In my previous article about obesity, I discussed the main Chinese Medical reasons for weight problems. You eat the wrong foods, especially grains (carbohydrate-rich), and you eat cold or oversweetened foods like ice cream and chocolates. This second article will explore the details and discuss the body types and patterns that can make each person’s weight loss problems unique. It is important to tailor treatment to each individual. You’ve probably seen cases where a weight loss diet or supplement worked for one person, but not for another. People who lose weight with exercise seem to have a better chance than those who can’t seem to lose it.
Why is this so?
Doctors and other allopathic practitioners struggle with this because of an inherent flaw to the current scientific reasoning that all human beings function the same way. I don’t blame them. After all, we all have the same basic structure and look alike. We all have the same organs and eyes. We are all different. Although we may appear the same and have the same basic physiological structure, we are all different. Just as people have different personalities, each person has a slightly different way their body functions. Just as some people excel at math while others excel at sports, certain physiological processes are better in some than others.
This fact will be “discovered” by medical research, just like science now recognizes different personality types. These five basic body types were called Fire, Water Metal, Earth, Earth, and Wood. Knowing which type you are is the first step to establishing a successful weight loss program from a Chinese Medicine perspective.
Take Note
- Fire types – These are the jolly, always laughing, and generous type. They are usually short and have a reddish tint to their faces. This type is more susceptible to heart problems and has a higher heart rate. This can be due to either liver fire or heart fire. Fire types can also develop gout problems but generally have good health. Although it is less serious than the other types, being overweight is more common in fire types. This is due to an increased metabolism, which can lead to a higher appetite, combined with a poor diet. For example, cold drinks, sweet and rich foods, as well as unhealthy eating habits such as carbs, sugary foods, and carbs. In Chinese Medicine, this is called spleen vacuity or stomach heat/fire. Fire types have a treatment that focuses on improving the spleen function (or digestive) and reducing heat to control their appetite.
- Water types – Water types are more likely to have weight problems than other types, as they tend to accumulate water. This happens because the kidneys are less efficient at metabolizing water, which leads to water accumulation throughout the body. A water type is someone who has a generalised weight problem, often with swelling at the ankles. They are often timid and sentimental, have poor stamina, have high salt cravings, and often have hearing problems. The chinese medical approach to Chinese medicine is to use a diet that eliminates excess dampness and strengthens the body’s water metabolism functions. Warm or hot medicinals are often used, which is different from those used for a fire type constitution.
- Metal types – The only constitution that is not prone to weight loss is the metal type. They are organized and perfectionist people. However, they can develop skin and lung conditions such as asthma and psoriasis if not taken care of properly. A person with this type of constitution will often experience weight gain, which can be a sign of cancerous growth.
- Earth types – These are the chubby, usually slender, with a little more around the waist. They are generally cheerful and carefree, but can become obsessesive if they have a phlegmatic condition. They are also prone to diabetes and crave sweets and chocolates. They often have a yellowish skin tone. In this instance, the treatment is to strengthen the digestive system with herbs and to eat a bland diet.
- Wood types – Wood types are usually muscular and sinewy and are more likely to experience weight gain than any other type. Wood types are often impatient, impatient, idealistic, and workaholics. They are more likely to suffer from hypertension and eye disorders, headaches as well as neck and shoulder tension, rheumatism, neck and shoulder tension, and neck pain. As you can see, we are all different and no one weight loss program or diet will work for everyone. Chinese Medicine views obesity as a condition that must be treated individually, based on the individual’s constitution and the presenting pattern. I will discuss this more in the next article.
Cholesterol Facts
The body makes about 75 percent of its cholesterol from the food we eat. The rest comes from what we eat. The body makes less cholesterol if we eat more. Or it is broken down by the liver and excreted. Veal, beef, pork, veal and poultry are rich in animal-based saturated fats. Non-fat yogurts, skimmed dairy and non-fat cheese are recommended. Low-fat foods are preferred. In most studies, eating fish has been linked to an increase in HDL cholesterol and a lower risk of developing heart disease. Fish are low in saturated fat, and fish oil has DHA (dacosahexaenoic acids) omega-3 oils. These oils appear to help protect against heart disease.
Vegetables are highly recommended. They are rich in antioxidants, which act as your body’s natural artery-roto-rooters and disarm harmful oxidized cholesterol. Partially hydrogenated vegetable oil is toxic to the heart. Avoid unsaturated vegetable oils that are teeming in unstable molecules, such as rancid oil. Most vegetable oils contain unsaturated fats. These fats can be dangerous for your health. Monounsaturated fats such as olive oil and canola oil are recommended. Butter is also a healthy fat. Olive oil is delicious, rich in nutrients, and flavorful. However, it is important to use it in moderation. Despite the obvious links between saturated fat intakes and serum cholesterol, not everyone responds to dietary changes that result in a drop of cholesterol. It is possible to lower LDL cholesterol and increase HDL levels by following a healthy diet and exercising.