Chat #21~Chat #30

Chat #21

In the Coldness of Winter,

If the Kidneys Weaken, it is Easy to get Sick

Climate and Carcinogens follow Ancient Reasoning

In the last chapter, we discussed the climate factors of spring, its wind affecting the liver, summer, its fire affecting the heart, extended summer’s dampness affecting the spleen as well as autumn with its dryness affecting the lungs and related problems. We will continue with a discussion of the special characteristics of winter’s climate and other issues related to the body.

Winter brings boundless snow, and even in California where there is none, it is chilly and cold. Coldness is the unique characteristic of winter. Within the body, the kidneys govern the yuan yang, the original positive force. This yuan yang force, is the root of the body’s yang qi, the positive qi. What is the root of this positive yang qi?

We know that yang qi, positive qi, is the body’s functional activities, and the yuan yang, the original positive force, kindles the embers of yang qi, positive qi.

These embers come from the genes transmitted from one’s parents, and Chinese medicine refers to them as inherent essence, the driving force for life which exists before birth in the embryo.

After the yuan yang, original positive, kindles life, it is concealed in the kidneys, moreover the yang qi, positive qi, continues to quietly provide the purest energy for life. This kind of special characteristic submerged in one’s nature and expressing function is like winter’s gathering of the ten thousand things which on the surface is cold and chilly but within actually stores an even greater energy needed for spring. For this reason, the qi of winter penetrates into the kidneys, and coldness is categorized with the kidneys. Winter is therefore the season when kidney ailments easily arise, and in the prevention and treatment of kidney ailments one must grab hold of the challenge of the winter season.

In addition, we often say that ‘water and fire are incompatible.’ Speaking from the body’s physiological functions, the kidney’s fire, the yuan yang, original positive, can warm up, and steam the body fluids causing them to maintain a definite temperature and only afterwards enabling them to circulate within the body. If the kidney’s yang, its positive, is insufficient, this kind of function will then decrease, the fluids will turn cold, and clinical appearance results in hands and feet that are sensitive to cold, frequent night time urination with an icy clear color, an abundance of saliva appearing clear white, and women’s leucorrhea which is much colder, etc. As far as treatment goes, discussion of cure starts with the kidneys and then there can be efficacious results. Chinese medicine refers to this as: ‘All illnesses have fluid. When they are crystal clear, clean and cold, these all are linked to wintry cold.’

Dear Reader, the concept of climatic changes which can trigger illness seems easy enough to understand. However, if I said that climatic changes can trigger cancer, then this would be somewhat more challenging. In light of this, I would like give everyone an introduction from a brilliant exposition of Chinese medicine taken from a classical text which was compiled during the Western Han Dynasty, a text which originated from the Spring and Autumn Warring States period entitled Internal Classic of the Yellow Emperor, Huangdi Neijing. ‘Wind, rain, cold and heat, if they don’t encounter weakness, then this trouble alone won’t be able to injure a person.’ This is to say that only when climatic changes coincide with weakness in the body can they invade, otherwise they cannot trigger the onset of illness. ‘When weakness and trouble afflict people, it begins with the skin, gradually the pores open...consequently, the skin is painful.’ This is to say, when the body is weak, then wind, rain, cold and heat, and all kinds of climatic changes, can invade the skin and it will lose its resistance, the pores open and viruses take advantage of the opportunity to bore in, manifesting pain on the skin surface of the entire body. ‘Staying and not going away, then transmitting to the web of blood vessels...pain in the muscles.’ This is to say when the skin surface ailment has not yet been remedied, then the virus can deeply penetrate the web of fine blood vessels which are the tiny pathways throughout the entire body, especially those which are spread out through the muscular system, therefore triggering pain in the muscles. ‘Staying and not going away, transmitting to the main blood vessels...shivering in fright.’ This is to say, the virus in the web of muscles goes a step further and can enter deeper into the body’s large blood vessels. These blood vessels are the main pathway through the body’s circulatory system and are able to link the body’s internal organs. The manifestation of insufficient ‘yang qi’, positive qi, is fear of the cold as if one was startled by something. ‘Staying and not going away, transmitting to the intestines and stomach... explosive noises, abdominal swelling, if there is more cold, there will be intestinal noise with cooked food turning into diarrhea and remaining undigested; if there is more heat, then loose stool will come out rotten.’ This is to say that viruses in the main blood vessels can go a step further and transmit into related organs within the body. For example, invasion into the stomach and intestines can trigger intestinal noise and abdominal swelling. If the virus favors cold, then diarrhea will appear and the stool will be mixed up with undigested food; if the virus favors heat, then rotted and putrid stool will appear. ‘Staying and not going away...resting and accumulating...cannot be victorious in discussion.’ This is to say, if the virus continues to linger, then it can accumulate and form tumors in the abdominal cavity.

Dear Reader, please be aware that these ancient theories of medical science from several thousand years ago are truly worthy of research reference in the modern day medical science study of tumors. If you’d like to go a step further in gaining insight into the air factor, then please read on to the analysis in the next chapter.

Chat #22

Air Pollution Injures Health

Automobile Exhaust Spurts Out Carcinogenic Fumes

In the last chapter, we discussed that among the climate factors is the influence of the winter on the health of the body. We also analyzed the relationship between climate and the formation of cancer from the Chinese medical science seminal work, The Internal Classic of the Yellow Emperor. In chapter 20, we mentioned there are five kinds of external environment factors, the first is the air factor which includes both climate and air pollution. Here we will discuss the air pollution factor.

On an sunny early morning, we go outside the house to take in a breath of fresh air, and immediately feel the mind clear and breath invigorated. Over twenty years ago, while I was studying in medical college on the Chinese mainland, several of my classmates and I took a trip together to a city in the northwestern region. We were all wearing white shirts and it took a whole day from the city to the hotel. By that time, the white shirts almost turned into black and even more troubling was the inside of our noses which had turned pasty black. That city had fairly serious industrial pollution, where even the sky was always dark with dirt and stayed that way for months on end throughout the year. After a one night stay, we even felt discomfort breathing. You can well imagine the impact this would have on the health of local residents who lived there for a long time.

