Rebirth 1977 Great Era

Chapter 1384 Is there a problem with the fitness supplements? They all take them! (Bonus chapter for monthly votes)

Traditional Chinese medicine believes that swallowing is a process of "stomach qi descending".

Food enters the stomach through the esophagus and relies on the stomach's "detoxifying" function.

If the patient has "liver qi stagnation" or "phlegm obstruction", the downward flow of stomach qi will be obstructed when swallowing, which will instead cause "qi to flow upward". Since "the heart is located in the upper jiao", the disorder of qi flow will directly "disturb the heart" and lead to heart rhythm disorders.

In his book "Miscellaneous Evidences on Palpitation" published during the Ming Dynasty, Zhang Jingyue wrote: "Palpitation is a feeling of restlessness and unease in the heart. All kinds of palpitations and anxiety belong to this category. The symptoms can be caused by qi stagnation, phlegm stagnation, fire stirring, or water deficiency."

Palpitations caused by "qi stagnation" and "phlegm retention" also correspond to the pathogenesis of qi disorder after swallowing.

In addition, if a patient has long-term dietary problems, such as drinking alcohol or taking certain health supplements, it may also lead to "spleen deficiency and phlegm production".

These phlegm and turbidity accumulate in the "chest and diaphragm". When swallowing, the peristalsis of the esophagus stimulates the phlegm and turbidity, which further obstructs the "heart vessels", causing the "heart to lose its nourishment" and triggering palpitations.

Looking at Lu Wen's work, the possibility of dialects cannot be ruled out.

Although the fitness and bodybuilding trend is not yet prevalent in mainland China, it has long been a trend that originated in Europe and America in Hong Kong and Macau.

At that time, some well-known bodybuilding figures emerged in Hong Kong, such as Yang Si. Starting in the late 60s, he made a name for himself in the Hong Kong bodybuilding scene with his muscular physique and won Mr. Hong Kong for the first time in 1970. He was the Mr. Hong Kong Bodybuilding champion for 10 consecutive years from 1970 to 1980.

At the same time, Bruce Lee's outstanding muscle definition and fitness philosophy also played a role in promoting the fitness and bodybuilding trend in Hong Kong.

Many people started fitness and bodybuilding because of the influence of these people.

In his book "The Origins and Development of Miscellaneous Diseases: The Origins and Development of Palpitation, Sorrow, Fear, Joy, Anger, Worry, and Thought", Shen Jin'ao of the Qing Dynasty mentioned "phlegm obstructing the heart orifices, causing palpitations and restlessness," which is a direct description of the pathogenesis of "phlegm disturbing the heart." The swallowing action is equivalent to the triggering factor of "phlegm causing chaos."

Fang Yan asked Lu Wen:

"Does Mr. Lu have a habit of exercising regularly?"

Lu Wen paused slightly after hearing Fang Yan's words, then chuckled and patted his arm, saying:
"Yes, I even opened two fitness centers."

"One is in Hong Kong and the other is in Macau. Many people have become members there."

Fang Yan nodded and then asked:
Do you usually take fitness supplements?

When Lu Wen heard the question about "fitness supplements," his eyes paused for a moment, then he answered frankly:
"To be honest, I do take it, mainly protein powder and creatine. Sometimes when I train hard, I also add some amino acids. This is how people in the fitness circle in Hong Kong take it. I even asked a doctor who also works out. He showed me some foreign research reports, saying that it can quickly replenish nutrients and build muscle, and it's very safe. I didn't think much of it and have been taking it for almost two years."

He asked:

"Is my illness related to this?"

Fang Yan shook his head and said:
"It's not certain yet. Let me check your pulse first."

Speaking in his dialect, he pointed to his left hand.

Lu Wen obediently stretched out his hand, and Fang Yan pressed down on the ruler, then said to him:
"Open your mouth and stick out your tongue so I can see."

Lu Wen stuck out his tongue, and Fang Yan saw that his tongue coating was thin, white, and moist.

There doesn't seem to be anything else.

This question is indeed quite well hidden.

Fang Yan continued to ask him:
How long do you usually exercise each day?

