Many middle-aged and elderly people take Chinese herbal medicine to boost their health and immunity. But did you know there are specific guidelines for taking these medicines – such as temperature, timing, and dietary restrictions?

Today, let’s decode the correct way to take herbal medicine to get the best results.

?️ Part 1 – Hotter is Not Always Better

Many people drink their herbal decoction while it’s piping hot, thinking “the hotter, the better.” In reality, not all herbal medicines should be taken hot.

? Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) categorizes the temperature of herbal decoctions into three types:

Warm: Most herbal decoctions are best taken warm. For example, herbs like Trichosanthes seeds or frankincense can irritate the digestive tract if too cold or hot. Taking them warm helps protect the stomach and spleen.

Cold: Decoctions for vomiting, food poisoning, or heat-related conditions with cooling herbs are better taken cold.

Hot: Decoctions for dispersing cold and relieving exterior syndromes (like wind-cold common cold) should be taken hot to maximize efficacy.

⏰ Part 2 – Timing and Frequency Matter

The timing and frequency of herbal medicine depend on the condition and the properties of the herbs.

? Generally, one decoction is taken three times a day. When the condition improves, reduce to twice a day. For severe or critical conditions, it can be taken every 4 hours, day and night, to maintain therapeutic concentration and control symptoms.

? Special notes for the elderly:

✔️ Tonic herbs are best taken on an empty stomach or before meals for optimal absorption.

✔️ Herbs that may irritate the stomach should be taken immediately after meals to reduce discomfort.

✔️ Patients with chronic diseases should take their medicine at fixed times to maintain a stable blood concentration.

? Part 3 – Watch What You Eat During Herbal Treatment

Diet plays a crucial role when taking Chinese herbal medicine. Eating the wrong foods can reduce effectiveness or worsen your condition.

? General dietary restrictions:

Avoid beans, meat, raw or hard-to-digest foods to reduce digestive burden.

If you have a heat-related illness, avoid alcohol, spicy foods, fish, and meat, as they can worsen symptoms.

When taking diaphoretic or rash-inducing herbs, avoid cold or sour foods which weaken their effects.

When taking warming and tonifying herbs, avoid tea and radish. Both are cooling and “qi-dispersing,” which counteract the tonifying effects on the spleen and stomach.

? Specific advice for different conditions

✅ Hypertension, dizziness, irritability (Liver Yang rising)

Avoid: pepper, chili, garlic, alcohol – all hot and yang-boosting foods.

✅ Weak digestion and spleen deficiency

Avoid: fried, greasy, cold, and hard-to-digest foods.

✅ Digestive tract diseases (e.g. hepatitis, chronic gastritis)

Avoid garlic while taking herbal tonics for spleen and stomach, as garlic can irritate the mucosa and reduce medicinal effects.

✅ Skin diseases or boils

Avoid: fish, shrimp, crab, lamb, pork, and spicy foods.

✅ Edema patients

Avoid: salt.

✅ Hepatitis patients

Avoid: spicy and greasy foods.

✅ When taking tonic herbs like ginseng

Avoid: radish. Radish has a “qi-breaking” effect that diminishes the benefits of tonic herbs.

✅ Final Thoughts

Taking Chinese herbal medicine isn’t just about brewing and drinking. Knowing the right temperature, timing, and dietary precautions ensures you get the full benefits and recover faster.

Share this with your family and friends to help them master the correct way to take herbal medicine for a healthier life!