One of the biggest strengths of oriental medicine is its ability to link symptoms and with the past, present, and future. Oriental medicine places emphasis on the patient’s physical constitution. These findings determine how you are actually treated individually and also influence the kind of advice you will receive regarding lifestyle habits. As an example, facial features can give us a good clue as to your constitution type. A person with very thin lips, small eyes, and pale complexion could be prone to digestive problems/ allergies/ gynecological problems / cold extremities and have issues with energy levels or frequent occurrence of sports-related injuries ( due to overwork ).
We can’t change a person’s physical constitution **but we can advise how this person can better manage their health. For example, in the above case, we may advise you to reduce foods that are difficult to digest ( such as raw or cold food ) and we could suggest a different approach to exercise as a way of making better use of energy such as resting appropriately after physical exercise or shortening the time of a work out. It may also be good not to take long hot baths ( robbing the body of energy ) or walking around the house with bare feet on cold tiles ( lack of energy to “feel ” cold ). Generally speaking, nothing is really “bad” since other person’s poison is another’s elixir. Oriental medicine treats the underlying weakness of the person which strengthens the deficiency making you more resilient and better equipped to deal with the “bad” stuff. People who have attended our clinic have said that they feel better about themselves. Some also notice that their relationships improve and family life becomes more harmonious.
Note: this is just an example and often constitution types overlap with others. Understanding this is of course down to the skill and experience of the practitioner. However, as you can see, information about your constitution is very useful. You can easily adjust your lifestyle if you are feeling unwell! Any small adjustment that you make is a preventive measure. It is ultimately your choice as to whether you choose to visit our clinic. However, please bear in mind that a small step in the right direction accumulated over time will yield positive health benefits. We can equally say that a small step in the wrong direction over time will also lead to bad health and negative life choices.
**this can be done energetically. For example, we would adjust the treatment so that the person functions optimally within their constitution so that they don’t suffer too much if they are “outside of their constitution” … Another way to look at this is from the universal principle of Energy 1st Physical 2nd..the physical body will always follow the energy !
Read more: A Word or Two from Zhang Zongjing
