The basic constitution of an individual is in a way his initial baggage, the raw material with which he can develop. In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), this inheritance from parents is called prenatal or innate essence. The prenatal essence is very important, because it is this which determines the growth of the fetus and the child and which allows to maintain all the organs until death. A weak constitution generally predisposes to several pathologies.

It is in the sperm of the father and in the ovum of the mother that we find the basis of the prenatal essence, which is formed at the time of conception. This is why the Chinese place great importance on the health of both parents, as well as the health of the mother throughout pregnancy. Even if the general health of the parents is good, various one-off factors such as overwork, excessive alcohol consumption, drug or certain medication use, and excessive sexual activity can affect it at the time of conception. In addition, if a certain Organ is weak in the parents, that same Organ may be affected in the child. For example, overwork weakens Spleen / Pancreas Qi. The overworked parent will then transmit a deficient Spleen / Pancreas Qi to their child. This organ being, among other things, responsible for digestion, the child can more easily suffer from digestive problems.

Once the Prenatal Essence is formed, it cannot be changed. On the other hand, it can be maintained and preserved. This is all the more important as its exhaustion leads to death. One can thus squander the capital that constitutes a strong innate constitution, if one does not worry about his health. On the other hand, despite a weak basic constitution, we can still enjoy excellent health, if we take care of our lifestyle. Chinese doctors and philosophers have therefore developed respiratory and physical exercises, such as Qi Gong, acupuncture treatments and herbal preparations in order to preserve the prenatal Essence, and therefore to live longer in good health.

Essentially, it is by observing the state of the Qi of the Kidneys (custodians of the Essences) that we can distinguish people who have inherited a good prenatal Essence, from those whose prenatal Essence is fragile and must be wisely protected and saved. Naturally, each of the viscera can also be endowed with a more or less strong basic constitution. One of the many clinical signs by which to assess the quality of a person’s inheritance is the observation of the ears. Indeed, fleshy and shiny lobes indicate a strong prenatal Essence and therefore a solid base constitution.

In clinical practice, it is important to carry out an evaluation of the patient’s constitution (see Questioning) to adapt the treatments and advice concerning hygiene of life. Thus, people of strong constitution generally recover more quickly than the others; they are rarely – but dramatically – struck down by disease. For example, their flu will nail them down to bed with body aches, throbbing headaches, fever and profuse phlegm. These acute symptoms are in fact the result of the fierce struggle of their abundant correct Energies against the evil Energies.

Another perverse effect of a strong constitution is that the manifestations of a disease are not always eloquent. A person can have generalized cancer without there being any noticeable signs because their strong constitution will have masked the problem. Often, it is only fatigue, weight loss, diarrhea, pain and confusion, appearing precipitously at the end of the course, which reveal too late the work of undermining having operated for several years.