Several years ago, I read a story about a Chinese overseas student in the U.S. who was reluctant to admit that it seemed the moon was brighter from U.S. soil than it was from China. He was sensitive to the fact that admiring what was foreign, even new technology from overseas, could be misconstrued and lead to ridicule with the words: ‘The moon of foreign countries is rounder than the moon in China.’ Only after arriving in the U.S. did he figure out why the moon was in fact rounder and brighter in the U.S. The main reason was a lighter degree of air pollution in the U.S.

Some readers might laugh and say that air pollution has no relevance to them, especially here in California where all four seasons are like spring and the sky is azure blue. Though it seems so, I must point out that there are two kinds of air pollution, one kind is easily seen and felt, for example, the changes in the atmosphere created by heavy industrial pollution, or the sand and dust storms encountered by the American army in Iraq. This kind is easy to see. In addition, there is another kind that is very difficult to perceive.

For example, everyone knows that the U.S. is the country which is kingdom of cars, and every car discharges a small amount of exhaust into the air. This kind of exhaust is very strictly controlled in the U.S., and every year all cars driven on the road must have annual checks. However, when tens of thousands of cars are on the road, their convergence produces the capability for causing illness, even when the emission control is strictly enforced. Exacerbating the situation even further are the unknown number of cars on the road which do not meet emission control standards and disobey the law.

Car exhaust passes through beaming sunlight, is absorbed into the body, and contains cancer causing substances. If you still have some doubts, then let’s continue to analyze it. We know that when the car reaches combustion, it will emit a high degree of dense lead. This is the original evil which will injure the human body. In response to this problem, over twenty years ago a gasoline additive abbreviated as MTBE began to be used. This substance made the gasoline lead-free. In their continuing research on MTBE, scientists discovered that this substance can also cause cancer, and that it contains an even higher degree of water solubility. If it should leak out from the underground petroleum storage tanks and oil pipes, it will immediately permeate into the underground water, creating an obvious threat for the health of mankind.

       Another place to look for air pollution is in the kitchen. Dish detergent, grease cutting detergents, insecticides, and other sanitizing detergents, when sprayed or used in water will invade the body through inhalation of polluted air.

Household hazards have been on the agenda for research at the United Nations where comparison of the cancer rates of housewives as opposed to working women showed a ratio which was higher by fifty-five percent. In the year 2002, at the World Health Organization meeting in Ottawa, one item on the conference report pointed out that the pollution source most related to breast cancer is insecticides.

Dear Reader, if you’d like more information, then please read on to the next chapter.

Chat #23

Pollution Inside the House is Greater than Outside

The Ozone is Destroyed by Ultraviolet rays

In the last chapter, we discussed the factor of air pollution and its influence on the health of the body as well as the formation of cancer.

Before beginning this chapter, I’d like to clarify the issue of lectures on health. I constantly receive invitations from churches, organizations and schools, etc. to provide lectures on health. In this regard, I draw support from Jinshan Shibao for devoting precious page space and I want to express my gratitude to everyone. I am very willing to go to various places to give lectures on health, moreover I will actively coordinate the arrangements with the sponsor. In order to secure an appointed time, please try your best to contact me a month beforehand. Thank you!

Now we’ll speak about air pollution which does not only effects nature, but can also show impact inside the home. For example, in previous chapters we have discussed cigarettes as well as chemical cleaners used in the kitchen etc., they all lead to air pollution inside the home. One research article clearly shows that the air inside the house is nine times degree higher than pollution outside and throughout a person’s life about seventy percent of time is spent in activities inside the house and in the car. Because of this, the pollution factor of the inside environment should be looked at even more scrupulously.

On the surface of the earth, all kinds of harmful gases create air pollution. They have passed through many years of accumulation and have already begun to seriously destroy the atmospheric boundary layer relied upon to protect human existence. How is it destroyed?

The atmospheric boundary layer of air which is at a distance of approximately two hundred and fifty kilometers from the earth, has one extremely thin layer, an air layer of less than one ppm, constituted from unevenly distributed ozone molecules called the ozone layer. The main function of the ozone layer is to absorb ultraviolet rays from sunlight and to take the ultraviolet rays and turn them into thermal energy. As a result, this stops a large quantity of ultraviolet rays to radiate down to earth and injure living things.

From air pollution on the surface of earth, a large quantity of a kind of fluoride and chloride combination is produced which is then discharged into the air. When the sun rays radiate onto this fluoride and chloride combination, they disperse and release a large quantity of chlorine into the air. One chlorine atom can destroy ten thousand ozone molecules. As the ozone layer is depleted, a large quantity of ultraviolet rays can relentlessly assault the earth.

Speaking of ultraviolet rays brings us to a discussion of the sunlight factor. In chapter nineteen, we divided the external environment factors into; air, sunlight, properties of water, geographical characteristics and equipment facilities. Here we will begin by discussing the sunlight factor.

As a child in China, I remember there was a popular song that was heard just about everywhere entitled Sailing on the Great Sea Depends on the Helmsman. The first two lines of the lyrics are:

       Sailing on the great sea depends on the helmsman,

       The growth of ten thousand things depends on the sun.

The second line has convincing reasoning behind it. The main divisional structure of sunlight is divided into two parts; light and rays. Light includes both what we can see with the naked eye, visible light, and what cannot be seen with the naked eye, invisible light. Another big structural part of sunlight are its rays. Rays include; ultraviolet rays, infrared rays, x-rays, gamma rays, etc. Among them, the ones which have the greatest influence on the human body are the ultraviolet and infrared rays.

