Traditional Chinese Medicine for Weight Loss


From the perspective of traditional Chinese medicine, a balanced spleen and stomach can induce weight loss. The body needs to have good ability to break down and extract nutrients while sending the waste materials to the intestines for proper elimination. If a person consumes a large amount of greasy foods such as sweet cakes and fried meats, the stomach will have trouble digesting these foods, they will be detained in it. The speed of metabolism also needed to increase, allowing the body to process and utilize nutrients with greater efficiency while providing energy and vitality. Spleen needs to have ability to transport water efficiently in order to help the body remove excessive water and harmful toxic accumulations.

Chinese Tea and Weight Loss

Tea drinking is very popular in China. Many people in China drink tea every day. A research suggests that the polyphenols from oolong tea, green tea, black tea or pu-erh tea help increasing weight loss and fat burn even in the presence of a high sugar diet. One type of these polyphenols, called catechins, may help keep your metabolism from slowing down as you lose weight. In any healthy diet, what you choose to drink every day is as important as what you eat. Ask yourself one question: How many calories can you cut from your diet if you replace soda with tea?

There are also different types of Chinese slim teas in the market. They may promise to deliver quick result. If you look at the list of ingredients carefully, you will find senna leaf. Senna leaf is known as Fan Xie Ye in Chinese medicine. It is a natural laxative which is used for constipation or clear the bowels.

Laxatives temporarily reduce body weight because they encourage loss of water, indigestible fiber and wastes. They act on the large intestine, long after most food and calories have been absorbed by the small intestine. You may feel skinnier after taking laxatives but it is mainly caused by loss of water, which will immediately return once the body is rehydrated.

Chinese Herbs for Weight Loss

Some Chinese herbs can help increase metabolism, suppress appetite and burn fat. Commonly used Chinese herbs thought to be beneficial for weight loss include Fan Hong Hua, Fu Ling, Shan Zha, Shen Qu and Yi Yi Ren. Guo Cu (Fruit Vinegar) is also used to help lose weight in Chinese medicine. It can encourage healthy gut flora and regulate digestion.

1) Bao He Wan is a Chinese herbal formula for weight loss that contains a number of herbs. It is used to stimulate digestion, remove retained food and regulate the stomach function. It is one of the most popular indigestion remedies in China that people use to assist digestion.

Where to buy (amazon link): Bao He Wan

How to use: Bao He Wan can be used in the form of pills.

2) Fan Hong Hua (Saffron) is effective for weight loss. It has the capacity to suppress the appetite and lower cravings for fattening foods. It also increases quantity of a hormone serotonin within the brain which helps avoid overeating. A research suggests that saffron can lower the risk of over snacking-diet associated with obesity or promote weight loss in overweight individuals (1).

Where to buy (amazon link): Saffron Extract

How to use: Saffron can be used in the forms of liquid extract, powder and capsules.

Acupuncture for Weight Loss

Acupuncture has been used for weight loss by strengthening the spleen and stomach, regulating the endocrine function, reducing appetite, increasing defecation and increasing overall energy and vitality. A study indicates that acupuncture in combination with diet restriction was found to be effective for weight loss and also reduction of the obesity-associated risks factors, such as dyslipidemia (2).

Ear acupuncture is often offered for weight loss, also known as auricular acupuncture for weight loss. It is used to control appetite. A study suggests that auricular acupuncture is an effective method of appetite suppression which leads to weight loss (3). It is important to note that ear acupuncture must be administered by qualified and experienced acupuncturist.

If you are a do-it-yourself type, you can also try stimulating acupressure points for weight loss on your own.

Learn more about Chinese teas: List of famous Chinese teas

Health conditions benefit from Chinese medicine

Arthritis
Hemorrhoids
Depression