The third part of the rule-out questions turns to three things people react to strongly: alcohol, coffee and ginseng. The usual caution stands. A questionnaire guess has no diagnostic weight in Korean Traditional Medicine (KTM); in Eight Constitution Medicine (ECM), the constitutional pulse must be confirmed before any constitutional acupuncture or herbal medicine. Use these questions to strike off constitutions that clearly don’t fit — and to learn how these substances act on different bodies.
In Summary
- Flushing quickly with little alcohol is furthest from Cholecystonia; Pulmotonia and Pancreotonia flush easily.
- Drinking a lot with little hangover argues against Pulmotonia, whose liver is the weakest organ. Cholecystonia typically handles alcohol best — which is also why it is prone to drinking too much.
- Coffee helps the Wood and Earth types most; the Metal types most often react badly.
- Ginseng suits the Water types best, then the Wood types; it does not suit the Earth or Metal types, though anyone may feel a short-term lift.
- These are hints, not tests. Alcohol is not made safer by any constitution.
Question 14. Even a little alcohol makes my face flush and heat up, and I can’t drink much.
This can happen in any constitution, but it is furthest from Cholecystonia. Pulmotonia and Pancreotonia are examples of constitutions that flush easily with alcohol. The Wood and Earth types, who handle alcohol relatively well, can also flush easily because of heat in the liver.
Question 15. I drink more than most people and rarely get bad hangovers.
You are probably not Pulmotonia. With the weakest liver of all, Pulmotonia finds it hard to drink much — alcohol goes to the head quickly — and hangovers can last. Colonotonia is mixed: some drink well and sober up fast. In general, the constitution that drinks most, with the least hangover and the least apparent harm, is Cholecystonia — which is exactly why Cholecystonia tends toward alcohol dependence. Hepatonia, surprisingly, can be weak with alcohol, because material and energy are already stored up in the liver before the first drink.
A plain safety note: no constitution makes heavy drinking safe. Tolerance is not protection.
Question 16. Coffee wakes me up and lifts my condition.
You are probably not Pulmotonia, Colonotonia or Renotonia. Regardless of constitution, coffee is a stimulant and produces a range of reactions, so it is hard to judge constitution from it — especially since people drink it as instant mixes and lattes as well as plain americano. The constitutions for whom coffee both sharpens the mind and supports health are Hepatonia, Cholecystonia, Gastrotonia and Pancreotonia.
Question 17. Coffee keeps me awake and brings palpitations, indigestion or headache.
This can happen in any constitution, but it is furthest from the Wood types. Coffee most often fails to suit Pulmotonia and Colonotonia; the Water and Earth types can also be uncomfortable with it. And because people drink so much of it, even the Wood types can react badly.
Question 18. Ginseng (including red ginseng) makes me feel better.
This can happen in any constitution, but it is furthest from Pulmotonia and Colonotonia. Traditionally, ginseng suits the Water types — Renotonia and Vesicotonia — best, and the Wood types next. It does not suit the Earth or Metal types, though because it puts qi (energy) into the body in the short term, they may still feel a good reaction at first. Even for the Water types, a strongly warming tonic can backfire in someone who is already running hot — another reason to have a KTM physician choose it rather than self-prescribing.
How to Use These Questions
I don’t turn these questions into scores, because the right weight for each depends on your situation. Take them slowly and enjoy working toward the answer. In ECM, “strong” does not mean “safe” for any constitution.
Related reading: Part 2: Cold Food, Chicken, Pork, Milk · When a Water Type Runs Hot
