Foods to Avoid Before Seeing a Chinese Medicine Practitioner
Introduction: In Chinese medicine, a diagnosis is based on the four diagnostic methods: observation, listening/smelling, inquiry, and palpation. Among these, observation is particularly important. However, consuming certain foods before a consultation can affect the diagnostic accuracy. Therefore, there are certain foods that should be avoided before seeing a Chinese medicine practitioner. What are these foods?
1. Avoid consuming milky-white foods such as milk and soy milk: These can easily cause the tongue coating to become thick and white, leading to a misdiagnosis.
2. Avoid consuming yellow foods such as coffee and oranges: These can turn the tongue coating yellow, which can easily lead to a misdiagnosis.
3. Avoid alcohol, spicy food, or food and drinks that are too hot or too cold: Alcohol and chili are considered "heaty" foods that accelerate the flow of Qi and blood. This can cause the tongue body to redden, the coating to thin, and the pulse to quicken, affecting the diagnosis of the illness.
4. Avoid deeply colored foods such as olives, black plums, and waxberries: These foods can easily cause the tongue coating to turn black, leading to a misdiagnosis.
5. Avoid peanuts, melon seeds, and walnuts: These high-fat foods can also cause the tongue coating to become thick and white, causing a misdiagnosis.
6. Avoid visiting the practitioner after a meal: After eating, the pulse often becomes full and slow, the tongue becomes thinner, and the tongue body reddens. Additionally, some foods can change the color of the tongue coating. This can lead to a misdiagnosis (it is best to wait for an hour after a meal). The best time for a consultation is in the morning before brushing your teeth.
Furthermore, it is not advisable to see a Chinese medicine practitioner immediately after strenuous physical activity, as this can affect the practitioner's ability to feel the pulse and mask other symptoms of the disease.