How to Supplement Properly During Travel
Traditional Chinese Medicine emphasizes taking tonics during travel, largely due to the unique characteristics of travel:
First, long-distance travel involving hiking and crossing rivers involves significant physical exertion. TCM holds that "sweat is derived from yin fluids," meaning excessive sweating from over-exercise depletes body fluids and qi.
Second, poor meals, restless sleep, irregular routines, and unfamiliar environments often lead to "acclimatization issues."
Third, travelers often feel exhilarated and mentally stimulated. TCM believes "blood is the essence of spirit," so mental overuse can damage blood.
Fourth, increasing numbers of couples travel together, especially newlyweds who consider travel essential. Increased sexual activity is believed to harm "essence" (jing) according to TCM.
Overall, intense and exhausting travel damages the body’s essence, blood, body fluids, and qi—precious resources for nourishing the body. Therefore, to ensure smooth travel and good health, people should take tonics during trips. But how should one supplement properly?
First, tailor supplementation to travel activities: If traveling mainly for physical exercise—such as climbing Mount Hua in two days—significant physical strain occurs. In such cases, ginseng or American ginseng is recommended, both of which replenish qi and generate body fluids. Alternatively, carry affordable herbal preparations like Shengmai Yin.
Second, adjust based on location: If visiting cold regions, focus on warming tonics like ginseng or Cistanche. If going to hot areas, opt for cooling tonics such as American ginseng or lily bulbs.
Third, consider age: Elderly and physically weak individuals should supplement more. Young, healthy individuals should supplement less but focus on balanced nutrition.
Fourth, differentiate between qi, blood, yin, and yang: Treat qi deficiency with qi-tonifying herbs; blood deficiency with blood-nourishing ones; yang deficiency with yang-warming herbs; yin deficiency with yin-nourishing ones. Always follow syndrome differentiation—don’t supplement blindly. Qi tonics include ginseng, astragalus, codonopsis; ready-made formulas include Si Junzi Wan. Symptoms include shortness of breath, lethargy, fatigue, chest tightness. Blood tonics include angelica root and longan flesh; ready-made formulas include Guipi Wan. Symptoms include dizziness, palpitations, insomnia, fine pulse. Yang tonics include eucommia bark; ready-made formula includes Zuogui Wan. Symptoms include cold limbs, fatigue, spontaneous sweating, slow pulse. Yin tonics include polygonatum and goji berries; ready-made formula includes Zuogui Wan. Symptoms include irritability, heat sensation, soreness in waist and knees, red tongue with little coating, rapid pulse.
Editorial Note: Ginseng, American ginseng, goji berries, and Cistanche can be steeped in a thermos as tea. Astragalus, angelica root, eucommia bark, and polygonatum can be carried for adding to soups during travel. As fresh lily bulbs are inconvenient to carry, order them when dining out.