Traditional Chinese Medicine's diagnosis of the root causes of obesity: a profound connection between organ dysfunction, qi deficiency, phlegm and dampness, and overall bodily balance.

Generally speaking, excessive calorie intake can lead to obesity. However, pathological factors or endocrine disorders can also cause obesity. For example, high blood lipids and high blood sugar are closely related to obesity; insulin imbalances can lead to obesity; and cortisol plays an important role in metabolism. If you are controlling your diet but still gain weight, you should consider whether there is a problem with your health. Obese individuals who want to understand whether their bodily functions are normal should see a doctor or undergo a physical examination.

After a physical examination, you can identify any health problems and receive targeted treatment immediately. However, what if the examination shows all data is normal, with all indicators within the normal range, but you still continue to gain weight? Does the normal function of all organs mean your body is healthy? If all organs are normal, why do you continue to gain weight and become obese? If you have doubts and can't find the answers, why not look at the body's functions from the perspective of Traditional Chinese Medicine, and understand the causes and course of obesity from another angle?

Traditional Chinese medicine views the human body as an organic whole, centered on the five internal organs: heart, liver, spleen, lungs, and kidneys. The limbs, bones, sensory organs, skin, muscles, bones, emotions, and tissues are all governed by these five organs. The five organs do not operate independently but rather influence, inhibit, nourish, and regulate each other, maintaining the body's balance. If any one of the five organs becomes excessively active, deficient, or if multiple organs malfunction, the body will become unbalanced.

Once the body loses its balance, it can lead to disordered Qi and blood, blocked meridians, imbalance of Yin and Yang, and failure of the self-regulating mechanisms of the five internal organs. Gradually, this results in disordered Qi flow, the generation of phlegm and dampness, which can cause a variety of diseases and the accumulation of fat, leading to obesity. Traditional Chinese medicine believes that obese people often have Qi deficiency and phlegm and dampness. Qi deficiency is the cause of obesity, while phlegm and dampness are pathological products. When the body has Qi deficiency, it is easy to generate phlegm and dampness. After phlegm and dampness form, they can damage the body's vital energy. The more severe the Qi deficiency, the easier it is to generate phlegm and dampness; the more intense the phlegm and dampness, the weaker the body's vital energy.

This vicious cycle leads to a gradual depletion of vital energy, resulting in increased internal phlegm and dampness, and ultimately obesity. As stated in *Introduction to Medicine*, "Qi deficiency and stagnation inevitably weaken the body's ability to transform and transport fluids, disrupting the body's balance, causing fat accumulation and obesity." The renowned physician Chen Xiuyuan further noted, "Obese people often have excessive phlegm, dampness, and Qi deficiency." Qi is fundamental to human health, possessing functions such as propulsion, defense, consolidation, transformation, and nutrition. The circulation of blood, the distribution of body fluids, the unobstructed flow of meridians, and the balance of internal organs all depend on the function of Qi.

The generation of Qi (vital energy) depends on the normal functioning of the five internal organs and six bowels. If these organs are imbalanced, the body's vital energy (Qi) will be depleted; conversely, a deficiency of vital energy can also lead to imbalances in the five internal organs and six bowels. Phlegm and dampness are pathological products generated when the body's five internal organs and six bowels are imbalanced. Because phlegm and dampness are fluid, they can rise and fall with Qi, circulating throughout the body and reaching everywhere. They can also accumulate as fat or turbidity. Excessive accumulation of fat or turbidity can lead to obesity. Therefore, the *Suwen* (Plain Questions) states: "When Qi is deficient, the transformation and distribution of Qi are disrupted, causing the clear and turbid to mix, failing to transform into essence and blood, resulting in the accumulation of fat, phlegm, and turbidity, leading to obesity."

Phlegm-dampness and vital energy (Qi) have a mutually reinforcing relationship: when vital energy is abundant, phlegm-dampness is eliminated; when phlegm-dampness is abundant, vital energy is deficient. Traditional Chinese medicine believes that obese people often have Qi deficiency and phlegm-dampness. Qi deficiency is the cause of obesity, while phlegm-dampness is a pathological product; when the body has Qi deficiency, it is prone to producing phlegm and dampness. Once phlegm-dampness forms, it can damage the body's vital energy. Everything requires a correct starting point, a clear attitude and concept, and the right methods to achieve the desired results. The same principle applies to weight loss: attitude, viewpoint, and starting point must all be correct: obese people need to lose weight, but non-obese people do not.

This is a very simple principle, but in reality, many people get it wrong. For example, Ms. Slim isn't actually obese, but she feels she is, so she continuously diets to lose weight. In real life, many people are overly fearful of obesity, while others are overly indifferent. Some people are excessively afraid of obesity, avoiding fried and greasy foods because they fear gaining weight; because they fear gaining weight, they don't even eat meals, only eating a little dry food or fruit to fill their stomachs. Slimming and weight loss are fashionable trends, but excessive or blind weight loss is harmful. At best, it can lead to malnutrition; at worst, it can cause anorexia, anemia, or even endanger life.