Lu Wen said:

"It's uncertain. Sometimes I exercise for a longer time when I have more free time, and sometimes I'm too busy to exercise. I just do a few push-ups before bed. Anyway, I make sure I get enough exercise every day. My physical exams every six months say my body is in good condition. I'm thirty-seven this year, and my physical functions are still about the same as someone in their twenties."

He seemed quite proud of it when he said it.

Then he asked in dialect:

"Dr. Fang probably doesn't know this, but many doctors in Hong Kong also work out."

Judging from his words, he believed that the dialect was misjudged.

Fang Yan smiled and said:
“I also exercise, but it’s a little different from yours. I practice martial arts, and I don’t take supplements.” Lu Wen glanced at Fang Yan’s arm and said with a smile:

"I can tell."

"Actually, people who practice martial arts also take supplements. I know a few stuntmen in movies, and I even worked with Bruce Lee before."

Fang Yan smiled and then asked Lu Wen to switch to his right hand.

After Lu Wen switched hands, Fang Yan poured him a glass of water and said:
"While I'm taking your pulse, start taking small sips of the drink and see if anything happens."

Lu Wen nodded. When Fang Yan touched his inch-long foot, he nervously picked up the cup with his left hand and began to sip it.

One bite... two bites... three bites...

As soon as Lu Wen swallowed his eighth sip of warm water, his face suddenly tightened, his left hand gripped the cup tightly until his knuckles turned white, and his breathing became rapid: "Dr. Fang... is here!"

"My chest... my chest feels tight again... like something is pressing down on it..."

Fang Yan's fingertips gripped Lu Wen's pulse, clearly sensing the changes in the pulse. The originally slippery pulse suddenly became rapid and disordered, like a calm stream suddenly rushing into a jumble of rocks, with a distinct "sluggish" feeling when it throbbed.

He said in a deep voice, "Don't panic, take a deep breath and exhale slowly. I can feel the changes in your pulse."

The sensation at my fingertips became increasingly clear: my pulse rate was rising rapidly, and the originally steady throbbing became fluctuating in strength and weakness. This was a typical reaction of "phlegm and turbidity rising with the stomach qi, disturbing the heart pulse".

While feeling the pulse, Fang Yan asked, "Do you feel your heart suddenly beating faster? And your chest feeling tight, like someone is squeezing it?"

Lu Wen nodded vigorously, his voice panting, "Yes...that's how it is...a little milder than before, but it's still uncomfortable..."

The dialect explanation is as follows:
“When you swallow water, the stomach qi carries phlegm upwards, which happens to block the chest and diaphragm. The heart pulse is entangled by the phlegm, so it beats erratically. The slippery pulse just now was due to ‘latent phlegm,’ and the rapid and hesitant pulse now is due to ‘phlegm causing chaos.’ So, this is the root of your illness.”

Lu Wen paused for a while before asking:
"Does this have anything to do with the supplements I take for fitness?"

He said in dialect:

"Maybe it's related."

After drinking water as if he'd been punched, Lu Wen wasn't as insistent as before, and now he looked down at Fang Yan meekly and said:

"Dr. Fang, you need to explain this to me clearly. If there's really a problem with the supplements, I'll stop taking them immediately!"

There's no way to be sure about dialects; this is just his guess.

There are many other issues that could have caused his condition.

He said in dialect:

“I can’t guarantee that it’s just the supplements, because there are many other reasons that can cause ‘phlegm disturbing the mind’. In addition to supplements, your diet, daily routine, and even your emotions can all be contributing factors.”

Lu Wen suddenly realized.

"Also, do you drink alcohol?" Fang Yan asked.

Lu Wen said:

"There are occasions where you have to drink a little. Although I don't really like drinking, I can't help it when it comes to business. Is drinking related to that?"

He nodded in dialect.

Lu Wen was speechless; it seemed he had stepped on a bunch of health minefields.

“But other people who are used to it similarly to me, or even better than me, haven’t had any problems, have they?” he said to Fang Yan.

Fang Yan said as he wrote the medical record:
“People’s constitutions are different… In your case, it’s difficult to find cases in Western medicine clinics, and even with thousands of years of records in traditional Chinese medicine, you might not be able to find 100 people. In a way, you are the rare one.”

P.S.: I still owe you 47,000 words after finishing this chapter, and there will be more this afternoon.

(End of this chapter)