Now let's summarize the commonly used drugs and prescriptions in various medical journals in recent years, and there are about six major methods. The introductions are as follows:
1. Stomach-tonifying and fat-reducing method:
Most of the body obesity is caused by excessive sweet and fatty foods, which first accumulate in the stomach, often causing abdominal distension, belching, acid regurgitation, foul taste in the mouth, and greasy tongue coating. Early use of drugs such as hawthorn, barley malt, and radish seeds to tonify the stomach and aid digestion is very effective. These drugs have long been recorded in the Compendium of Materia Medica for their ability to eliminate grease. Traditional prescriptions such as Jiao San Xian and Bao He Wan are commonly used in pediatrics. Hawthorn fruit, hawthorn cake, and hawthorn pastries available in the market are sweet and delicious, and can be carried around conveniently. Fresh radish can be eaten raw or cooked, and it can be considered the simplest food therapy for reducing fat.
2. Blood-activating and stasis-resolving method:
In obese people, there is often excessive fat in the blood, which can easily cause arteriosclerosis, especially cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. Drugs that activate blood circulation and resolve stasis have effects on dilating coronary arteries, increasing blood flow, reducing blood lipids, preventing plaque formation, and promoting its regression. For obese people with blood stasis obstruction, women with amenorrhea, or those with purple spots on the tongue, the blood-activating and stasis-resolving method is not only effective in reducing fat, but also in treating diseases, which is truly beneficial. Commonly used blood-activating and stasis-resolving drugs include angelica, chuanxiong, and the ancient formula Foshou San, which are excellent in promoting blood circulation, regulating menstruation, and relieving pain. Salvia miltiorrhiza is often used as a commonly used drug for treating cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, with similar effects to Siwu Tang. Red peony and chicken blood vine can activate blood circulation and relax muscles, and are suitable for those with blood stasis in the meridians. Notoginseng and safflower are good at activating blood circulation and relieving pain, and are often chosen for those with blood stasis and stabbing pain. Marketed products such as Danshenbao, compound Danshenbao, Coronary No.1 formula, and Coronary No.2 formula all have the effect of activating blood circulation, resolving stasis, and reducing fat.
3. Chest-expanding and phlegm-transforming method:
Traditional Chinese medicine literature has the point that "obese people often have phlegm". This phlegm is obviously referring to the turbid phlegm in obese people, which is excess fat. Clinically, obese people often experience shortness of breath, chest tightness, dizziness, vomiting, nausea, and a greasy tongue coating. Some people have excessive phlegm-fire, which leads to irritability, easy anger, high blood pressure, headache, and sleep disturbances, with a yellow greasy tongue coating and constipation. Many cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases occur. When encountering these symptoms, the chest-expanding and phlegm-transforming method is most suitable. Commonly used drugs include bitter gourd, which is traditionally known as Gualou, which is the main herb for chest-expanding and phlegm-transforming. Marketed bitter gourd capsules are made from this herb and can reduce blood lipids, especially effective for treating coronary heart disease. Bitter gourd seeds also have a laxative effect and are especially suitable for those with phlegm-fire and constipation. Xiebai, also known as small garlic, is often used in combination with bitter gourd. The ancient physician Zhang Zhongjing in the Han Dynasty used this combination to treat chest pain, and it has been used for thousands of years. Zhishi and Zhike can also expand the chest and transform phlegm. When combined with Chenpi and Banxia, they form the Wengan Decoction, which is commonly used to treat obesity with phlegm-dampness, palpitations, and insomnia. Banxia can transform phlegm and aid digestion. When combined with Chenpi, it becomes the Erchen Decoction, which is a major prescription for phlegm-dampness transformation. It is commonly used to treat various phlegm conditions, whether it is vomiting phlegm or coughing with abundant phlegm, dizziness, palpitations, and other symptoms. According to the records in ancient prescriptions, it is derived from the Wengan Decoction. Chenpi, also known as tangerine peel, has a fragrant aroma and can regulate Qi, transform phlegm, and reduce lipids. Marketed products such as Chenpi plum and dried tangerine peel are delicious and can be used as dietary therapy for reducing fat.
