Dietary restriction while taking Chinese medicine 服用中藥的忌口 | 衛教單張 - 中國醫藥大學附設醫院 (2024)

In Chinese culture, we prioritize dietary restrictions and taboos when using medication. Chinese medicine physicians emphasize the importance of being mindful of potential negative interactions between medicine and food to ensure the medication's effectiveness. Failure to adhere to these guidelines may risk compromising a patient's health condition, diminishing the medicine's efficacy, and potentially causing side effects.

1. Take Chinese medicine with warm water: Following the doctor's guidance, it's typically recommended to take Chinese medicine with warm water unless there's a specific alternative suggested.
2. Avoid consuming tea before or after taking herbal Chinese medicine with effects of tranquillizing and quieting the spirits. Drinking tea as a medium for medication is discouraged due to its caffeine, theophylline, and theobromine content, which can potentially increase heart rate, promote urination and gastric juice secretion, and stimulate the cerebral cortex.
3. It's better to maintain a gap of at least an hour between the intake of Western medication and Chinese medicine.
4. For patients with weakened gastrointestinal functions, opt for lighter, blended meals and aim to eat until about 80% full. Minimize the consumption of heavy meats, high-calorie, and protein-rich foods as they can strain the stomach and exacerbate existing conditions.
5. Avoid consuming radish if your physician recommends Ginseng. Radish aids digestion, clears phlegm, and enhances respiration, potentially conflicting with the effects of Ginseng, a potent drug. Combining Ginseng with radish could lead to symptoms such as chest tightness, shortness of breath, restlessness, and loss of appetite in patients.
6. When beginning Chinese medicine for cooling heat and treat yin deficiency by enriching body fluids and nourishing the blood, it is advised to avoid onion, garlic, chili, pepper, and mutton. Consumption of these foods by individuals with a "hot constitution" might exacerbate heat-related conditions, diminishing the efficacy of the medication intended for cooling and nourishing. For those receiving treatment for cold symptoms, it's recommended to steer clear of raw and cold foods.
7. From the perspective of Chinese medicine, dietary recommendations vary based on an individual's constitution. For instance, those with poor digestion should steer clear of spicy and dry foods. When initially experiencing cold symptoms, it's advisable to avoid raw, cold, and greasy foods while undergoing treatment with exterior-relieving Chinese medicine. Likewise, children suffering from diarrhea are advised against consuming raw, cold, and greasy foods, and instead encouraged to opt for lighter, blended meals. Individuals experiencing chest tightness, respiratory issues, or abdominal fullness should refrain from beans and potatoes, as these foods may exacerbate abdominal discomfort. Edema patients are advised to limit their salt intake. Those dealing with asthma or allergic dermatitis should avoid mutton, fish, shrimp, crab, and eggs. Additionally, it's important to avoid spoiled or unclean foods, raw meat, wild mushrooms, and undercooked food for overall health and well-being.
8. In summary, when utilizing Chinese medicine for any ailment, it's advised to steer clear of raw, cold, greasy, strongly scented fish, pungent, barbecued, roasted, and fried oily foods. Opting for lighter, blended meals is highly recommended during this period.