Prescribed herbal medicine is traditionally taken in tea form as human body absorbs tea easily and quickly. Sometimes, if the smell or taste of the herbal medicine is unpleasant, capsule or tablet form of this herbal medicine is recommended also. Tea should always be warm, and capsules or tablets should be swallowed with warm water. Generally, it is best to take herbs just before you serve meals, for example, tonic herbs, to promote health, are best taken before meals. However, purgative herbs, to cleanse the system, are best taken on an empty stomach; herbs that either irritate the stomach or are taken to protect the stomach should be taken after eating; and herbs for insomnia and other sleeping disorders should be taken at bedtime.
You always need to be taken a certain amount of caution when you take Chinese herbs. For example, some herbs are too strong for pregnant women and may cause miscarriage. Certain foods can have adverse effects on the herbal therapy. In general, when taking Chinese herbs, one should avoid food that is raw (fruit is fine, but vegetables should be cooked), greasy, strong tasting or smelling, difficult to digest (such as beef), or irritating to the digestive system (like spicy foods). It is always a good idea to get advice from your herbalist before you take Chinese herbs.
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