Recently, quite a few women have come to my clinic seeking to improve their complexion. Drawing on traditional Chinese medicine theory, I generally follow the approach of tonifying the kidney when differentiating and prescribing formulas, supplemented by regulating the flow of qi with herbs such as Kudzu root (Ge Gen), Peony (Shao Yao), Cassia Twig (Gui Zhi), or Ephedra (Ma Huang). After about half a month of treatment, their faces typically take on a much rosier, healthier glow.
However, a common pattern emerged: many of these patients reported a dramatic improvement in appetite after starting the herbal formula — everything tasted wonderful, and their weight climbed steadily. This struck me as rather puzzling, since the prescriptions contained virtually none of the conventional appetite-stimulating or spleen-awakening herbs such as Cardamom (Sha Ren), Tangerine Peel (Chen Pi), Citron (Xiang Yuan), or Finger Citron (Fo Shou).
Then one day, my colleague Zhao Shitong mentioned that a cerebral palsy patient we had jointly consulted on had shown significant weight gain after one month of high-dose kidney-tonifying and Du-channel-unblocking medication. This immediately clicked for me — tonifying the kidney, especially kidney essence, can profoundly strengthen upright qi and boost metabolic capacity. As the old saying goes, “water nourishes all things and brings forth life.” How true this is.
Nowadays, due to popular perception, the very mention of “tonifying the kidney” seems inextricably linked to sexual performance. This is a gross distortion that has pushed kidney-tonifying therapy into an extreme, causing most people to develop a significantly skewed understanding of kidney deficiency. This situation urgently needs to be corrected.
Conversely, invigorating the spleen has a remarkably pronounced weight-loss effect. Looking at today’s mainstream weight-loss approaches, the vast majority rely on diuretic formulas, while others employ bitter-cold substances that damage the stomach, impairing spleen and stomach yang qi, weakening metabolic capacity, and suppressing appetite. I once used some of these methods myself — yes, they can produce thinness over time, but the damage to the body is enormous. Many young women develop menstrual problems after taking weight-loss pills. This is trading essence and vital qi for a lower number on the scale — a deeply undesirable trade-off.
Now, in treating obesity at my clinic, I overwhelmingly adopt the method of invigorating the spleen and harmonizing the stomach, using formulas such as the Six Gentlemen Decoction. The goal is to restore the body’s balance in essence and qi metabolism, so that what should be absorbed is absorbed and what should be eliminated is eliminated. The long-term results are excellent. Although the treatment course is relatively long, it strengthens the constitution, safeguards health, and maintains abundant energy. After about two to three months on spleen-invigorating formulas, bowel movements typically become very regular and effortless — healthy, well-formed stools. At that point, with slight dietary adjustments, most patients can steadily advance along the path of losing about 0.2 kilograms per day.
Neither weight loss nor weight gain should pursue quick results. As the proverb says, “Haste makes waste.” Calm your mind, bring your health to its optimal state, and your physique will naturally follow. These recent cases have reminded me that many of the approaches and formulas circulating online are commercially driven and can cause immeasurable harm.
中文原文 / Chinese Original
近期有不少美女来门诊调理，主要的目的是为了让自己的气色看起来更好，我根据中医的传统理论，一般都运用补肾的思路辨证开方，佐以通畅气机，用一些葛根、芍药、桂枝，或者麻黄之类的药物，一般吃上半个多月之后脸色看起来都会红润许多。
但是也出现了一些普遍的现象，她们普遍反映吃了药之后胃口大开，吃嘛嘛香，体重蹭蹭地往上涨，这让我当时感到十分奇怪，毕竟在药方中极少有常规健胃消食醒脾的药物，像砂仁、陈皮、香橼、佛手之类的我都没用。
后来有一天，赵世同给我说上次我们会诊的那个脑瘫患者，在服用一个月大剂量补肾通督药物后，体重出现了明显增长，这直接提醒了我，看来补肾，尤其是补肾精，能够极大地提高正气，提升代谢能力，水润万物生，果然如此。
现在因为舆论因素，一提到补肾好像就跟性能力有关系，这真是对极大的嘲讽，把补肾之法引入了一个极端，导致大多数人对肾虚的理解发生了明显的偏差，此状况亟待改善！
相反地，健脾具有极为明显的减肥效果，观当今减肥思路，居然大多数是利水剂，另外一些则是苦寒败胃之品，损伤脾胃阳气，造成代谢能力减弱，不思饮食，我曾经也使用过其中的一些，久而久之固然能瘦，但是对身体损伤极大，许多年轻女性在吃了减肥药之后月经都会出现问题，这是用牺牲精气的方式换来体重的下降，十分不可取。
现在我在门诊上治疗肥胖症，绝大多数采用健脾和胃的方法，方用六君子之类，其目的在于调节体内精气代谢平衡，从而让该摄入的摄入，该排出的排出，远期效果极佳，虽然治疗周期较长，但是能够增强体质，保障健康，保持精力充沛。运用健脾法服药大概两三个月之后，大便一般都会很规律，很畅快，都是健康的条形，这个时候稍微对饮食进行调节，一般都能在每天减轻0.2公斤的道路上奋勇前进。
减肥和增重都不能追求速效，正所谓欲速则不达，放低心态，把自己的健康状况调整到最佳状态，身材自然也会逐步变为最佳。最近这几个例子提醒了我，网上的许多思路和方子都是商业行为，贻害无穷。
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