If you’re feeling rundown or out of sorts, a visit to Eu Yan Sang TCM Clinic will help find out why and get you on the road to recovery.
Wondering what all the buzz around TCM is about? We went to the experts at Eu Yan Sang TCM Clinic for some tips, and as it turns out, it’s all about your body constitution and treating the body as an integrated whole (as opposed to targeting only the symptoms). If you fancy getting to the root of your problems, read on!
Eu Yan Sang TCM Clinic: How TCM tackles things differently
TCM focuses on treating the root cause of your illness or bodily imbalances, rather than just the surface-level symptoms – yay to that! No two treatment plans are the same, and the experts at Eu Yan Sang will conduct an evaluation to come up with a customised prescription tailor-made just for you. The rule of thumb? To restore optimal balance in the body.
Having been used successfully for thousands of years, TCM treatments focus on syndrome classification. That is, a group of signs that the patient presents. Instead of treating individual signs and symptoms separately, TCM looks at them as an interconnected whole, which means that you’ll receive a holistic treatment plan from Eu Yan Sang TCM Clinic that will have you on the road to wellbeing in no time.
Identifying your body constitution is also an essential step in the process, as it tells the physicians about the kinds of symptoms you are prone to having, and which parts of your body might be weaker than others.
What’s your body constitution?
Neutral
Probably the most convenient constitution to have: if you’re a neutral, you don’t fall ill easily and have normal bowel and sleep habits, which means you’re healthy all around. Keep up a balanced diet with sufficient exercise and you should be all good.
Yang deficiency
If you don’t do well in the cold, perspire easily and have watery or soft stools, it’s likely that you are yang deficient. Consume warmer foods (such as beef, mutton, chicken, leek and ginger) and avoid foods like sashimi and ice cream, to preserve your body’s yang-qi.
Yin deficiency
Are you prone to insomnia and mouth dryness? Do you have dry stools and have warm hands and feet, with a preference for colder foods? You might be Yin deficient and need to avoid spicy and warming foods. On the other hand, take more moisturising foods like lily bulbs, lotus seeds, and white fungus.
Qi deficiency
Those who possess a weak voice and struggle with lethargy might have a Qi deficiency. This is also characterised by frequent shortness of breath and slower recovery from illnesses. The best thing to do is to eat easily digestible foods, and load up on qi-strengthening foods like rice, millet, chicken and lotus seeds.
Blood deficiency
This isn’t as scary as it sounds – this constitution just means that you might have a pale complexion, a weak physique and are prone to giddiness, poor concentration, and numbness. Work around these with nourishing foods like spinach, black fungus, pork, chicken and mutton.
Qi stagnation
Do you sigh a lot? Experience chest tightness? Your flow of Qi might be blocked – you need foods like mushrooms, buckwheat, tangerine peel and mint to get that Qi going again.
Blood Stasis
This is when your flow of blood is not ideal, which leads to a dark complexion and dry or rough skin. To nourish your blood, look to foods such as mulberries, brown sugar, vinegar and black beans.
Phlegm-dampness
If you prefer oily, fatty or sweet foods, and have excessive perspiration, you might be of this constitution. Steer away from your cravings and go for blander foods instead – that means more winter melon and adzuki beans, and less booze and fried chicken.
Damp-heat
Acne and mouth dryness not going away? You might be a damp-heat body type. Avoid spice and deep fried foods – neutral and cooler foods are better for you, including cucumber, lotus root, and mung beans.
Intrinsic
This one’s a bit special, and is characterised by sensitivity to food, medicines, smells and climates. You might also be prone to allergic conditions. Consume a diet that’s easy on the stomach, with whole grains and vegetables.
How to maintain your health with TCM
The team at Eu Yan Sang TCM Clinic will help you work out what exactly your body needs, and with these recommendations and a healthy lifestyle (that’s sufficient rest and exercise), you’ll hopefully be able to navigate the cold season with ease.
Better yet, visit Eu Yan Sang TCM Clinic or Wellness Clinic for a customised plan to strengthen your body with a herbal prescription – try the TCM Health Report at just $48! For more tips, take the Know Your Body quiz on Eu Yan Sang TCM clinic’s website.
This post is in partnership with Eu Yan Sang TCM Clinic.