In Classification and Determination of Constitution in Traditional Chinese Medicine, the China Association of Chinese Medicine classifies body constitutions of the human body into nine types, i.e., yin-yang harmony constitution, yang deficiency constitution, yin deficiency constitution, qi deficiency constitution, damp-heat constitution, phlegm-dampness constitution, qi depression constitution, blood stasis constitution, and allergic constitution, most of which are sub-healthy states.
The phlegm-dampness constitution manifests phlegm-dampness retention caused by phlegm formation due to dampness accumulation when the functions of internal organs (zang and fu) of the human body dysfunction, which easily leads to disordered transportation and transformation of qi (vital energy)-blood and body fluid, and water and dampness stagnation, accumulation of dampness and phlegm in phlegm wetness, usually showing obesity, fat abdomen, chest distress, excessive phlegm, drowsiness liability, heavy body and unpleasantness, addiction to greasy food and pure liquor, swelling tongue, and white greasy tongue fur, and is mostly caused by invasion of coldness and dampness, improper diet, inborn endowment, oldness and long illness, and lack of exercises, with different symptoms usually due to different parts of the phlegm-dampness retention. The tendency of morbidity is: consumptive thirst, stroke, chest obstruction and so on, with poor adaptability to plum rains and damp environments. An important treatment is eliminating dampness and phlegm, together with nursing and improving the phlegm-dampness constitution to prevent occurrence of the phlegm-dampness diseases.
Such sub-healthy constitution as phlegm-dampness constitution belongs to chronic diseases and has a relatively long disease course, and requires a long-term medication and gradual conditioning, in order to achieve the effects of eliminating dampness and phlegm. The dosage forms commonly used in the traditional Chinese medicine are decoctions and Chinese patent medicine such as pills and the like. Decoctions usually have relatively good efficacy, but the administration thereof is complicated, and the taste thereof is poor, if the decoctions need to be administered for a long time, it is difficult for a patient to keep taking the decoctions. Moreover, the efficacy of the pills is relatively poor.
It is mentioned in the Inner Canon of the Yellow Emperor that “the superior physician prevents illness, the mediocre physician attends to impending illness, and the inferior physician treats actual illness”, wherein the phrase “prevent illness” means taking corresponding measures to prevent the occurrence and development of diseases. The body constitution determines the health of people and determines the susceptibility to diseases. It is believed in the traditional Chinese medicine that since the human beings live in the natural world, physiological functions of the human body usually change with seasons, that is, “correspondence between man and nature”. Winter is the season when the human body “stores energies”, and appropriate nourishment can enhance the constitution, ward off diseases and strengthen the body, and prolong life, that is, conditioning in winter or nourishing in winter commonly mentioned in the traditional Chinese medicine. For the sub-healthy population with phlegm-dampness constitution, to choose a solid oral paste with a higher drug concentration and good taste, and being convenient to carry is more adapted to requirements of modern people.