To ensure the therapeutic effects of Chinese medicine are fully realized, certain foods should be avoided during treatment. The following points should be noted:
1. Do not drink strong tea when taking Chinese medicine, as tea contains tannic acid, which can interfere with the body's absorption of the active ingredients in the medicine, thereby reducing its efficacy.
2. It is not advisable to eat radish (except when taking medicines for regulating qi and resolving phlegm) because radish has properties that aid digestion and disrupt the flow of qi. This is especially true when taking tonifying herbs like Ginseng, as radish can diminish the tonic effects and impair the medicine's nourishing action.
3. Patients with digestive tract diseases such as hepatitis or chronic gastroenteritis should avoid garlic when taking medicines that strengthen the spleen, warm the stomach, and harmonize the stomach. Allicin in garlic can irritate the gastrointestinal mucosa, preventing the Chinese medicine from working effectively.
4. When taking Chinese medicine decoctions or pills, it is best to avoid raw, cold, and greasy foods. Raw and cold foods can irritate the gastrointestinal tract and affect drug absorption. Greasy foods are difficult to digest and absorb, and when mixed with medicine, they can further hinder the absorption of the active ingredients, thus reducing the therapeutic effect.
In addition, patients with sores or skin diseases should avoid foods like fish, shrimp, crab, lamb, and pork. Patients with edema should avoid salt. Patients with hepatitis should avoid pungent, spicy, and greasy foods.