Modern Disease Patterns Have Changed
Dr. Kim Sang-tae's explanation offers a truly fascinating perspective. A hundred years ago, people died young from infectious diseases, and thirty years ago, malnutrition was the culprit. But now, the situation has completely changed. As average lifespan has increased, we're seeing a dramatic rise in cancers that commonly occur in people in their 60s-70s, and dementia cases that are frequent in those in their 70s-80s.
This isn't simply due to increased diagnoses from medical advances, but because more people are actually surviving to those age groups. Since most cancers (except for some viral cancers) are caused by cellular mutations that occur during the aging process, it's a structural problem that modern people inevitably face more often.
The Essence of Aging is the Reduction of 'Water'
So what's at the core of aging? Dr. Kim explains this very simply and clearly.Aging is the reduction of water that makes up the human body.
Water in the human body - body fluids - forms blood and constitutes intracellular and interstitial fluids. It also exists in various forms like gastric acid, nasal mucus, tears, cerebrospinal fluid, disc fluid, and bone marrow. In Traditional Korean Medicine, these body fluids excluding blood are called 'jin-aek' (body essence fluids).
When these body fluids and blood become insufficient, our body's ability to repair inflammation decreases. Inflammation that would resolve in a day or two in our 20s-30s develops into chronic inflammation lasting weeks or even years.
A Patient's Transformation After 10 Years of Heartburn
A real case makes this even clearer. One patient suffered from chronic heartburn for 10 years. He repeatedly woke up at 4-5 AM due to heartburn, and eventually was diagnosed with intestinal metaplasia.
Endoscopy results showed atrophy throughout the gastric mucosa, with evidence of tissue degeneration in specific areas. Around the gastric antrum (the exit to the duodenum), tissue changes from inflammation were clearly visible.
What's more noteworthy are the other symptoms this patient exhibited:
- Frequently dry and cracked lips
- Frequent mouth ulcers
- Tongue tingling from spicy foods
- Facial flushing (mistaken for menopausal symptoms)
- Ischemic symptoms from poor circulation
- Throat discomfort and dryness
All these symptoms were actually signs of 'body fluid depletion.' It's impressive how he explained that menopausal symptoms are actually phenomena that occur when body fluid depletion rapidly progresses.
Treatment Results: Dramatic Recovery
The results of treatment focused on replenishing body fluids were remarkable. Heartburn symptoms began to gradually decrease from the first month and almost disappeared after three months. As sleep quality improved, the body fluid depletion symptoms resolved even faster.
After six months of treatment, an endoscopy performed a year later showed not only that he didn't receive an intestinal metaplasia diagnosis, but his gastric mucosa had also become generally clean. Areas where tissue had previously degenerated were completely normalized, and all inflammatory traces in the gastric antrum had disappeared.
The Mechanism of Chronic Inflammation and Recovery Principles
What we can learn from this case is the nature of chronic inflammation. Just as the Chinese character for inflammation (炎) uses the character for flame, all inflammatory reactions involve heat responses. When this heat response becomes chronic, it continuously depletes body fluids in that area - like water evaporating.
Therefore, by reducing factors that trigger inflammation (spicy foods, irritating foods, alcohol, cigarettes, etc.) while simultaneously replenishing body fluids, not only chronic inflammation but also tissues deformed by inflammation can regenerate.
Practical Approaches to Body Fluid Replenishment
So how can we replenish body fluids? Dr. Kim recommends a fundamental approach rather than focusing on specific components.
Characteristics of foods rich in body fluids:
- Foods high in mucilage: Chinese yam, lotus root, burdock, taro
- Foods that produce sticky mucus when cut with a knife
- Vegetables and fruits that aren't strongly spicy
- Root vegetables
- Foods that don't become completely dry even when dried (example: the chewiness of dried blueberries)
Foods to avoid:
- Dry foods, instant foods
- Excessively processed foods
- Foods with strong spicy flavors (they dry out the body through dispersing action)
A New Perspective on Korean Eating Habits
A particularly interesting point concerns kimchi. Koreans consume most vegetables in kimchi form, but the spicy taste of kimchi can dry out the body through its dispersing action.
This doesn't mean kimchi is bad, but rather that in modern times when lifespans have increased and age-related diseases are common, eating habits too heavily focused on spicy flavors might not be suitable. The suggestion that eating raw cabbage might be more helpful for chronic gastritis and overall health is worth considering.
Professional Evaluation and Implications
This approach has some validity even from a Western medical perspective. It's already well-known that chronic inflammation is a major cause of tissue damage and cancer development. It's also scientifically proven that adequate hydration and foods with anti-inflammatory properties benefit health.
However, it's difficult to fully explain the Traditional Korean Medicine concept of 'body fluids' in modern medical terms. But from the perspectives of body fluid balance, mucosal protection, and anti-inflammatory action, it's a quite understandable approach.
Application Methods in Daily Life
Based on this content, here are practical methods for daily life:
1. Increase fluid intake: Not just plain water, but foods rich in mucilage
2. Reduce processed foods: Choose foods closer to their natural state instead of dry, irritating foods
3. Control spicy flavors: Focus on mild-tasting foods rather than excessively spicy ones
4. Get adequate sleep: Considering that body fluid replenishment occurs during sleep
5. Manage stress: Chronic stress is also a major cause of inflammation
Conclusion: A New Health Paradigm for the Aging Era
In conclusion, this case provides important implications for modern health management. Rather than simply suppressing symptoms, fundamental treatment becomes possible when we understand the essence of aging - 'body fluid depletion' - and approach it by replenishing these fluids.
The fact that even cases where tissue degeneration has already progressed, like intestinal metaplasia, can be normalized through appropriate treatment is a hopeful message for many patients. However, in such serious conditions, accurate diagnosis and treatment by specialists is essential, and it would be advisable for the general public to practice lifestyle habits that help replenish body fluids as a preventive measure.
Above all, understanding our body's changes through the simple yet clear concept that 'aging is the reduction of water' and choosing lifestyles accordingly is key to a healthy old age.
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