認識你的體質 Knowing your Body Constitution Type

The Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) Theory believes that the Body Constitution (體質, BC) is related to the general body health and vulnerability to illness. The Body Constitution reflects the general body status that contributed by the balance level of yin-yang and the enrichment of qi and blood, which is affected by both inheritance and nurturing factors. Those with a “good” body constitution should show a balanced yin-yang state, nourished qi and blood, smooth flow of meridian with stronger defensive qi, which make them adapt to the environment well and less likely to get ill. In the contrary, those who have imbalanced yin-yang state, or deficiencies in qi and blood, or accumulation of dampness or stagnancies, which weakens their adaptability and hence more prone to illness. The principles of health keeping in TCM is to act early: to identify to body constitution before the illness, and advice the treatment accordingly.

How to check your body constitution? A Chinese Medicine Practitioner will conduct the analysis based on the four diagnostic methods (望聞問切inspection, listening & smelling, inquiring and palpation). Alternatively, you may also like to try the online “9BC – Body Constitution Questionnaire” to get a preliminary assessment.

The “9BC – Body Constitution Questionnaire” was developed by Prof Q Wang of the Beijing University of Chinese Medicine. The questionnaire aims at surveying on the appearance of typical symptoms related to specific BCs. The most common BC types include: Neutral, Qi-deficiency, Yang-deficiency, Yin-deficiency, Phlegm-Dampness, Dampness-heat, Qi-stagnancy, Blood-stasis, Inherit (special) type.

中醫理論認為一個人是否較易得病，與其「體質」有關。體質反映人們在一般情況下的身體狀態，陰陽是否平衡、氣血是否充盈等，與先天稟賦和後天調養有關。體質較強的人，陰陽平衡、氣血充盈、經絡暢通，正氣充足，抵抗疾病能力較強，對環境適應能力亦較強，得病機會較少；若體質稍有偏頗，例如陰陽偏盛或偏衰，或氣血不足，或內有濕濁阻滯等，當起居稍有不慎，則較易得病。中醫養生的基本方法，就是在未有疾病之前掌握體質，並按照不同體質進行相應調理，有助預防疾病，改善健康。

怎樣認識自己的體質？中醫師可透過四診法(望、聞、問、切) 詳細分析你的體質。大家亦可透過網上問卷「中醫九種體質分析量表」初步了解自己體質分類。

「中醫九種體質分析量表」由北京中醫藥大學王琦教授研發，透過日常出現的症狀統計，分析所屬中醫類型，以供養生建議時參考。常見的九種體質類型如下：平和質、氣虛質、陽虛質、陰虛質、痰濕質、濕熱質、血瘀質、氣鬱質、特稟質。