Western Medicine

Atherosclerosis, a form of arteriosclerosis is a condition where fatty deposits made up of cholesterol, other blood fats and calcium build up on the inner walls of the oxygen carrying blood vessels called arteries. This commonly happens in medium sized to large arteries and begins as early as the teen years or even during childhood in some people.

How it develops:
It is not entirely clear how this process happens. Current medical thinking is a small injury or irritation on the artery wall, caused by raised blood pressure, high fat levels and/or tobacco smoke attracts fats, cholesterol, calcium, cellular debris, fibrin, platelets, and other material circulating in the bloodstream to form a plug over the injury site. This then stimulates the artery wall to do some 'protective" thickening of its own, accumulating cells in the irritated area. This clump of cells attracts more fat and forms connective tissue between the cells. This is also known as plaque formation. The result is a hardened, thickened artery wall, which narrows the section through which blood must flow. If the area gets too thick, very little blood can flow through the artery. The narrowing also means any small blood clots in the blood stream can get stuck there and block the artery altogether. When this happens, the body tissues, muscles or organs depending on that artery for their oxygen supply may be damaged or even die.

Click here to look at figure 1.

If the artery supplies the heart, chest pain, a heart attack or even sudden death may result. If it happens in the brain, a stroke may occur. If the blockage is in the arteries leading to the kidneys, the kidneys may fail to work. A blockage in the legs can lead to pain in the calves when walking or running which goes away when the exercise stops.

The damage to the artery wall can also lead to softening and weakening of the wall structure, especially in the aorta (the large, powerful, artery leading from the heart to the rest of the body). As part of the artery gets wider and weaker (a condition known a an aneurysm), the weakness in the wall can lead it to burst suddenly. Sometimes a part of the plaque breaks off and travels up the artery until it gets stuck in a smaller vessel, blocking the blood flow there. This is known as an embolus and can lead to strokes, heart attacks and damage to any organ of the body.

Chinese Medicine

Atherosclerosis of the heart, better known as coronary heart disease, is classified in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) as chest pain syndrome. It is characterized by pain in the chest, which may progress towards the back. Patients can also have shortness of breath, especially when lying flat. Symptoms of heart atherosclerosis have been mentioned in ancient medical texts as far back as the Han Dynasty (206BC-220AD). The famous medical work, Huang Di Nei Jing included a detailed description of this disease, saying, "Patients with chest pain syndrome may have pain inside the chest, fullness and distention in the lower chest, pain in the back of the shoulder as well as pain in the upper arm." Another example of early writing on this subject is the description in the Synopsis of the Golden Chamber written by the famous Chinese medical doctor Zhang Zhong Jing who was also from the Han Dynasty. He wrote, "Chest pain syndrome usually presents as wheezing and cough, pain in the back of the shoulder and shortness of breath. The pulse at the first position will be slow and sinking while the pulse at the second position will appear rapid with slight tightness. In this case, Gualou Shebai Decoction ( Melon pedicel and Longstamen onion bulb ) should be used." Since then, other works dealing with the symptoms, diagnosis and different treatments for atherosclerosis have been written at different times.

Different positions for feeling the pulse in TCM

Western Medicine

Atherosclerosis is a normal result of wear and tear to the blood vessels, but some conditions make it develop much more quickly and make it much more severe. These are:

	Smoking
	High blood pressure
	Diabetes
	Obesity
	High blood cholesterol levels
	Hyperlipidosis: A genetic condition where people have abnormally high blood cholesterol and/or high blood fat levels.
	A high fat die
	Lack of exercise

 

Chinese Medicine

According to TCM theory, chest pain syndrome has the following causes:

1. Weakened health due to aging
According to TCM theory, elderly people gradually suffer a decline in kidney qi, resulting in different health problems. Declining kidney functions may be manifested as kidney yin deficiency and/or kidney yang deficiency. A deficiency in kidney yang can lead to yang deficiencies of the five yin organs (liver, heart, spleen, lungs , and kidneys), which means that the functional aspects of these organs will have insufficient support. As a result, heart yang becomes deficient and fails to perform normal functions. On the other hand, if kidney yin becomes deficient, there will be insufficient yin nourishment of the five yin organs leading to heart yin deficiency. (In western terms, heart yang may actually be understood as the pumping action of the heart and is related to the sympathetic nervous system's excitatory influence on the circulatory system. Heart yin, on the other hand, may be understood as metabolic nourishment of the heart. It is related to the parasympathetic nervous system's inhibitory influences.) Deficiency of both heart yin and yang will ultimately lead to poor circulation of qi and blood in the body, since the heart is responsible for "ruling" the blood. Consequently, qi will become too stagnant to "push" the blood around the body, and blood stasis (a condition where the blood is unable to flow smoothly) will occur. Blockage of the blood vessels in the heart and meridians can then lead to chest pain. In western terms, this is known as angina.

