Generally speaking, it is not suitable to take nourishing herbal soups in the summer. However, for patients with yang deficiency and qi deficiency, it can be done under the guidance of a doctor.
For some patients with rheumatism, the condition is mostly caused by the invasion of wind, cold, dampness, and heat pathogens in the joints. In the summer, the symptoms are usually alleviated. According to the theory of treating winter diseases in the summer, in addition to using warm and yang-tonifying, dispelling cold, eliminating dampness, and promoting meridian drugs for acupoint application, warm yang herbs such as Fu Pian can also be added to the herbal soup to supplement the kidney yang and accelerate the circulation of body fluids, allowing dampness to be dispersed along with the body fluids.
When patients cook the herbal medicine themselves, it is generally recommended to cook it twice a day (once in the morning and once in the evening with the residue from the morning). However, experts suggest that in the summer, instead of cooking it twice, it is better to cook it once and then add water to cook the second dose to be taken in the evening. The cooked herbal soup should be promptly refrigerated and heated before consumption. It is generally not recommended to consume self-cooked herbal soups overnight.
Currently, the herbal medicines cooked by hospitals or pharmacies are usually vacuum-sealed for longer preservation. However, in the summer when the temperature is higher, it is best to store the herbal liquid in the refrigerator and the storage time should not exceed 7 days. If the herbal liquid bag is swollen or the liquid has changed in taste and has bubbles, it is likely that the herbal liquid has deteriorated and it is better not to consume it.
Some people put the herbal ingredients in the refrigerator to extend their shelf life, but this practice is also inappropriate. Putting the herbal ingredients together with other food not only makes it susceptible to various bacteria, but the high humidity in the refrigerator also makes the herbal ingredients prone to dampness and mold. In summer, when the air humidity is high, it is best to place the herbal ingredients in a well-ventilated and dry place, and the humidity should not be too high.
