Monday March 14, 2016

Today we joined Sophie Fromental from WildAngle for an eye opening Hong Kong Chinese medicine tour along the backstreets of the Western district of town. Sophie, a botanist by profession, and an accredited Hong Kong tour guide revealed the secrets of Chinese medicine, why the locals choose it over western prescriptions and what kind of health benefits it can offer.

Sophie answered many of your questions and I hope you learned as much as I did. I was particularly impressed by Sophie’s knowledge of the wide variety of plants, roots, sea creatures and mushrooms, however, this is no surprise considering her botanical background.

Sophie was very patient with us and I really appreciated her calm nature and understanding. Chinese medicine is over 5,000 years old and is very complex, so it is very difficult to give simple answers to simple questions. There were may questions such as, “What is the best thing for fibromyalgia/psoriasis/arthritis…?” Sophie explained that a Chinese doctor will not prescribe one ingredient, such as ginseng, for a particular ailment. One must first consult with the doctor who will prescribe a blend of ingredients that is tailor made to your particular illness. It is often the synergistic effect of several ingredients that will have a certain effect on a problem. Therefore, it is not recommended to just pick up a few reishi mushrooms to cure your problem.

I am particularly fascinated by Sophie’s explanation that most locals choose to prevent an illness rather than try to cure it. “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” must be a Chinese proverb! But it is absolutely true and is a saying that resonates with the freedom lifestyle.

I had a wonderful time with Sophie and learned so much in such a short amount of time. She ended our tour with a quick sip of Chinese medicine tea that you can pick up on the street that claims to help coughs, boost the immune system, increase anti age effects, help acne and much more. It is a pretty bitter tea to swallow, but knowing that the ingredients are particularly healthy for you, it makes it much easier.

Sophie has been living in Hong Kong for over eight years and has a breadth of knowledge on the various roots, plants and other ingredients we find in the Chinese medicine shops in Hong Kong. She also offers walking tours of the city and hikes in the surrounding areas to discover the beautiful nature Hong Kong is not as famous for. She knows Hong Kong well, is professional, very kind and extremely patient with all the questions I had. I can highly recommend her to take care of you during your stay in Hong Kong whether for a Hong Kong Chinese medicine tour, visits to local food markets, or a simple exploration through this amazing city we live in.

You can contact Sophie at sophie@wildangle.hk or call +852 6531 0058. She speaks English and French.