Sunlight not only brings light to mankind, it can also warm the body and promote blood circulation. As soon as you wake up in the morning and open your eyes, sunlight enters and lifts your spirits. From the point of view of medicine, the light rays penetrate through the pupil of the eye into the vision nerve, then stimulate the brain’s lower optic thalamus, and proceed on to influence the emotions through secretion of hormones. As a result, sunlight serves the function of improving people’s emotions. Medical research shows that if sunlight is insufficient, people can easily contract rheumatism, obesity, hyperlipemia, hypercholesterolemia, arterial sclerosis, etc. As far as plants are concerned, growth depends on sunlight.

Now back to the problem of the ozone. As the ozone layer is damaged and depleted, there is nothing to stop the ultraviolet rays from reaching the ground. These rays provide both benefit and harm to the human body. The benefit lies in its killing of bacteria, and if meat items are put out to sun dry for a while, this will enhance their preservability. In China, it is common to see bedding and quilts hanging to sun dry outside many people’s homes on bright, sunny days. In fact, this is a very effective method for protecting health, and is worthy of popularization in the U.S. Of course, the method of sun drying bedding and quilts without disturbing the beauty of the environment, affecting the neighbors, and displeasing passers-by requires some diligent consideration.

Dear Reader, more in depth information on ultraviolet and infrared rays and their affect on human health is coming in the next chapter.

Chat #24

With Insufficient Infrared Rays, the Body can become Deficient

If Water Properties don’t measure up, Health can be Injured

In the last chapter, we discussed the the depleting ozone layer and the danger of ultraviolet rays on the human body. Now we will continue to look at related problems.

Aside from ultraviolet rays killing germs, the biggest benefit to the body is sunlight radiates onto it is the production of vitamin D. Children’s rickets, infant maladies of muscular contractions, osteomalacia, osteoporosis, inadequate bone nourishment, disease of low thyroid function, are all related to a lack of vitamin D. Therefore, basking in sunlight helps promote vitamin D synthesis and maintenance, which is particularly crucial for the strength of the skeleton.

Even though ultraviolet rays kill bacteria, in large quantities it has the power to injure the body as well. With the destruction of the ozone layer in the atmosphere, the originally small quantity of ultraviolet rays has now increased in intensity to the point that it can destroy the DNA inside a cell and other biomolecules, triggering malignant changes in the skin. At the same time, many immune diseases as well as cataracts, etc. are all related to ultraviolet rays.

In addition to ultraviolet rays, we need to consider infrared rays which are divided into three types; close infrared, infrared and far infrared. Among them, the one most closely related to issues of human health is the far infrared.

Many people often find themselves with a regular occurrence of neck pain, shoulder pain, waist pain and upper leg pain and there are many different kinds of massage tools on the market which claim to effectively relieve the pain site. These tools are usually tossed aside because the can’t solve the underlying problem. Massage, on the other hand, gives a feeling that is markedly different and it turns out that using the hand is much more effective than using a machine. Why?

When we use our hands to massage, not only is it the energy and strength of the hand, but in addition are the far infrared rays from the body which pass through the hand and radiate into the injured place resulting in the production of a certain coordinated healing function.

Using a spectrometer for measurement, research shows that the body can release far infrared rays which are at approximately forty six percent of all the rays emitted by the body.

According to what has been said, some readers might ask if the far infrared rays can simply be understood as a kind of energy. The answer is, yes. We can understand the far infrared rays as a kind of thermal energy.

The question might also be asked, where do the far infrared rays in the body come from? This is in the context of the sunlight factor. The body’s infrared rays come from sunlight. Sunlight is brimming with energy, and so when the body absorbs far infrared rays, it is also brimming with energy, and the body’s stamina is also naturally filled with energy.

Unfortunately, before sunlight reaches all the way to earth, many of the far infrared rays have been scattered and dispersed along the path, moreover a multitude of exhaust particles floating in the sky block the far infrared from radiating onto the earth’s surface. In addition, on the surface of the earth, many steel rod and concrete buildings can absorb in a portion of the far infrared rays. Due to these various reasons, our absorption of the far infrared rays is unavoidably insufficient. Especially when working or living among tall skyscrapers in a large city, this type of problem is even more pronounced. Think about how different you would feel if you were to first walk around the towering group of skyscrapers in San Francisco’s financial district and then to go stroll around in the bright sunlight on the seashore surrounding the Golden Gate Bridge. Your vitality level would most certainly change.

We can infer by extension that by living an indoor life for a long period of time, we would feel the same kind of insufficient energy. In Silicon Valley, there are computer companies with rooms which are in the basement or partially below ground. People who work there for long periods of time often feel exhaustion and weakness. I will address this type of problem in later chapters.

Having already discussed the sunlight factor, we’ll now look at the water factor and its properties. Water pollution is already a worldwide problem. Some people say that the water we drink has already been boiled which basically means it is disinfected, therefore we need not be overly worried about the problem of the properties of water.    Though the process of boiling water removes the chlorine, this high temperature process produces a chemical substance called trichloromethane. This trichloromethane is actually a carcinogenic substance.

Dear Reader, if you’d like to unravel the clues, then please read on to the next installment.

Chat #25

Boiled Water, Chilled Water and Pure Water

All Kinds of Harmful Beginnings Related to Cancer

In the last chapter we discussed the influence of infrared rays on the body among the sunlight factors, moreover we began to look at the water properties factor. We will now continue to analyze related questions.

It is said that in the process of boiling water, the chlorine is removed with the result being the production of trichloromethane which in trace quantities has carcinogenic properties. This point has been corroborated by American EPA research.

Some might say that drinking chilled water avoids the problem of trichloromethane which might be found in boiled water. This point of view is wrong. If you do not remove the chlorine from the water, the chlorinated water can still cause cancer. One focus of research by the American Cancer Society shows that people who drink chlorinated water compared to people who do not drink chlorinated water have over two times higher an incidence of falling ill with bladder cancer.

