Preventive Treatment in TCM
Making health preservation a new trend
Focus
— HEALTH —
Improving Phlegm-Damp Constitution
Traditional Chinese Medicine has solutions
Phlegm-Damp Constitution: A physical state characterized by the accumulation of phlegm and dampness due to the stagnation of body fluids, primarily marked by a heavy and turbid quality, often resulting from congenital factors or excessive consumption of rich and fatty foods.
Constitution Characteristics
① Physical Characteristics: Obesity, soft and full abdomen;
② Psychological Characteristics: Generally mild-mannered, steady, humble, and tolerant;
③ Common Manifestations:
Main symptoms include: oily facial skin, excessive sticky sweating, chest tightness, and phlegm accumulation;
Secondary symptoms include: yellow and dull complexion, slightly puffy eyelids, easy fatigue, enlarged tongue body, white and greasy tongue coating, sticky or sweet mouth, heavy body feeling, slippery pulse, preference for rich and fatty foods, normal or loose stools, and infrequent or slightly turbid urination;
④ Disease Tendencies: Prone to diabetes, stroke, and chest obstruction;
⑤ Adaptability to External Environment: Poor adaptability to the plum rain season and humid environments, prone to dampness-related conditions.
Constitution Analysis
Phlegm and dampness manifest on the skin, leading to obesity, soft and full abdomen, yellow and dull complexion, slightly puffy eyelids, oily facial skin, and excessive sticky sweating; “The lung is the organ that stores phlegm,” and when phlegm and turbidity stagnate in the lungs, it leads to chest tightness and phlegm accumulation; “The spleen is the source of phlegm production,” hence individuals with phlegm-damp constitution often prefer rich and fatty foods; phlegm and dampness obstruct the spleen, hindering the flow of qi, leading to fatigue and a heavy body feeling; when phlegm and turbidity rise to the mouth, it results in a sticky or sweet taste; internal obstruction of spleen dampness leads to loose stools and slightly turbid urination; when water and dampness are not properly processed, urination becomes infrequent.
The tongue is enlarged with a white and greasy coating, and the pulse is slippery, indicating internal obstruction of phlegm and dampness. With excessive phlegm and dampness, yang qi is constrained, making it difficult to rise, hence the generally mild and steady personality, humble demeanor, and tendency to be tolerant; internal obstruction of phlegm and dampness makes one prone to diabetes, stroke, and chest obstruction; with excessive phlegm and dampness, there is a poor adaptability to the plum rain season and humid environments, leading to dampness-related conditions.
Daily Care
01
Dietary Regulation
Individuals with suboptimal phlegm-damp constitution should consume a light diet, focusing on foods that benefit the lungs, strengthen the spleen, nourish the kidneys, transform dampness, and promote the flow of the San Jiao (Triple Burner), such as coix seed (Yi Yi Ren), red adzuki beans (Chi Xiao Dou), Chinese yam (Shan Yao), white radish (Bai Luobo), winter melon (Donggua), and ginger (Sheng Jiang).Those with phlegm-damp constitution should avoid rich, greasy, nourishing, and cold foods, such as fatty pork, fried foods, ice cream, and sweet carbonated drinks.
02
Living Environment Care
Individuals with phlegm-damp constitution are characterized by excessive dampness, which can obstruct the flow of qi and hinder yang qi. Therefore, it is essential to engage in outdoor activities regularly, enjoy sunlight or sunbathing to promote yang qi and facilitate the flow of qi. Keep living spaces dry. Clothing should be breathable and moisture-wicking. In humid and cold weather, reduce outdoor activities to avoid exposure to cold rain.
03
Exercise and Fitness
Individuals with phlegm-damp constitution often have obesity and fatigue, so they should maintain a regular exercise routine, such as walking, jogging, table tennis, badminton, tennis, swimming, and other suitable activities. However, due to their generally larger body weight, they should pay attention to the intensity of exercise and progress gradually.
04
Mental Regulation
Individuals with phlegm-damp constitution tend to be mild-mannered and steady, often humble and tolerant. It is important to maintain a peaceful mindset, promptly eliminate negative emotions, and moderate extreme joy and sorrow while cultivating hobbies.
05
Meridian and Acupoint Regulation
Regular acupoint pressure or moxibustion is recommended, focusing on the Taiyin (Lung) and Yangming (Large Intestine) meridian points and corresponding back shu points. Commonly used acupoints include Taiyuan (Taiyuan), Zhongfu (Zhongfu), Chize (Chize), Lieque (Lieque), Taibai (Taibai), Sanyinjiao (Sanyinjiao), Fenglong (Fenglong), Zusanli (Zusanli), Feiyu (Feiyu), Piyu (Piyu), and Yinlingquan (Yinlingquan).
06
Internal and External TCM Treatments
Internal consumption of dampness-removing tea and external use of dampness-reducing and fat-reducing foot bath packages.
END(Recommended Doctor)
Wu Jing
Wu Jing, Master’s student at Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, attending physician in TCM, national health manager, member of the Chinese Acupuncture Society, committee member of the Jiangxi Provincial TCM Association for the treatment of neck, shoulder, waist, and leg pain, and committee member of the Jiangxi Provincial Sleep Medicine Association for TCM treatment. Specializes in integrated TCM and Western medicine treatment for thyroid diseases, obesity, fatty liver, insomnia, hyperuricemia, diabetes, polycystic ovary syndrome, menopausal syndrome, breast diseases, infertility, menstrual disorders, and dysmenorrhea; employs various acupuncture techniques such as acupoint embedding, umbilical acupuncture, Dong’s special acupoints, auricular acupuncture, and scalp acupuncture to treat anxiety, depression, dizziness, headaches, mastalgia, neck, shoulder, waist, and leg pain, and facial paralysis.
Department Introduction
The Nanchang Hongdu Hospital’s Preventive Treatment Center is a key specialty at the municipal level, a key specialty recognized by the Jiangxi Provincial Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, and the Nanchang City Preventive Treatment Center. For many years, it has adhered to the goal of exploring effective pathways and models for realizing the concept of “preventive treatment,” aiming to use TCM to serve the public and improve the health care level of traditional Chinese medicine, employing “preventive treatment” as a method, health identification of constitution as a tool, health promotion as a means, and health management as a platform to establish a new model of health management in TCM.
For many years, the Preventive Treatment Center has adhered to the philosophy of “preventing disease before it occurs, treating disease early, preventing changes in existing diseases, and preventing recurrence after recovery,” fostering a good development trend of coordinated medical education and research. The center is composed of senior TCM experts with rich clinical experience, particularly distinguished in TCM constitution identification, health preservation guidance, and dietary nutrition. The center currently has more than 10 medical staff, including 4 with senior titles, 1 PhD, and 6 with intermediate titles or master’s degrees; 1 renowned TCM physician in Nanchang, 1 of the top 100 excellent doctors in Nanchang, 1 expert in the Nanchang Youth Think Tank, 1 of the most beautiful workers in Nanchang; 1 of the top ten young scientific and technological talents in Nanchang, 1 national natural science fund project, 2 provincial science and technology department projects, and more than 10 provincial-level topics; published over 20 academic papers, co-authored 2 academic works, and holds 4 new patents.
Contact number for the Preventive Treatment Center:
(0791) 8381 7201