🌿 Folk Prescriptions

The saying goes, “No illness in summer, but three parts weak.” After the beginning of autumn, although mornings and evenings are cool, the lingering heat of the "autumn tiger" still prevails, making people prone to fatigue, weakness, and poor appetite. According to the traditional Chinese medicine principle of "nourishing yang in spring and summer, nourishing yin in autumn and winter," supplementation during this period should follow eight guidelines.
First, do not supplement without illness. Unnecessary supplementation increases expenses and harms health. For example, excessive fish liver oil intake can cause poisoning; long-term glucose consumption leads to obesity, increased blood cholesterol, and higher risk of cardiovascular disease.
Second, do not confuse deficiency with excess. The TCM principle is to supplement deficiencies, not to give tonics to non-deficient individuals. Deficiency itself has subtypes—yin deficiency, yang deficiency, qi deficiency, blood deficiency—and proper treatment requires accurate diagnosis. Otherwise, it may backfire and harm the body. While health preservation isn’t as strict as medical treatment, one should at least categorize individuals into two groups: cold-prone or heat-prone. Cold-type individuals fear cold, prefer warmth, have cold limbs, bland taste, excessive saliva, loose stools, clear urine, pale tongue, and deep fine pulse. Heat-type individuals have hot palms and soles, dry mouth, bitter taste, bad breath, hard stool, short yellow urine, red tongue, and rapid pulse. Ignoring these distinctions and blindly using tonics risks exacerbating internal fire and harming health.
Third, do not over-supplement. Any tonic taken in excess is harmful. Believing that “more tonics mean better health, curing illness or strengthening the body even when healthy” is unwise. Overconsumption of ginseng or deer antler products may cause bloating and loss of appetite; excessive vitamin C intake can lead to nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.
Fourth, do not replace food with supplements. Animal-based foods are excellent tonics due to their high nutrition and flavor, but they are difficult to digest. Long-term or excessive consumption burdens weakened digestive systems in the elderly. Moreover, byproducts from meat digestion—such as excess fats and sugars—are often causes of common age-related diseases like cardiovascular disorders and cancer. A light diet does not mean lack of nourishment—vegetables are particularly important. Modern nutritional science holds that fresh fruits and vegetables contain various vitamins and trace elements essential nutrients.
Fifth, do not substitute medicine for food. Medicinal supplementation is inferior to dietary supplementation. It is unwise to prioritize drugs over food. Many foods themselves possess therapeutic effects. For example, eating celery helps prevent hypertension; eating radishes aids digestion, relieves gas, and soothes coughs; eating yam strengthens spleen and stomach function. Commonly used foods like walnuts, peanuts, red dates, broad beans, and lotus root are also excellent tonics.
Sixth, do not focus solely on intake while neglecting output. With rising living standards, many families eat meat daily and consume overly greasy meals. These foods produce acidic toxic waste that must be promptly eliminated. Yet fast-paced lifestyles often lead to irregular bowel movements or constipation. Thus, health experts recently introduced the concept of “negative nutrition,” emphasizing the importance of eliminating waste, reducing intestinal toxin retention and absorption. They advocate maintaining timely and smooth bowel movements alongside supplementation.
Seventh, do not rely on a single tonic long-term. Some people develop fixed preferences for certain tonics and continue using them for years, leading to picky or obsessive eating habits—harmful to health. Both medicines and foods have both benefits and side effects. Long-term or excessive use disrupts internal nutrient balance. Especially for the elderly, whose organ functions decline to varying degrees, comprehensive and systematic regulation is needed. Different seasons also require different tonics and foods. Therefore, adjusting according to circumstances is essential.
Eighth, do not judge value by price. Rarity makes things valuable. Expensive traditional foods like bird’s nest or shark fin offer no extraordinary therapeutic effects, whereas common foods like sweet potatoes and onions have significant medicinal value. Furthermore, all food therapies have specific indications and target populations. Choose based on need—supplement what is lacking—not based on cost. Particularly for older adults, practicality and affordability should guide supplementation.