Others say that the best insurance is just to drink pure water. This is also wrong. You can take action and do a small experiment yourself. Use pure water to water flowers or to nourish fish. What kind of results do you get? Most likely the life of the flowers and fish will suffer serious consequences. In order to deeply understand the influence of pure water, first you must understand the attributes of acid and base on the physical constitution of the body. Is the human body acid or base? This requires an understanding of what the body’s PH value is. PH value takes 7 as neutral, and as the numbers get smaller the more acidic it becomes. Likewise as the numbers get increasingly larger, the more base it becomes. The PH value of the human body ranges between 7.35-7.45, and because of this, under normal circumstances, the body should be considered a weak base. Looked at from the opposite side, if the body’s physical make-up suddenly displays a tendency toward acidity, then that will cause chaos for its normal functioning processes, and initiate health problems. What kind of health problems?

In a situation with an acidic constitution, the functions of the body’s cells will become weak and every aspect of body functions will consequently lose strength, the metabolism will slow down, and waste toxins within the body will then be difficult to excrete. The liver, kidneys, and many other organs will then take on a heavier burden, leading to the occurrence of many chronic diseases. Medical research goes even further to show that cancer patients all have a physical constitution which first acidulated. In a normal body, the water molecules at the circumference of the cell are neatly arranged in order; on the other hand, the water molecules at the circumference of cancer cells are all clearly jumbled without a pattern. If we go deeper into an analysis of hereditary genes, the water molecules at the circumference of normal hereditary genes are extraordinarily orderly in their arrangement on all four sides, whereas the water molecules at the circumference of abnormal hereditary genes are significantly tangled in disarray.

Therefore we can infer that when a person’s PH value is situated at 7.0-7.2, there is possibly a tendency toward cancer in the body’s constitution.

       Let’s return to the question of pure water. Although impurities and minerals have been removed from pure water, however the PH value of pure water shows an acidic chemical reaction. Therefore, from the point of view of health, pure water really is not as beneficial as people usually think it is.

The water with the most suitable degree of acidity and base for the body is of course the one that fundamentally corresponds to a normal value of PH in the body. It is important to note that neither acid nor base water are good and when the PH of water goes beyond a PH value of 8, it can trigger the occurrence of base toxicity in the body.

 With the development of modern society which has a high level of industrialization, all kinds of water sources whether they be underground water, well water or running water can all be polluted. Since underground water is the easiest to pollute, it is the most dangerous. In the process of discharging industrial waste, many carcinogenic substances follow polluted particles to contaminate the water source producing a fatal danger to the human body.

Dear Reader, if you’d like to go a step further in becoming informed, please read on to the next chapter.

Chat #26

Different Environments Lead to Malignant Abnormalities

Equipment Factor also Requires Attention

In the previous chapter, we discussed the water properties factor and problems related to boiled, chilled and pure water. We touched upon water sources including underground water, well water and running water all of which are easily polluted by industrial discharge.

In industrial waste water, there is arsenic, chromium, asbestos, carbon tetrachloride, trichloromethane, etc. and research shows that they all have a carcinogenic effect, with underground water as the biggest culprit. Of course in modern times, with the widespread use of running water, the degree of pollution is relatively minor. Nevertheless, you really can’t equate running water with water of extreme purity. Between the years 1971 and 1985, a U.S. organization concerned with this problem conducted an investigation which traced 2100 different kinds of chemical matter. The results showed that all of them were found to be in running water.

Perhaps some readers might ask, is there no safe water to drink? I’d like to remind everyone that beginning from Chapter One until now we have been talking about the origins of illness related to cancer. The goal of our detailed discussion is to aim directly at the origin of illness and select preventive measures. Therefore, questions related to preserving health and drinking water will be introduced in later chapters.

We will end our discussion of the water properties factor here and reach another very intriguing main topic among the external environmental factors. However before we look at the geographical factor, I would first like to respond to a question by Ms. Chen from Nevada.

Question: In your discussion of the sunlight factor, you didn’t seem to have discussed in concrete terms the relationship between sunlight and skin cancer. Would you please provide a brief introduction?

Answer: In the last years of the nineteenth century, the world of medicine noticed that in people who worked on the ocean for long periods of time, because of their long exposure to both sunlight and wind, specific changes occurred to their skin, termed as ‘sailor’s skin.’ In the early years of the twentieth century, once again it was found that farm workers were easily stricken with skin cancer. Californians especially enjoy basking in sunlight with a fashionable trend towards bronze colored skin. Since natural sunlight really cannot be utilized at all times, people then turned to man-made lamps used to change skin color with the result being a significant increase in the incidence of skin cancer. Medical research shows that approximately ninety percent of non-melanoma skin cancers are related to radiating sunlight. Research also shows that because Caucasians lack melanin, it is even easier for them to contract skin cancer whereas black people seldom do.

Question: May I ask what is the reasoning behind this?

Response: The chief culprit are the ultraviolet rays. They are divided into two kinds; UV-A with relatively long waves, and UV-B with relatively short rays. Experimental evidence shows that UV-B can cause the skin to turn brown and at the same time is a major factor in the development of skin cancer. From the Chinese medicine perspective, skin is categorized with the lungs, and when there is long exposure to sunlight, the lung function has no means to effectively protect the skin, and fierce sunlight causes the localized area of skin to become injured by what has become a burning poison. The vital force of both qi and blood stagnate and decay, with malignant changes occurring.

Having looked at the influence of sunlight in causing malignant changes to the skin, it follows that we should discuss issues related to the factor of geography. The further the distance from the equator, the less chance of contact with the UV-B ultraviolet rays and the higher the elevation from sea level, the greater the opportunity for contact. If we look at residential areas of the U.S. as an example, Atlanta Georgia’s land area when compared to El Paso, Texas are both situated between the northern latitude of 32 to 33 degrees. However, every year El Paso’s chance of contact with UV-B is higher by thirty eight percent, the reason being that El Paso is situated in a high, dry location.

