Liver: Military General of Body (II)
By Dr. Park Chan-Joo
In my last column, I talked about the functions and physiology of the liver in both Oriental and Western medicine, and the reason why the organ is called the ``military general'' of the body. But as much as the liver plays a vital role, it can equally be a source for problems when not functioning properly.
To say nothing of hepatitis and fatty liver, Oriental medical doctors believe that a number of varied diseases, including chronic fatigue syndrome, hypertension, hyperthyroidism, strokes, headaches, dizziness, irregular menstruation and ``hwa-byong (anger syndrome),'' are related to the liver.
In recent years, the average age for coming down with serious adult diseases such as hypertension and strokes has gotten lower. Although these diseases used to occur mostly in the old in the past, more and more ``younger'' middle-aged people nowadays are suffering from them. Why is this?
From the perspective of oriental medicine, the liver is mainly involved in the outbreak of hypertension and strokes. When you are stressed and tired for a long period of time, it disturbs the organ's function of maintaining the free flow of energy. The stagnated energy generates ``hwa (fire)'' in the body and the fire and yang energy rushes upward, eventually leading to those diseases.
Apart from stress and fatigue, one particular emotion is known to negatively affect the liver more than any other emotions _ anger. When you often have this feeling but don't figure out how to deal with it, it slowly damages the organ and the energy circulation becomes blocked. You may suffer from symptoms such as fever in the upper body (especially around your chest and face), palpitation, difficulty in breathing, insomnia and depression. These are the general symptoms of ``hwa-byong (anger syndrome).''
In addition, certain activities in daily life can influence the liver. If you often overuse your eyes, such as by looking at the computer screen or staring intently at something for too long, the action might damage the blood of the organ.
And perhaps most importantly, think about your lifestyle. If you are in your 30s or 40s, work until late at night sitting in front of the computer, and often have big dinners with excessive amounts of alcohol after work, your liver is potentially at risk. The liver needs to work continuously to reduce your fatigue, help digestive organs and break down toxic substances, and therefore has no time to rest.
The danger is not only to your liver; all other organs are closely and vitally connected to the body's ``military general.'' For example, without a healthy liver, your digestive organs including stomach and spleen will not function properly. In addition, the yin deficiency of the organ may lead to the malfunction of your kidneys.
There's an old saying that excess is worse than lack. This is also true for the liver. If you keep exploiting the organ and just ignore its suffering, you will hear strong protests from the rest of your body.
Dr.Park Chan-Joo is the chief doctor at Tara Acupuncture & Oriental medicine (www.tara-clinic.com) in Seoul.