Traditional Chinese Medicine on Obesity: An Imbalance Between Innate Constitution and Acquired Malnutrition

Adiponectin and Obesity

Adiponectin is an endogenous protein secreted by adipocytes and is an insulin sensitizer.

It can improve the body's insulin sensitivity and inhibit the occurrence of atherosclerosis. Studies have found that...

The serum adiponectin concentration in obese patients is significantly lower than that in non-obese individuals, and weight loss can significantly increase the concentration of adiponectin.

The serum adiponectin level was increased. This indicates that there is a negative feedback loop in adiponectin expression related to obesity.

The inhibitory mechanism of adiponectin means that the more severe the obesity, the lower the adiponectin level. This applies to both obese and normal-weight individuals.

Studies on women have found that serum adiponectin levels are also negatively correlated with serum leptin levels and fasting blood glucose levels.

Insulin levels, insulin resistance, body mass index, and body fat percentage were also negatively correlated. Therefore, [the following text appears to be incomplete and requires further context: "通"]

Elevated adiponectin levels can improve insulin sensitivity, reduce obesity, and decrease the risk of cardiovascular disease.

Managing the risks of disease has many benefits.

Traditional Chinese medicine has records of obesity dating back more than two thousand years, such as in the "Suwen·Tongping Xushi Lun".

The text states, "Obese and wealthy people suffer from diseases caused by excessive consumption of rich foods"; the *Ling Shu* (Spiritual Pivot), in its chapter "Disorders of Wei Qi," discusses the difference between fat and thin people.

The phrase "a person is fat, has fat, and has flesh" originated from this, and later generations added, "Fat people often have phlegm and their meridians are blocked, causing qi stagnation," and "grain..."

"If one's vital energy surpasses that of grains, one will be fat but short-lived; if one's vital energy surpasses that of grains, one will be thin but long-lived." "Generally speaking, this is due to one's innate abundance."

There are sayings such as "He has no other ailments, except for a lot of phlegm and dampness," and "Obese people often have a lot of phlegm and dampness, and are often deficient in qi." This shows that...

Our ancestors recognized long ago that obesity is related to overeating and phlegm and dampness accumulation.

What factors does Traditional Chinese Medicine believe contribute to obesity?

Innate factors

The beginning of a person's life is "based on the mother and followed by the father." This means that a person's physical condition at birth is inherited from their mother.

From parents. Traditional Chinese medicine has a classic work, the *Huangdi Neijing*, which states in the *Lingshu* chapter: "The birth of a person..."

Also, there is hardness and softness, strength and weakness, shortness and longness, yin and yang. This illustrates that at the time of a person's birth...

They already possessed basic physical attributes such as being fat or thin, strong or weak, tall or short, and having a yin or yang predominance. (From the *Neijing*)

It also categorized people's constitutions. The *Ling Shu* (Spiritual Pivot), in its chapter "Twenty-Five Types of Yin and Yang," divides people into metal, wood, water, and...

There are five major types: Fire, Earth, and Fire. Among them, the Earth type is characterized by a yellow complexion, round face, large head, beautiful shoulders and back, and a large belly.

"Small shins, fleshy hands and feet," "Water type" person is described as having dark skin, an uneven face, a round head, a broad chest, and small...

"Shoulders, large belly, limbs," according to the *Huangdi Neijing*, indicate that these two types of people are prone to obesity. Earth type

People of this type belong to the Yin Earth element, which makes their Yang energy easily damaged, and they are prone to spleen and stomach ailments. (Water type)

It belongs to the Lesser Yin Kidney Water category, which easily damages Kidney Yang and makes one prone to kidney and bladder diseases. The spleen and kidneys are the main organs responsible for the transportation and transformation of water and dampness.

The internal organs, particularly the spleen and kidneys, are weak, leading to a deficiency of yang energy. The spleen is unable to transform and transport fluids, and the kidneys are unable to vaporize body fluids, resulting in the accumulation of phlegm and dampness.

When these blockages accumulate between the muscles and meridians, they lead to obesity. We will discuss this further later.

While genetic factors form the basis for obesity, they are not immutable. The human body undergoes growth and development...

During this process, the body is constantly influenced by the external environment, and the obese physique will slowly evolve.

Acquired factors

(1) Immoderate eating: This refers to a lack of restraint in eating. The *Huangdi Neijing* was the first to recognize obesity as a related condition.

