Winter is the best season for nourishing the body. The kidneys and yin of the body are yin in nature, which corresponds to the yin qi in nature and is beneficial for nourishment. Knowing this rule, many people start various dietary and medicinal supplements. Although these methods can promote health, if the supplements are not taken properly, it can easily lead to misconceptions about health and neglecting the well-being of the body.
Misconceptions about winter health supplements
Misconception 1: Ignoring regional differences
China has a vast territory and diverse geographical environments. People have different ways of living. Although it is winter, the climate in the northwest region is vastly different from that in the southeast coastal region. Experts remind us not to ignore regional differences when it comes to supplements.
In the cold winter of the northwest and northeast regions, supplements should be hot and warming, such as mutton, dog meat, and deer meat. Supplements like ginseng wine and deer antler wine have a strengthening and warming effect, which helps to resist the cold and boost yang energy. In the southern regions south of the Yangtze River, although it is already winter, the temperature is much milder than in the north. Supplements should be light and warm, such as chicken, duck, and goose.
Misconception 2: Not distinguishing between the old and the young
Due to the differences between men and women and the young and the old, the approach to "supplementing" in winter is not the same. For example, the physiological functions of the elderly decline, and most of them have weak physical constitutions. Therefore, appropriate and moderate supplements can enhance their resistance and promote overall health.
However, children have vigorous physiological functions and healthy growth. Children who are still recovering from illness should not "supplement" excessively. Especially for some warm and hot foods such as mutton, dog meat, deer meat, sparrow meat, and sparrow eggs, they are only suitable for adults. Even if children have weak constitutions, they should avoid or consume these foods in small amounts, as it can be detrimental to their health.
Misconception 3: Failure to identify the syndrome
If someone has trouble sleeping for a long time and feels tired during the day, they may think that they have poor physical constitution. They may self-medicate with large quantities of ginseng, American ginseng, and ginseng extract. As a result, they may become agitated, irritable, and experience worsening insomnia. Experts point out that this is a typical case of improper supplementing, which is not only ineffective but also harmful. To achieve the desired effect of winter "supplementing" more accurately, it is necessary to supplement according to different physical constitutions and the nature of the food. According to traditional Chinese medicine, food can be classified into categories such as neutral supplements, warm supplements, and cooling supplements based on their properties.
Misconception 4: Blindly seeking supplements without deficiency
There was an elderly person who liked to take various supplements and tonics regularly. One time, they caught a cold and lost their appetite for several days. They believed that they were physically weak and decided to consume an excessive amount of Korean ginseng. As a result, they ended up being sent to the hospital with a blank expression, flushed face, trembling limbs, and weak breath. Fortunately, timely treatment saved them from danger. Nowadays, due to widespread media coverage, advertisements often exaggerate the miraculous and effective effects of various "supplements." Based on the desire for supplementation, many people without deficiency blindly seek supplements.
Recommended dietary therapy for winter supplements
1. Steamed Fish
Descale and gut the fish, and remove the black membrane inside the belly. Make diagonal cuts on the fish. Marinate the fish with salt, cooking wine, and black pepper for a few minutes. Place the fish in a dish, pour in steamed fish soy sauce, and add ginger slices, green onion slices, and red chili pepper slices. Steam over high heat for 10 minutes. Heat some oil in a pan, and pour it over the fish.
2. Braised Lamb
Wash the lamb and cut it into pieces. Blanch the lamb in boiling water to remove impurities. In a pot, slowly heat rock sugar until it melts, then add the lamb and stir-fry. Add cooking wine, light soy sauce, and dark soy sauce, and stir-fry the lamb until it is colored. Transfer everything to an electric pressure cooker, add scallion sections, ginger slices, and black pepper. Pressure cook for 20 minutes, then add salt to taste and garnish with chopped scallions.
3. Stewed Pork Ribs with Winter Melon
Chop the pork ribs into pieces and blanch them to remove impurities. Peel and cut the winter melon into square pieces. Wash the mushrooms. Heat oil in a frying pan and stir-fry the scallions, ginger, and star anise until fragrant. Add the pork ribs and stir-fry for a moment. Add an appropriate amount of cooking wine and water, bring to a boil over high heat, then simmer over low heat for 1 hour. Add the mushrooms and winter melon and stew for another 30 minutes. Finally, add a little salt and chicken powder for seasoning.
4. Astragalus and Angelica Lamb Soup
Wash the lamb. Put orange peel in the pot and boil it. Once boiled, remove the orange peel and continue boiling with a few more pieces of orange peel. Repeat this process 3-5 times to remove the gamey taste of the lamb. Wash the angelica, astragalus, and codonopsis. Put them in a cheesecloth bag and tie it. Wash the scallions and ginger and cut them into sections. Put the lamb, angelica, astragalus, codonopsis, scallions, ginger, and cooking wine into the pot. Add an appropriate amount of water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then simmer over low heat until the lamb is tender.
5. Sesame Mountain Yam Strips
Take 250g of fresh mountain yam, 30g of roasted sesame powder, and an appropriate amount of refined vegetable oil and white sugar. Peel the mountain yam and cut it into 4 cm long sections, then cut them into 1 cm wide strips. Heat oil in a frying pan over medium heat. When the oil is 50% hot, add the mountain yam strips and fry until cooked. Remove from the pan. Leave a little oil in the frying pan and add white sugar. Heat until the sugar melts and becomes a liquid that can be drawn into threads. Add the mountain yam strips and toss them in the caramelized sugar. Sprinkle with sesame powder and serve on a greased plate.
