Personalized Diet Therapy in Traditional Chinese Medical Approaches

Hen-Hong Chang, PhD


In recent years, with socio-economic progress, preventive health care got more and more attention. By early diagnosis and proper treatment diseases can be detected and treated at the earliest stage. Therefore, a worsening of disease as well as disability can be avoided.

Chinese Medicine body constitution considers both congenital and acquired influences. It puts forward a comprehensive assessment of personal characteristics of human beings in their natural and social environment. It can help to explore disease process patterns and has a great significance for the prevention and treatment of diseases. Differences in body constitutions can be used to identify personal health situation and can also be seen as a first step in promoting health.

Chinese medicine emphasizes that diseases due to differences in body constitutions, patterns, regions and climate should receive different personalized medical treatment. In The Yellow Emperor’s Inner Cannon is written: “Toxic drugs attack the evil. The five grains provide nourishment. The five fruits provide support. The five domestic animals provide enrichment. The five vegetables provide filling. When they are consumed in appropriate combinations of their qi and flavors, they serve to supplement the essence and to enrich the qi.” Due to the evaluation of Chinese medicine body constitutions, we can provide appropriate food preparation for daily diet and can also in the future improve prevention of diseases as well as health management.