How might modern medicine explain the qi deficiency described in Donguibogam? This phenomenon of qi deficiency connects directly to our body's complex systems, particularly an imbalance in the autonomic nervous system and problems with microvascular circulation.
First, the autonomic nervous system is the body's control tower responsible for heartbeat, blood pressure, digestion, and thermoregulation regardless of our conscious will. When stress, irregular lifestyle habits, and chronic fatigue persist, autonomic nervous system balance can easily be disrupted. In particular, if the harmony between the sympathetic nerve responsible for tension and the parasympathetic nerve responsible for relaxation breaks down, problems arise in the function of vasoconstriction and relaxation. Much like a faucet failing to open and close on time, blood pressure regulation becomes unstable, and blood vessels constrict excessively, preventing smooth blood supply to peripheral areas such as the hands and feet. This can manifest precisely as numbness, cold sensation, and persistent hypotension symptoms. The weakening of qi can ultimately be interpreted as a signal that the body's self-regulatory capacity has declined.
Next is microvascular circulation. In our body, blood pumped out from the heart travels through the aorta and reaches very thin capillaries, which play a crucial role in delivering oxygen and nutrients to cells and clearing waste products. When qi is insufficient, not only does the pumping force of the heart weaken, but blood viscosity can rise or problems can arise in vascular endothelial cell function, impeding the flow through microvessels. Vascular endothelial cells play an important role in regulating vasoconstriction and relaxation and inhibiting thrombogenesis; when this function declines, blood flow to peripheral blood vessels decreases even further. Ultimately, blood cannot travel properly to the tips of the hands and feet, worsening numbness or cold sensations, much like cars getting stuck in traffic on a narrow, winding road.
Additionally, hypofunction of cellular mitochondria responsible for energy metabolism is deeply related to qi deficiency. Mitochondria act like power plants in our body; when their function declines due to stress or nutritional imbalance, they cannot produce sufficient energy needed for the whole body. Naturally, thermoregulation capacity drops, and even the energy needed for blood circulation becomes deficient, leading to hypotension or cold sensation in the limbs. Hormonal imbalances, such as hypothyroidism or adrenal fatigue syndrome, can also induce similar symptoms. All of these can be seen as the various modern faces of what Donguibogam calls qi deficiency. Therefore, rather than resigning yourself by thinking 'That is just how I am,' you should consistently make efforts to revitalize your body's qi.
