Improper supplementation can harm health. Many people experience symptoms such as mouth ulcers, inflammation, bloating, constipation, and insomnia in the winter, which are caused by excessive consumption of tonics. The most common mistakes people make when supplementing are as follows.
1. Supplementing too early
Traditional Chinese medicine believes that the best time for supplementation is from the beginning of the "Winter Solstice" to the end of the "Three Nine," a total of 27 days. During this time, supplementation can lay the foundation for preventing infectious diseases and improving physical fitness in the coming spring. However, many people start supplementing as soon as winter begins, when the weather is still very dry. Excessive supplementation during this time can easily disrupt the balance of qi and blood in the body.
2. Supplementing too much
"Supplementing unnecessarily" is a common misconception in winter supplementation. For young people with good physical constitution who can eat normally, supplementation is not recommended. Those who truly need supplementation are the elderly and those in suboptimal health.
3. Supplementing too expensively
Bird's nest, ginseng, donkey-hide gelatin, and cordyceps are expensive tonic herbs that are increasingly being exaggerated in their effects. In fact, there is no need to be superstitious about them. Tremella can replace bird's nest, and jujube can replace donkey-hide gelatin.
4. Supplementing randomly
Many people do not understand their own physical constitution before supplementing and end up eating indiscriminately.
5. Only supplementing one kind
When it comes to supplementation, some people only think of lamb, dog meat, or just eating jujubes and walnuts. This can easily lead to nutritional imbalances in the body. No single supplement contains all the nutrients, so it is important to eat a variety of them.
If you experience discomfort but cannot find any specific problems at the hospital, then you belong to the group of people who should be supplemented. You can eat supplements based on the corresponding symptoms. For example, if you feel weak and lack energy, it is best to drink chicken soup or pork bone soup; if you experience dizziness, yellow complexion, and heavy menstrual flow, it is best to drink danggui ginger beef soup.
Gao Fang is a long-acting supplement that can be slowly absorbed in the stomach and intestines, making it especially suitable for people in suboptimal health during winter supplementation. Experts remind us not to blindly believe in the standardized Gao Fang formulas circulating online, but to go to a reputable hospital and ask a doctor to determine your physical constitution and then choose a suitable prescription.