2. Improper diet
If our diet contains too much fatty and greasy food, digestion will be harmed. In TCM, it is said to affect the spleen harmony. As a result, the spleen cannot transform food and liquids into a nutritive essence used for qi and blood formation and then transport this essence throughout the body. The untransformed fluids and food start to accumulate and gradually form into an unhealthy dampness called "phlegm." Phlegm dampness is one of the pernicious evils that has viscous (sticky) and stagnant properties. Therefore, it blocks the vessels and inhibits the flow of qi and blood, which in turn leads to chest pain. The relationship between a person's diet and chest pain in TCM is very important. This thinking is similar to the western medical view that eating too much cholesterol and fat is a factor in the development of atherosclerosis.

3. Emotional disorder
As already discussed, unhealthy phlegm dampness will lead to stagnation of qi and blood, which is considered a main cause of chest pain. Sometimes, emotional disorders lead to the formation of phlegm dampness. For example, "thinking too much", (earth element of the five emotions), will harm the spleen (earth element of the five organs). Without healthy transformation of the spleen dampness will accumulate. Anger (wood element of the five emotions) also affects the liver (wood element of the five organs). As a result, the liver can lose its spreading properties and fail to maintain the smooth flow of qi. The constrained liver qi will finally form into liver fire. It burns the body fluids and turns them into viscous (sticky) and unhealthy phlegm, which leads to chest pain.

4. Attack of coldness evils
In TCM, "coldness" is associated with increased viscosity (stickiness) and stagnant properties. An example of this is oil which becomes viscous and does not pour easily when it is cold. As coldness belongs to yin, its influence will inhibit heart yang. Without sufficient heart yang, the heart cannot "rule" the blood properly. Therefore, heart vessels and meridians become blocked, and chest pain results.

Western Medicine

The symptoms of atherosclerosis vary depending on where the blockage is. Many people have atherosclerosis without ever experiencing symptoms because the condition has not become severe enough to block any of their blood vessels.

If you are a smoker, are overweight, have diabetes, high blood pressure and/or have family members known to have high cholesterol or high blood fat levels you are at high risk of developing atherosclerosis.

The most commonly blocked vessels are the coronary arteries supplying oxygen to the heart, (a condition often known as coronary heart disease); the carotid arteries and the vertebro-basilar arterial systems which supply oxygenated blood to the brain; the brachial artery supplying oxygen to the arms; and the femoral, popliteal and tibeal arteries of the leg.

If the blockage is in the heart arteries, symptoms include:

	Pain: a crushing pain felt in the centre and left side of the chest, sometimes in the jaw and running down the left arm, known as angina.
	Breathlessness
	Fatigue
	Depression or anxious feeling
	Collapse/loss of consciousness/blackouts
	Sudden death (In women, coronary artery disease can be symptomless.)
	Pain that is sometimes mistaken for bad indigestion

If the blockage is in the arteries leading to the brain, symptoms include:

	Strokes-a sudden loss of brain function often experienced as sudden weakness down one side of the body, confusion, loss of consciousness and loss of the ability to speak.
	Transient Ischaemic Attacks (TIA's) or 'mini-strokes, where the patient has symptoms of a stroke but recovers within days or even hours.
	Blackouts
	Dizziness

If the blockage is in the leg arteries, symptoms include:

	Calf pain felt on walking or running that stops when walking or running does. This condition is called claudication.
	Cold legs and feet
	Pale, dry skin on the legs and feet
	Ulcers on the feet and lower legs that look punched out by a hole puncher.
	Black toes.

If the blockage is in the arteries supplying the arms, symptoms may include:

	Dizziness or even blackouts when raising the arms to do things like hanging out the washing.
	Numbness and tingling in the hands
	Pale or purple hands and fingers

Chinese Medicine

In TCM, the symptoms of chest pain syndrome depend on the disharmony patterns.

