Hello everyone, today we are going to discuss a rather heart-wrenching topic—why does Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) seem less effective nowadays? Do you remember when you had a cold or fever as a child, and after taking a bowl of bitter herbal soup, you could bounce back the next day? But now? After drinking a bunch of TCM, the illness doesn’t seem to improve, and some even say, “TCM is just a placebo, it’s useless!” This statement sounds harsh, but we must admit that the effectiveness of TCM is indeed not what it used to be. But is the problem really with TCM, or is it with us?
Is TCM ineffective? First, ask yourself!
First, we need to clarify one thing: TCM is not a miracle cure; it has its own “temperament.” TCM emphasizes “辨证施治” (bianzheng shizhi), which means you must prescribe medicine based on each person’s constitution and condition, not just grab a handful of herbs to treat all ailments. But nowadays? Many people rush to the pharmacy to buy “Ban Lan Gen” (Isatis Root) at the first sign of a cold, or drink “Jin Yin Hua” (Honeysuckle) for heat symptoms, completely ignoring whether it suits them. As a result? The medicine is not appropriate, and the effect is naturally disappointing.
Moreover, modern lifestyles are completely different from those of ancient people. Ancient people worked at sunrise and rested at sunset, eating light meals and living regularly. But what about us? Staying up late, relying on takeout, and facing immense pressure, our bodies have long been worn out. In this situation, do you expect a few doses of TCM to “cure all diseases”? Don’t dream! No matter how good TCM is, it can’t withstand your daily self-destructive habits!
Is TCM ineffective? Or has the human heart changed?
Next, we need to talk about the quality issues of TCM. The current TCM market is chaotic. The “Ren Shen” (Ginseng) you buy might be radish dried, and the “A Jiao” (Donkey-hide Gelatin) you drink might be made from shoe leather. Don’t even mention efficacy; if you don’t have any problems after taking it, consider yourself lucky! Why does this happen? Simply put, it’s because the human heart has changed.
In the past, TCM emphasized “dao di yao cai” (authentic medicinal materials), meaning that the medicinal materials must come from specific places, such as ginseng from Changbai Mountain and angelica from Gansu Min County. But now? To make money, they dare to grow any medicinal material and sell any medicine. As a result, the quality of medicinal materials has plummeted, and the efficacy is naturally greatly reduced.
Even more infuriating is that some merchants, in pursuit of profit, even resort to adulterating, dyeing, and adding weight to the medicinal materials. The “precious medicinal materials” you spend a lot of money on might have no medicinal effect at all. In this case, how can TCM not be “ineffective”?
Is TCM ineffective? Or is TCM itself ineffective?
Finally, we need to discuss the issues within TCM itself. Nowadays, fewer and fewer practitioners truly understand “辨证施治” (bianzheng shizhi); many TCM practitioners can’t even perform the basic “望闻问切” (observation, listening, inquiry, and palpation) properly, relying solely on “experience” and “feeling” to prescribe medicine. As a result? The medicine is not appropriate, and the effect is naturally disappointing.
Even more frightening is that some practitioners, in order to make money, deliberately prescribe expensive medicinal materials, even adding some that are completely unnecessary. You spend a lot of money, take it without effect, and think it’s TCM that doesn’t work. In fact? It’s the practitioners who are not competent!
Can TCM become effective again?
After all this, we must admit that the effectiveness of TCM is indeed not what it used to be. But this does not mean that TCM itself is ineffective. The “ineffectiveness” of TCM is more about the problems we have—unhealthy lifestyles, declining quality of medicinal materials, and varying levels of practitioners.
To make TCM effective again, we must start with ourselves. First, change unhealthy lifestyles; don’t expect TCM to cure all diseases; second, choose legitimate channels to purchase medicinal materials; don’t be tempted by cheap fakes; finally, find practitioners who truly understand TCM to treat your ailments; don’t be fooled by those “pseudo-TCM” practitioners.
In summary, TCM is not a miracle cure, but it is also not a “placebo.” As long as we treat it with care, TCM can still exert its magical effects. What do you think?
Alright, that’s all for today’s topic. Why do you think TCM is less effective now? Is it the medicine, or is it us? Feel free to leave your comments below, and let’s discuss together! If you find this article reasonable, don’t forget to like and share it so more people can see it!