Weight Page
Weight Control
Besides stress, weight control is another big issue of modern society. My grandma used to say she worried about not enough to
eat when she was young, and that overweight was not a problem at that time. The big difference is that in today's world, we tend
to over-eat because of higher standards of living. We also tend to eat the wrong stuff due to heavy advertising, and everyday
convenience provided by the packaged-food and fast-food industries.
The overweight problem is closely related to what and how we eat. If we think genes play a major role, then there is very little we can do for overweight because we are what our genes make us, rather than our weight depends on what we eat and do. Hence, weight control must start with examining what and how we eat. This is easier said than done because it involves changing our everyday habits.
Body weight resembles a bank account where intake and output work against each other to give you a balance called weight.
To control the intake, follow the simple rules: Eat moderate quantities at each meal, never 100% full. Eat less junk food, oily
and greasy stuff. Eat more vegetables, fruits and fish. Finally, eat less of the things you particularly like for that easily leads
to over-eat. On the output side, one word will suffice: Move!. You do it by walking, hiking, running, exercise or even
housework.
A Chinese herbal prescription for weight control involves:
- Increase body metabolism (or burn rate) by boosting the blood circulation.
- Strengthen the digestive system to expel the grease and fat of food intake.
- Strengthen the liver to boost energy.
- According to the Chinese herbal dictionary, there is no herb to reduce appetite although it would be nice for modern days,
because the Chinese used to worry about not enough to eat and how to better enjoy food once they have it on the table.