4. Liver-soothing and gallbladder-promoting method:
Bile can digest fat. People with hepatitis, cholecystitis, and gallstones often have insufficient bile secretion and often do not like to eat greasy meat. If they accidentally eat it, it can cause illness. The liver-soothing and gallbladder-promoting method is essential for liver and gallbladder diseases, especially for patients with fatty liver, I have achieved good results with this method. Commonly used drugs for soothing the liver and promoting gallbladder include Yincheng, which is a special medicine for the treatment of jaundice in traditional Chinese medicine and has a good bile-promoting effect. Ezhu, Jianghuang, and Yujin are drugs of the same family, which can soothe the liver, promote gallbladder, and reduce lipids. They are often used in combination with Yincheng. The marketed Baijin Pill is made from Yujin and Mingfan, and it is a Chinese patent medicine that soothes the liver and gallbladder, reduces lipids, and transforms phlegm-turbidity. It also has the effect of dissolving gallstones. Chaihu Shugan San (Chaihu, Zhike, Shaoyao, Gancao, Xiangfu, and Chenpi) can be used as a commonly used prescription with adjustments based on symptoms. Semen Cassiae can clear the liver and improve eyesight. Drinking it as tea regularly has the effect of relieving liver fire and reducing blood lipids.
5. Diuresis and dampness-draining method:
According to traditional Chinese medicine, excessive dampness can lead to the production of phlegm, and when water and dampness metabolism is abnormal, it can easily mix with blood, making it difficult to distinguish between clear and turbid, and blood lipids increase. Using diuresis and dampness-draining method to reduce fat is the most stable method. There was a patient with obesity-related hypertension who was instructed to eat winter melon porridge every day without interruption for three meals a day. Traditional herbal literature states that winter melon has a diuretic effect and is recorded as "avoidance of thin people". After the patient ate winter melon porridge, the daily urine output increased to 5-6 times. After one month, the weight decreased by 5 kilograms and the blood pressure stabilized, which made the patient very happy.
Both winter melon seeds and winter melon skin can be boiled into a soup for regular consumption. It is a good way to make use of waste. Ze Xie is a commonly used diuretic and dampness-draining drug, and recent research has also shown its lipid-lowering effect. Tea tree roots and corn silk have diuretic effects and can be used as lipid-lowering drugs.
6. Laxative and bowel-clearing method:
Obese people are mostly strong and robust, and if they have constipation, they need to use a laxative and bowel-clearing method to eliminate fat and turbidity. The commonly used drugs are as follows: Rhubarb is a major drug for laxative and bowel-clearing, and its lipid-lowering and fat-reducing effects are very rapid. Turmeric is a drug that can both laxative and activate blood circulation, second only to rhubarb. He Shou Wu can nourish the blood and lubricate the intestines. It is suitable for obese people with both blood deficiency and constipation. Marketed Shouwu capsules are made from this herb and can not only reduce blood lipids but also darken hair and have the effects of anti-aging and anti-decline.
Market-available slimming teas such as Sanhua slimming tea are mainly composed of laxative drugs. After obese people take them, they will experience severe diarrhea, and their body weight will decrease immediately. Most other types of slimming teas also contain laxative drugs. The ancient prescription refers to the Mifei Fulian Pill (Zhishi, Banxia, Fuling, and Mangxiao), which can relieve turbidity, treat obesity-related finger numbness in patients with hypertension, and indeed has good effects.
(1) The six methods mainly focus on expelling pathogenic factors. If obese people have concurrent deficiency patterns, they can use drugs that tonify Qi and blood, regulate Yin and Yang, and strengthen the spleen and kidney to assist in expelling pathogenic factors, which will be more beneficial.
(2) Instead of taking drugs to reduce fat, it is better to eat less fatty and greasy meat in daily life. Especially for the last meal of the day, it is not advisable to eat too much, as sleep and rest at night and less activity are easy to cause obesity. In Buddhism, vegetarianism is mainly followed, and there is also the precept of "not eating after noon". Therefore, most monks are lean and healthy, which is reasonable.
