With the improvement of people's living standards, the number of obese individuals has been increasing. High blood lipids, high cholesterol, fatty liver, obesity-related hypertension, cardiovascular disease, cerebrovascular disease, etc. are commonly seen in clinical practice, and the incidence rate is rising. The use of traditional Chinese medicine diagnosis and treatment, as well as lipid-lowering and weight-reducing methods, can achieve good results. The introduction is as follows:
1. Stomach-Invigorating and Fat-Reducing Method: Most cases of obesity are caused by excessive sweet and fatty foods, which can accumulate in the stomach, leading to bloating, acid regurgitation, foul taste in the mouth, and greasy tongue coating. Early use of hawthorn, barley malt, radish seeds, and other medicines to invigorate the stomach and aid digestion can be very effective. These medicines have long been recorded in ancient herbal books for eliminating fatty deposits. Traditional formulas such as Jiao San Xian and Bao He Wan are commonly used in pediatric medicine. Commercially available hawthorn fruit, hawthorn cakes, and hawthorn pastries are sweet and delicious, easy to carry, and convenient to take. Fresh radish seeds can be eaten raw or stir-fried, and they can be considered the simplest dietary therapy for lowering lipids and losing weight.
2. Blood-Activating and Stasis-Expelling Method: Obese individuals often have excessive fat in their blood, which can easily cause arteriosclerosis, especially in the heart and brain, leading to various cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. Medicines that activate blood circulation and expel stasis can dilate coronary arteries, increase blood flow, lower blood lipids, prevent plaque formation, and promote its regression. For obese individuals with blood stasis, amenorrhea, or purplish spots on the tongue, the use of blood-activating and stasis-expelling method not only helps to lower lipids and lose weight but also treats the underlying diseases, achieving dual benefits. Commonly used blood-activating and stasis-expelling lipid-lowering medicines include Angelica sinensis and Chuanxiong, which are the main ingredients in the ancient formula Foshou San, known for their abilities to activate blood circulation, regulate menstruation, and relieve pain. Danshen, with similar effects to the Four Substances Decoction, is commonly used to treat cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. Chi Shao Yao and Ji Xue Teng can activate blood circulation and relax tendons, making them suitable for those with blood stasis and meridian obstruction. San Qi and Pu Huang are good at activating blood circulation and relieving pain, and are often selected for patients with blood stasis and stabbing pain. Commercially available Danshen patches, compound Danshen patches, Coronary Formula 1, Coronary Formula 2, etc. have the effect of activating blood circulation, expelling stasis, lowering lipids.
3. Chest-Expanding and Phlegm-Transforming Method: Traditional Chinese medicine literature suggests that "obese individuals have more phlegm." This phlegm is obviously referring to the turbid phlegm caused by excessive fat, which is the excess fat itself. Clinically, obese individuals often experience shortness of breath and chest tightness, and in severe cases, dizziness, vomiting, nausea, and a greasy tongue coating. Some people have excessive phlegm-fire, manifested as irritability, easy to anger, leading to high blood pressure, headache, tinnitus, and pain, restless sleep, yellow greasy tongue coating, and constipation. These individuals are prone to cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. When encountering these clinical manifestations, the appropriate treatment method is chest-expanding and phlegm-transforming.
