Should Chinese herbal medicine be consumed hot or cold?
Whether Chinese medicine should be taken hot or cold depends on the nature of the herbal medicine. Generally, there are three options for taking Chinese medicine: warm, hot, and cold. Under normal conditions, Chinese medicine is taken warm, which means that after decocting the medicine, it is placed in a state where the liquid is neither too hot nor too cold before consumption. For Chinese medicine that disperses wind-cold, it is taken hot, while for detoxification and heat-clearing Chinese medicine, it is generally taken cold. Taking the medicine according to its nature will enhance the efficacy of Chinese medicine.
Case 1: General Chinese herbal decoctions should be taken "warm," which means filtering out the decoction immediately after cooking and allowing it to cool to 30°C-37°C before drinking. Chinese patent medicines in the form of pills or powders should be taken with warm water, which is also a form of warm administration.
Case 2: Chinese medicine that disperses wind-cold should be taken "hot," and after taking, one can eat hot porridge or drink hot water to enhance the medicinal effect. However, for detoxification and heat-clearing medicines, especially those for relieving summer heat, taking them "cold" is more effective.
Case 3: In southern China, some "herbal teas" often consumed in summer actually belong to the category of Chinese medicine. As the name suggests, many herbal teas are drunk chilled to achieve a better cooling and refreshing effect.
1. Avoid spicy foods such as chili peppers, leek, garlic, alcohol, ginger, and other similar foods.
2. Do not eat seafood or river food, as they contain a lot of foreign proteins and are prone to causing allergies. Therefore, avoid eating fish, crabs, and other such foods while taking Chinese medicine.
3. Avoid "hairy" foods such as mushrooms, bamboo shoots, pumpkins, etc., as these foods can promote wind, generate sputum, and fuel fire, which are not beneficial for illnesses and can even be harmful.
4. Avoid raw and cold foods, which are mostly cold in nature and used to clear heat and quench thirst. They are suitable for hot illnesses, but can be harmful to the stomach and intestines. If you want to eat these foods, it is best to steam or cook them first.
5. Avoid oily and fatty foods, which can have adverse effects on the spleen and stomach and reduce the efficacy of medicines.
6. Avoid drinking stimulating beverages such as coffee and tea while taking Chinese medicine.
