The strength of traditional Chinese Medicine theories is that we look at every case individually and identify the underlying cause of the conditions due to imbalances from either constitution or post-natal environment. Two people both have similar symptoms of acid reflux. One person is possibly due to the inherent cold condition in the digestive system while the other person is due to excess heat in the stomach. These two people are told to have different body types.

Traditional Chinese medicine focuses on balancing Yin and Yang energies within the body. Its ultimate goal is to reach optimal balance. Optimal balance leads to good overall health, whether it is physical, mental, emotional or spiritual. Once body has to reach the peak of its ultimate balance, it is considered healthy and this prevents illness and disease. According to traditional Chinese medicine, each individual is born with a certain body type and each organ is either Yin or Yang dominated. Our body type determines how we live and behave and how we deal with diseases and bacteria. As human beings, we try to balance Yin and Yang energies through our dietary guidelines. This means that our body works to balance the energies through the foods we prefer. The downside here is that sometimes, the energies in our bodies are so uneven and off balance that the diets we think are beneficial to us are actually hurting our health, which is why we have to be aware of our body type and the foods we need to harmonize our organs.

There are different body constitutions in traditional Chinese medicine:

– Yang/Hot
Yin Deficient
Sturdy Body
Susceptible to hot temperatures
Dry mouth
Reddish complexion
Easily irritated
Insomnia
Dark urine
Hard Stools
Red tongue with yellowish coating
Prefer cold meals and beverages

– Yin/Cold
Yang Deficient
Individuals have a frail body
Usually feel cold
Tend not to be sociable
Pale or white complexion
Clear Urine
Soft Stools/Diarrhea
Punk and bulky tongue
Prefer hot meals and beverage
Susceptible to cold temperatures

– Phlegm/Damp
Individuals have tend to be overweight
Bloated due to retention of water
Tire easily, often sleepy during the day
Tend to snore while sleeping
Low metabolism
Moist tongue covered in greasy coating
Sensitive to damp weather

– Dry
Individuals tend to be thin
Difficult to put on weight
Often feel thirsty
Dry eyes, throat, lips and skin
Often suffer from itchy skin, nose and eyes
Prone to having constipation
Sensitive to low levels of humidity

– Neutral
Appear to be healthy with skin color
Don’t have any of the above complaints
Have proper appetite and sleep patterns
Don’t feel hot or cold easily
Have normal urine and stools
Tongue appears normal

It’s important to know that, sometimes, people have a mixed physical constitution. For example, someone can be cold and dry or damp and hot. Because of this, diets have to be individualized depending on someone’s exact body type.

Trackback URI | Comments RSS