The Treatment of Modern Western - Biblio.nhat-nam.ru

36HYPERLIPOPROTEINEMIAHyperlipoproteinema is the Western medical disease diagnosisof what most people refer more simply to as high cholesterol.This refers to abnormally elevated levels of lipids andtheir associated proteins in the blood. This may be due togenetic predisposition, endocrinopathy, specific organ failure,or external causes, such as excessive dietary intake of sugarand cholesterol. Because the incidence of coronary heart diseaserises in a linear fashion with the level of serum cholesterol,this condition is seen as a precursor to coronary heartdisease via atherosclerosis. The most common form of thiscondition found in adult American middle-aged males is typeIV hyperlipoproteinemia, also known as endogenous hypertriglyceridemiaor hyperprebetalipoproteinemia. This conditionoften runs in families and is characterized by variable elevationsof serum triglycerides. It is also often frequently associatedwith mildly abnormal glucose tolerance curves showinga disturbance in carbohydrate metabolism and obesity. Theserum is turbid and triglyceride levels are disproportionatelyelevated. Cholesterol may be only slightly increased secondaryto stress, alcoholism, and dietary indiscretion.The Western medical diagnosis of this condition is based onanalysis of blood lipids and proteins. The optimum serum cholesterolfor a middle-aged American man is probably 200mg/dLor less. The Western medical treatment of type IV hyperlipoproteinemiainvolves weight loss, dietary restriction of carbohydratesand alcohol, and internal administration of either niacin or gemfibrozilif blood lipids are not controllable by diet alone.CHINESE DISEASE CATEGORIZATION: Because thiscondition as defined by Western medicine may be asymptomatic,it does not always correspond to a traditionalChinese disease category. Obesity is referred to as fei pang,fatty fatness. When this condition is associated with heartdisease resulting in chest pain or pressure, it is referred to asxiong bi, chest impediment. When it is associated withhypertension, it is referred to as tou tong, headache, and/orxuan yin, dizziness.DISEASE CAUSES: Former heaven natural endowmentwith habitual bodily exuberance or insufficiency, undisciplinedeating and drinking, internal damage by the sevenaffects, and agingDISEASE MECHANISMS: Due to former heaven naturalendowment, people may be either habitually bodily exuberantor vacuous and insufficient. As the Ling Shu (Spiritual Axis)states: “[Due to] the unfavorable and favorable [aspects of] thefive body [types], it is said that people’s bone joints may be largeor small, their flesh may be firm or fragile, their skin may bethick or thin, their blood may be clear or turbid, or their qi maybe slippery or choppy . . .” Therefore, some people have a predispositionto yang exuberance and phlegm dampness, whileothers are predisposed to yin vacuity. In addition, each person’sviscera and bowels have an innate tendency towards vacuity orrepletion. On top of such habitual bodily predispositions, overeatingfatty, sweet, thick-flavored foods may damage the spleenand stomach, which then lose their control over movement andtransformation. This results in internal engenderment of phlegmdampness. Phlegm and dampness are yin depressions which mayhinder and obstruct the free flow of qi, blood, and body fluids aswell as confound and block the orifices of the heart and theupper clear orifices. If phlegm and dampness block the free flowof qi, blood, or body fluids, there may be distention and pain,swelling and edema, and/or malnourishment of the tissues andorgans. In addition, it may also give rise to transformative heatwhich may cause yang to become hyperactive and may damageand consume yin. Other factors which may damage the spleenand lead to the engenderment of phlegm and dampness are toolittle exercise and too much thinking and worry.On the other hand, unfulfilled desires or anger may damagethe liver and cause it to lose its control over coursing and discharge.This may cause qi stagnation which may lead toblood stasis. It may cause transformative heat with its attendantyang hyperactivity and/or yin vacuity. And it may causeor aggravate damp accumulation and phlegm obstruction,