Chinese medicine believes that obesity is related to dietary irregularities, spleen and stomach disorders, phlegm-dampness congestion, and congenital endowment deficiencies (poor innate constitution and function). Generally, obesity is divided into stomach heat and fire depression, spleen deficiency, phlegm and dampness, spleen and kidney yang deficiency, qi depression and blood stasis, etc. Specific medication needs to be identified and treated by a professional physician.
Stomach-heat-fire-depression type is characterized by muscular firmness, easy thirst, love of ice, large amount of food, easy hunger, etc. The treatment is to clear the stomach and remove the fire, accompanied by elimination of the fire, and the prescription is Baihu Tang combined with Xiao Chengqi Tang. It is contraindicated in pregnant women, the elderly and the infirm.
Spleen deficiency and lack of transportation, symptoms such as muscle flaccidity, fatigue, swelling of limbs, poor appetite, etc., the treatment is to strengthen the spleen and qi, osmosis and water-dampness, the formula chooses ginseng ling and white atractylodes powder. It is not recommended for those who have diarrhea with irregular bowel movement and a feeling of falling in the anus. It should not be taken at the same time with cold and flu medicines. When taking this medicine, it is not suitable to take quinquefolium, wulingzhi, saponaria or its preparations at the same time, and it is not suitable to drink tea and eat radish so as not to affect the efficacy of the medicine.
Phlegm-dampness internal exuberance type is characterized by obesity, heaviness, drowsiness of limbs, epigastric plumpness and chest fullness, etc. The treatment is to dry dampness and resolve phlegm (dispel dampness by drying dampness and dissolve phlegm), and regulate qi to eliminate plumpness, and the prescription is to choose the formula of Guiding Phlegm Tang combined with Si Ling San. It is contraindicated in pregnant women.
Spleen and kidney yang deficiency type, symptoms include obesity, white color, coldness (cold body), cold limbs, and cold pain in the abdomen, lumbar and sacral regions, etc. The treatment should be warming the spleen and kidney, inducing diuresis to remove water and liquids, and the prescription should be Zhenwu Tang combining with Linggui Jiu Gan Tang. Caution should be exercised in cases of Yin deficiency, and pregnant women should be cautious.
For the type of qi and blood stasis, the symptoms include obesity and laziness, like to breathe too much, chest tightness and fullness, dark face and lips, and the color of the limbs is not bright, or even purple, etc. The treatment is to activate blood circulation and eliminate blood stasis, and to move qi and disperse knots, and the formula chooses Haifu Yuyi Yu Tang. It is forbidden for pregnant women.
If there are symptoms of obesity, the drug should not be self-selected, and should be used under the guidance of a doctor.