Peng Mingquan, founder of Traditional Chinese Medicine Dietetics: Scientific Weight Loss Theory and Low-Calorie Balanced Diet Guidelines

Modern women generally believe that a slim figure is the ideal of beauty, but if weight loss is not done scientifically, it often leads to weight rebound and even unnecessary health problems. Obesity itself can cause numerous diseases and harm health. How can one lose weight correctly? Guided by Traditional Chinese Medicine theory, this book details the recipes, preparation methods, and effects of various weight-loss medicinal diets. The results are definite and noticeable, serving as a dietary plan reference for those trying to lose weight and a valuable resource for cooking enthusiasts. Let you lose weight healthily and beautifully!

Peng Mingquan, male, born in Chongqing in 1933. He holds a bachelor's degree. He is a professor of traditional Chinese medicine dietary therapy, chief pharmacist, and the founder of "Chinese Medicinal Dietetics." He has published over 300 papers in domestic and international journals and over 100 monographs on medicinal diets. His representative works include: *The Great Encyclopedia of Chinese Medicinal Diet* (1999), part of the *Chinese Dietary Literature Library* series, a 3.2 million-word book and a key national "Eighth Five-Year Plan" publication; *Chinese Medicinal Dietetics*, which won the Sichuan Provincial Major Scientific and Technological Achievement Award; and *The Complete Book of Chinese Medicinal Diet*, which won the first prize for outstanding popular science works in Sichuan Province in 1987, and along with seven other monographs on medicinal diets, was collected by the Chengdu Museum.

"Popular Medicinal Diets" (1984) won the first prize for outstanding science and technology books in Northwest and Southwest China in 1984 and 1985. In addition, "Chinese Medicinal Diet Recipes" (Japanese, 1986) published by Suiunsha Co., Ltd. in Japan, "Eat Smarter, Eat More - Simple and Delicious Medicinal Diets" published by Yuanqizhai Publishing House in Taiwan, "Chinese Medicinal Diet Science" published by Wenguang Book Co., Ltd. in Taiwan, and "Health-Preserving Medicinal Diets for Middle-aged and Elderly" (1992) published by Xinghui Book Co., Ltd. in Hong Kong have all become bestsellers and are very popular with readers at home and abroad.

When publishing its "Chinese Medicinal Diet and Dietary Therapy Essence Series," Guangdong Economic Publishing House called Professor Peng the founder of Chinese medicinal diet science, praising his meticulously crafted and highly targeted medicinal diets: "One book treats one disease" is unique; innovative medicinal diet recipes; and proven effective through testing. Professor Peng Mingquan's outstanding achievement lies in discovering the treasure of traditional Chinese medicine's dietary therapy. Through extensive research and careful refinement of relevant ancient materials, he systematized, scientized, socialized, and popularized the scattered information on dietary therapy in traditional Chinese medicine.

In 1983, the *PLA Daily* published an article titled "Peng Mingquan: Pioneer of 'Medicinal Diet Theory'"; in 1987, the *Health News* published an article titled "Medicinal Diet Expert Peng Mingquan"; and in 1988, the *Workers' Daily* published an article titled "Peng Mingquan Becomes a Medicinal Diet Expert," all of which specifically introduced Professor Peng Mingquan's achievements in exploring traditional Chinese dietary therapy and establishing Chinese medicinal diet theory. Professor Peng not only wrote books on Chinese medicinal diets but also applied these theories to clinical practice. In 1980, he founded my country's first medicinal diet restaurant-Chengdu Tongrentang Medicinal Diet Restaurant-which was highly praised by customers both at home and abroad.

His research findings have been applied in the health food industry, such as stone-dissolving drinks, cordyceps chicken, double-whip aphrodisiac soup, snake whip oral liquid, and wolfberry wine, relieving the suffering of many patients. Some of these products are sold to Japan and Hong Kong and are very popular. In 1990, Professor Peng was invited by Toyama Medical University to conduct a three-month academic exchange and lecture tour in Japan. In 1992, he was invited by Mr. Zhuang Yongjing, Chairman of Hong Kong Yizhou Group Co., Ltd., to lecture in Hong Kong and serve as a senior consultant for medicinal diets.

Meanwhile, he also trained over 140 students from more than ten countries, including China, Japan, the United States, and South Korea, who are passionate about Chinese medicinal cuisine. He taught them the preparation methods of "Peng's Medicinal Cuisine," spreading this unique and valuable knowledge of Chinese medicinal cuisine worldwide, which has been highly praised by people overseas. With the continuous improvement of people's living standards, modern women generally tend to believe that a slim figure is beautiful. However, if weight loss is not achieved scientifically by combining a balanced diet with physical exercise, weight rebound is often observed.

Severe cases can lead to anorexia, gastroenteritis, anemia, and other illnesses. Speaking of obesity, we cannot ignore the obese population, as obesity brings many diseases such as diabetes, coronary heart disease, cerebral hemorrhage, hypertension, hyperglycemia, hyperlipidemia, gout, and gallstones. Medicinal diet therapy also has unique effects in the treatment of obesity. Therefore, scientific weight loss combines comprehensive nutritional intake with necessary physical exercise to achieve healthy and beautiful weight loss. Based on a balanced nutritional intake, those trying to lose weight should choose low-calorie foods.