1. Blockage of heart vessels due to a blood stasis pattern
When qi becomes stagnant and blood stasis occurs, the patient feels sharp pain in the chest that stays in one spot because the blood is unable to circulate. (It should be noted that since blood stasis belongs to excessive evils, the pain is sharp. If the problem is due to deficiency, the pain is dull.) . Being classified as a yin evil, blood stasis will cause problems in yin environments, especially nighttime. Therefore, people with this problem usually feel more pain at night. On examination, the tongue appears dull and purple, and the pulse feels choppy and sinking, both of which are signs of blood stasis.

2. Blockage due to a phlegm dampness pattern
An accumulation of unhealthy phlegm dampness constrains the heart yang, making the patient feel an obstructing pain in the chest. As the nearby heart meridian is blocked by the dampness, the pain progresses to the back of the shoulder. Since phlegm dampness is related to disharmony of the spleen, and the spleen rules the four limbs, individuals with this pattern may feel tired and have a heavy feeling in their limbs. They will also have a cough and shortness of breath. On examination, the tongue coating looks greasy and turbid, and the pulse feels smooth.

3. Deficiency of both qi and yin
Qi is essential for pushing or circulating blood throughout the body. Yin properties are closely associated with blood. If qi and yin are deficient, blood flow will be slowed, leading to blood stasis. As a result, these patients experience paroxysmal (sharp, spasmodic) pain, which occurs from time to time. Insufficient yin nourishment of the heart causes it to beat faster and palpitations to occur. The yin deficiency can also result in a relative excess of yang or illusionary yang, which is not a true yang excess because it is caused initially by yin deficiency symptoms. The relative yang excess rises to the head, leading to dizziness and blurred vision. Patients may look pale and fatigued and have difficulty speaking. Shortness of breath due to qi deficiency can also be present. On examination, the tongue appears red with teeth marks, and the pulse feels weak.

4. Deficiency of heart yang
Deficiency of heart yang causes disharmony of qi and blood flow and presents with symptoms of dull chest pain and shortness of breath. If the condition is severe, the pain may even spread to the entire back. Without sufficient heart yang, palpitations and spontaneous sweating will occur since sweat is thought to be the "fluid of the heart". The pain is usually projected to regions along the heart meridian and progresses to the inner side of the upper arm and the armpit. On examination, the tongue looks pale, and the pulse feels frail, sinking and weak.

5. Obstruction of heart yang
Obstruction of heart yang is usually triggered by an attack of cold evils. As a result of the cold attack, the yang qi movement cannot flow smoothly and becomes obstructed, causing pain in the chest. In severe cases, the pain radiates to the whole back and progresses along the heart meridian, affecting the inner side of the upper arm and armpit. After each episode, spontaneous sweating usually occurs. On examination, the tongue has a white coating, and the pulse is sinking and weak. Sometimes it may feel slow.

6. Deficiency of kidney yang
A person with kidney yang deficiency will have cold limbs, an aversion to cold and suffer from loin (waist) pain A kidney deficiency often causes fatigue and frequent urination. As discussed before in the 'Causes' section, a kidney yang deficiency can lead to a deficiency of heart yang, which in turn, results in chest pain.

Western Medicine

The diagnosis of atherosclerotic disease is based on assessing symptoms of the condition (see symptoms) and looking for physical signs of the condition, coupled with specific investigations. A positive family history of early death from heart attacks or strokes and or/a history of high blood fat levels in close relatives makes you more likely to suffer from atherosclerosis. Risk factors such as diabetes, smoking, high blood pressure and obesity will also alert your doctor to the possibility you may have atherosclerosis.

Signs of atherosclerosis:
When examining a patient suspected of having atherosclerosis, the doctor feels the pulses in the arms, legs and neck and listens to them for a "bruit". This sounds like water roaring over rocks when listened to with a stethoscope. It is made by turbulence caused as the blood tries to flow past the narrowing caused by the plaque on the artery wall.

The doctor also looks for pale, cold feet, absence of pulses, leg ulcers, black toes and signs of gangrene caused by death of the tissues deprived of oxygen.

Listening to the heart may reveal extra beats, abnormal beating rhythms or even a "murmur" if the heart valves have been damaged by previous undetected heart attacks.

In the abdomen, a doctor may find a wide pulse caused by a widened aorta or even a large, pulsating mass if the aorta has developed a large aneurysm.

Investigations:

An electrocardiogram (ECG) of the heart may reveal signs of damage caused by lack of oxygen. An electrocardiogram done while the patient is exercising (usually walking on a treadmill) may show signs of poor oxygen supply to the heart muscle, which is called ischemia.

