Can You Lose Weight With TCM?

Link copied! If you are struggling with weight management and looking for alternative treatments to lose weight, TCM can be an alternative treatment that you can consider. From TCM perspective, excess fats or weight gain is often due to the “Dampness” and “Phlegm” accumulated in the body. Dampness and Phlegm occurs when there is an imbalance within the body, especially in the process of food digestion and body fluid transportation. So how can TCM help with losing weight fast and healthily? TCM can help with weight management by restoring the body’s natural balance to improve metabolism and eliminate Dampness and Phlegm. With targeted treatment plans based on each person’s unique body constitution, patients can lose weight healthily with TCM. Weight gain generally results from a combination of causes: 1. Overeating The recommended daily calories intakes to maintain a healthy physically active men and women are 2200 and 1800 respectively. Therefore, when you consume more calories than what you need, the excess calories will be stored in the body as fat leading to weight gain. [1] 2. Diet Diets that are high in saturated fat, sugar and low consumption of vegetables and fruits would increase the risk of becoming overweight or obese. 3. Lacks of physical activity Having a sedentary lifestyle can result in taking in more calories than you burn through exercise and daily activities. In our tech-savvy generation, many people spend long hours in front of screens, whether it’s for work or leisure. Studies have shown that the number of hours present in front of a screen is highly associated with weight gain. [2],[3] 4. Short sleep duration and poor-quality of sleep Research has shown an association between short sleep duration or poor sleep quality and weight gain. Individuals who sleep less than 7 hours daily have a higher chance of gaining weight and developing obesity. This is because sleep deprivation could increase calories intake by altering the hormones that control hunger which leads to increased hunger. [4] It also provides more time for people to snack more, especially at night when they are awake.[5] 5. Post-partum Weight gain during pregnancy is a natural process as a woman’s body goes through various changes to support the growing baby, such as increased blood supply, breast and fat tissue, and uterus growth. Additionally, women may need to consume more calories to ensure that the baby is receiving adequate nutrients. However, excessive caloric intake can lead to significant weight gain, which can make it challenging for women to shed those extra pounds postpartum, especially if they have a sedentary lifestyle or lack consistent exercise. 6. Menopause During menopause, the production of estrogen will be lowered and result in hormonal imbalance. Estrogen inhibits the action of hunger signals and prevents excessive calories consumption. Hence, for menopausal women they will experience more intense hunger signals, encouraging increased food intake which promotes weight gain.[6] 7. Decreased metabolic rate Metabolism refers to a series of chemical reactions in an organism that create and break down energy required for life. When the organism is at rest, the amount of energy needed to keep the body function is known as the basal metabolic rate (BMR). Studies have shown the BMR begins to decrease at around 60 years old, this means lesser calories will be burned over time. Hence, when one takes in more calories than are burned through daily activities, the excess calories will lead to weight gain. [7] How does TCM view weight gain? In TCM, the body constitution depends on the intrinsic characteristics of the body and can be influenced by the environment. An individual’s body constitution may develop and evolve to adapt to the environmental changes during their lifetime. According to TCM, there are a few body constitutions listed below that are commonly associated with weight gain, overweight and obesity. They are Phlegm-Dampness, Dampness-Heat, Qi-stagnation, Qi-deficiency and Yang-deficiency. [8] Type of body constitution Causes Symptoms Phlegm-Dampness [9] Spleen (脾) deficiency Having an unhealthy diet Lack of exercise Irregular sleep Smoking Preference for greasy food Fatigue Bloated stomach Sticky or watery stools Dampness-Heat [10] Having an unhealthy diet Red eyes or excess eye discharge Sticky stools Yellow and smelly urine Qi-stagnation [11] People who are constantly under emotional stress Stress Easily to feel frustrated Like to sleep Disturbed sleep Qi-deficiency [12] Overeating Sedentary lifestyle Long-term of fatigue Fatigue Shortness of breath Sweat easily Yang-deficiency [12] Excessive consumption of cold food Exposure to cold environment/ temperature Lethargic Cold extremities Afraid of the cold Low libido Lower back ache The World Health Organisation (WHO) defined adults who have BMI equal to or greater than 25 as overweight and those who have BMI equal to or greater than 30 as obese.[13] Being overweight and obese may affect almost every aspect of health, from reproductive function to memory and mood. Here are some of the associated health risks of being overweight and obese: [14] Type 2 diabetes Hypertension Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) Cancer Reproduction health Joint problem such as osteoarthritis Psychological effects such as depression, alzheimer’s disease Best way to lose weight according to Physician Lim TCM plays a unique role in the treatment of obesity. It can help to lose weight naturally without side effects by speeding up the body’s metabolism and removing the Dampness accumulated in the body. Here are some of the best ways to lose weight fast and healthily with the help of TCM: 1. Herbal Medications Customized concoctions of various TCM herbs can be tailored to an individual’s body constitution and condition to aid in weight loss by suppressing appetite, boosting metabolism, and promoting fat burning. Examples of these herbs include Fu Ling (茯苓), Huang Qi (黄芪), Chinese Yam (山药) and He Ye (荷叶). 2. Acupuncture Research has shown that acupuncture can be highly effective in helping with weight management [15] in various ways. First, it will strengthen the Spleen’s function which promotes healthy digestion. Second, it will improve mood by increasing the release of neurotransmitters. Third, it will suppress appetite which reduces the