Common Misconceptions About Health Preservation

Having discussed the relationship between seasons and bodily changes, I'd also like to address some common misconceptions about health preservation.

Many people find their health deteriorating despite their efforts to maintain it, not because their methods are wrong, but because they've fallen into common misconceptions.

Understanding these misconceptions will help you avoid making the same mistakes.

Myth 1: Health preservation means supplementing, and the more the better.

Many people believe that maintaining health means taking supplements to replenish qi and blood, kidneys, and spleen and stomach, and the more supplements, the better.

Actually, no, the core of health preservation is balance.

What is insufficient needs to be replenished; what is excessive needs to be drained.

For example, if someone has excessive dampness in their body, trying to nourish their spleen and stomach will only exacerbate the dampness.

For people who are prone to internal heat, trying to replenish their Yang energy will only exacerbate the problem.

Making a mistake is worse than not making a mistake at all.

Before focusing on health preservation, first check if you have any excess pathogenic factors, such as dampness, heat, cold, or wind. Eliminate these pathogenic factors before considering supplementation.

There's a saying in traditional Chinese medicine, "Rhubarb can save lives without merit, while ginseng can kill without fault."

That's the point.

Myth 2: Use one prescription for a lifetime

Many people like to find a "universal health regimen," such as drinking red bean and barley water every day, eating goji berries every day, and drinking Panax notoginseng powder every day, regardless of the season or their physical condition.

However, the human body is dynamic, and the climate is changing; there is no unchanging method for maintaining health.

Red bean and barley water helps remove dampness and is suitable for drinking when there is a lot of dampness. However, drinking it every day in the dry autumn will only make you drier.

Goji berries nourish the liver and kidneys, making them suitable for consumption in winter. However, eating them every day in summer can easily cause internal heat.

Health preservation should follow the seasons, the climate, and the body's condition, and be adjusted flexibly. You can't stick to one prescription.

Myth 3: Focusing only on the physical condition, ignoring the environment

Many people focus solely on their own bodies when it comes to health, believing that certain foods can replenish what they need, completely ignoring the influence of the external environment.

For example, no matter how hot it is outside, I always eat ginger and mutton soup;

No matter how humid it is outside, I eat red dates and longan.

Humans are part of nature, and the influence of the environment far outweighs the effects of any supplements we consume.

If you try to maintain your health against the natural climate, no amount of supplementation will help.

In summer, we need to clear heat; in winter, we need to warm and nourish; in humid weather, we need to dispel dampness; and in dry weather, we need to moisturize dryness. These are the basic principles.

Myth 4: When you're sick, you can just rest and recover without seeing a doctor.

Health preservation is about prevention and support, not treatment.

Many people, even when they are sick, do not see a doctor and rely solely on diet and exercise to manage their condition, which delays their recovery.

For example, a common cold or mild indigestion can be treated at home;

However, if you have a persistent high fever, severe pain, or a chronic illness, you must seek medical attention promptly and not try to tough it out.

Health preservation methods cannot replace formal medical treatment; they are merely auxiliary means to help the body recover.

Having discussed common misconceptions, we also need to talk about precautions for maintaining health based on weather and climate.

This is a general trend, not an absolute standard.

Climate patterns describe overall probabilities; however, they can vary on a specific day or in a specific region.

The south is humid, the north is dry, the coast is windy, and the inland areas have large temperature differences. Adjustments must be made according to local conditions, and one cannot simply copy the rules.

You should rely on your own feelings.

Everyone's constitution is different, and their reactions will also be different.

What works for others may not work for you.

During the process of maintaining health, pay close attention to your body's reactions. If you feel comfortable, continue; if you feel uncomfortable, adjust accordingly. Don't force yourself to endure it.

The key is persistence, not quick results.

Maintaining good health is a long-term habit; it's not something that shows results in just a few days.

Don't expect to cure your illness by taking supplements for a few days, and don't expect to become physically fit by exercising for a few days.

Living in accordance with the rhythms of nature and persisting in this way will naturally lead to improved health over time.

The focus is on thinking, not on knowledge.

The ultimate goal of learning these principles is not to memorize a lot of knowledge points, but to establish a way of thinking—that humans and nature are one, and we should adjust ourselves in accordance with the rhythm of nature. Understanding this point is to grasp the core of health preservation.