Ultrasound measures of blood flow, known as doppler studies can tell doctors how much blood is getting through the affected arteries and how thick the walls have grown. These are often used when deciding how severe the disease is in the carotid, aorta and leg and arm arteries.

An echocardiogram-an ultrasound of the heart also looks at blood flow and the thickness of vessel walls in the heart.

Xrays performed after injecting dye into the arteries will reveal blockages in the artery systems under investigation.

The most informative investigation for atherosclerosis in the heart is a cardiac catheterization where a tube is threaded up into the heart arteries via the femoral artery in the groin. Dye is injected into the artery as the wire goes up revealing the location and extent of the atherosclerotic blockages. If the doctor performing this test finds blockages suitable for removal, he can remove them by pushing the wire past the blockage then inserting a smaller tube with a balloon at its tip. The doctor inflates the balloon and then pulls it back, flattening the fatty atherosclerotic plaque. Often a wall strengthening device, a tiny coil known as a stent, is then inserted to help keep the artery open. This procedure, known as angioplasty is now the most popular means of treating atherosclerotic heart disease, especially the milder forms.

Chinese Medicine

Based on four examination techniques, TCM practitioners will diagnosis osteoporosis according to its clinical symptoms and further characterize it by the disharmony patterns displayed by each individual. At various stages of disease, different disharmony patterns are present and individuals with the same disease will be treated differently depending on the type of disharmony pattern they have. Atherosclerosis usually classify into 6 type:

1. Blockage of heart vessels due to ae blood stasis pattern.

2. Blockage due to a phlegm dampness pattern

3. Deficiency of both qi and yin

4. Deficiency of heart yang

5. Obstruction of heart yang

6. Deficiency of kidney yang

Detailed descriptions of these have been given in the "symptoms" section.

According to TCM theory, individual with chest pain syndrome should be differentiated from either a fluid retention syndrome in the throat, stomach pain or emergency heart pain.
Fluid Retention Syndrome in the Thorax (Chest):
'Fluid retention syndrome in the thorax' is an accumulation of fluid dampness in the thorax. Its presentation is similar to chest pain syndrome. Both lead to chest pain, but fluid retention syndrome is usually associated with persistent distension of the lower chest region, which will be aggravated by coughing, spitting and breathing. Shortness of breath might also be present.
Stomach Pain:
Some forms of chest pain originate from the stomach area and can easily be confused with chest pain syndrome. However, stomach pain is usually associated with hiccupping, flatulence (gas) and regurgitation of stomach acid.
Emergency Heart Pain:
Emergency heart pain is a complication of chest pain syndrome. It is marked by persistent, severe heart pain. Patients look pale, have purple lips, cold limbs and sweat. The pulse is frail and weak. This is an emergency and must be treated immediately by trained medical staff, preferably in a hospital emergency room.
Note: If a TCM practitioner suspects there might be a serious problem that Chinese medicine alone cannot treat, he or she will recommend the individual to see a Western doctor for further follow-up.

Western Medicine

This is divided into medical measures and surgical measures.

Medical:
Treatment includes using drugs to reduce high blood pressure and high blood cholesterol levels and using drugs to help widen the arteries and improve blood flow to the heart. Other conditions causing the problem such as diabetes and smoking need to be treated and controlled first to prevent further progression of the atherosclerosis.

If damage has already occurred to the heart, muscles, tissues or brain, such as after a heart attack, stroke or blood clot to another area of the body, medications to aid the heart, improve brain function or dissolve the clot are given. Medications able to help prevent further clotting, such as aspirin, are also used routinely for these conditions.

Physiotherapy and massage are frequently used to improve blood circulation in the limbs.

Surgical:
Atherosclerosis in the coronary arteries is treated by either clearing the arteries with cardiac catheterization and angioplasty using either the balloon method (see investigations under the diagnosis section) or in some cases, a tiny burr drill is able to remove tough plaques containing a lot of calcium. Another method, used for more extensive disease is coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). This is a major surgical procedure where the chest is opened, the heart is stopped, and its functions taken over by a machine able to pump oxygenated blood around the body. The diseased arteries are removed and replaced by either an artery taken from the chest wall or sections of veins taken from the patient's leg.

Atherosclerotic disease in the arteries leading to the brain is treated by cutting open the blocked carotid artery and removing the plaque, a procedure known as carotid endarterectomy.

Atherosclerotic disease in the limbs is treated by cutting out the diseased artery sections and replacing them with artificial materials or by bypassing the damaged area and using an artificial graft. If the disease is too extensive, surgeons may end up amputating a foot, or even part of the leg. However, this treatment is a last resort and only done when the blood supply is so poor the toes or other parts of the limb are dead and developing gangrene.

