Obesity has never been important on the agenda of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) as it has not been a typical social or medical problem in China. The ancient Chinese theory is based on the Yin-Yang philosophy and the Five Elements. According to TCM, weight gain or obesity is caused by unhealthy yin-yang interaction and disturbances in the balance of body organ functions. When you eat, the food is digested, the nutrients are absorbed and the waste material is excreted. An imbalance of these three functions causes retention of water, fat or food in the body which leads to weight gain.

Even though obesity control specifically has not been a major focus of TCM, there are many people who claim to have the formula for reducing weight naturally using Chinese obesity solutions.

However, with the ban on two herbal weight loss solutions manufactured in China and sold over the internet, there has been an extensive debate over the use of Chinese herbal remedies for weight loss. These two drugs were marketed as natural weight loss supplements but were actually found to contain a banned substance - N-nitroso-fenfluramine - associated with heart problems. The most commonly used Chinese herb, Ma Huang or ephedra has also been known to cause heart valve conditions and is banned by the FDA.

TCM does not advocate the use of any one single herb for treating obesity. Instead, the numerous herbs that are part of Chinese weight loss medications are used in conjunction with other herbs to treat obesity. These combinations are based on individual metabolic rates and physical conditions.

Based on that theory, most Chinese herbs are focused on what experts of TCM term as ‘dispelling pathogenic wind from the body surface’. The basic target is to increase metabolism and sweating, reduce swelling and eliminate food stagnation in the body. TCM targets healthy functioning of the spleen which is responsible for controlling transformation and movement of fluids by effectively managing muscles and flesh. The spleen is also the root for accumulation of phlegm. TCM believes that the spleen can be damaged by excessive intake of fatty foods and lack of exercise.

One of the safest weight loss solutions that has a Chinese connection and does not need any consultation from an expert is Chinese herbal green tea. Chinese green tea is processed differently from other green teas, which gives it its typical flavor and taste. It speeds up the body’s metabolism rate and burns calories faster. Green tea suppresses the appetite and does not add to the calorie intake if taken without sugar.

It is important to keep in mind that there is no miracle weight loss cure in any therapy. Like all other therapies, TCM also insists upon an active lifestyle, exercise and diet regulation as natural cures for obesity. The idea is to purge the body by detoxifying naturally, having easy bowel movements and restoring the balance between different organs involved in processing what we eat.

Hypnoimagery & Guided Meditation

How Effective Is Imagery? Clinical Studies on the Effectiveness of Imagery
has found it very effective for the treatment of stress. Imagery is at the center of relaxation techniques designed to release brain chemicals that act as your body's natural brain tranquilizers, lowering blood pressure, heart rate, and anxiety levels. By and large, researchers find that these techniques work. Because imagery relaxes the body, doctors specializing in imagery often recommend it for stress-related conditions such as headaches, chronic pain in the neck and back, high blood pressure, spastic colon, and cramping from premenstrual syndrome.

Researchers at Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio found that people with cancer who used imagery while receiving chemotherapy felt more relaxed, better prepared for their treatment and more positive about care than those who didn't use the technique.

Several studies suggest that imagery can also boost your immunity. Danish researchers found increased natural killer cell activity among ten college students who imagined that their immune systems were becoming very effective. Natural killer cells are an important part of the immune system because they can recognize and destroy virus-infected cells, tumor cells and other invaders.

In another small study, researchers at Pennsylvania State University in University Park, Pa and Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine in Cleveland, Ohio found that seven people who suffered from recurrent canker sores in their mouths significantly reduced the frequency of their outbreaks after they began visualizing that the sores were bathed in a soothing coating of white blood cells.

Imagery can also help alter menstrual cycles and relieve symptoms of premenstrual syndrome. In a preliminary study, researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston found that 12 of 15 women, ages 21 to 40, who used imagery for three months lengthened their monthly menstrual cycles by an average of nearly four days and slashed their perceived levels of premenstrual distress in half. They also reported fewer mood swings.

At the University of South Florida in Tampa, researchers asked 19 men and
women, ages 56 to 75, who had chronic bronchitis and emphysema to rate their levels of anxiety, depression, fatigue and discomfort before and after they began using imagery. The researchers concluded that imagery significantly improved the overall quality of these people's lives.

A study at Yale demonstrated that patients suffering from severe depression were helped by imagining scenes in which they were praised by people they admired- a clear boost to their self-esteem.

Visualization and other relaxation methods may produce significant benefits, often by helping to ease pain and lift depression. Research is continuing to determine whether even more spectacular results can be achieved.

A controlled study of fifty-five women examined the effects of imagery and relaxation on breast milk production in mothers of infants in a neonatal intensive care unit. They received a twenty-minute audiotape of progressive relaxation followed by guided imagery of pleasant surroundings, milk flowing in the breasts, and the baby's warm skin against theirs. They produced more than twice as much milk as compared to those receiving only routine care.

In another study, a group of metastatic cancer patients using daily imagery for a year achieved significant improvements in NK cell activity and several other measures of immune functioning.

At Michigan State University, researchers found that students could use guided imagery to improve the functioning of certain white cells called neutrophils, important immune cells in defense against bacterial and fungal infection. They could also decrease, but not increase, white cell counts. At one point in the study, a form of imagery intended to increase neutrophil count unexpectedly caused a drop instead. Subsequently, students were taught imagery explicitly intended to keep the neutrophil count steady, while increasing their effectiveness. Both of these goals were achieved.
 Other studies have shown that imagery can lower blood pressure, slow heart rate and help treat insomnia, obesity and phobias.

Daily we are exposed to various messages telling us what we should eat; often one message conflicts with the other. We make choices based on the information we most trust at the time, convenience, our emotional needs for comfort from food, and our value system. Such values may include organic versus regular, animal products versus plant, and refined versus unprocessed. Over time our choices change based on additional information, current events in our lives, and how our bodies response to certain foods.

Oriental Medicine offers the guidance of looking for balance; overeating in any one direction often causes imbalances. Overeating fatty fried foods causes a reaction in the body, as does overeating raw fruits and vegetable. For each person what defines overeating varies; our bodies have different sensitivities to different foods. Foods are also viewed as medicine that can be used to correct imbalances in the body. It may be appropriate to eat a greater concentration of a particular food type to assist the body in finding its balance.

The Chinese perspective also seeks to balance the body within the context of its environment including climatic factors and emotional situation. In China different foods are eaten at different times of the year. Warm soups and cooked foods are more dominate in winter, while fruits and salads are consumed in the spring and summer, which naturally corresponds to when nature produces these foods. If the digestive system is robust and the constitution of the person is strong then the body is more tolerant of extremes in food choices. Of course continued over time this places more strain on the body and can lead to illness and imbalance.

The practitioner of Oriental Medicine can assist you in becoming aware of the link between certain foods and your bodies reaction to them and guide you in finding balance in your food intake.