As the geographical environment of different countries varies, so does the probability of the occurrence of cancer in its different forms. For example, in the southeast coastal area of China, nose and throat cancer is so commonly seen that people call it ‘the cancer of Guangdong.’ In Lin County of Henan province, esophageal cancer set a world precedent. The rate of contracting stomach cancer among Japanese is the highest in the world. Skin cancer in California and Australia is especially high. India and some countries in Southeast Asia have a high incidence of oral cancer. Breast cancer is in the forefront in the United States and glandular cancer is also widespread.

These results stem from and are all closely related to air, soil, water properties, food and beverages, customs and lifestyle habits, etc. In other chapters we will divide them up and expound on them one by one.

       Now we turn our attention to a very important factor from the external environment which is even more closely related to daily life, and this is the problem of the equipment factor. I am using the term in a broad sense to include equipment, appliances and products used in daily life.    

       First, let’s discuss problems inside the home. Some of the construction materials used in building a house are man-made synthetic manufactured goods like plastics, rubber, and manufactured fibers which may contain carcinogenic substances. For example, asbestos fiber is often used to pave floor or ceiling tiles, to fill cracks, to cut off electrical sources, to stop heat and prevent fire, in addition there are plastics and asbestos products, etc. When repairing or building a house, demolition contains asbestos fiber material, which when scattered and absorbed into the body by people who are exposed over a long period of time, can lead to lung cancer, etc. There is also another kind of chemical compound called formaldehyde which is in fiber board, trim board, carpets, kitchen cabinets, fire resistant equipment as well as air stoves which emit gas, etc.

The cars we drive, automobile clutches and brakes all have an inner lining of asbestos. The car’s exhaust pipe spews out waste, etc. all of which are potentially carcinogenic substances.

There is also a definitive connection between electrical appliances and the occurrence of cancer, though it might be startling to realize that this is in fact the case. Let’s select some electrical appliances to discuss.

Air Conditioning: The air conditioner has three main aspects which have a detrimental effect on the health of the body. The first one has to do with the range of temperature between hot and cold. Because the air conditioner stores water, its temperature is even more adapted to every kind of bacterial reproduction and proliferation. If you think about it, when the weather is hot, and people leave an air conditioned area to go outside the body will perspire easily. Moreover, skin that carries perspiration easily becomes steeped in bacteria. When returning into an air conditioned area, the skin encounters cold air and then contracts forcing the bacteria to quickly burrow into the body, triggering the onset of illness. The second aspect has to do with the fact that the air repeatedly recycles through the air conditioner. Air which has been processed lacks anion. What exactly is anion?

Dear Reader, if you’d like to know about anion and its influence on the health of the human body, then please read on to the next chapter.

Chat #27

Air Conditioned Filtered Air Lacks Anion

Computers Injure ATP

In the last chapter, we talked about geographical environment and cancer, moreover, we began a discussion of the equipment factor. The first of three aspects of the influence of air conditioning on health is anion.

Most fascinating is that the concept of cation and anion echoes the Chinese medicine’s yin-yang theory introduced in Chapter One. Cation corresponds to yang and anion corresponds to yin. Under normal circumstances, the human body wants to maintain relative equilibrium between yin and yang and its functions can then stay in a healthy condition. Likewise, cations and anions also must maintain relative equilibrium maintaining the body’s health. However, the balance of yin and yang doesn’t signify that yin and yang are in a ratio where each occupies 50%, rather it is based on concrete conditions so the ratio has variations. This point can be illustrated by the response of cations and anions.

Looking at children, the anion content of the body occupies 80% and the cations only 20%. Because of this, children are very active, enjoy movement and are brimming with life force. Even if one day they become sick, their recovery power is very strong. On the other hand, adults are just the opposite, the ratio shows wide variations dependent upon the condition of the body and the amount of outdoor exercise. Those who don’t like to exercise, who stay indoors for long periods of time, obese people, and those who suffer from chronic illnesses, have an anion content which is clearly deficient.

In that case, what is the function of the anions? Anions can neutralize the body’s excess cations, causing the blood to maintain weak alkalinity. Anions can also combine with bacteria as well as making use of the opportunity to change the molecular structure of the bacteria. The more anions there are, the more they are able to effectively promote metabolism, raise immune function, strengthen the function of the cardiac muscle, stimulate vitality, eliminate fatigue, alleviate pain and improve the quality of sleep.

It is reported that in Japan the principle of anion is being used to design a line of clothing and home products. Research shows that it can serve many kinds of health protection objectives including maintaining a relatively constant body temperature, absorbing moisture, preventing perspiration from soaking into the skin, and stimulating blood circulation, etc. The cations function is exactly opposite of this, therefore oftentimes it produces a detrimental effect on the body.

       Now let’s link this to the main topic. In the air, the most precious thing for the body is anion. The anion primarily enters the body through breathing absorption. The air that has passed through an air-conditioning filter, for the most part has depleted the anion and the body absorbs anion deficient air. This will necessarily become injurious. In today’s society, many people work for long periods of time in rooms with air-conditioning running inside the buildings. After a long time, they manifest exhaustion and fatigue, lack of vitality, irritation, restlessness, dizziness, headaches and sleeplessness, etc. This is the so-called ‘office syndrome’, ‘high rise syndrome’ and a chief reason for these problems lies right here.

The third problem triggered by air-conditioning has an exceptional impact on women. In a low temperature condition, the autonomic nervous system of women can be easily disrupted resulting in disorder and manifesting itself in the form of illness.