Elsewhere in the body where atherosclerotic damage occurs, especially in the aorta, the largest and most powerful artery in the body, the damaged sections are replaced or strengthened with artificial material strong enough to withstand the massive pressure created by the heart as it tries to pump blood around the body.

Chinese Medicine

TCM treatments are syndrome basis, below are the usual clinical syndromes associated with atherosclerosis:

1. Obstruction of heart-blood

Therapeutic aims: activating the blood and removing the obstructions.

Sample of Prescription: (1) Dan Shen Drink (丹參飲)

dah shen	Red sage root
tan xiang	Sandalwood
sha ren	Fruit of Villous Amomum

In the prescription, red sage root specializes in activating the blood and removing the blood stasis, moreover, it can ease the pain that induced by the stasis. The sandalwood warms the middle burner and helps to regulate the qi circulation in the region. Villous Amomum fortifies the transforming and transporting functions, which help to dispel the qi stagnation in the middle burner. The three herbs interact and promote each other to resume the balance of the heart.

Sample of Prescription: (2) Decoction of Driving out Stasis in the Mansion of Blood (血府逐瘀湯)

dang gui	Chinese angelica root
chi shao	Red peony root
chuan xiong	Szechuan lovage
tao ren	Peach kernel
hong hua	Safflower flower
chai hu	Hare’s ear root
zhi qiao	Orange fruit

In the prescription, angelica, lovage, kernel and safflower flower specialized in activating the blood and removing stasis; hare’s ear regulates the liver functions, orange fruit enhances the qi circulation. The qi dominates the blood movement, as a result, the body’s blood circulation can be improved and cardiac pain is eased.

2. Obstruction of turbid phlegm
Therapeutic aim: dispelling the turbid phlegm.

Sample of prescription: Decoction of Melon pedicel, Longstamen onion bulb and Pinella tuber (瓜蔞薤白半夏湯加減).

Gua lou	Snakegourd fruit
Xie bai	Longstamen onion bulb
Ban xia	Pinella tuber

In the prescription, Snakegourd fruit dispels the phlegm stagnated in the chest, Pinella tuber dissolves the phlegm in the lung and smooth the lung’s qi flow, onion bulb has pungent and warm properties which enhance the yang to expel the turbid phlegm.

3. Deficiency of both qi and yin

Therapeutic aim: replenishing the qi, nourishing yin and activating the blood.
Sample of prescription: Decoction of Nourishment (生脈散合人參養營湯).

ren shen	Ginseng
huang qi	Milk-vetch root
bai shu	Large head atractylodes root
fu ling	Indian bread
gan cao	Liquorice root
mai dong	Dwarf Lily-turf
di huang	Rhemannia root
dang gui	Chinese angelica root
bai shao	White peony root
yuan zhi	Chinese senega
wu wai zi	Schisandra

In the prescription, ginseng, milkvetch root, atractylodes root, Indian bread and liquorice root tonify the spleen so as to ensure the source of the blood and qi. Lily-turf, rhemannia root, angelica and peony root nourish the blood. Senega and Schisandra tranquilize the spirit and invigorate the heart. In the case of severe chest pain, red sage root and noto-ginseng will be added to strength the potency.

4. Obstruction of heart yang

Therapetic aim: Resuming the flow of heart yang
Sample of prescription: Decoction of Melon pedicel & Longstamen onion bulb (瓜蔞薤白白酒湯加減).

gui zhi	Cassia twig
fu zi	Monkshood
gua lou	Snakegourd fruit
xie bai	Longstamen onion bulb
zhi shi	Trifoliate orange
dah shen	Red sage root
tan xiang	Sandalwood

In the prescription, the cassia twig, monkshood and onion bulb are pungent and warm in properties, which help to promote the yang and relief the obstructions. Snakegourd fruit and trifoliate orange expel the phlegm so as to smooth the qi flow. Sandalwood warms the middle burner and red sage root activates the blood and removes the blockage in the meridians.

