Generally speaking, when taking Chinese herbal medicine to clear internal heat, it is not advisable to consume hot foods such as onions, garlic, pepper, lamb, and dog meat. When treating cold ailments, it is important to avoid consuming raw and cold foods. When taking medications containing Rehmannia and Polygonum multiflorum, it is best to avoid eating onions, garlic, and radishes. When taking herbal medicine containing mint, it is not recommended to eat turtle meat. Poria cocos should not be consumed with vinegar. When eating turtle shell, it is not suitable to pair it with amaranth. When taking laxatives such as Da Cheng Qi Tang and Ma Ren Wan, it is best to avoid eating greasy and hard-to-digest foods. Parasitic medications should also be taken on an empty stomach and oily foods should be avoided. During the course of illness and medication, it is important to avoid consuming foods that are raw, cold, sticky, and difficult to digest, such as chili peppers. The following are several foods that should be avoided when using common Chinese herbal medicine. Attention should be paid when using them:
1. Bitter tonic medicines like Gentian syrup should not be taken with sweet foods like honey, jujubes, and licorice. This is because the sweetness of honey and jujubes can mask the bitterness, reducing the stimulating effect of bitterness on taste buds and diminishing its ability to invigorate the stomach.
2. Coptis chinensis should not be taken with garlic. Coptis chinensis is a common medicine for clearing heat and detoxification, especially for treating external wind-heat. It is cold in nature, while garlic is hot. If Coptis chinensis is taken together with garlic, the efficacy of the medicine may be reduced.
3. Sweating medicines should not be taken with vinegar and raw and cold foods. Vinegar and raw and cold foods have a contracting effect. If taken together with sweating medicines, they may counteract the effects of the medicine.
4. Ginseng should not be taken with radishes and garlic. Western ginseng and others are common tonics, while radishes have a qi-regulating and digestion-promoting effect. If taken together, radishes may neutralize the medicinal properties of ginseng. Similarly, when taking other tonics, radishes, garlic, and other digestion-promoting foods should not be consumed within an hour before or after taking the medication.
