Traditional Chinese medicine categorizes general obesity into four types: the stomach-heat type, which results from excessive food intake leading to muscular buildup; the spleen-deficiency type, which results from postpartum obesity; the kidney-deficiency type, which results from old age or menopause; and the liver-qi stagnation type, which results from stress. Each type has its own distinct weight loss method.
Stomach heat and phlegm blood stasis type
◎Features: Firm muscles, prone to thirst, large appetite, and loves ice.
◎Weight loss success rate: ****
Weight loss tips: Eat less. Increase your intake of cooling foods such as green vegetables and fruits.
A study of obesity among 1,000 people showed that 36-38% of them belonged to this type, and the majority were men.
“They account for about half of our outpatients,” said Yu Shumei, a doctor at a TCM weight loss clinic. “This type is the easiest to lose weight in; some people can lose 10 kilograms in six months, and the rate of weight regain is not high.”
Holding a bottle of mineral water, wearing a T-shirt and shorts, Billy, a 28-year-old medical student in the United States weighing over 100 kilograms, is a rare Western face in the weight loss clinic.
Billy had tried liposuction, but his weight still wouldn't go down. On the recommendation of his Taiwanese mother, he tried traditional Chinese medicine for weight loss for the first time.
Acupuncture and traditional Chinese medicine are no problem for him, but the taboo against eating ice is like a death sentence for him. "I can eat ice all day," Billy, a former football player with long, curly eyelashes, blinked his big eyes and shook his head, saying that he sweats a lot and can hardly live without cold drinks.
The traditional Chinese medicine doctor said he has a "stomach heat" constitution, and his body feels like it's on fire. The more ice he eats, the thirstier he becomes, so room temperature water is the most suitable for him.
Clinically, doctors will use laxatives to clear stomach heat, such as rhubarb and cassia seed, to accelerate metabolism and reduce internal heat through defecation.
In addition, auricular acupuncture or moxibustion at the Shenmen acupoint can be used to suppress appetite and reduce calorie intake.
Acupuncture for weight loss involves stimulating certain acupoints on the body, which can weaken gastric peristalsis, inhibit gastric acid secretion, prolong gastric emptying time, promote the body's fat metabolism, and consume accumulated fat to achieve the goal of weight loss.
Liver Qi stagnation type
◎Characteristics: Frequently depressed and sighing, prone to insomnia and vivid dreams, easily stressed and irritable, often feel tired, and women may experience menstrual irregularities.
◎Success Rate: ***
◎Reminder: Drink some relaxing rose tea or take a bath.
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