Understanding the Importance of TCM Constitution in Personalized Health
Key Takeaways:
- TCM Constitution is essential for understanding individual health and guiding personalized treatments.
- The “Classification and Determination of TCM Constitution” standard provides a scientific basis for categorizing different body types.
- Research shows a strong correlation between specific TCM constitutions and disease susceptibility.
What is TCM Constitution?
TCM Constitution is a fundamental concept in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). It refers to the unique, relatively stable traits in a person’s morphology, physiological functions, and psychological states formed by innate endowments and acquired influences. These traits represent individual characteristics that adapt to natural and social environments during growth and development.
Development and Standardization of TCM Constitution
The discussion of TCM Constitution began in the Western Han Dynasty’s “Huangdi Neijing” (Yellow Emperor’s Inner Canon). For a long time, the content related to TCM Constitution was scattered across various medical books and documents without forming a specialized discipline system. However, on April 9, 2009, the “Classification and Determination of TCM Constitution” standard was officially released. This standard guides and standardizes TCM Constitution research and applications, providing a basis for constitution identification and the prevention and treatment of constitution-related diseases, health maintenance, and health management.
Classification of TCM Constitution
The standard classifies constitutions into nine types:
- Balanced Constitution
- Qi-Deficient Constitution
- Yang-Deficient Constitution
- Yin-Deficient Constitution
- Phlegm-Damp Constitution
- Damp-Heat Constitution
- Blood-Stasis Constitution
- Qi-Stagnation Constitution
- Special Constitution
This classification uses interdisciplinary methods from epidemiology, immunology, molecular biology, genetics, and statistical mathematics. It was established as a standardized tool for constitution identification through multiple verifications by TCM clinical experts, epidemiologists, and constitution experts. The standard has proven to be instructive, universal, and referable, suitable for TCM clinicians, researchers, and relevant managers.
Obesity and Phlegm-Damp Constitution
A study comparing 337 obese individuals and 318 non-obese individuals found that the incidence of obesity was 73.37% in the phlegm-damp constitution group compared to 25.82% in the non-phlegm-damp constitution group, showing a significant difference. The severity of obesity was proportional to the degree of phlegm-damp constitution.
Hyperlipidemia and Phlegm-Damp Constitution
Another study on 100 obese hyperlipidemia patients found that the prevalence of phlegm-damp constitution was 71.56%, significantly higher than 32% in the non-phlegm-damp constitution group. Obese individuals had a much higher chance of developing hyperlipidemia than non-phlegm-damp constitution individuals.
Coronary Heart Disease and Phlegm-Damp Constitution
A survey of 265 obese coronary heart disease patients found that 58.5% had phlegm-damp constitution, while 41.5% had non-phlegm-damp constitution, with 16.6% showing significant blood stasis. This indicates that phlegm-damp and blood stasis are common constitutions and syndromes in coronary heart disease.
Diabetes and Phlegm-Damp Constitution
A study of 370 diabetes patients found that 244 had phlegm-damp constitution, and 116 had non-phlegm-damp constitution. This shows that obese individuals with phlegm-damp constitution are much more likely to develop diabetes.
Personality and Phlegm-Damp Constitution
Researchers used the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire to test personality tendencies and neurotic levels in individuals with phlegm-damp constitution. The results showed that 53% had neutral personalities, 36.41% were introverted, and 10.5% were extroverted, suggesting a relationship between emotional changes and disease in phlegm-damp constitution.
Conclusion
The comprehensive research on TCM Constitution demonstrates its significant role in disease prevention and treatment. Understanding your TCM Constitution can provide valuable insights into your health and guide personalized treatments. At Solunar Wellness, we integrate these principles to offer customized health assessments and personalized herbal formulas, combining ancient wisdom with modern scientific methods to enhance your overall well-being.
Source: Baike Zhong Yi Ti Zhi
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