Do you also feel like this: constantly feeling like an undercharged battery, lacking energy all over, and unable to lift your spirits? Your complexion is sallow and dull, and with just a little activity or overthinking, you experience heart palpitations.

In order to "replenish," you’ve probably tried all sorts of qi and blood tonics like donkey-hide gelatin, red dates, and Bazhen Decoction… You’ve spent a lot of money, but your physical condition remains the same, or even feels more congested—with bloating and loss of appetite. Why is this?

The issue might lie at the source. Traditional Chinese Medicine often says, "The spleen and stomach are the foundation of postnatal life, and the source of qi and blood production." This may sound a bit "scholarly," but simply put, the spleen and stomach are like the "nutrient processing factory" in our body. All the food we consume relies on this factory to digest and absorb, transforming it into fine substances we can utilize—that is, qi and blood.

If the "machinery" of this factory (i.e., the functions of the spleen and stomach) malfunction—lacking power or operating inefficiently—no matter how much or how high-quality the raw materials you feed it (such as tonics like donkey-hide gelatin or ginseng), it won't be able to process them. These good ingredients won't turn into qi and blood but will instead accumulate in the body, becoming what TCM calls "dampness" and "phlegm turbidity," clogging the body and making you feel even worse.

This is why many people experience "deficiency unable to tolerate tonics"—even though the body is weak, taking tonics leads to heatiness, bloating, or diarrhea. The root cause is that the "factory" is damaged, yet you keep stuffing it with raw materials, resulting in nothing but "traffic jams" and "overstocking."

Therefore, for this type of qi and blood deficiency that "won't absorb tonics," the smart approach isn't to keep "piling on supplies" but to first repair the "factory" and restore its production capacity. Once the foundation of the spleen and stomach is nurtured properly, it can efficiently transform the ordinary meals we eat daily into ample qi and blood on its own.

So how does one "repair" it? Here we can refer to a classic Chinese patent medicine — Xiangsha Liujunzi Pills.

Its brilliance lies in its remarkably clear approach:

First, establish a strong foundation and enhance power: The "Four Gentlemen" within it — ginseng, white atractylodes, poria, and licorice — form the core force for invigorating the spleen and replenishing qi. They act like upgrading the factory with a powerful engine, strengthening the spleen and stomach's transformative functions.

Then, clear out waste and unblock pathways: The duo of tangerine peel and pinellia specializes in resolving phlegm, dispelling dampness, and regulating qi. This is akin to clearing the "debris" and "wastewater" accumulated in the factory, addressing issues like bloating, nausea, and excessive phlegm.

Finally clearing the obstacles and warming the spleen-stomach: The other two herbs in "Xiangsha" - Costus Root (Muxiang) and Amomum Villosum (Sharen). One can promote qi circulation to relieve pain, alleviating the sensation of stomach distension and blockage; the other can resolve dampness and awaken the spleen, warming the spleen-stomach, which is particularly helpful for diarrhea and loss of appetite caused by spleen-stomach deficiency with cold.

You see, the key focus of Xiangsha Liujunzi Pills lies not in directly "delivering" qi and blood to you, but in restoring your spleen-stomach functions, enabling you to produce qi and blood on your own. This is truly solving the problem at its root.

So if you're also among those with qi-blood deficiency that just can't seem to be replenished no matter what, perhaps it's time to change your approach. First, check if your spleen-stomach needs some "maintenance." Once you nurture this "foundation" well, qi and blood will naturally be generated continuously. That's when you'll truly achieve a healthy complexion from the inside out.