Has anyone in today's world invented a "panacea"? I am ignorant of such matters and do not know. The market is, however, full of all kinds of "multi-functional" or "all-around" supplements, a dazzling array that one can hardly take in all at once.
To this day, I still don't understand the logic behind this: for a person who is simply deficient in a certain vitamin, why is it necessary to indiscriminately "supplement" a dozen other vitamins or trace elements as if catching a free ride? Regardless of whether it's needed or suitable for supplementation, it's like "Song Ang's birthday celebration"—you accept the whole list and throw everything in at once. This reminds one of the street charlatans who boast that their medicine can "nourish all five organs and cure a hundred diseases." And then one thinks, this is not so surprising, after all, "what exists is reasonable"! In the human world, where there are those who readily believe, there will be those who fabricate wildly; where there are those who blindly follow, there will surely be another "Wang Po" (a famous matchmaker known for her persuasive talk, here meaning a slick talker).
Supplementation is done because of "deficiency" and is established for "lack." If there is no deficiency, what is there to supplement? For example, if a road has pits and holes, filling them with earth makes it a smooth road, allowing vehicles to pass without hindrance. This proper filling with earth is the correct principle. But if a meddler were to pile stones and earth on a perfectly smooth road, under the pretext of preparing for future collapses, could the road still be free of obstructions? Is the human body not the same? If you are not deficient, there is no need to prepare in advance for "war and famine." Blind and excessive supplementation will inevitably lead to self-inflicted suffering; it's no wonder it will cause blockage and stagnation! Supplementation that exceeds normal physiological needs, or supplementation that interferes with normal physiological functions, has a hundred harms and no benefits. Such a method of supplementation is better than no supplementation at all.
Some people say: supplement what is lacking, and do not supplement what is not lacking. If that is the case, then why does the traditional Chinese medicine formula "Dang Gui Bu Xue Tang" (Angelica Blood-Nourishing Decoction) also include the Qi-supplementing herb Huang Qi (Astragalus)? A good question. The "Tang Tou Ge Jue" (Song of Decoction Formulas) says: "Dang Gui Bu Xue has wondrous power, with less Dang Gui and more Huang Qi, its effect is strongest." This formula not only uses Huang Qi, but the dosage of Huang Qi is five times that of Dang Gui, meaning the dosage of the Qi-supplementing herb is far greater than that of the blood-supplementing herb. Why is this? This is a famous formula that emerged from long-term clinical practice under the guidance of traditional Chinese medical theory. Traditional Chinese medicine believes that Qi belongs to Yang, and blood belongs to Yin; Qi and blood are interdependent. "Yin alone cannot give birth, and Yang alone cannot grow." The tangible blood cannot generate on its own; it must be warmed by Yang Qi to grow. This is the so-called "Yang gives birth, and Yin grows," meaning when Qi is abundant, blood is generated. The profound mystery lies right here. This is simply not comparable to those groundless,随心所欲 (随心所欲, following one's own inclinations) practices of supplementing one lacking nutrient with ten others, and launching a full-scale "supplementation" campaign at every turn.
As the saying goes: "All medicines have some toxicity," and "supplementation by medicine is not as good as supplementation by food." However, "food supplementation" also has its principles. Having fish, meat, crab, and shrimp at every meal, a full Han banquet every day, may seem like bliss, but it is in fact brewing disaster. Rugao in Jiangsu, praised by the United Nations as a "hometown of longevity," has hundreds of centenarians, and octogenarians are found all over the countryside. Then there is an obscure, wild mountain village in Guangxi with as many as 70 centenarians. I am afraid this longevity was not "supplemented" into them, nor was it achieved by eating rich and fatty foods. The situation is quite the opposite. In these "hometowns of longevity," most are in mountainous areas, and people's lives are relatively simple. They mostly fill their stomachs with fruits, wild vegetables, and coarse grains. Sometimes the ways of the world are baffling; when people try every possible means to seek elixirs and formulas, blindly supplementing this and that, eating this and that, in pursuit of longevity, they often get the opposite result. Whereas those who, due to their environment, don't even know what "supplementation" is, often live long lives. It is truly said: "If you intentionally plant flowers, they may not bloom; if you unintentionally plant a willow, it may grow into a shady tree." It seems that money cannot buy life, and blind supplementation cannot buy health. Of course, to think that poverty leads to longevity is to go to the other extreme. Health and longevity is a matter of comprehensive factors. From these "hometowns of longevity," we can grasp a principle: "dietary moderation" is the key to longevity, and "dietary moderation is a great formula for supplementation."
What is thought-provoking is that everything has a "degree," and the nutrients the human body needs naturally have a question of appropriateness. Exceeding this "degree" leads to the outcome of "going too far is as bad as not going far enough." From this, we know that blind supplementation is by no means necessary. The saying "Han Xin uses troops, the more the better" cannot be extended to the realm of "supplementation." It is said that in the West, there is no concept of "supplementation." American ginseng originates in the United States, yet one has never heard of "Uncle Tom" enjoying American ginseng as a supplement. Chinese people value supplementation, and although the methods of supplementation vary by region, "supplementation" has become an ancient complex, a hobby, and an aspiration for the Chinese people. In technologically and economically developed countries like Europe and America, they focus on scientific dietary structures and reasonable nutritional balance, paying attention to the balance between nutrition and individual needs. In today's era of rapid technological development, it is no longer advisable to blindly follow old ways or even cling to outdated practices.