There is a saying, "When taking medicine, one should avoid certain foods, so as not to undermine the doctor's efforts." Avoiding certain foods refers to dietary restrictions when taking medication for treatment. This is a characteristic of traditional Chinese medicine, and has long been emphasized by medical experts, with related content found in medical books such as "Huangdi Neijing," "Shanghan Lun," and "Jinkui Yaolue."
Practical experience has proven that there is a certain rationale behind dietary restrictions. This is because the common foods we consume, such as fish, meat, chicken, eggs, vegetables, fruits, sauces, vinegar, tea, and alcohol, each have their own properties, which can have an impact on the occurrence, development, and therapeutic effects of diseases. As stated in the book "Distinguishing Diet for Treating Illness" by Zhang Xingyun in the Qing Dynasty, "The diet of a patient nourishes the stomach qi and facilitates the action of medicine. A suitable diet can greatly assist in the efficacy of medicine, while an unsuitable diet can have the opposite effect."
When taking Chinese 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" with Chinese medicine, one should avoid eating raw and cold foods. There are also numerous records in ancient literature: licorice, coptis, balloon flower, and dark plum should not be consumed with pork; mint should not be consumed with soft-shelled turtle; poria should not be consumed with vinegar; soft-shelled turtle should not be consumed with amaranth; chicken should not be consumed with yellow eel; honey should not be consumed with raw onions; ophiopogon should not be consumed with carp; asarum should not be consumed with fish, crab, pufferfish, or donkey meat; and white atractylodes should not be consumed with garlic, peaches, or plums. This indicates that when taking certain medications, certain foods should be avoided. If forbidden foods are consumed, the desired therapeutic effect may not be achieved or may have the opposite effect. Additionally, due to the nature of the disease, during the course of medication, foods that are difficult to digest or have special irritants, such as raw and cold, greasy, or fishy foods, should all be avoided.
For those with a cold or flu, or for children with rashes that have not fully healed, it is not advisable to consume raw and cold, sour, or greasy foods. When treating chest tightness and abdominal distension caused by qi stagnation, it is not advisable to consume beans and sweet potatoes, as these foods can cause bloating. Other examples include reducing salt intake for patients with edema and avoiding chicken, lamb, pork head meat, fish, shrimp, and crab for patients with asthma or allergic dermatitis.
