The 4-Hour Treatment: What an Eccentric Colleague Taught Me About True Health
by Gabriel Sher, Licensed Acupuncturist
A Wild (But True) Story From My Early Days in Manhattan
I used to share a space with an acupuncturist who was definitely unconventional. Although his behaviors would never be described as stereotypical, he was very bright, incredibly well read, endlessly curious and definitely eccentric.
Steve didn’t have so many patients, probably 5-6 a week, leaving him plenty of time to constantly run out of the office and come back hours later.
One morning one of Steve's regulars came in for a treatment. Steve treated her and then left the office to run errands. I was busy with my own patients but after lunch when he returned I asked - Steve, don't you have a patient in the back room? OMG F$%& he said and rushed into the back room. When she came out she looked like she had taken 20 bong hits and 10 tequila shots, She looked like a bear coming out of hibernation. She was in the room for 4 hours and said she had no idea where she was and definitely was hallucinating. I know this is clearly not the greatest story to tell potential patients but in 25 years I have never forgotten a patient and I don’t run errands while your needles are in.
The Irony of the Unhealthy Healer
As an acupuncturist, most patients expect you to be a living testimonial of your approach to health. For Steve, he didn’t care. He ate like a 15 year old boy who just smoked pot for the first time. It was either the McDonalds in Union square (loved their fish-o-filet, 6 piece McNuggets and would totally freak out when they brought back the McRib). His all-time favorite was fried chicken KFC style.
He would walk into the office with this huge bucket of fried chicken (drumstick in his mouth) at 11 am and brag about his $10 meal which included 6 pieces of fried chicken (2 drums, 2 thighs, 1 breast, 1 wing) with sides of mac & cheese, coleslaw, mashed potatoes & gravy, sweet corn, and 4 biscuits. This you would think would feed a family but no this was Steve’s lunch. He didn’t mess around.
To complete the picture, Steve constantly took smoking breaks and smelled like cigarettes all day. He smoked like a chimney. After his bucket of chicken and a few cigarettes he would retreat to his private bathroom for the 2nd half of the day. Needless to say, these habits turned out to be a poor long term strategy for a healthy life.
When they realized that I wasn’t mad (totally proud of them) and that there wasn't going to be punishment (gave them extra pudding at lunch) they told me everything. There were definitely boobs involved and Jason, when telling the whole story, had a big smile on his face! These were my boys and I supported this transgression.
How Daily Choices Shape your Qi and Longevity
Traditional Chinese Medicine has always emphasized something that modern medicine is finally beginning to appreciate: your body reflects the choices you make every single day. We don’t become unhealthy overnight. Our health is a reflection of our daily choices and habits. Years of poor diet, chronic stress, lack of movement, smoking, poor sleep, and ignoring the warning signs slowly drain what Chinese medicine calls Qi—the body’s vital energy. Eventually those small imbalances become larger problems that are much harder to reverse. The goal of acupuncture isn’t simply to treat disease; it’s to help restore balance before the body reaches a breaking point.
Preventative Care: The Core of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM)
One of the oldest principles in Chinese medicine is that the best doctor prevents illness rather than waiting for it to appear. Ancient physicians were often paid to keep families healthy, not just to treat them after they became sick. That philosophy is still relevant today. Regular acupuncture, healthy food, movement, stress management, and adequate rest all work together to support digestion, circulation, immunity, sleep, and emotional well-being. None of these habits have to be perfect, but consistency matters far more than occasional healthy choices.
Prioritizing Holistic Health and Acupuncture in the Flatiron District
Steve is a very clear reminder that knowledge alone isn’t enough. Not even an acupuncturist is spared the impact of unhealthy choices. We all know the things we should be doing, but putting them into practice is the difficult part. Whether it’s eating better, quitting smoking, exercising, sleeping more, or managing stress, lasting change usually happens one small step at a time. Acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine aren’t magic cures, but they can make those healthy changes easier by helping regulate the nervous system, reducing pain, improving energy, supporting digestion, and making it easier for your body to do what it was designed to do: heal itself.
Ready to make smarter choices for your health?
True wellness isn't about being perfect—it's about consistent support. At our wellness clinic in the Flatiron District, we provide focused, professional, and personalized care (and we promise we will never leave you in a treatment room for four hours!). Click here to schedule your Traditional Chinese Medicine consultation in Flatiron, NYC today.