What is your body type?

🌿 Our TCM Body Type Personalised Quiz - Launching Soon!

Constitution 1: Neutral (Well-Balanced)

Body: A neutral or well-balanced constitution is the ideal constitution and very rare in society. This type of body typically has good skin complexion, good appetite, and normal bowel movements. The person feels energetic, sleeps well, and is able to adapt to different environments. From the picture, we can see the person looks very healthy.

Personality: The person is usually emotionally stable and has a happy outlook on life.

Balancing Diet: This person is already doing a great job.

Lifestyle Tips: After meals, take a short walk; do exercises suitable for your age; maintain a positive attitude

Constitution 2: Qi Deficient

Body: Qi deficient people would have shortness of breath, have a weak voice, feel tired easily, sweat randomly, and easily catch colds and flus. They might also have a poor appetite, loose stools, and a pale face. Their tongue would be pale, and their pulse would be empty. From the picture, we can see the person looks weak and tired.

Personality: The person is likely timid and introverted.

Contributing Factors: A person can become Qi deficient due to factors such as poor diet, over work, stress, and old age.

Balancing Diet: This person should eat foods that nourish the digestive organs (Spleen and Stomach) because they create Qi. That means eating foods in the sweet category (but not in excess, as excess also hurts the Spleen), which would be mainly grains, hearty vegetables, and some fruits. When it comes to fruits and vegetables, it’s important to eat them cooked and warm to prevent further hurting the digestive organs.

Lifestyle Tips: Get adequate sleep, keep warm at all times, do mild exercises regularly, and avoid windy areas and strenuous exercises.

Constitution 3: Yang Deficient (too much Yin)

Body: A Yang deficient person would feel cold in the hands and feet, dislike cold weather and wind, and easily catch colds and flus. This person may have poor sleep, loose stools, spontaneous sweating, and excess clear urine. The tongue would be pale with a white coating on top, and the pulse would be slow, deep, and weak. From the picture, we can see the person is very cold and shivering.

Personality: This person is likely quiet and introverted.

Contributing Factors: A person can become Yang deficient for the same reasons as Qi deficiency: poor diet, over work, stress, and old age.

Balancing Diet: Eat more Yang foods, which are sweet and pungent in flavor. The sweet foods build Qi, while the pungent foods add heat to the body. A majority of your diet should be naturally sweet foods (not artificially sweet foods) such as whole grains, rice, potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrot, and peas. Use the spicy foods as condiments, such as onion, garlic, cinnamon, ginger, and chili peppers. Eat less of foods that are raw and cold-energy, such as many fruits and foods with bitter or salty flavors.

Lifestyle Tips: Keep the feet, back, and lower abdomen warm; do mild exercises, such as jogging, yoga, and tai chi; avoid being in air-conditioned rooms for long periods; use saunas; do activities that lift your spirit and relieve anxiety, such as journaling, meditation, art, and writing.

Constitution 4: Yin Deficient (too much Yang)

Body: Yin deficient people feel hot in the hands and feet, dislikes hot and dry weather, and usually have a thin physique. They might also experience dry mouth and nose, constipation, and insomnia. They are more vulnerable to sore throat and fever. Their tongue would be red with little or no coating, and their pulse would be thin and rapid. We can see from the picture that the person is very hot (hence wearing little clothes), has hot hands and feet, and is thin.

Personality: Outgoing, impatient.

Contributing factors: A person can become Yin deficient due to excess stress, overthinking, alcohol, or spicy foods.

Balancing Diet: Eat more Yin foods, which have the bitter, sour, or salty taste (see food chart above) Eat less of hot-energy foods such as onion, garlic, chili peppers, and heavy animal proteins.

Lifestyle Tips: Do mild to moderate exercise, such as tai chi, yoga, and swimming; avoid caffeine; don’t stay up late; build inner peace through activities like meditation.

Constitution 5: Damp Phlegm

Body: People of damp phlegm constitution tend to be overweight, feel heavy or sluggish, have an oily face, sweat a lot, have excess throat secretions to spit, and dislike rain and damp environments. Their tongue would have a sticky coating, and their pulse would be slow and slippery. We can see from the picture that the person is overweight, sweats a lot, and is spitting out throat phlegm (mucus).

Personality: This person likely has a mild, steady, and patient personality.

Contributing Factors: A person can get damp phlegm due to poor diet particularly with too much cold and raw foods, dairy, overwork, and living in a damp environment.

Balancing Diet: Eat more foods that have the bitter, pungent/spicy, sour, and salty flavors (see food chart above). Eat less of sweet foods (especially artificially sweet foods) and fatty foods such as dairy, pastries, and meat. If you’re not sure what phlegm is, you can think of ice cream as frozen phlegm.

Lifestyle Tips: Refrain from a sedentary lifestyle; exercise at a pace you can sustain over the long-term; avoid outdoor activities during cold and humid weather; avoid extreme emotions; build calmness through activities like meditation, tai chi, and yoga.

Constitution 6: Damp Heat

Body: People with damp heat constitution likely have oily skin, acne, bad breath, bitter taste in mouth, dry stools, yellow urine, and yellow tongue coating. They dislike damp and hot environments. Their tongue would have a sticky yellow coating, and their pulse would be rapid and slippery. We can see from the picture that the person feels hot and has bad skin with acne.

Personality: This person is likely to be irritable and short-tempered.

Contributing Factors: A person can get dampness due to too much cold and raw foods, dairy, over work, and living in a damp environment. The heat aspect might come from too much fried foods, alcohol, spicy foods, and psychological stress.

Balancing Diet: Eat more foods that remove dampness and heat, such as red beans (adzuki beans), water chestnut, and dandelion tea. Bitter foods also help, such as celery, bitter melon, and broccoli. Eat less pungent/spicy foods like garlic, onion, and chili peppers. Also avoid greasy foods.

Lifestyle Tips: Make your living environment well-ventilated; maintain regular and adequate sleep; can do high-intensity exercises; avoid outdoor activities during hot and humid weather