It has a close relationship with people's eating habits. The *Suwen* chapter states: "Obesity..."

"For noblemen, the disease of consuming rich foods is a concern." (Suwen)

The *Treatise on Different Methods and Appropriate Treatments* states: "The people of the West... eat Chinese food and are fat." The *Suwen* (Plain Questions) chapter on *Strange Diseases* states:

"When the five flavors enter the mouth, they are stored in the stomach, where the spleen distributes their essence and fluids."

It resides in the spleen, hence it makes one's mouth taste sweet; this is the source of rich and delicious flavors, and such a person will surely...

"Eating sweet and fatty foods here refers to..."

The high-fat foods we usually talk about, such as meat, fish, and desserts, are all high in fat.

Foods rich in nutrients, in traditional Chinese medicine terms, are...

It's "greasy and hard on the stomach," difficult to digest, and then it accumulates in my body.

These substances cannot be properly absorbed or excreted from our bodies.

Firstly, it can lead to obesity, and secondly, it can obstruct the flow of Qi in the spleen and stomach, further affecting their function.

(2) Indolence and lack of physical activity: prolonged sitting, prolonged lying down, and little physical activity.

Obesity can also result from excess storage exceeding supply. (From *Suwen*, Chapter 10)

The "Five Qi" states: "Prolonged sitting injures the flesh," and "Prolonged lying down injures the Qi."

Prolonged lying down can cause qi deficiency and qi stagnation, leading to impaired digestion and distribution.

Abnormalities lead to the accumulation of fat, causing obesity. This is especially true in modern society, where efficiency is paramount and cars are the primary mode of transportation.

People are spending less and less time on outdoor sports and more and more time in front of computers and televisions, especially watching...

Watching television often involves eating, increasing calorie intake while decreasing energy expenditure; over time, this can lead to problems.

In the past, this would lead to obesity. Those who are already obese often have poor lifestyle habits or are affected by illness.

With even less physical activity, fat accumulation becomes increasingly apparent, gradually creating a vicious cycle.

(3 1 Personality is based on the saying in "Ling Shu: Reversal and Order, Fat and Lean": "A fat person... is greedy."

Taking and giving. "Those who are greedy for taking and giving cannot attain the way of moderation. Many overweight and obese patients today..."

Obesity can be caused by a lack of self-control and overeating. Additionally, some introverted individuals...

When a person's emotions are not easily expressed, it can easily lead to stagnation of liver qi, qi stagnation, and impaired digestion, which over time can cause fatty liver disease.

Internal factors can manifest as obesity.

(4) Age: The Suwen·Yin Yang Ying Xiang Da Lun says: "At the age of forty, the Yin Qi is halved."

"Yes, my daily life has declined. At fifty, I have gained weight, and my hearing and eyesight are no longer sharp." This explains that after the age of fifty,

There is a tendency to become obese with age. After the age of forty, the functions of the body's internal organs gradually decline.

Weakness, especially spleen deficiency, prevents the body from properly transforming and transporting fluids. Over time, this damages kidney yang, and kidney yang deficiency further impairs the body's ability to transform and transport qi.

Water can cause abnormal fluid distribution in the body, leading to fluid seepage into the skin and muscles, resulting in obesity.

(51 Regional Climate: "Humans live in harmony with nature," meaning that humans reside in both the natural and social environments.)

Within a composite entity, it is constantly influenced by the external environment; different regions, climates, and other factors affect its composition.

The formation of obesity plays an undeniable role. The *Suwen* (Plain Questions) chapter "On Different Methods and Appropriate Treatments" mentions: "Western..."

Fang is a land of gold and jade, a place of sand and stones, where heaven and earth gather and draw in the earth. Its people live on hills and are often exposed to strong winds; the soil and water are hard and strong.

Their people wear no clothes but only coarse ones; their people eat fine food and are fat and plump. In the northwest region, the obese are characterized by large frames.

The opposite is true for the southeastern region.

How does Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) explain obesity?

Traditional Chinese medicine believes that the accumulation of fat is the root cause of obesity, and that phlegm and dampness are the factors that lead to the accumulation of fat.

A very important aspect. What exactly is phlegm-dampness? Phlegm-dampness refers to the inability of the body's fluids to properly regulate their function.

