Kai Chen Ph.D. in
Chinese Medicine
TCM Dr. in British Columbia, Canada
205 Burnside Road East, Victoria, B.C. V9A 1A4 Canada
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TCM Dr. in British Columbia, Canada 205 Burnside Road East, Victoria, B.C. V9A 1A4 Canada |
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Obesity Introduction
Obesity
is a common and very serious health problem, which implies the excess storage of
fat. Women with over 30% body fat and men with over 25% body fat of the standard
body weight, which is (high (cm)-100) X0.9, are considered obese. Women
typically collect fat in their hips and buttocks, giving their figures a
"pear" shape. Men, on the other hand, usually build up fat around the
belly, giving them more of an "apple" shape.
Apple-shaped people are more likely to develop many of the health
problems associated with obesity, including: Type 2 diabetes, hypertension,
stroke, myocardial infarction, congestive heart failure, certain forms of
cancer, cholecystitis, gout and gouty arthritis, osteoarthritis, etc.
Obesity occurs because a person's caloric intake from food exceeds the
amount of energy he burns. What causes this imbalance between consuming and
burning calories is unclear. The
possible factors may be heredity, environment (including lifestyle behaviors),
psychology, some diseases and medications.
The treatment of obesity cannot be a short-term "fix" but has
to be an ongoing, life-long process. A
patient with high or very high health risk might be prescribed anti-obesity
medications as well as low calorie diets and exercise. TCM etiology and pathology TCM
diagnosis of obesity is the same but it is modern illness.
In history, obesity is not considered as an illness.
The reasons of obesity may be constitution, over-intake greasy or sweat
food, not enough labor work or excises and some diseases, etc. 1. Imbalance of the functions of spleen and stomach 2. Spleen deficiency and dampness stagnation 3. Others. Fat blocking channels and collaterals may cause blood circulation disorder, which is blood stasis, also, the stasis further blocking leading nutrition more difficult to distribution and transportation. Kidney deficiency, which may be constitution or after some chronic diseases, can cause water metabolism disorders too. TCM
differentiation and treatment 1. Imbalance of stomach and spleen Clinical manifestation: Obesity, good appetite and overeating, energetic,
light red tongue with white fur, strong pulse Treatment principle: Clearing heat from the stomach and opening the intestine Herbal prescription: Maziren Wan (Hemp seed pill) Acupuncture:
Pishu (BL20), Weishu (BL21), Quchi (LI11), Hegu (LI4), Neiting (ST44),
Sanyinjiao (SP6) 2. Spleen deficiency and dampness stagnation Clinical manifestation: Obesity, listlessness, somnolence, shortness of
breath, edema of the lower legs, irregular menstruation, big pale tongue with
white greasy fur, slippery and deep pulse Treatment principle: Tonify spleen qi and resolving dampness Herbal prescription: Modified Fangji Huangqi Tang (Decoction of Tetrandra and astragalus) Acupuncture:
Pishu (BL20), Shenshu (BL23), Zusanli (ST36), Fenglong (ST40), Qihai (RN6),
Guanyuan (RN4) 3. Blood stasis Clinical manifestation: Obesity, dark or purple complexion, or accompanied
with headache and dizziness, or chest pain, pale purple tongue with white greasy
fur, uneven and deep pulse Treatment principle: Promoting qi and blood circulation to remove stasis Herbal prescription: Modified Danshen Yin (Decoction of red sage root) Acupuncture:
Pishu (BL20), Geshu (BL17), Zusanli (ST36), Sanyinjiao (SP), Qihai (RN6) Copyright by Kai Chen Ph.D. in Chinese Medicine
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