In addition, the water stored in air-conditioners has a temperature which is just suitable for the growth of all kinds of bacteria and this creates a latent source for disseminating illness.

We move on now to other appliances. Here in Silicon Valley, America’s world renowned high technology center is exemplified by the computer. Let’s talk about the problems of the computer.

       According to research, 40 Mmg of electro-magnetic field can impact the growth of an animal’s nerves. Moreover, the computer, television, cell phone, home appliances, office machinery, high tension electrical radiating cables etc. can all emit electro-magnetic waves which for many kinds of illnesses has a cause and effect relationship leading to the formation of cancer.

As far a computers are concerned, the coils and surrounding area behind the fluorescent screen of the computer produces a cycle which is 15-16Hz which most easily influences the level of vitality, the nervous system and also can trigger the ATP [adenosine triphosphate] to run off in large quantities. What exactly is ATP?

The body is composed of every kind of chemical element and among the mineral elements is calcium. Calcium maintains the body’s nerves, muscles, the skeleton, cell and capillary permeability as well as other necessary functions. The body needs it more than any other element. Because of this, modern day society provides an especially abundant assortment of calcium supplement products. Of course, too much calcium can also be injurious to health.

At this point it is necessary to explain that that when a sperm enters an egg, cell division will not occur until the ATP enters, and then cell division follows with ATP shouldering the responsibility for cell division all the way through. This then brings up an extremely important health issue. What problem is this?

It concerns miscarriages and congenital deformities of the fetus which have been influenced by electromagnetic wave interference by female computer users, a situation which leads to serious consequences.

It has also been reported that working in front of the computer continually for 5 hours radiates enough electromagnetic wave interference to possibly shorten one’s life by one day. I often see Silicon Valley engineers who once they sit down in front of the computer will stay there for 7 or 8 hours and sometimes over ten. This triggers a multitude of health problems, and most commonly seen are; fatigue, weakness, low stamina, head, shoulder and waist pain, loss of sleep, multiple dreams, depression and irritability. Moreover women engineers actually have many cases of miscarriage. However keep in mind that many Silicon Valley women engineers are also partial to delaying pregnancy until they are of older age and this too can lead to miscarriage relatively easily.

Now let’s take a look at the problems generated by photo-copy machines.

Dear Reader, if you’d like to know the details, then please read on to the next chapter.

Chat #28

Photo-copy Machines and Microwave Ovens

Cell Phones and all Kinds of Waves

In the last chapter, among the equipment factors, we discussed the influence of air-conditioning and computers upon health and their connection to the formation of cancer.

Now let’s take a look at the problem of photo-copy machines. This is related to the problem of the ozone. The ozone layer at high altitude absorbs and blocks too many ultra-violet rays from passing through and radiating down to earth.

However, if one day the ozone is circulating around in the space we live, this also not an enviable circumstance. When a photo-copy machine is used, the powerful voltage produced by it can turn the oxygen in the air into ozone. Why is the term in Chinese for ozone called such an unpleasant name; ‘stinky oxygen,’. Firstly, it is a kind of oxygen, and secondly has an odor similar to that of perspiration which causes people to feel revulsion. But even more important is the fact that ozone can lead to cellular changes, initiating cancer.

Therefore when you stand next to a photo-copy machine and get a whiff of offensive odor which smells like perspiration, you should exercise caution. Smelling it occasionally does not pose a problem, but on a regular basis, latent and undetected changes can occur.

In addition, both the photo-copy toner of fine, black, carbon powder, as well as the non-carbon component in the photo-copy paper have an abundance of polychlorinated biphenyl’s and formaldehyde both of which have concealed carcinogenic properties. Of course, the quantity is an extremely minute amount.

Now it is time to talk about the microwave oven.

Literally speaking, microwave sounds like some kind of extremely small wave length, and oven gives us a toasty, warm feeling. Together, they are actually close to the real meaning.

We know that so-called ‘radiation’ is energy emitted in wave or particle form. In particle form, ions are transformed into radiation, for example the x-ray which can do a great deal of damage to the human body. In wave form, non-ions transform into radiation as is the case with microwave ovens which use waves to produce thermal energy. The harm to the body is not great but still it still exists. Experiments show that when a microwave oven is running, despite the best efforts of designers to protect against the unexpected, there still can be a small quantity of radiation waves present at one foot range. Because of this, standing at at least two feet away from the microwave is a safe distance.

Let’s turn our attention to a problem everyone is aware of, the cell phone.

The electro-magnetic waves of the cell phone range from 900 to 18 million hertz, which is as high as the electro-magnetic waves in average home appliances. Especially at the moment of connection, the electro-magnetic field can reach 2000 milli-gaus and then afterwards come down to 10 to 60 milli-gaus.

While the cell phone is in use, the electro-magnetic waves press closest to the brain and because of this, it has the greatest influence on the brain. The structure of the human brain is extraordinarily precise and clever, it is not acceptable even for a minute, for electric current, microwaves or rays etc. to penetrate into the brain tissue.

Current medical research has taken initial steps toward bringing to light that electro-magnetic waves can possibly be linked to the formation of brain, breast and blood cancer. If one day the human body is exposed to electro-magnetic waves for several minutes, then perhaps the original factor of a 5% rate leading to cancer increases to approximately 95%.

The multiple effects of cell phones also may lead to the occurrence of symptoms including; headaches, dizziness, ear ringing, memory reduction, etc. Research also shows that the radiation waves that are emitted by the cell phone can cause a chicken’s embryonic growth to change shape. Because of this, pregnant women should be especially vigilant.

In sum, you are already well aware of the concepts concerning different types of equipment and the terms microwave, electro-magnetic waves and radiation all can be subsumed under the main term radiation. Radiating and emitting radiation are two terms for the same thing.

What exactly is radiation? It is a kind of energy that is able to penetrate through the air. This kind of energy is called radiant energy and it is able to manifest itself in two different forms; waves and particles.

