Insufficient intake of food as a cause of disease in Traditional Chinese Medicine does not refer only to eating disorders such as not eating or eating very little. It also refers to the lack of adequate nutrients. There are people with eating habits that lack essential nutrients and in the long term, although they eat, they are exposed to malnutrition. There are people who maybe only eat bread and cheese. Or someone who only eats fruit and granola bars.
If you don't eat the nutrients needed by the body, Qi weakens (Rong Qi), organ functions fail and Blood weakens. Symptoms such as tiredness, pallor, hair loss, cold in the body, anemia, sweating at the slightest effort, diarrhea, nausea, oedema may appear.
As therapists, it is advisable to help the patient become aware of their diet and take responsibility for their health by improving their eating habits. We can stimulate appetite and improve digestive functions with acupuncture, but if they don't eat better we will not be treating the real cause of the problem.