TCM and Silver Rings

On the subway sat beside an old Korean Vietnam War vet who spoke street English and was hilariously garrulous. The guy proceeded to tell me the meaning of the station names as we passed them, and then the preventative health benefits he got from wearing silver rings in key positions on particular fingers. Unfortunately he had to get off the train before I got the meaning of his fine set of flashy silver teeth, which probably were worn for health benefits too. Anyway, the location of his silver rings were for prevention of illness and disease, beliefs stemming from hanyak which is also rooted in traditional Chinese medicine. Each finger constitutes a different organ region and he was embracing the preventative measures that silver ring-wearing on appropriate fingers could activate and enhance. He was garrulously proud of his preventative health measures! 

thumb = liver

index finger = heart

middle finger = spleen

ring finger = lungs

pinky = kidneys

OK, so looked up the health benefits of wearing silver rings, and found some more modern Western scientific beliefs:

Silver is an antimicrobial agent that aids in cold and flu prevention, wound healing, and skin care. It helps with internal heat regulation and circulation, and even when used with correct quantity (whatever that is) it provides protection agains harmful electromagnetic radiation from cellphones and other electronics.  

Basically, it has electrical and thermal conductivity; that is, it can generate an electrical field that distributes electricity and heat around the body. The positively-charged silver ions create a conductive field that reflects electromagnetic radiation away from the body, much like a mirror reflects light. Meanwhile, the field stimulates the body's existing conductivity, improves blood circulation, temperature balance, and general healing. The positively charged ions also bind to negatively charged oxygen receptors in bacteria, destabilizing their metabolic enzymes and causing them to suffocate.

For some Ayurvedic health tips on bodily uses of silver watch the YouTube clip "Health Benefits of Silver". Korean traditional medicine beliefs stem from Chinese medicine, but Ayurvedic and Chinese do share many beliefs. Some interesting Chinese medicine additions on silver are that it is connected to the moon and has yin modalities. As for its color, it is believed to stimulate calmness and tranquility, evoking reflection, coolness and space.