In wave form, emission of radiant energy is primarily through electro-magnetic waves. Electro-magnetic waves, according to wave length, increase progressively in different sequences. They are differentiated as gamma rays, x-rays, ultra-violet rays or UV light, visible light, infrared rays or radiant heat and microwaves, etc.

Dear Reader, if you’d like to go a step further in grasping the details, please read on to the next chapter.

Chat #29

Electro-magnetic Waves and Radioactive Waves

Atomic Bomb and Particle Energy

In the last chapter, we discussed the photo-copy machine, microwave oven and cell phone etc. among the equipment factors, and their influence on human health and their relationship to the formation of cancer. Lastly, we will proceed to briefly consolidate our introduction on the concept of radiation.

This chapter will focus on the concept of radiation. We already know that radioactive energy manifests itself in two kinds of form; waves and particles. We have already introduced the concept of waves. Now we will take a look at the effects of wave radiation on the human body.

Wave radiation was previously discussed in regard to the electro-magnetic radiation of the computer, microwave oven and cell phone, etc. which all emit a definitive quantity of electro-magnetic waves. In fact, all kinds of electrical appliances, home appliances as well as high tension wires can all be a source for emitting electro-magnetic waves. Research shows that when the electro-magnetic waves in an environment reaches 2 milli-gaus, it is sufficient to change human cells, especially the electric charge on the surface of blood cells, spurring on the cells to suddenly change into cancer.

In addition, according to a U.S. research finding, it was discovered that electro-magnetic waves influenced computer users the most, with nerve pathology reaching 78.3%, cataracts reaching 38%, occurrence of deformities calculated at 24.4%, infertility at 21.8%, and brain tumors at 12% .An Australian report points out that the electro-magnetic waves emitted by the computer, television and video games, for children under seventeen influences the formation of leukemia reaching as high as 85%. Research also reveals that electro-magnetic radiation has a definite relationship to dementia, osteoporosis and bone fractures in older people. Electro-magnetic waves also attack the cerebellum system, leading to juvenile autism. When the human body is exposed to an electro-magnetic field for a long period of time, it can also trigger an increase in fat and obesity., Due to hardening of the arteries, heart and brain blood vessel disease can occur.

In addition, people who live within 30 meters of high tension wires, have an occurrence rate two or three times higher than the average person for brain tumors, leukemia, and breast cancer. For people who work in power plants, the occurrence rate of brain tumors is also higher than the average person by two or three times. Moreover, some people have taken notice that the use of electric blankets can also increase the occurrence rate of leukemia.

Within the body, one’s own anti-cancer mechanism has a substance called melatonin. Looking from the results of animal experiments, electro-magnetic wave radiation can lead to a reduction of secretion of melatonin, and consequently can cause the body’s anti-cancer defense capability to drop.

In electro-magnetic wave radiation, there is also a kind of commonly seen ray which can produce a very serious impact on the body, that is the X-ray which everyone is familiar with, also called radioactive rays.

We know that the longer the wavelength, the longer the ray, the slower the speed and the weaker the penetrability. For example, if we look at sun rays, although they shine down on the body for a long period of time, yet the body only feels a sense of deep warmth.

In comparison, X-ray, gamma ray and other radioactive rays, have extremely high velocity and powerful penetrability, which when shining down for a long time will certainly injure the skin and with continued exposure will injure internal organs as well.

We often hear that among cancer therapies, there is one called radiation therapy, Radiation therapy, also called electrotherapy, uses radiation as a method of treatment. Regardless of which name we use, its principle is to use waves of varying lengths or high speed radioactive waves to penetrate into the body. After the body’s tissue absorbs the radioactive waves, it then turns into thermal energy. It is as if the body received a dose of extremely high speed, concentrated and powerful sunlight which then caused the malignant tissue to burn to death. Later on, we will analyze this specialized topic and deal with concrete situations.

Since the radioactive waves have such a powerful efficacy, it isn’t difficult to imagine that if X-ray is present in our lives, it then has the potential to injure the body. I believe that everyone is aware that going to the hospital for frequent X-rays can be harmful to the body. From the point of view of the doctor, examples of injury from X-ray are too numerous to mention. Some surgeons are often below the X-ray photo scope as the patient goes through their procedure and as a result in the end their own hand is actually scalded joint by joint. Moreover, there are numerous radiologists or radiology technicians, because of too long a contact with radiation contract leukemia, etc. It can be said that when X-ray shoots into any location in the body, it will create injury there. Because of this, today’s hospital radiologists and related factories are all actively making constant improvements in equipment and using thick lead plates as a rigorous separation safeguard step.

However, sometimes it is a defense that cannot be maintained. As previously explained, we can analyze the radioactive matter which early on has already entered deeply through the color television, the electron micro-wave oven, nuclear energy power plant, radar, etc. becoming part of our surrounding environment and even our daily home life.

Let’s now turn to energy emitted in particle form. These kinds of energy include; alpha particles, beta particles, electrons, protons, neutrons and pi mesons, etc.

In 1945, during World War II, in order to hasten victory the U.S. dropped two bombs on Japan’s Nagasaki and Hiroshima. The radiation emitted by the bombs were chiefly gamma rays and neutrons. Starting from six months after the war, among the survivors, some contracted leukemia and continually for over ten years after this, leukemia and bone cancer rate increased non-stop.

In 1954, in an unspecified location, the U.S. carried out a one time experimental bomb explosion. Dear Reader, to hear more about the outcome, please read on to the analysis in the next chapter.

Chat #30

Basement Radon Leads to Cancer

Three Internal Environmental Factors

In the last chapter, we discussed the concept of radiation and its influence on the health of the human body and the formation of cancer. This chapter will continue to look at the serious after effects of atomic bomb radiation.

