Six Herbal Teas to Soothe Excessive Stomach Fire

Recommendation of Six Herbal Teas for Excessive Stomach Fire

　　If you frequently experience pain in the forehead and eye sockets, it may indicate a problem with your spleen and stomach. When there is excessive heat or upward movement of stomach qi, it can often lead to forehead pain. This is because the stomach meridian starts from the Yingxiang point beside the nose, passes through the teeth, lips, and the vicinity of the eye sockets, and then reaches the forehead. Therefore, the forehead is closely related to the stomach meridian and its pathways. People with excessive stomach fire often experience symptoms such as red tongue, dry mouth and throat, bad breath, easy hunger, and constipation.

　　Recommendation of Six Herbal Teas for Excessive Stomach Fire

　　1. Honeysuckle Tea

　　Honeysuckle has a cool nature and a sweet aroma. It can clear heat without damaging the stomach, making it very suitable for people with excessive stomach fire. Take a teaspoon of dried honeysuckle tea and steep it in a cup of boiling water for about 10 minutes. You can add rock sugar or honey for taste if desired. Honeysuckle can also be combined with mint, balloon flower, bamboo leaves, or licorice for brewing, and the taste is equally good. However, it should be noted that people with weak spleen and stomach or those with weak qi and pus-clearing should avoid consumption.

　　2. Bamboo Leaf Tea

　　Note that this is bamboo leaf tea, not green tea made from bamboo leaves. It is a type of tea made primarily from bamboo leaves, which belong to the grass family. Take 50-100 grams of fresh bamboo leaves and boil them in water to make tea. Bamboo leaf tea has a refreshing and mellow taste, and it has the effects of clearing heat, diuresis, and relieving summer heat.

　　3. Ophiopogon Tea

　　Ophiopogon tea is an excellent tea for reducing stomach fire. Ophiopogon has the functions of nourishing yin and moistening the lungs, clearing the heart and relieving restlessness, and benefiting the stomach and promoting salivation. Take 5-8 pieces of ophiopogon and place them in a cup. First, moisten them with a small amount of boiling water, and then add enough boiling water to brew. It can also be boiled and used as a substitute for tea, and the effect is equally good. In addition to brewing it alone, ophiopogon can also be combined with corn silk, mulberry leaves, or green tea.

　　4. Chrysanthemum Tea

　　Chrysanthemum is a perennial herb in the Asteraceae family and is one of the traditional Chinese medicinal materials. According to ancient records, chrysanthemum has a sweet and bitter taste, a slightly cool nature, and it has the effects of dispersing wind, clearing heat, improving liver function, detoxification, and anti-inflammatory effects. It is effective for symptoms such as dry mouth, excessive heat, and dry eyes, as well as limb pain and numbness caused by wind, cold, and dampness.

　　5. Dried Tangerine Peel Tea

　　After drying, orange peel has a good effect in reducing stomach fire. The older the orange peel, the better it is, which is what we usually call dried tangerine peel. It is generally recommended to use it after sun-drying for one year for better results. As a commonly used traditional Chinese medicine, dried tangerine peel can regulate qi, invigorate the stomach, and transform phlegm. When brewed as tea, it can clear heat and transform phlegm, and it has a fresh taste that makes people feel refreshed.

　　6. Rhubarb Tea

　　Take 3-9 grams of raw rhubarb and put it in a cup. Steep it in boiling water and cover it for 10 minutes. Take a small amount daily, and it can help invigorate the stomach, aid digestion, relieve stomach fire, improve appetite, and harmonize qi and blood.

　　In terms of diet, self-regulation is recommended for patients with excessive stomach fire: use less condiments that promote stomach fire such as Sichuan peppercorns, chili peppers, and fennel; eat less beef, mutton, rooster, and dog meat; avoid eating spicy and hot foods such as leeks and green onions; reduce consumption of heaty fruits such as durian, cherries, and pomegranates; melon seeds and peanuts are also heaty, so they should be consumed sparingly; it is best to avoid supplements such as ginseng, longan, and jujube; and it is also important to avoid smoking and drinking. The general dietary principle should be light and include foods rich in protein, fresh vegetables, and meats such as greens, Chinese cabbage, spinach, radish, pork, duck, watermelon, pear, orange, grapefruit, etc. It is also important to drink plenty of water.

　　Finally, it is important for patients with forehead pain to pay attention to rest and ensure sufficient sleep time every day, avoiding excessive stress and fatigue. Maintain a happy mood, avoid anger and frustration. You can also try herbal teas that can clear heat, such as lotus seed hearts and brewed bamboo leaves. Massaging the Hegu acupoint (located at the highest point of the muscle in the tiger's mouth when the thumb and index finger are closed together) and the Neiting acupoint (located at the front recess of the junction of the second and third metatarsal bones on the dorsal foot) can also relieve forehead pain. Massage for 20 minutes every day, feeling a local soreness and swelling, and persisting for a period of time will be effective. In addition, regular exercise is important to enhance the body's resistance.