Physician's Odyssey Chapter 497 - TCM’s Yin and Yang

Su Tao had pointed out that Kohei Koizumi was under the nourishment of medication and did not disclose the latter's condition since it wasn't appropriate under this sort of venue.
After all, for someone like Kohei Koizumi, his condition was his privacy, and it was a secret that must be kept well.
At the same time, he had worded his sentence well. He said nourishment, and not recuperating. It was a hint to Kohei Koizumi that he had seen through the latter's condition, and at the same time, keeping it a secret from others.
As Kohei Koizumi's face changed, he smiled before he changed the topic, "Asaka, why aren't you toasting with your fellow colleague from the same industry?"
Nodding her head, Asaka Ochi turned to look at Su Tao with a sweet smile. "Mr. Su, here's my toast to you!"
As Su Tao bumped cups with her, he sneaked a glance at her and sighed.
From Kohei Koizumi's complexion and breathing, he could tell that the former was gravely ill. If treatment wasn't conducted in time, then Asaka Ochi would be a widow within a few years.
At this moment, he even had a sinister thought that Asaka Ochi might be aiming for that. After all, if Kohei Koizumi passes away, she would definitely be able to get quite a lot of his fortune.
Because of Su Tao's participation, the atmosphere was more harmonious.
Since Asaka Ochi wanted to test Su Tao, she smiled and asked, "Mr. Su, I wonder what's your take on the saying of TCM's Yin and Yang?"
Seeing that everyone was anticipating his reply, he said, "TCM's Yin and Yang is the same as the Yin and Yang by Daoist Schools.
"Sky as Yang, and earth as Yin. In the eyes of the ancients, the sky is the purest without any impurity. At the same time, it also bears great power like storm and rain; it's the embodiment of power. On the other hand, the earth is always silent, with thick mud and sturdy mountains. Thus, Yang represents pure power, while Yin represents matter.
"In TCM, Yin and Yang are also the same. Yang represents energy, while Yin represents matter. For example, kids generally have the Pure Yang Physique since they tend to sweat, nose bleed, and active. On the other hand, the elderly are considered to have a Vigorous Yin Physique as the energy in their body is exhausting. As Yin accumulates in their bodies, they're also vulnerable to illnesses."
Hearing those words, Asaka Ochi's eyes lit up in astonishment. "Your explanation is really refreshing. May I ask how one can seek a balance in Yin and Yang for longevity?"
As Su Tao looked around, he noticed that everyone was paying attention to this topic since it concerned life and death.
"In the opening of the Emperor's Internal Canon, it mentioned something about grasping a hold of the heavens and earth will be the same as grasping hold of Yin and Yang to achieve longevity without end. It means that we can control our bodies and control the energies within our bodies to seek a balance by using medicine and your mind not to be disrupted by the outside world to maintain the trend of longevity."
"What do you mean by mind?" Asaka Ochi was perplexed.
It's not something that could be easily explained, to which Su Tao smiled. "Daoists call it consolidating and uphold one's energy, while Buddhism calls it Zen. To put it simply, it is to meditate and relax your mind, but it's not easy for everyone to achieve that realm. For common folks, men just have to achieve not having too many troubles, and women not having too many worries."
Although Kohei Koizumi couldn't understand it fully, he suddenly clapped his hands together. "What a nice 'not having too many troubles for men, and not having too many worries for women.' Mr. Su, you have a deep insight into TCM despite your young age."
"It's too challenging to achieve Zen, and it's not something that can be accomplished by everyone. It's a realm that only saints can achieve. For us, we just have to maintain the metabolic pattern in our bodies.
"There's a common saying, the first to eat nine portions will be the first to leave. It's not actually referring to food, but it means that having a terrible eating habit will put a heavy load on your organs, and too much food can stimulate the exhaustion of energy in the body. In severe cases, it might even cause harm to the liver, kidney, heart, and brain.
"So for TCM, the method for maintaining good health is to conserve food as spoken by Sun Simiao in the Prescription of Thousand Gold, meaning that it's sufficient just to quench the hunger when eating. It means not to excessively take food in as it will lead to a condition of lacking Yang and thriving Yin. When the Yang energy in the body is completely exhausted, the Yin will settle down in the organs and vessels, resulting in illnesses such as diabetes and thrombosis. If your Yin and Yang aren't balanced, then you wouldn't be far from death." Su Tao smiled.
Putting it in a nutshell, the meaning behind Su Tao's words was that the majority of the illnesses originated from food since it's the primary source of energy for the body.
So if someone wanted to maintain good health, then they would have to start from their food. This was the secret to longevity, and this was also the reason why places that believe in TCM like Japan, nutritionist was a popular career. But everyone's physique was different, so there wasn't a standard method to ensure longevity for everyone.
"Now I've regretted bringing you here." Ni Jingqiu smiled.
"Why?" Su Tao asked in perplexion.
"I'm hosting a meal here to receive my guests, so I naturally hope for my guests to eat more. Yet, here you are telling them not to eat. Aren't you pulling the rug from my feet?" Ni Jingqiu explained.
