Concepts of body constitution, health and sub-health from traditional Chinese medicine perspective

Abstract

This paper described and discussed the important literature and ideas about the concepts, types and measurement of body constitution, in terms of healthy, sub-healthy and disease status. In view of traditional Chinese medicine, ‘‘healthy” state is a status of relative balance of Yin and Yang to keep our bodily homeostasis. If there are significant physical and/or psychological stressors, such as loss of a beloved one and failure in study or work, the body can no longer keep its own bodily condition balanced and subsequently enter a state of ‘‘sub-health” (sub-optimal health). ‘‘unhealthy” body constitution such as ‘‘Dampness-heat”, ‘‘Cold-dampness” and ‘‘Heat- or Cold- dryness” with a subnormal body temperature and humidity and clinical manifestations such as insomnia, malaise and overweight will be presented. Immediate, appropriate strategies such as modification of life-style and seeking medical treatment can prevent evolution of an illness. Otherwise, the body will enter a disease status with a ‘‘pathological” body constitution of ‘‘Yin or Yang deficiency’’, ‘‘Blood-stasis” and/or ‘‘Phlegm-dampness”. To be complimentary with health promotion and disease prevention in Western medicine, understanding about an individual’s body constitution, together with its determinants (e.g., healthy eating and lifestyle behaviors), can contribute to a more proactive, holistic and individualized healthcare.

Keywords: Body constitution; Health; Sub-health; Disease; Traditional Chinese medicine

Core tip: This article discussed the concepts of body constitution in traditional Chinese medicine, which can reveal and advocate an individual’s bodily condition and functioning and thus contribute to a more proactive, holistic and individualized healthcare. We critically discussed the concepts, types and measurements of body constitution in terms of three main health statuses - healthy, sub-healthy and disease. With better categorized ‘‘healthy”, “sub-healthy” and ‘‘unhealthy’’ patterns of one’s body constitution, the levels of bodily resistance (strong or weak) and functioning of internal organs (adaptive or mal-adaptive), as well as the balance of “Yin and Yang’’, can be easily differentiated and maintained.