When our ancestors used medicinal herbs, what they valued most was balance and harmony. Donguibogam clearly warns: 'Whoever administers medicine must understand its nature and flavor, four medicinal properties, light, heavy, floating, and deep properties, ascending, descending, moderating, and accelerating actions, and tonifying, purging, dispersing, and unblocking functions to master its subtle art. If one does not know these and administers drugs recklessly, harm will surely result.'
These words do not apply merely to herbal medicine. They offer an important lesson that we must accurately understand how everything affects our body, from the daily food we eat to the health supplements we take. Just as one considers the nature of the soil, the season, and the traits of the seeds before planting them in a field, we must be prudent about what we introduce into the body.
Although the nutrient iron plays a vital role in producing blood and maintaining vitality, too much is as harmful as too little, and an excessive amount can turn toxic. From the perspective of Donguibogam, when a substance enters the body in excess, balance breaks down and leads to accumulation (jeok). In particular, when metallic substances like iron accumulate, they hinder blood circulation and overburden liver detoxification, creating a state akin to thick, muddy water clogging the organ.
The liver is the general official of our body, an essential organ that stores blood and regulates the flow of qi. However, excessive iron accumulation generates damp-heat or blood stasis in the liver, impairing its normal function and causing tissue damage. Ancient sages recognized that this does not stop at simple fatigue; it presents as systemic symptoms such as dull skin and aching joints, ultimately leading to liver hypofunction and draining overall vitality. Taking supplements blindly under the assumption that they are harmless, without examining your body's state, disrupts internal harmony and paves the way for disease.
