1. Avoid supplementing when deficient "Supplement when deficient" is the basic principle of medicinal diet, but deficiency can be categorized into yin deficiency, yang deficiency, qi deficiency, and blood deficiency. Those who are more inclined to cold will experience aversion to cold, preference for warmth, cold hands and feet, pale tongue, and thin pulse. Those who are more inclined to heat will experience hot hands and feet, dry mouth, bitter taste, foul breath, constipation, short red urine, and red tongue. If the cold and heat are not distinguished and the medicinal diet is taken randomly, it can easily exacerbate the existing condition.
Furthermore, according to the principle of prioritizing treatment in traditional Chinese medicine, if there is an external pathogen present, it is advisable to first expel the pathogen and relieve the surface symptoms, rather than blindly supplementing. For individuals with acute or chronic conditions such as cold, upper respiratory tract infection, chronic bronchitis, pneumonia, asthma attack, acute gastroenteritis, pancreatitis, acute hepatitis, urinary tract infection, renal colic, myocardial infarction, etc., they should be treated through "expelling the pathogen" and "clearing heat". In addition, during the acute phase of gastrointestinal diseases, it is generally not advisable to supplement, as it may have counterproductive effects.
2. Avoid relying solely on meat for supplementation Animal-based foods are undoubtedly excellent supplements as they are not only highly nutritious but also delicious. However, meat is not easily digested and absorbed. If consumed excessively and for a prolonged period of time, it can be burdensome for elderly individuals with diminished gastrointestinal function. Moreover, certain "by-products" produced during the digestion of meat, such as excessive fats and sugars, are often the causes of common age-related diseases such as cardiovascular diseases and cancer. Therefore, the diet of elderly individuals should primarily consist of light and vegetable-based foods.
3. Avoid emphasizing "intake" over "elimination" With the improvement of living standards, many families consume meat and oily foods daily. The acidic and toxic substances produced after the metabolism of these foods need to be eliminated in a timely manner. However, the faster pace of life has led to irregular bowel movements and even constipation for many individuals. Elderly individuals are particularly prone to deficiency-type constipation due to insufficient qi and body fluids. Therefore, while supplementing, it is important to also pay attention to timely and smooth bowel movements.
4. Avoid sticking to a single type of supplement Some people prefer to consume a specific type of supplement according to their taste, which can eventually develop into "selective eating" or "food addiction". This is detrimental to health because both medicine and food have both health-promoting effects and certain side effects. Prolonged and excessive consumption can disrupt the nutritional balance within the body. Especially for elderly individuals, not only do the functions of various organs decline to varying degrees, requiring comprehensive and systematic regulation, but different seasons also have different demands for health-promoting medicine and food. Therefore, it is necessary to adjust according to different circumstances and avoid sticking to a single type of supplement.
5. Avoid assuming that more expensive means better supplementation Some high-end traditional foods such as bird's nest and shark fin actually do not have any unique therapeutic effects, while common foods like sweet potatoes and onions have significant therapeutic value. The choice of medicinal diet should be based on individual needs, rather than solely considering the cost. This is especially true for the elderly population, where practicality should be the guiding principle for supplementation.
