Ancient Chinese weight loss secrets

Why are the Chinese thinner? In addition to genetic issues, most experts point out that a balanced diet based on Taoist health habits and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) keeps the population at optimal weight.

Proof that the secret of Chinese thinness is in diet and balanced lifestyle habits is that even the thinnest are starting to get fat with the arrival of hamburgers and other types of fast food. “Obesity is a disease that is slowly increasing worldwide. Overweight affects blood circulation, blood pressure and can even cause cancer,” said Wendy Shao, a specialist in Traditional Chinese Medicine at Beijing United Family Hospital and Clinics ( BJU), one of the most expensive in the Chinese capital.

Natural products, acupuncture and massages

MTC, a three-thousand-year-old preventive practice whose effectiveness continues to be the subject of Western science study and controversy, combines the use of medicinal herbs, diet therapy, massage and acupuncture to solve obesity problems.

Coming from a family of women experts in TCM, Wendy gave some general advice, such as avoiding weight loss quickly through the use of so-called “miracle” products, as they can produce heart problems.

In fact, some Chinese ephedra-based drugs exported over the internet were banned in the United States because they contained an illegal substance, fenfluramine hydrochloride, which was linked to heart problems and was banned in 2009 in China.

Wendy advocated the use of natural products, without chemical components, to balance the entire body: “this is the core of my treatment combined with acupuncture and massage.”

According to her, most of her patients managed to reduce between 5% and 10% of their weight and improve the appearance of their skin, which usually suffers from sudden changes in weight.

Their treatments begin by balancing the interior using acupuncture and massages and later with herbal teas, among them the fruit of the Chinese category, the kudzu root and the cassia seed.

Wendy said that these teas do not cause side effects and contain numerous flavonoids (antioxidants), such as citrine, and other components that, combined for each person, can help lose weight by reducing appetite and activating metabolism and Digestive system contributing to the evacuation, elimination of triglycerides and reduction of cholesterol.

“It’s about making beauty and health meet and not losing health to gain beauty,” she said. As part of its treatment, acupuncture plays a key role because through it “one can influence the digestive system and reduce anxiety in order for patients to eat less, in addition to improving circulation, while massages focus on the same points to Achieve similar effects .”

The specialist has recommended that to lose weight, people should seek a professional experienced in TCM, since each case requires individualized remedies for the body to regain its balance and, with it, health, beauty, and thinness.

Balancing Yin and Yang?

The purpose of the MTC’s diagnosis is to balance the elements “yin” (negative) and “yang” (positive). MTC is based on the nature and power of herbs and food, which have four characteristics: cold, warm, temperate and fresh; And five flavors: salty, sour, sweet, bitter and spicy.

Treatment consists of using drugs with nature and taste that are opposite to the problem to neutralize it.

Each of these characteristics has a different influence. For example, acidic foods act on the liver and gallbladder, bitters favor drainage and act on the heart and intestine, salty oils lubricate and act on the kidney, and sweeten the tonus, spleen, pancreas, and stomach. Likewise, warm foods invigorate, neutrals harmonize and colds astringent.

Wendy recommended to lose weight gradually, at a rate of between 5% and 10% of the weight in two months, since faster than this is not considered healthy. Also, it advises patients to reduce or otherwise abandon Western eating habits, such as coffee and pizza abuse. “You need to eat lots of vegetables and fruits, and replace the coffee with green tea or Pu-erh tea, which not only helps to lose weight but is rich in antioxidants that keep youth.”

For MTC it is also imperative to have peace of mind and to play sports. For this reason, the specialist recommended resting after meals and then practicing some physical activity, such as a fast pace.

“If lymph flows, the body becomes emaciated.”

Lili Lu, famous for her natural treatments inherited from generations of TCM practitioners, also said she believed there were no miracles, so one needs to maintain a balanced diet and play sports. She assured that this is the beauty secret of Chinese actresses such as Li Bingbing, Xu Qi, Gao Yuanyuan and Frenchwoman Juliette Binoche.

Lili’s ancestors treated both the Qing aristocrats and Mao Tse Tung officials and passed her the honey-based acne prescription that made her famous among the foreign colony in Beijing as “Sugar Mama.”

From her salon in Beijing, the Royal Family Beauty and Health Care, she revealed to Efe that the best antioxidant rich summer foods are broccoli, tomato, cucumber, and cranberry.

“I think it’s important to know how the lymphatic system is distributed throughout the body … If lymph flows without hindrance, then the body becomes emaciated,” explained the beautician.

So, among the recommendations that Lili gives her clients are walking daily for 20 minutes at a fast pace, so the body sweats, promoting blood circulation, maintaining lymph system fluency, expelling toxins and reducing weight. She also recommended fiber foods, eat a lot for breakfast and little for dinner, and spend between 20 and 40 minutes a day for physical activity.

“I’m not in favor of losing weight by reducing the amount of food, and I think exercise is the best method. Sports help digest food and improve muscle tone,” he said.

The 56-year-old beautician, who weighs 60 pounds, explained that she maintains this proportion thanks to her routine: the first thing she does when she gets up is to take a spoonful of honey and water, then exercise for 20 to 40 minutes, makes a meal that includes tomato, cucumber, apple, meats, fruits, milk, cheese, and eggs. The dinner is usually lighter, the base of fish and white meats, so that the digestion is fast.

She said that at her age you need to consume more foods rich in calcium and vitamin D, including cheese and soy.

“I think milk, eggs, the sunshine and physical activity are four key factors in staying healthy. Vitamin D is also essential.”