TCM Spring Health Preservation: Supplement Appropriately
Spring is the ideal time for tonics. With rising living standards, more people now prioritize health and wellness, paying increasing attention to supplement types and functions. Interviews reveal that supplements once considered expensive and rare are now becoming accessible to ordinary households. Yet vendors warn: spring supplementation must be appropriate and tailored to individual needs—avoid indiscriminate or excessive use.
In Binwang Commercial Zone of Yiwu, a specialist store selling deer products was found. Owner Li Sen explained that their range includes over ten items such as deer blood wine, deer antler, and deer liver capsules, all sourced from wild red deer and elk raised in the Greater Khingan Mountains of Northeast China. Li Sen noted that spring supplementation shouldn’t rely on rich, fatty foods like in autumn and winter. Instead, it should involve consuming health-promoting, medicinally effective foods. However, supplements should primarily serve preventive purposes and cannot replace medication. They must benefit health without harming the body—non-drying tonics are especially important.
Deer products have long been regarded as premium tonics. For example, deer antler primarily strengthens kidney yang, enriches essence and blood, and strengthens tendons and bones. When using, oral administration is best. Grind purchased deer antler into fine powder and store it. Take 0.5–1 gram twice daily—before bedtime and upon waking on an empty stomach—with warm water. A course lasts 5–7 days. If no adverse reactions occur, pause for one week before starting another course. Avoid boiling in water or suddenly increasing dosage, as this wastes resources and yields poor results. Don’t rush results—deer product effects are gradual and long-lasting. Avoid spicy, stimulating foods during use. Caution is advised for those with colds, fever, or acute illnesses such as hepatitis or nephritis.
TCM holds that health preservation encompasses many methods: physical exercise, emotional regulation, dietary therapy, and herbal adjustment. Among these, dietary therapy and herbal adjustment—specifically "tonification"—are vital components of TCM health preservation. Scientific, individualized selection is essential for effective tonification, enabling enhanced immunity and improved health.