A balanced diet requires each person to include the following four food groups daily: grains; meat, eggs, dairy, and soybeans; vegetables and fruits; and cooking oils. The dietary arrangements for those trying to lose weight are no exception. Practice has shown that the calorie content of the same type of food varies, and those trying to lose weight should choose low-calorie foods as much as possible in their diet. For example, aquatic animals such as fish, shrimp, crab meat, sea cucumber, and jellyfish are low in fat and contain fewer calories than other meats.

Among poultry, flying birds have fewer calories than fatty poultry. Among meats, beef and lamb have fewer calories than pork, and lean meat has fewer calories than fatty meat. Similarly, leafy green vegetables and gourds have fewer calories than root vegetables. Therefore, people trying to lose weight should pay attention to their food choices. They should eat plenty of vegetables and fruits. Vegetables and fruits are not only high in water content, bulky, and low in calories, but they are also excellent sources of vitamins and minerals.

Fresh leafy green vegetables, in particular, are rich in vitamin C, carotene, B vitamins, calcium, iron, zinc, copper, magnesium, and potassium. Eating more low-calorie vegetables and fruits is beneficial for regulating physiological functions and aiding weight loss. Furthermore, vegetables and fruits are rich in dietary fiber. Those on a weight loss plan and obese individuals should consume at least 500 grams of vegetables daily, especially dark green leafy vegetables. Those with large appetites should reduce their food intake to a normal level. To alleviate hunger, supplement with cucumbers, tomatoes, radishes, etc.

It's also important to pay attention to the consumption of melons and edible fungi, as these are beneficial for improving health and reducing weight. In addition, people trying to lose weight should limit their intake of high-calorie, high-fat, and high-cholesterol foods in their daily lives. They should avoid pure sugar, chocolate, candy, desserts, ice cream, sugary drinks, fatty meat, butter, cream, animal brains, caviar, and animal fats in their daily diet to aid in weight loss. Many foods in nature have weight-loss, slimming, and lipid-lowering functions; people trying to lose weight should pay attention to the selection and use of these foods in their dietary plans.

Foods with these effects include cucumber, winter melon, white radish, leeks, spinach, mung bean sprouts, garland chrysanthemum, shiitake mushrooms, black fungus, kelp, bamboo shoots, hawthorn, tofu, jellyfish, corn, buckwheat, oats, sweet potatoes, konjac, rabbit meat, and oysters. Chinese medicinal herbs that can be used to make weight-loss medicinal diets include Atractylodes macrocephala, Alisma plantago-aquatica, Poria cocos, Astragalus membranaceus, licorice root, Atractylodes lancea, Coix lacryma-jobi, Angelica pubescens, ginger, Acanthopanax senticosus, Saposhnikovia divaricata, ginger peel, Clematis chinensis, tangerine peel, white mustard seed, Perilla frutescens seed, radish seed, seaweed, Fritillaria cirrhosa, dried tangerine peel, green tangerine peel, Ligusticum chuanxiong, Angelica sinensis, winter melon seeds, red adzuki beans, Perilla frutescens, and kudzu root.

In addition, it contains walnut kernels, ginkgo, longan pulp, forsythia, red poria, mulberry bark, papaya, areca peel, amomum, costus root, poria peel, lycium bark, rhubarb, mirabilite, dandelion, scutellaria, coptis, turmeric, ginseng, yam, lotus seed, aconite, peony, jujube, black morning glory seed, white morning glory seed, cassia seed, rose, jasmine, lotus leaf, abalone shell, raw fleeceflower root, raw rehmannia root, dried plum, north ginseng, prunella vulgaris, tea, winter melon peel, plantain, salvia miltiorrhiza, artemisia capillaris, epimedium, etc.

As we can see, weight loss and slimming medicinal diets are not simply about combining ordinary foods. More importantly, they are guided by Traditional Chinese Medicine theory, combining weight-loss-promoting herbs with low-calorie food ingredients to create delicious and palatable meals that not only meet the daily calorie needs of those trying to lose weight but also allow them to achieve their weight loss and beauty goals while enjoying delicious food. My book, *Weight Loss and Slimming Medicinal Diet Therapy*, details the recipes, preparation methods, and effects of various weight loss and slimming medicinal diets. The recipes presented are proven effective and produce noticeable results. I hope this book will become a helpful companion for those seeking to lose weight.

This book can serve as a dietary plan reference for those trying to lose weight, and also as a valuable resource for cooking enthusiasts. The medicinal cuisine preparation methods described in the book are simple and convenient, the text is easy to understand, and the medicinal herbs mentioned are readily available. Readers will be able to prepare delicious medicinal cuisine after reading this book, making it highly practical. It is particularly important to note that any nationally protected animals or plants should not be consumed indiscriminately. Furthermore, due to individual differences in constitution and medical conditions, please use this book under the guidance of a physician. If any discomfort occurs, discontinue use immediately.