AKOM News
Contributed by Dr. Jewon Lee, Director of BM Korean Internal Medicine Clinic
: Peering into Internal Medicine, 28th
2026. 1. 21.
"Science is the belief in the ignorance of experts."
- Richard Feynman (Nobel Laureate in Physics)
A true expert is not someone who blindly believes in textbook knowledge but someone who observes the phenomenon appearing in the patient right in front of them and constantly seeks the truth.
1. "Hypertension, Hyperlipidemia, Visceral Obesity... But I Don't Want to Take Medicine."
A female patient in her 60s visited our clinic.
Her university hospital health checkup showed her blood pressure was very high at 189/101 mmHg, overlapping with hyperlipidemia and visceral obesity—a 'total chaotic situation.'
Naturally, the hospital recommended medication, but the patient had a firm will: "I want to fundamentally change my body with the help of an expert, without relying on chemical synthetic drugs."
2. Amazing Changes Proven by Data
Upon precise examination, her insulin resistance index (HOMA2-IR) was high, and she was diagnosed with Wi-yeol-chi-seong-jeung (Stomach Heat Flourishing Pattern / 胃熱熾盛證) in Korean Medicine.
Accordingly, we started a comprehensive treatment involving Gagam-baekho-tang (Modified White Tiger Decoction / 加減白虎湯) along with dietary and lifestyle corrections.
After 4 to 5 months, the data showed remarkable results:
- • Blood Pressure Stabilization: Systolic 189 mmHg → 128 mmHg (Normalized without chemical synthetic drugs)
- • Weight Loss: 58.4 kg → 49.3 kg (-9.1 kg lost)
- • Healthy Diet: Of the lost weight, 8.1 kg was pure body fat, while muscle loss was only 0.6 kg.
- • Metabolic Function Recovery: The insulin resistance index (HOMA-IR) dropped by more than half from 1.25 to 0.58.
Figure 1. Blood Pressure Trends During Treatment. Shows changes in systolic and diastolic blood pressure relative to the treatment start date (Day 0). Solid lines represent 7-day moving average trend lines. Abbreviations: SBP (Systolic Blood Pressure), DBP (Diastolic Blood Pressure), MA (Moving Average).
Figure 2. Body Composition Changes During Treatment. Illustrates a downward curve where skeletal muscle mass was preserved during weight loss, while body fat mass and percent body fat significantly decreased.
3. The Cholesterol Paradox: Looking at 'Quality,' Not Numbers
A peculiar point was discovered during the treatment process.
While she lost weight and her blood pressure was controlled, her total cholesterol level paradoxically rose from 216 mg/dL to 295 mg/dL.
By standard criteria, she would have been told to take hyperlipidemia medication (statins) immediately.
However, I told the patient, "You don't need medicine. Your body is becoming very healthy right now." What was the reason?
- • Triglyceride (TG): Very low in the 60 mg/dL range (Clean blood vessels)
- • Good Cholesterol (HDL): Very high in the 80–90 mg/dL range (Blood vessel cleaner role)
- • TG/HDL Ratio: Less than 1, indicating optimal cardiovascular health
This phenomenon is explained by the 'Lipid Energy Model (LEM).'
As the body actively burns body fat for energy, the carriers transporting fat (LDL) temporarily appear abundant in the blood.
It is like dust rising temporarily during a major cleaning.
A study in a prestigious cardiology journal (JACC Advances, 2024) supports this.
"If one is metabolically healthy (low triglycerides, high HDL), high LDL levels are not associated with coronary plaque formation."
Table 1. Diagnostic Laboratory Test Results. Total Cholesterol increased, but Triglycerides and Insulin Resistance (HOMA2-IR) improved.
4. Internal Medicine by Korean Medicine Physicians: Seeing the Person Beyond the Numbers
Clinical guidelines are for 'average patients,' not 'absolute truths.'
Korean Medicine does not reduce humans to simple numbers but looks at the entire life activity.
Therefore, we can read signs of recovery that others fail to see and offer patients a better option: 'Deprescribing (Stopping Medication).'
Walking proudly on a path others do not take and protecting the patient's health—this is the potential that a Korean Medicine physician, often considered non-mainstream, can show as a true internal medicine expert.
▼ You can see the full content on AKOM News. ▼
Peering into Internal Medicine 28 - AKOM News
“Hypertension, Hyperlipidemia, Visceral Obesity... I Need an Expert's Help.”
An expert is someone grounded in the humility of admitting ignorance; this attitude represents the true potential of Korean Medicine physicians as internal medicine specialists.
www.akomnews.com
