The Six Pernicious Evils

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TCM pays a lot more attention to the effects of weather and environmental

conditions on health than does Western medicine. Western medicine recognizes

that cold and dampness can aggravate arthritis, that cold can cause hypothermia

(too low body temperature) and frostbite, that heat can cause heat exhaustion

and heat stroke, and that changes in barometric pressure can cause tissues in

the body to swell in some people and can cause the " bends " in deep sea divers if

they try to surface too quickly.

 

TCM goes way beyond this with the concept of the Six Pernicious Evils. They are

Cold, Heat, Fire, Wind, Dryness, and Dampness.

 

These Pernicious Evils can be External (from the environment) or Internal

(created within the body). What I mean by this is that Cold attracking

Externally can trigger a lot of different health problems in susceptible

individuals (and not just frostbite or hypothermia), but that the body also can

create Cold internally (like in cases of Yang Deficiency where the body doesn't

have enough Yang energy to create warmth).

 

This holds true for Heat, Wind, Dryness, and Dampness. They can be in the

environment and trigger health problems in susceptible individuals, or they can

be created internally.

 

Fire is a special case. Any of the other Pernicious Evils can change into Fire,

including Cold. This is starting to get into it rather deeply, so all I want to

say at this point is that Hostile Fire is an extreme condition. When the common

cold (Wind Cold) transforms into pneumonia, the Chinese say that Wind Cold has

transformed into Hostile or Toxic Fire. Toxic Fire conditions are characterized

by burning sensations with pain. Note: Not all Fire is bad. The body needs Fire

in order to live. This Fire that the body needs is called " Friendly Fire " or the

" Fire of Life " .

 

Phlegm is a special case of Dampness. What the Chinese mean by Phlegm goes far

beyond the Western definition of phlegm or mucus. In TCM Phlegm is Dampness that

has stayed around too long and started to congeal. It can create all kinds of

health problems from the familiar post nasal drip and lung congestion (when

Phlegm forms in the Lung meridian and associated parts of the body) to psychosis

when it forms in the Heart and attacks Shen. Phlegm can be due to either Heat or

Cold in addition to the role that excess Dampness plays.

 

Why are some people more susceptible to External attack by Pernicious Evil?

Their Protective Qi is weak. Protective Qi is the substance that circulates near

the surface of the body and fights off the effects of environmental evils. Herbs

such as astragalus and schisandra increase Protective Qi.

 

Some people are more susceptible to certain External Evils because of weaknesses

and imbalances within the body. Some people are born with certain weaknesses,

like an increased susceptibility to Cold or Heat or Dampness, Others acquire

these weaknesses through wrong living, too many external assaults over too short

a period of time, or unsatisfactory resolution of past external attacks. (What I

mean by this will become clearer later on. Basically, the prior medical

condition was not properly treated and there's residual weakness because of it.)

 

Pernicious evils frequently team up with each other and cause even more havoc.

Like the common cold being a joint attack by Wind and Cold. Wind very frequently

teams up with other Pernicious Evils. Dampness can team up with either Heat or

Cold. Etc.

 

The concept of Pernicious Evils actually go beyond cause and effect

relationships, but it's ok for now to think of it as just cause and effect.

 

BTW, in TCM arthritis is seen as coming from Cold, Dampness, and/or Wind. When

you think of Wind, also think of barometric changes. Also think of positive

ions.

 

What you should absorb about Pernicious Evils at this stage is that they are

Cold, Heat, Fire, Wind, Dryness, and Dampness.

 

See Dagmar's newsletters for more information on Wind (the Liver and

Gallbladder, spring, etc.)

 

Victoria

 

 

 

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