A personalised diet plan usually involves a lot of experimenting through trial-and-error. The greater challenge is to achieve a diet that you can sustain in the long term with foods that you can enjoy and most conveniently obtain.
There are certain categories of food that you can fuel your body with for correction and regulation of the body systems, depending on your body type and metabolism.
There are three main body types associated with obesity. Although you may NOT be overweight, there are a group of us who experience sluggishness, fatigue and suboptimal health conditions and may be interested in resetting your metabolism with diets that suit your body type.
Most of the time, the way our body metabolises the food we eat and the response of the system is influenced by one dominant gland.
DAMPNESS
痰湿体质
Physical Observation
Weight gain around the waist
Other Observations
Fatigue, distension, easily cold limbs
Cravings
Sweets, starches, caffeine
Diet Guide
Plenty of protein (e.g. chicken, fish, eggs, milk, yogurt, cheese), leafy vegetables, complex carbohydrates (e.g. brown rice, whole wheat, rye, millet, quinoa, sweet potatoes)
Avoid
Simple carbohydrates (e.g. white rice, white bread, pasta), sweets, sweet fruits (e.g. grapes, mangoes)
Snack Options
Protein (e.g. hard-boiled eggs, almonds)
STAGNATION OF ‘QI’
气滞体质
Physical Observation
Weight gain on upper body
Other Observations
Easily irritable, predisposed to hypertension, more sensitive to stressors
Cravings
Greasy, sour and salty foods, alcohol, red meat
Diet Guide
Light meals all day – steamed food, chicken, fish, fresh vegetables, whole grains, fruits, non-fat dairy, legumes, minimal caffeine and sugar
Avoid
Red meat, high-fat foods, alcohol, salty foods, shellfish
Snack Options
Mineral water, parsley tea, vegetable soup
SPLEEN & KIDNEY DEFICIENCY
脾肾虚体质
Physical Observation
Weight gain all around
Other Observations
Tired at night, weaker immunity, joint pain, lower sex drive, difficulty digesting at night
Cravings
Dairy, creamy foods
Diet Guide
Heavy breakfast, moderate lunch, light dinner – Animal proteins (e.g. beef, lamb, chicken, eggs, fish, pork, shellfish), plenty of vegetables, whole grains in moderation, fruits in moderation
Avoid
Dairy, sugar, caffeine, having supper
Snack Options
Cooked meat
*If you´ve had cosmetic or reconstructive surgery, you must base the observations according to what you looked like before surgery.
The diet guide serves to provide information to the foods your body adapt better to, and what foods to eat more of to nourish the body and avoid overstimulation of the wrong metabolic system.
Every individual is unique and you may even have 2 dominant imbalances. It is often best to consult your physician to determine your body type more accurately and ascertain a diet plan that is most suitable for your needs.
After the metabolism has been reset, it is recommended to reintroduce foods in moderation to your diet to maintain a balanced diet.
Article by Physician Victoria Tan
