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The Role of Chinese Medicine in Health Maintenance and Disease Prevention: Application of Constitution Theory

School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 100029, P. R. China

These authors contributed equally to this work.

School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 100029, P. R. China

Tang Center for Herbal Medicine Research and Department of Anesthesia & Critical Care, Pritzker School of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637, USA

These authors contributed equally to this work.

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Ji Wang

School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 100029, P. R. China

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Yingshuai Li

School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 100029, P. R. China

E-mail Address: liyingshuai2013@163.com

Correspondence to: Dr. Yingshuai Li, School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, No. 11 East Road North 3rd Ring Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing 100029, P. R. China. Tel: (+86) 10-6428-6867, Fax: (+86) 10-6428-6867.

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, and

Qi Wang

School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 100029, P. R. China

E-mail Address: wangqi710@126.com

Correspondence to: Prof. Qi Wang, School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, No. 11 East Road North 3rd Ring Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing 100029, P. R. China. Tel: (+86) 10-6428-6867, Fax: (+86) 10-6428-6867.

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https://doi.org/10.1142/S0192415X19500253Cited by:104 (Source: Crossref)

Abstract

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has guided health maintenance and disease treatment for thousands of years and has been widely used in many countries around the world. TCM regards each individual as unique so all corresponding therapeutic and preventive approaches in TCM are personalized. Personalized medicine, also referred to as precision medicine, is an emerging medical paradigm that points toward a new direction for future medical development. TCM constitution studies the holistic body condition, which is affected by both inborn and acquired factors. Body constitution lays the foundation for disease diagnosis, prevention and treatment. Different constitution types predispose individuals to different disease susceptibilities. Examining an individual’s unique body constitution can promote effective health management and benefit the application of personalized medicine significantly. This review will introduce and discuss the application of the TCM constitution for health maintenance and disease prevention. In last decade, a number of modern techniques have been employed in the constitution research to evaluate the health status of individuals. The TCM constitution reflects the current status and future trends of human health in four aspects, i.e., individual differences, life processes, psychological condition and adaptability to natural and social environments. This TCM constitution theory has already been applied in the Chinese public health management at different levels with promising outcome. The constitution theory and practice provide a new approach for health maintenance and disease prevention.

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