Dr. Josh Park and Dr. Andrew Miles
Grief does not just live in your mind. It can affect your gut, your heart, and even your immune system. This episode explores how ancient Chinese medicine and modern neuroscience both point to a striking truth: loss can become physical, even when the suffering is not visible.
Andrew begins with a sixth-century story of a young woman whose grief becomes overwhelming after she sees a cherished object that belonged to her mother. He then turns to the scholar Yan Zhitui, who recorded cases of "broken intestines" and described how grief can affect people in very different ways.
You'll discover:
- How grief can affect appetite, digestion, gut sensitivity, and the heart
- How the gut communicates with the brain through the vagus nerve, hormones, and immune signaling
- What stress responses involving CRH and mast cells can mean for the digestive system
- Why intense emotional shock can have serious effects on the heart
- How three classical Chinese formulas, Chaihu Shugan San, Tong Xie Yao Fang, and Zuo Jin Wan, have been studied in connection with digestive conditions
Blending historical accounts, modern research, and traditional Chinese medicine, Andrew explores why grief is not always easy to see from the outside. Some people express their sorrow through tears, while others may carry it quietly in the body.
For anyone who has experienced loss or wants to better support someone who is grieving, this episode offers a compassionate perspective on the connection between emotion and physical well-being.
By Dr. Josh Park and Dr. Andrew Miles
Art by Robtrati