Bursting into laughter, Kohei Koizumi replied, "Chairman Ni, don't think of it that way. Mr. Su has his reason for nurturing health, but that doesn't necessarily mean that we will adopt it."
"Now I'm relieved, then!" Ni Jingqiu raised her cup to Kohei Koizumi.
All of a sudden, Asaka Ochi suggested, "Mr. Su, TCM's diagnosis emphasises on Inspection, Listening & Smelling, Inquiring, and Pulse. I wonder if you can show a thing or two to us?"
Turning to look at Ni Jingqiu, Su Tao smiled. "Then, you will have to ask the host here!"
"Since Mrs. Ochi has already spoken, then why don't you display a thing or two? But I have to warn you not to get them too fast!" Ni Jingqiu immediately replied.
Su Tao nodded his head. Ni Jingqiu has been treating him pretty well, so there's no harm helping her.
"Then, I'll show a thing or two. But I have a request, I will only look at everyone aside from Mr. Koizumi and Mrs. Ochi."
Hearing those words, Asaka Ochi was stunned before she secretly peeked at her husband, which she noticed that her husband had also frowned a little.
"Then, please take a look at Mr. Watanabe here beside me!" Asaka Ochi smiled.
That man was sitting to the right of Su Tao with two people sitting between them. Mr. Watanabe's complexion wasn't normal due to the alcohol, but Su Tao still examined the latter's complexion.
After a few seconds later, Su Tao said, "If I've guessed correctly, Mr. Watanabe must have some issue with your hand. It should be a fracture you suffered as a kid that has left a repercussion behind."
Instantly, a shocked gaze zapped through Mr. Watanabe's eyes as he sighed, "Sugoi! I often fractured my right hand when I was young and played baseball, and my family circumstances weren't good back then, so I've only endured it. But now, it aches on rainy days! May I ask how did you manage to notice it?"
"Your condition is called bone gangrene in TCM, and chronic osteomyelitis in western medicine term.
"Dried skin, skinny structure, yellowish complexion, the lack of Yang energy in your spleen, and anemia. These are some of the symptoms of bone gangrene.
"Your wrist is reddened, and your right arm is thinner than your left. Since this is a chronic illness, it won't break out often.
"Furthermore, I've noticed that you held your chopsticks in a different posture from everyone else, and your pinky tends to tremble a little. Moreover, you will also frown your brows by habit, so I speculated that this illness must have tortured you for at least a year and formed into a conditioned reflex. Adding my full analysis, I determined that you must be suffering from bone gangrene." Su Tao smiled.
As Mr. Watanabe praised, he emotionally said, "My wrist has been feeling uncomfortable. But since it doesn't hurt most of the time, I do not pay much attention to it."
"You've not suffered a breakout. The moment it flares up, necrosis will take place." Su Tao patiently explained. But since they're having a meal, he did not go into a description. Putting it in a nutshell, it would be disgusting and even give off an odor.
"Is there a treatment for it?" Mr. Watanabe anxiously asked.
After taking out a bottle of ointment from his medical box, Su Tao handed it over to Mr. Watanabe and instructed, "Dissolve this medicine into water and apply it. You will recover in a month."
"Thank you, Mr. Su Tao!" Mr. Watanabe thanked.
Seeing Mr. Watanabe's sincerity, the other guests no longer doubted Su Tao's medical skills and started asking for themselves.
As Su Tao replied to them, he did not go as deep into his explanation as what he did with Mr. Watanabe and only told them about the causes.
After all, this was a meal and not an open consultation. If he spoke too much, it would definitely affect the mood and ruin the atmosphere here.
However, that alone had left all the guests from Japan in admiration as they praised China's TCM.
Another hour passed when the meal finally came to an end with a few guests asking for Su Tao's contact details to pay him a visit at a late date. Standing to the side, Ni Jingqiu smiled as she watched. Evidently, she did not expect that there would be such a bizarre butterfly effect by having Su Tao join this meal.
"It's truly surprising. You've been overshadowed by Mr. Su today." Kohei Koizumi smiled.
However, Ni Jingqiu swiftly reacted and replied, "Mr. Koizumi, I actually did this for a reason. My Newlight Media will be investing in Su Tao's business in the future. We focus on China's cultural market, and TCM is also part of China's culture."
"Oh?" Splendor flickered across Kohei Koizumi's eyes as he continued, "If that's the case, then I hope to see this part emphasised in the proposal."
After they bid their farewells, Mr. Koizumi and his wife entered the vehicle.
Closing his eyes, Kohei Koizumi asked, "Why did Su Tao refuse to take a look at my condition?"
"That's what I'm also curious about!" Asaka Ochi replied.
Suddenly, Kohei Koizumi opened his eyes and wondered, "Can it be that he has seen through the severity of my condition and doesn't want to take a look at me?"
Holding onto Kohei Koizumi's wrinkled hand, Asaka Ochi comforted, "We will definitely be able to find a divine physician that can treat you on this trip to China, you don't have to be too worried."
"For a young physician to exhibit such talents. I hope that the Wang Family is as miraculous as they're rumored to be!" Kohei Koizumi sighed.