5. Deficiency of kidney yang

Therapetic aim: Replenishing the qi and yin, activating the blood and meridians.
Sample of prescription: Modified Decoction of Ginseng and Monkshood plus You Gui Drink (參附湯合右歸飲加減).

ren shen	Ginseng
fu zi	Monkshood
gui zhi	Cassia twig
shu di	Processed rhemannia root
shan yu rou	Asiatic cornelian cherry fruit
gou qi chi	Chinese wolfberry fruit
du zhong	Eucommia bark

In the prescription, ginseng plays a major role in replenishing the qi which helps to recover the primordial qi greatly. The monkshood and cassia twig warm and tonify the true yang of the body. Rhemannia root, wolfberry fruit, cornelian cherry fruit and eucommia replenish the kidney essence, which is the material basis for all kinds of physiological functions. Thought different approaches to support the yang, the chest pain can be relieved.

When the heart yang is collapsed, which manifested with purplish complexion, limbs coldness, thready or fading pulse, extra dose for ginseng and monkshood can be added, or/and plus fossil bone (long gu) and oyster shell (mu li) to rescue the yang.

Western Medicine

Medical research done in the late eighties and nineties has shown that adopting the right lifestyle and eating the right diet can effectively prevent or at least slow the development of atherosclerotic disease.

DO EAT:

	Plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables, especially those rich in antioxidants, which are able to protect the artery walls from damage. Examples of these types of vegetables include the leafy green vegetables such as broccoli, pak choy, choy sum, spinach, red vegetables such as tomatoes and capsicums (peppers) and the 'yellow' vegetables such as carrots and squash.
	Oily fish
	Olive oil
	Soy beans and soy products
	Oat meal and other high fiber grains

DO DRINK:

	One to two glasses red wine per day (but no more).
	Green tea (It has a good anti-oxidant effect)

AVOID:

	Fat. Cutting back on the fats in your diet, especially the animal fats in red meat and poultry will lower your blood fat levels. You do need some fat for energy, essential vitamins and to build and maintain cells but your fat intake should be no more than 30 percent of your daily food intake. Many people recommend even lower levels. In western countries, such as the US and Australia, where high fat intakes have been linked to heart disease, fat forms as much as 40 percent of the daily diet.
	High cholesterol foods. Limiting the amount of prawns, shellfish and eggs you eat daily will help keep your cholesterol levels lower. (How much cholesterol should you have in your diet-depends on your age, physiology, exercise status, body fat levels, sex and liver function!) It is wise to have your blood cholesterol levels measured when you go for a routine medical check-up. "Normal" levels vary so talk to your healthcare provider about what is a healthy level for you.
	Excess salt. Cut back your salt intake. Too much salt can elevate your blood pressure. High blood pressure is one of the factors that starts the atherosclerotic process. How much salt you should have will depend on your underlying health conditions, so ask your healthcare provider to recommend how much salt you should take in an average day. Remember a lot of canned and processed foods contain salt, so you will have to read the nutrient labels carefully.

DO:

	Exercise regularly. Sustained exercising for more than 30 minutes per day-has been shown to protect against atherosclerotic disease. It does not have to be intense. Walking an hour, mowing the lawn or even manually cleaning the house is adequate moderate exercise from which your health can benefit.
	Stop smoking and avoid all secondhand smoke by insisting on smoke free offices, homes and restaurants.
	Lose weight if you are overweight. A good rule of thumb is to measure your waist and hips. If your waist measurement is greater than your hip measurement, you need to get rid of the fat on your abdomen to prevent atherosclerotic disease.

Chinese Medicine

TCM always stresses balance and harmony. Paying attention to the following points will help individuals maintain good cardiovascular health.

1. Healthy diet
According to TCM theory, the diet is closely related to spleen health, which in turn is essential for the transformation of food into qi and blood in the body. The accumulation of dampness from improper spleen function is the main cause of chest pain syndrome. Hence, it is extremely important to maintain a healthy diet and avoid fatty, greasy foods.

2. Exercise
Appropriate exercise helps promote qi and blood flow in the body. Their smooth circulation is essential to maintain cardiovascular health. However, individuals need to avoid over-exercising, as this can exhaust too much qi in our bodies. This is especially important for people who are deficient in qi or yang because over-exercising can trigger chest pain syndrome. It is a good idea to get the advice of your healthcare provider before starting an exercise regimen.

3. Emotional health
Proper relaxation and rest are also important for good cardiovascular health. Lack of relaxation and rest can lead to emotional disorders. In TCM, this is said to harm the health of the liver or spleen. The liver maintains the smooth flow of qi while the spleen is essential for transforming fluid and food. If disharmony occurs in these organs, the circulation of qi and blood will be affected which, in turn, causes blood stasis and finally leads to chest pain.

Western Medicine

Chinese Medicine