Constitutional Differentiation and Body Aesthetics: Understanding the Scientific Strategies for Treating Underlying Cold/Heat Elements and Localized Obesity

Being overweight refers to a weight exceeding the standard weight by 10%-20%, which may be a precursor to obesity. If you continue to overeat, your weight will increase, progressing from overweight to obese. Therefore, overweight individuals should control their weight and lose weight appropriately. Are all weight-loss foods suitable for you? No. Because everyone's constitution is different, and foods also have different properties. Eating the wrong foods can harm your health and may even make you gain more weight. Therefore, before choosing weight-loss foods, you should understand your own constitution.

Generally speaking, body constitutions can be divided into two main categories: "cold constitution" and "hot constitution." People with a cold constitution tend to have excessive internal coldness, easily experiencing symptoms such as cold hands and feet, and pale complexion. They should choose warm foods. On the other hand, obese individuals with a hot constitution have excessive internal heat, accompanied by symptoms such as excessive thirst, constipation, etc. They can eat more cooling foods. For example, winter melon has diuretic, swelling-reducing, and lipid-lowering effects; however, it is quite cooling, and excessive consumption by those with a cold constitution can damage kidney qi. Another example is astragalus, which has qi-tonifying and lipid-lowering effects, but those with excessive heat should not consume it, as it may cause symptoms such as irritability, restlessness, and insomnia.

Generally speaking, body constitutions can be divided into two main categories: cold and hot. Similarly, foods can be categorized as either cold or hot in nature. The saying "treat the cold with heat, and the hot with cold" means that obese individuals with a cold constitution should choose warm foods, while those with a hot constitution can eat more cooling foods. Besides causing fat accumulation and weight gain, obesity can also lead to changes in body shape. Obese individuals can exhibit significant differences in body shape, such as generalized obesity, localized obesity, abdominal obesity, apple-shaped bodies, pear-shaped bodies, and so on.

Don't assume that hard work will guarantee a successful weight loss. Sometimes, despite your best efforts, you don't achieve your desired results; areas that should be fuller remain underdeveloped, while areas that shouldn't gain weight become increasingly plump. Body shape and physique are inseparable. Humans are creatures who value beauty; everyone desires a beautiful figure and agile movements. If your body becomes increasingly bloated, your reflexes become clumsy, and you become breathless after just a few steps. Once you become obese, you often feel reluctant to move. The more obese a person is, the less inclined they are to move. Therefore, obesity can lead to a bloated physique, and this bloated physique can cause a loss of motivation, a reluctance to move, and makes fat accumulation more likely.

"Localized obesity" refers to fat accumulation in specific areas of the body, such as the abdomen, waist, buttocks, thighs, and calves. Localized obesity is related to a lack of activity in those areas. When we are active, fat is less likely to accumulate. However, when a part of the body lacks activity, localized obesity easily develops. For example, office workers, accountants, drivers, and computer operators spend most of their time sitting. Because their upper limbs and hands are constantly moving and have good blood circulation, fat is less likely to accumulate in the upper limbs. However, the waist, abdomen, and lower limbs receive very little activity, making them prone to fat accumulation.

The *Introduction to Medicine* states, "Prolonged lying or sitting leads to qi deficiency and stagnation, inevitably weakening the body's digestive system, disrupting its function, causing fat accumulation, and resulting in obesity." Therefore, to prevent localized obesity, it is essential to increase physical activity and promote the circulation of qi and blood. Some people try dieting, but after a period of dieting, localized obesity may not improve at all; instead, the upper body may become thinner. This is because fat is more easily utilized in the upper body, while it is more easily deposited in the lower body. Traditional Chinese medicine believes that localized obesity is often related to qi deficiency and stagnation, leading to fat accumulation. Therefore, to improve the situation, one should replenish qi, invigorate blood circulation, and dispel stagnation.