How TCM Herbalists Customize Formulas Based on Body Type (Constitutional Diagnosis)
Discover how TCM practitioners personalize herbal formulas for your unique body type—balancing hot/cold, damp/dry, and excess/deficiency patterns for optimal results.
Medical Disclaimer
This information is for educational and informational purposes only. The content provided is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or before starting any herbal treatment. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website.
Chinese herbs can interact with medications and may cause side effects. We are not medical professionals and do not provide medical advice. Please consult with a licensed healthcare provider before using any herbs or treatments mentioned.
When you visit a Chinese herb shop in Chicago or Houston, a skilled herbalist will assess your constitution—hot or cold, damp or dry, excess or deficiency—before recommending a formula.
This personalized approach is the hallmark of TCM. Rather than using a one-size-fits-all remedy, practitioners adjust ingredients and dosages to match your unique needs and changing symptoms.
The Six Constitutional Types
- Hot: Tendency toward heat, redness, irritability, thirst. Use cooling herbs like chrysanthemum, mint, and gardenia.
- Cold: Tendency toward cold, fatigue, pale complexion, loose stools. Use warming herbs like ginger, cinnamon, and aconite.
- Damp: Prone to heaviness, swelling, sticky tongue coating. Use drying herbs like poria, atractylodes, and tangerine peel.
- Dry: Dry skin, throat, constipation. Use moistening herbs like tremella, ophiopogon, and goji berry.
- Excess: Strong constitution, robust symptoms, loud voice. Use dispersing herbs to clear heat or move stagnation.
- Deficiency: Weakness, fatigue, low voice, spontaneous sweating. Use tonifying herbs like ginseng, astragalus, and rehmannia.
How Herbalists Adjust Formulas
- Ingredient Swaps: Replace warming herbs with cooling ones, or vice versa, based on your current state.
- Dosage Adjustments: Increase or decrease amounts to match severity and constitution.
- Formula Cycling: Change formulas as your condition evolves or with the seasons.
Why Personalization Matters
Personalized herbal formulas are safer, more effective, and less likely to cause side effects. Always work with a qualified practitioner for best results.