I often received phone calls from friends or patients regarding how to handling diseases and symptoms.  Common questions asked include:  Can I take dietary supplements to treat my diseases or symptoms?  Or Can I take good food to have excellent nutrition in stead of taking medications to treat diseases or symptoms?

People usually get confused about the concepts of food, medicines and dietary supplements.  We need to distinguish the differences among food, medicines and supplements.  When you already have diseases or symptoms, you need medications; when you are hungry or need nutrition to build up stronger constitution, you need good food; and when you want to maintain your daily health, you may take dietary supplements.  Among these three categories, the first two are necessary and the last one sometime can be omitted. 

When you have any health issues, you need to use medications to treat and take good food to get recovered.  We need good food all the time, take medications sometimes, and skip dietary supplements more often than you need.