[Oriental Medicine]Simple rules prevent most obesity issues
The average modern, civilized human, torn between the duties of earning and spending, has little time or opportunity to properly enjoy meals. For some, fast-food has become a necessity. Chewing is considered a luxury. Fruits and vegetables are “enhanced” with alcohol or mayonnaise. To compound the situation, exercise is often restricted to using the T.V. remote control. The car and the elevator take us most places we need to go. We want to improve our figures, but not our habits. Consequently, our lifestyles are reflected in bodies that have lost their shape.In addition to external appearance, obesity has a negative impact on health. It has been connected with dozens of diseases and conditions; in particular, diabetes, arteriosclerosis, heart disease, stroke and arthritis.
The prevalence of obesity in industrialized countries has a simple cause: If energy (calorie) intake exceeds energy output, then excess weight accumulates. According to the classical Oriental Medicine textbook, “Donguibokam,” “If the food energy suppresses the body’s vital energy, body weight will increase and life expectancy will be reduced.” However, “if the vital energy controls the food energy there will be no danger of obesity.”
In other words, the amount of calories consumed is secondary in importance to the body’s ability to digest and distribute the food’s nutritive energy. In daily life, this is evident in people who can eat whatever and however much they want, while maintaining their figures. Conversely, there are others who eat relatively little but gain weight.
Constitutional medicine recognizes that genetic factors influence the digestive process. The types labeled taeumin and soyangin tend toward obesity. The taeumin, possessing strong liver function, are big eaters; whereas the soyangin, possessing a well-developed spleen/pancreas (digestive) tract, extract the nutritive elements of food extremely efficiently. The other two constitutions, the taeyangin and the soumin, are prone to weak liver function and spleen/pancreas function, respectively. As a result, these latter types rarely experience weight problems.
Effectually, excess bodily adipose tissue is a condition of superfluous fluid, or moisture retention. Eventually, this has a negative impact on energy circulation, making the body feel heavy and sluggish.
From the viewpoint of Oriental medicine, obesity treatment therapy must focus on balancing energy circulation and reducing excess moisture by stimulating the metabolism. Metabolic byproducts are then expelled via the urine, stool and sweat pathways. A variety of different herbs, for instance yulmu (Job’s tears), are useful for this purpose. Ear acupuncture can be used to reduce hunger pangs; while electro-acupuncture, placed in the abdomen or thighs, helps to decompose fatty tissues.
In the end, winning the battle of the bulge also requires changing some lifestyle habits.
Skipping meals is counterproductive. Instead, reduce your intake of food at each meal.
Moreover, chew every bite 30 times ― your stomach will feel fuller on less food. Last but not least, remember that you were born with two legs. Use them.
www.jaseng.net
Raimund Royer is Medical Director of the International Clinic at the Jaseng Hospital of Oriental Medicine.
by Dr.Raimund Royer
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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