Pathological products generated after normal metabolism. Among them, phlegm and dampness, in traditional Chinese medicine, are related to the internal organs of the human body.

The functions of the internal organs, especially the spleen, lungs, and kidneys, are inextricably linked.

The spleen is the source of phlegm.

The concept of "spleen" in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) differs significantly from that in Western medicine. In TCM...

In the theory of the spleen system, the spleen is a very important organ, known as the "foundation of acquired constitution" (the "foundation of innate constitution" is...).

The kidneys are responsible for digesting and absorbing food, transporting nutrients and water, producing blood, and regulating blood.

It is essential for the normal functioning of the spleen and other vital functions within the blood vessels, and the foundation of these functions is the normal functioning of the spleen and other vital functions.

The spleen's energy is expressed through the mouth; when the spleen's energy is healthy and functioning properly, the mouth can discern the five flavors. In other words, only when the spleen's energy is flowing smoothly can we...

They can be sensitive to the taste of food. When we have a poor appetite, we often say things like "tasteless" or "unappetizing."

"Wanting to eat" means that our spleen's function is obstructed or blocked. Under normal circumstances, the spleen controls food...

The nutrients from food are transported throughout the body to nourish our muscles and limbs. Therefore, appetite and the digestion of food...

The spleen has a very direct relationship with digestion, absorption, and metabolism.

Traditional Chinese medicine believes that the spleen belongs to the Foot Taiyin Meridian and the stomach belongs to the Foot Yangming Meridian; these two meridians are mutually dependent.

The spleen and stomach are also two internal organs that are internally and externally related; simply put, their relationship is extremely close.

The stomach is primarily used to hold the food we eat and to perform basic digestion. (Traditional Chinese Medicine)

The process is called "fermentation" or "digestion" in the stomach. The spleen is primarily responsible for transporting food and drink that has been fermented and digested in the stomach. Traditional Chinese medicine believes that the spleen is responsible for the ascending function of food and drink.

The stomach is responsible for descending; the spleen prefers a drier environment, while the stomach prefers a moister environment; both are responsible for ascending.

During the process of intake, they can interact and support each other, working together to complete the intake, absorption, and digestion of food.

And the physiological function of transporting the body's required heat. Therefore, Li Dong, a very famous physician in ancient China...

Yuan said, "A strong spleen and stomach lead to a large appetite and weight gain." Long-term consumption of high-fat foods such as meat and desserts results in overnutrition.

When the spleen and stomach are unable to properly digest and transform excess fat, pathological fat accumulates in the body, leading to various health problems.

Obesity. At the same time, the spleen has another important function: the spleen governs the muscles, meaning the nutrients transported by the spleen are usable...

The spleen's digestive function directly affects body shape, from its ability to nourish muscles to its proper functioning.

We mentioned earlier that phlegm and dampness are an important factor in the formation of obesity, and the spleen is the organ formed from phlegm and dampness.

The source. If the spleen's qi function is impaired for various reasons, then it cannot function properly.

The body's fluids are transported and transformed. If dampness accumulates in the body, it can turn into turbidity and phlegm, eventually forming a buildup.

It can be transformed into what Traditional Chinese Medicine calls "fat," which is fat, and obesity results from this. In this way...

Over time, the stagnant dampness will further damage the Qi of our spleen and stomach, leading to weakness of the spleen and stomach Qi.

The body's ability to metabolize dampness and turbidity will further weaken, leading to a more severe accumulation of dampness and turbidity, forming...

A vicious cycle. Furthermore, weakness of the spleen and stomach qi also reduces their ability to transport nutrients from food.

This causes nutrients to accumulate and turn into fat.

The lungs are the organ for storing phlegm.

We can't help but ask, where does all the phlegm and dampness that accumulate in the body go? Actually, phlegm and dampness can flow...

It reaches various parts of the body, but the lungs are a major "storage site." Lung qi is related to spleen qi.

Like qi, it also needs to rise and fall. Phlegm and dampness stored in the lungs can affect the lung's ability to disperse and descend qi.

In addition to being affected by the spleen's transport function, the transport of fluids in the human body is also regulated by the lungs' qi (vital energy) over the water passages.

Function. When lung qi is obstructed, its ability to regulate water metabolism is impaired, which can also lead to the accumulation of fluids.