Traditional Chinese medicine for weight loss is not absolutely safe; avoid indiscriminate use and abuse of weight loss drugs; and address simple obesity through a three-pronged approach.

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Why Traditional Chinese Medicine for Weight Loss Is Not Absolutely Safe

Perhaps due to the significant side effects of Western weight-loss drugs, many obese individuals have turned to traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). They believe TCM is absolutely safe, as it consists entirely of tree bark and roots, and therefore cannot cause harm. However, many of the weight-loss remedies and secret formulas they choose are not from doctors but rather passed down through generations. Unbeknownst to them, while TCM herbs are generally considered mild, they are not entirely safe. Some herbs, such as aconite and strychnine, are highly toxic; even a small amount can be fatal.

Besides methods like lowering lipids, most traditional Chinese medicine weight loss methods rely on purging. However, if the degree of purging is not properly controlled, and herbs such as rhubarb, croton, black and white sesame seeds are abused, it can cause health problems, such as obesity remaining uncontrolled and the person becoming bedridden.

Using laxatives for weight loss can easily lead to an imbalance in the body's nutrient intake, excessive water excretion, and cause exhaustion, shock, or even electrolyte imbalance. It can also worsen conditions such as hypertension and coronary heart disease.

Therefore, weight loss using traditional Chinese medicine should be carried out under the guidance of a doctor, and one should never abuse folk remedies or secret formulas on one's own.

Why you shouldn't misuse or abuse weight loss drugs.

Medical experts believe that obesity is a disease, a metabolic disease, and therefore weight loss is a medical procedure. Obesity has many causes, and it's not always simply simple obesity. Even simple obesity has many contributing factors. Therefore, weight loss should be targeted, rather than indiscriminately buying diet pills and supplements and consuming them.

We should advocate for scientific weight loss. First, we must find out if we have any contraindications. We must never blindly follow others or treat ourselves without authorization to prevent harm caused by abuse.

Amphetamine and its derivatives are drugs used to treat mental illnesses. Long-term use can lead to addiction and psychological dependence. Overdose can also cause decreased immunity, emotional instability, mental confusion, nystagmus, facial flushing, and in severe cases, coma, convulsions, tachycardia, respiratory failure, and cardiac arrest, with extremely serious consequences.

For example, glucosamine inhibitors mainly work by interfering with food absorption, but they must be avoided by people with hypoglycemia, otherwise misuse and abuse can be dangerous.

For example, Spironolactone is a diuretic, mainly used for obese people with edema. However, if obese patients use it by mistake, it can cause excessive water loss and electrolyte imbalance.

Why should the treatment of simple obesity involve a three-pronged approach?

Apart from secondary obesity, most obesity is simple obesity caused by metabolic disorders, resulting in excessive adipose tissue.

For simple obesity, medication is only one approach. True weight loss requires a three-pronged approach: diet control, appropriate exercise, and medication as an adjunct therapy. Only when these three elements work together can weight loss achieve optimal results.

First, there's dietary control. This is a crucial hurdle to overcome for obesity, aiming to create a negative calorie balance – meaning you must consume fewer calories than you burn. Dietary control requires willpower and a long-term commitment; otherwise, all your efforts will be in vain.

For moderate obesity, men should consume only 1500 to 2000 kcal per day, and women 1200 to 1500 kcal per day. Of this, protein intake should be 1 to 1.5 grams per kilogram of food, sugar intake should be limited to 150 to 250 grams per day, and the remainder should be fat, but animal fat intake should be strictly controlled. By controlling dietary intake in this way, a weight loss of 0.5 to 1 kilogram per month can be achieved.

Secondly, appropriate exercise is important. The purpose of exercise is to burn calories and excess body fat. Moderate-intensity jogging is best, and the duration must exceed 40 minutes. Otherwise, the first 30 minutes will only consume blood sugar, and only after that will fat be consumed.

Thirdly, medication can be used as an adjunct therapy. All medications have some degree of toxicity, meaning they can have side effects. Therefore, treatment must be conducted under the guidance of a doctor to minimize side effects and achieve significant results.