The concept of liver heat in the Donguibogam aligns remarkably well with the perspective of modern medicine. Particularly for modern people who experience high stress and irregular dietary habits, liver heat can readily manifest as various symptoms such as fatty liver and asthenopia.
First, let us connect flaring anger with liver heat. Modern medicine views chronic stress as excessively activating the sympathetic nervous system in our body. When the sympathetic nerve becomes excited, secretion of the stress hormone cortisol rises, which can trigger a systemic inflammatory response. Because the liver is involved in this hormone metabolism, an increased burden on the liver makes it difficult to function properly. Furthermore, chronic stress and inflammation affect gut health, disrupting the balance of the gut-liver axis, which in turn can create a vicious cycle that worsens inflammation and strain on the liver. These processes can be understood as modern medical explanations for liver qi stagnation and liver heat in Korean medicine.
Proceeding to fatty liver follows a similar pathway. In the Donguibogam, liver heat obstructs the circulation of blood and body fluids through the stagnation of liver qi, and it is viewed that this accumulation can develop into fatty liver. Modern medicine classifies non-alcoholic fatty liver disease as a lifestyle disease. Excessive carbohydrate intake, processed foods, and lack of exercise raise insulin resistance and cause fat to build up in the liver. Insulin resistance and the resulting chronic inflammation increase stress on hepatocytes and accelerate fat accumulation. When chronic stress is added to this, hormones such as cortisol further stimulate fat synthesis, potentially worsening fatty liver. That is, the overloaded state of the liver induced by liver heat has a deep connection with the developmental mechanisms of fatty liver described in modern medicine.
Lastly, consider eye fatigue and grittiness. The eyes of modern people are excessively exposed to smartphone and computer screens. This destabilizes the tear film and reduces blinking frequency, making it easy for dry eye syndrome to develop. In addition, chronic stress and systemic inflammation worsen ocular surface inflammation and impede blood circulation around the eyes, compounding asthenopia. Furthermore, if nutrient metabolism and detoxification closely linked to liver function decline, the utilization of nutrients essential for eye health, such as vitamin A and omega-3, inevitably drops. When the liver cannot properly perform its detoxification role, toxins accumulate and cause systemic fatigue, which raises the fatigue and sensitivity of the eye muscles, making the eyes even more gritty and dim.
In conclusion, the Donguibogam concept of liver heat demonstrates remarkable insight by organically explaining chronic stress, inflammation, metabolic disorder, and the resulting diverse symptoms such as fatty liver and dry eye syndrome recognized in modern medicine. Because our body is entirely interconnected, caring for liver health can truly be called the cornerstone of whole-body wellness.
