you to share with you some tips on how to maintain health and prevent disease."

At the beginning, the ladies in the audience were obviously a little disapproving. Some of them talked in low voices, while others looked at me thoughtfully, as if wondering: What can this young doctor say?

But I'm not easily intimidated by these reactions.

Since it is about modern medicine, it must be explained in the most understandable way!

"First," I cleared my throat and pointed to today's topic, "let's start with 'eating.' As we all know, eating well leads to good health. But—" I changed the subject, "eating too well can actually make you sick."

When the ladies in the audience heard the saying "eating too well will make you sick", they all showed puzzled expressions.

What does this mean? They enjoy the delicious food carefully prepared by the imperial kitchen every day, but they can still get sick from eating it?

I lowered my voice and spoke mysteriously, "Do you know about this disease called gout? It's usually caused by eating too much meat or drinking too much alcohol, which leads to an excess of certain substances in the body, ultimately causing pain, especially swollen and painful joints."

"Gout?" someone in the audience repeated in a low voice. It was obvious that the word was very unfamiliar to them.

I nodded and continued to explain, "To put it bluntly, it's because they eat too much delicious food and their bodies can't handle it. Especially in our palace, the ladies usually eat all kinds of delicacies from land and sea. If they don't eat in moderation, over time, all kinds of health problems will arise."

As soon as these words were spoken, the expressions of the ladies changed slightly, especially the gout of Li Yuchu who was cured by me a few days ago, which seemed to make them a little alert.

I struck while the iron was hot and continued, "So, although you can enjoy delicious food, you must pay attention to controlling your diet, especially meat and alcohol. Drink plenty of water every day and maintain a light diet, so that you can eat healthily."

As soon as the voice fell, Concubine Zhao in the audience suddenly said: "Doctor Yang, do we also need to control the cakes we eat on a daily basis?"

I smiled and nodded, "Of course you have to control your intake. Although cakes are delicious, eating too much can lead to weight gain and even chronic diseases. For example, osmanthus cake—" I paused deliberately and glanced at Concubine Xu sitting in the front row, "Some people are allergic to osmanthus. Eating too much will not only cause itching, but may also trigger a more serious allergic reaction."

When Concubine Xu heard this, a trace of embarrassment appeared on her face, but she quickly regained her composure and nodded slightly: "Doctor Yang is right, it was indeed because of the osmanthus cake that I had problems a few days ago."

When the other ladies heard this, they immediately started talking about it. Apparently, the news had spread throughout the palace. I chuckled to myself: It seems the lecture really did have some effect.

Next, I talked about several common "difficult and complicated diseases" in the palace, such as qi stagnation, insomnia, stomachache, etc., and focused on how to prevent these diseases by adjusting diet and lifestyle.

"For example, qi stagnation," I said, "is caused by poor mood and long-term repression. Therefore, ladies should pay attention to regulating their emotions and relax appropriately, and not always bottle things up. Taking a walk, listening to music, and appreciating flowers are all good ways to regulate your mood."

As soon as the words came out, several ladies nodded. It was obvious that this disease was not uncommon in the palace.

"And insomnia," I continued. "If you can't sleep at night, besides drinking some soothing herbal tea, you should also exercise more during the day and avoid eating too much before bed. This can also improve your sleep quality."

The Queen listened intently and nodded slightly. "Doctor Yang is right. I've also been feeling chest tightness and anxiety lately. It seems I really need to relax more."

I quickly replied respectfully, "Your Majesty, you have so many things to worry about and it's important to relax. Do something you enjoy to unwind."

The queen nodded, seeming to agree with my suggestion.

Zhu Yuan, who was sitting quietly on the side, suddenly couldn't help but interrupt.

"Miss Yang, is it the healthiest way for me to just eat and drink every day?"

I almost choked at his words, and the ladies in the audience burst into laughter. Why is this guy always looking for trouble? I glared at him and said helplessly, "You're not doing your job properly. You should eat less and drink more."

Zhu Yuan spread his hands innocently. "Isn't this just to keep a good mood? Miss Yang, didn't you just say that a good mood leads to a good body?"

I smiled helplessly and said, "You're in a good mood, sure, but you're taking it too far. If you keep eating like this, you'll end up plump."

Zhu Yuan laughed heartily: "Then maybe I can become the most rounded and handsome man in Yingtian Prefecture!"

The ladies in the audience couldn't help but laugh so hard that they fell over, and the atmosphere instantly became a lot more relaxed.

After the lecture, many ladies came around and asked me about various health issues.

"Doctor Yang, I've been feeling weak in my limbs lately. Am I missing something?"

"Doctor Yang, what do you think I should do about my poor sleep? I can never fall asleep."

"Doctor Yang, what's the best way to treat Qi stagnation?"

Faced with these questions, I patiently answered them one by one.

Looking at how they listened attentively, I suddenly felt that this "lecture" was really well organized. At least it gave them some new insights into health.

Finally, everyone dispersed and I was about to breathe a sigh of relief when Zhu Yuan came over again.

"Miss Yang, your lecture is truly groundbreaking!" He said with a wicked smile. "I can see that soon everyone in the palace will be flocking to you with questions."

I glanced at him and said, "Stop making trouble here and learn some health knowledge. It will be good for you."

Zhu Yuan said with a smile: "I've remembered this: if you are in a good mood, you eat well, and you live long!"

I smiled helplessly: "Then you better take it easy and don't eat too well."

Zhu Yuan patted his belly and smiled brightly: "Don't worry, with you here, I'm not afraid of eating too much!"

I couldn't help but laugh: This guy is really hopeless.