       It is said that the U.S. experimental bomb testing of 1954 had a successful outcome. However, at the time there was a big gust of wind, so fierce that unexpectedly it blew the radioactive fallout after the explosion to the Marshall Islands in the Western Pacific Ocean. Later on, the number of cancer cases among children on the island continued to climb, and the final count revealed that of children over ten years old, almost half were stricken with thyroid cancer. A research investigation revealed that after the bomb split, it produced radioactive iodine which led to this outcome.

This kind of example is one of many.

       For the moment we won’t pursue this kind of monumental example of the atomic bomb, and will switch to examples which might touch our lives more closely. In Silicon Valley, there are a multitude of computer companies which in the early stages of company formation, relied on borrowing a car garage or a basement as a temporary office space. There are also computer companies or sections of companies, where the office environment is a basement or a half-basement year round. The radon content in a basement is very high and has a definite correlation with the occurrence of lung cancer. The reason for this is that the natural radon emitted by disintegrating uranium in sandy soil and rocks, in the form of radioactive gas, can lead to lung cancer after it is absorbed by the human body. Moreover, people who live above two thousand meters high, or fly in airplanes over ten thousand meters high, will receive a comparatively high dose of universe radiation in their body, and this can increase the possible incidence of brain tumors and kidney cancer for the airline crew. The occurrence rate of breast cancer among stewardesses is over two times higher than the average person.

In daily life, there are also many kinds of equipment which can influence the formation of cancer. High energy sound waves can lead to a reduction of the body’s immunity. We might immediately associate this type of example with ear-splitting sounds. In addition, high vibration waves from electric saws or electric drills when used regularly can also increase the risk for contracting cancer.

       Dear Reader, we have already discussed the five major external environmental factors of air, sunlight, water properties, geography and equipment. Now let’s begin to examine the internal environmental factors including; body constitution, genes and chronic illnesses, etc.

Let’s look at the body constitution factor. Speaking concretely, the body constitution factor includes strength or weakness, fatness or thinness, body shape and blood type as well as other factors. Below we will look at them separately.

First consideration is the strength or weakness of the body constitution. Chinese medicine considers the internal sections of the body as the five organs; heart, liver, spleen, lungs and kidneys. The external section of the body as having; ‘five forms’; skin and hair, muscle, large and small blood vessels, tendons and skeleton.

Speaking concretely, the five forms mutually correspond to the five organs and from this they become one complete entity. For example, the lungs govern skin and hair and so the skin and hair function is controlled by the lungs; the spleen governs muscles and muscular function is controlled by the spleen; the heart governs the blood vessels and the blood vessel function is controlled by the heart; the liver governs the network of tendons and the network of tendon function is controlled by the liver; the kidneys govern the skeleton and the skeleton’s function is controlled by the kidneys.

If the body constitution is strong then both aspects of internal organs and external form will be strong. As for external form, the skin will be moist and glossy, the muscles will be abundant, tendon elasticity will be strong, blood vessels will be plentiful, the skeleton will be thick and big. As for internal organs, the five organs will be robust, the six viscera will be substantial and the vital force of qi and blood will be vigorous. The body will be strong both inside and out with powerful resistance to disease, making it difficult to get sick. If illness should come, it will be easy to recover with a comparatively good prognosis.

If the body constitution is weak, this affects both the internal organs and external form, and both aspects will be frail. As for external form, the skin will be dry and parched, the muscles will be slim, the tendons will be without strength, the blood vessels insufficient, and the skeleton diminutive. As for the internal organs, the five organs will be weak, the six viscera will be insufficient, the vital force of qi and blood will be debilitated. Both inside and outside of the body will be frail, and resistance to disease will be low, making it easy to contract illness and difficult to recover, with a relatively poor prognosis.

Second consideration is the thinness or fatness of the body constitution. In the world of Chinese medicine, there is a popular saying: ‘Fat people have an abundance of humid phlegm, thin people have an abundance of hollow fire.’ What does this mean?

Fat means obese with the concrete special characteristics of; a spherically shaped head, a short and thick neck, broad and even shoulders, wide, short and round chest, a big and full abdomen, wide and round buttocks, and perfectly round limbs. According to eating patterns, obesity can be divided into two kinds. The first type of obese people are able eat until their shape is full of abundance; the second type are obese people who eat little and their shape is composed of hollow qi. From the point of view of Western medicine, obesity is the accumulation of fat, but from the point of view of Chinese medicine, the color of fat is white and murky, its form is like that of coughed up phlegm, therefore Chinese medicine traces the internal reason back to a knot of accumulated phlegm. This is the so-called; ‘Fat people have an abundance of humid phlegm.’

       Thin means emaciated with the concrete special characteristics of; long shaped head, slender and long neck, narrow and contracted shoulders, narrow, long and flat chest, thin and sunken abdomen, a long and thin body. Thinness can be divided into two kinds; those who have a thin shape and eat a large quantity due to the fire in the spleen and stomach; and those who have a thin shape and eat very little, because their vital force qi is hollow and weak. Emaciated people have a thin shape and small quantity of blood. Chinese medicine refers to blood as belonging to yin. Yin’s corresponding aspect is yang. When the yin blood is insufficient, then, correspondingly, the yang qi is then clearly moving forward non-stop. Yang is like the sun, it belongs to fire and controls heat, therefore emaciated people easily fall prey to dry, parched skin, dry eyes, dry cough, swelling and pain around the teeth, explosive temperament etc. The phenomenon of ‘hollow fire’ is summed up as: ‘Thin people have an abundance of hollow fire’.

Dear Reader, we have finished our discussion of the strength and weaknesses of the body constitution as well as the problem of obesity and emaciation. Once again, I would like to announce another great discovery of Chinese medicine, the link between body shape and the Five Elements through which we can differentiate people; wood, fire, earth, metal, water.

If you’d like to follow the clues, then please read on to the analysis in the next chapter.