Chinese herbal medicine is an important method for many people to treat diseases. Although Chinese herbal medicine tastes bitter, it can fundamentally keep the body away from diseases. Making Chinese herbal medicine is a technical skill that not everyone can perfect. Today, I will explain in detail the precautions for making Chinese herbal medicine. Let's take a look!
【Important Precautions for Making Chinese Herbal Medicine】
There are many precautions for making Chinese herbal medicine. In addition to the choice of utensils and cleanliness, the preparation of the medicinal materials is also important. The most important aspect is the cooking time and temperature, which require special attention as they can affect the efficacy of the medicine. The specific precautions for making Chinese herbal medicine are as follows:
First: Choice of Utensils
Chinese medicine tells us that it is best to use a sand pot when making Chinese herbal medicine. These sand pots are made of ceramic and can maximize the efficacy of the medicinal materials. Stainless steel is also a good material choice as it does not rust and is more commonly available. However, it is important not to use iron or copper pots for making Chinese herbal medicine as they can affect the efficacy.
Second: Cleaning
In fact, most of the medicinal materials purchased from professional pharmacies do not need to be washed. If you do need to wash the medicinal materials, simply rinse them quickly in water, but do not soak them. If the medicinal materials are small particles, such as Plantago asiatica and Cassia seed, special care should be taken during the cleaning process to prevent them from being washed away.
Third: Amount of Water
It is important to use clean water for making Chinese herbal medicine, so the amount of water needs to be carefully chosen. Many people say that when cooking Chinese herbal medicine, three bowls of water should be boiled down to one bowl, but is this method correct? In fact, this method is not scientific because the size of the bowl may vary in different households. When making Chinese herbal medicine, the water added should be enough to submerge the medicinal materials by two to three centimeters, or you can press down on the medicinal materials with your hand and the water level should just cover the back of your hand. It is also important to note that some Chinese medicinal materials have a high water absorption capacity, especially flower and herb materials. After soaking in water for half an hour, the water level will drop, so more water should be added before starting to make the herbal medicine.
Fourth: Heat Intensity
Experienced Chinese medicine practitioners tell us that the heat intensity during the making of Chinese herbal medicine can also affect the efficacy. It is recommended to start with high heat and then switch to low heat after boiling. However, if the medicinal materials have the effect of treating external diseases, high heat should be maintained after boiling for about fifteen minutes.
Fifth: Cooking Time
The cooking time required for making Chinese herbal medicine is a concern for many people. In general, after the water boils on high heat, it should be simmered on low heat. If it is a regular Chinese herbal medicine, the first cooking time should be controlled at about twenty to twenty-five minutes, and the second cooking time should be about fifteen to twenty minutes. If the herbal medicine is used for treating fever, the first cooking time should be reduced to about ten to fifteen minutes, and the second cooking time should be about ten minutes. If it is for nourishing purposes, the cooking time should be increased appropriately, with the first cooking time controlled at about thirty minutes to forty minutes, and the second cooking time at about twenty-five minutes to thirty minutes.
Sixth: Second Cooking
Chinese herbal medicine usually needs to be cooked twice. If it is a nourishing herbal medicine, the number of cooking times may need to be increased to three. If a large quantity of medicine is prescribed by a doctor, it is also recommended to cook it three times in order to extract the best efficacy.
It is recommended to mix the two batches of liquid medicine after cooking and divide them into two doses. If the herbal medicine is cooked three times, follow the same principle. This way, the efficacy of the medicine is more balanced and avoids any discomfort in the body.
Seventh: Straining the Liquid
It is recommended to strain the liquid immediately after cooking the herbal medicine to avoid leaving it in the pot for a long time, as this can affect the efficacy.
【Editor's Recommendations】
It is important to understand the precautions for making Chinese herbal medicine and pay special attention when using it. However, making the herbal medicine is not the only consideration; there are also some precautions for taking the medicine that need to be understood. The "Eighteen Taboos" and "Nineteen Fears" are some common precautions. In addition, folk remedies should also be taken with caution. Special attention should be given to the use of Chinese herbal medicine by special groups, such as pregnant women, who should avoid certain medicinal materials such as Aconitum, safflower, and croton.
During the period of taking the medicine, it is recommended to avoid eating raw, cold, and stimulating foods that are not easily digestible to avoid affecting the efficacy of the medicine.
