The damp-heat of the spleen and stomach described in the Donguibogam can be interpreted in modern medicine as an imbalance of the gut-skin axis, which closely connects gut health and skin health, and the resulting state of systemic inflammation.
Here, dampness is deeply related to an imbalance in the intestinal environment, specifically the disruption of the microbiome. Countless microorganisms live within our gut, and when beneficial bacteria decrease while harmful bacteria increase due to Westernized diets or stress, the intestinal mucosa can become damaged. This increase in intestinal mucosal permeability is called leaky gut syndrome, which, much like the dampness in the Donguibogam, acts as a pathway allowing toxins and incompletely digested food particles in the gut to seep into the bloodstream. This leaky gut phenomenon hinders nutrient absorption and leads to digestive system symptoms such as increased sticky mucus secretion, bloating, diarrhea, and sticky stool.
Meanwhile, heat represents our body's chronic inflammation response. When the intestinal mucosa is damaged and harmful substances enter the bloodstream, our body recognizes them as threats and mounts an excessive immune response. During this process, inflammatory substances such as cytokines spread throughout the entire body. Such chronic inflammation also affects hormonal imbalance, which can stimulate sebaceous glands or impair the skin's regenerative capacity.
Ultimately, when inflammatory substances originating in the gut travel through the blood to the skin, skin barrier function weakens and skin immune responses become overactive, causing persistent skin troubles like acne, eczema, and chronic pruritus. Fungal infections such as candidiasis can also arise from a damp, warm internal environment resulting from decreased beneficial bacteria in the gut, decreased immunity, and high-sugar diets. Stress is also a major factor that deepens this vicious cycle by making the immune responses of both the gut and skin more sensitive. Rather than viewing these merely as skin issues or digestive problems, efforts are needed to restore our body's fundamental balance.
