Detailed Explanation of the Classification of Diverse Male Physiological Constitutions and Characteristics of Normal Physiological Constitutions
**Diverse physical conditions and their associated illnesses also vary from person to person.**
Mr. Zhang is 45 years old this year. He is thriving in his career and enjoys a happy and comfortable life. However, one thing has been troubling him: his hands and feet are extremely sensitive to cold, remaining icy cold year-round, and he cannot touch cold water. Yet, as a leader, he is always surrounded by social obligations and formalities. Every time he shakes hands with someone, it sends a chill down their spine.
Mr. Zhang's symptoms are typical of a Yang deficiency constitution, primarily manifested as insufficient Yang Qi's ability to protect the body's exterior, or in other words, insufficient Wei Yang. Constitution refers to a quality possessed by the human body, reflecting its health and overall state. Constitution possesses characteristics such as innate heredity, group convergence, individual differences, relative stability, and adjustability. The current medical trend advocating "individualized treatment" is shifting from a disease-centered approach to a person-centered one. Constitution is formed by both innate parental inheritance and various acquired factors, with acquired factors having a significant impact. Constitution reflects the unique nature of the body's Yin-Yang movement, determined by the strength and weakness of the internal organs; in other words, constitution reflects the imbalance of Qi and blood in the body's organs. Traditional Chinese medicine's constitution theory contains complex content about higher life activities, a deep understanding of the stages of life (birth, growth, maturity, aging, and death), and also includes many principles of life science.
Normal physical condition should be the ideal physical condition for people, but in real life, most of the people we see have relatively normal physical conditions.
A relatively normal constitution is one in which the body is in a state of Yin-Yang balance, or a dynamic balance of Yin and Yang. This balance involves a tendency towards either Yin or Yang, but as long as it does not exceed the body's regulatory and adaptive capacity, it is considered a normal physiological state. Therefore, a relatively normal constitution is one of Yin-Yang balance. Within this Yin-Yang balance, there are further subdivisions into Yang-biased and Yin-biased constitutions. A Yin-Yang balance is a state where the functions of the internal organs and Qi and blood are relatively coordinated. A Yang-biased constitution is characterized by a slight tendency towards hyperactivity or heat within the normal range; while a Yin-biased constitution is characterized by a slight tendency towards cold or stillness within the normal range. Traditional Chinese medicine emphasizes that treatment should be tailored to the individual. The *Ling Shu* states that "there is strength and gentleness, weakness and strength, shortness and longness, Yin and Yang." These theories essentially reflect the important role of a person's constitution in the occurrence, development, and treatment of diseases.
Furthermore, constitution is formed by both innate heredity and acquired factors. It represents the inherent and relatively stable characteristics of an individual's morphological structure and functional activities, and is related to psychological personality. Differences in individual constitution manifest as variations in physiological responses to and adaptations to external stimuli, as well as susceptibility to certain pathogenic factors and disease progression tendencies during the disease process. Therefore, research on constitution helps analyze the occurrence and evolution of diseases, providing a basis for disease diagnosis and treatment.
"Constitution" is a pathophysiological concept that emerged during the development of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) theory. While the term "constitution" itself is not found in the dictionary, the dictionary defines "body" (体) and "quality" (质) as follows: "body" refers to the physical body, and "quality" refers to its nature or essence. Constitution refers to the inherent characteristics of the body resulting from imbalances in the balance of the internal organs, meridians, qi and blood, yin and yang. The inherent characteristics of the body are complex, but based on the functional state of the internal organs, qi, blood, yin and yang, as well as the presence or absence of pathogenic factors, it can be divided into two main categories: normal constitution and abnormal constitution. Abnormal constitution can be further classified into three categories based on the balance of pathogenic factors and the body's resistance: deficiency constitution, excess constitution, and complex constitution.
1. Normal Constitution. This refers to a robust constitution without any imbalance of cold or heat. Characteristics include a well-proportioned, strong physique, long, black hair, a ruddy complexion with a subtle reddish-yellow tinge, bright and clear eyes, a bright and alert nose, a clear sense of smell, a pleasant mouth, rosy lips, a good appetite, light and strong limbs, tolerance to both cold and heat, normal bowel movements, a calm and moderate pulse with a regular rhythm, and a pale red, moist tongue with a thin white coating. This type of constitution has no significant imbalance of Yin or Yang.
2. Deficiency Constitution. This refers to a constitution characterized by deficiency of internal organs, insufficient qi and blood, and imbalance of yin and yang. Common types include qi deficiency, blood deficiency, yin deficiency, and yang deficiency.
3. Solid Constitution. A solid constitution is characterized by an excess of pathogenic factors. Therefore, a solid constitution mainly refers to a constitution formed by an imbalance of Yin and Yang within the body, with pathogenic factors such as phlegm and blood stasis accumulating internally. Commonly, there are five types: Yin-Cold Constitution, Yang-Heat Constitution, Phlegm-Dampness Constitution, Blood Stasis Constitution, and Qi Stagnation Constitution.
4. Complex constitution. This refers to a constitution type that combines two or more of the above-mentioned abnormal physical qualities. For example, a mixture of Qi deficiency and phlegm-dampness constitution, commonly seen in obese individuals; a mixture of Qi deficiency and blood stasis constitution; Yang deficiency and Yin-cold constitution; Qi stagnation and phlegm-dampness constitution; Qi stagnation and Yin deficiency constitution, etc.
The formation of physical constitution is influenced by numerous factors, including innate factors, age, gender, mental state, living and dietary conditions, geographical environment, diseases, physical exercise, and social factors. Innate factors, also known as endowment, include certain congenital physiological defects and hereditary specific constitutions. Age is an important factor affecting physical constitution, which exhibits time-limited characteristics with age. For example, children's constitution is characterized by delicate internal organs and insufficient qi and blood, but vigorous vitality, while the elderly are characterized by declining organ function and gradual aging.
There are differences in physical constitution between men and women. Modern physiological and pathological research and clinical practice have found that men are more susceptible to severe respiratory infections, central nervous system viral infections, viral gastroenteritis, and hepatitis than women, and have a higher incidence of these illnesses. This is mainly because women have twice as many genes for immune system development as men. Emotional activity requires balance. Prolonged mental stress or sudden, severe emotional trauma exceeding the body's physiological regulatory capacity can affect physical constitution, causing imbalances in Yin and Yang, Qi and blood, and disrupting the functions of the internal organs, thus leading to disease.
Furthermore, unfavorable personality traits and character traits can negatively impact physical constitution. The composition of physical constitution is also significantly related to different geographical regions; different soil and water conditions, climate types, and living conditions influence the physical constitution of people in different areas. Generally speaking, in China, northerners are more prone to Yang deficiency and cold symptoms than southerners; southerners are more likely to suffer from heat-related illnesses and have a Yin deficiency constitution. In addition, the quality of living conditions, attention to dietary dos and don'ts, as well as disease factors, physical exercise, and social factors all have a certain influence on physical constitution.