Kampo (Traditional Chinese Medicine)'s core principle is pattern differentiation and treatment: the same symptom may require entirely different formulas in people with different constitutions. Therefore, understanding your constitution is the first step in beginning herbal conditioning.
Four Common Constitutional Tendencies
- Qi-deficiency type: prone to fatigue, weak voice, and sweating easily with exertion; suitable for qi-tonifying formulas such as Si Jun Zi Tang (Four-Gentlemen Decoction) and Ren Shen Yangrong Wan.
- Yin-deficiency type: dry mouth and throat, night sweats, and hot palms; suitable for yin-nourishing formulas such as Liu Wei Di Huang Wan (Six-Ingredient Rehmannia Pill).
- Phlegm-dampness type: a feeling of heaviness, frequent abdominal bloating, and a thick greasy tongue coating; first resolve dampness and strengthen the spleen, e.g., Ping Wei San and Bao Ji Wan.
- Yang-deficiency type: cold hands and feet, sensitivity to cold, and low energy; suitable for warming-tonic formulas such as Gui Lu Er Xian Jiao (Tortoise-Shell and Deer Antler Paste).
Three Common Herbs and Their Uses
Ren Shen (Ginseng) tonifies qi and consolidates the root, but may cause dry mouth and insomnia in individuals with a warm/dry constitution; Dang Gui (Angelica sinensis) nourishes and invigorates the blood, commonly used in women's health; Fu Ling (Poria) promotes urination to drain dampness, strengthens the spleen, and calms the mind—it's a foundational herb in many formulas.
Three Principles for Taking Patent Herbal Medicines
- Suspend tonic formulas during colds, fevers, or acute inflammatory episodes.
- During treatment avoid strong tea, radish, spicy foods, and excessively cold/raw foods to prevent interference with the medicine's effect.
- Evaluate effectiveness after continuous use for 4 週, and consult a TCM practitioner for adjustments if necessary.
Patent herbal medicines are primarily for conditioning; if you have a clear medical condition, you should first obtain a physician's diagnosis and not substitute patent herbs for conventional treatment.
