People commonly ask me if it is alright to skip doses of herbs. The number of doses of herbs a person takes per day is one of many considerations that factor into herbal treatment. These are: the number of doses taken each day; the timing of each dose in relation to time of the day; the timing of each dose in relation to food, meals and activity; the quantity of herbs ingested at each dose; the quantity or the herbal formula ingested in the course of the day; the volume of water consumed with each dose of herbs; the temperature of the water; the herbal formulation itself; the form of the herbs (bulk, granule, etc.); the quality of the herbs.
All of these factors matter and affect the action of the herbal formula and treatment. They are not, however, set in stone. Herbal treatment needs to be adjusted for each person, their condition, and their overall physiology. This is an important part of treatment, and it is why treatment is rarely successful when people want to just text every few months to get a refill of their prescription. It takes direct contact and discussion to fine tune all of the questions and negotiations people tend to have around herbal therapy.
With regard to dosing, while it is expected, inevitable and ultimately fine to miss an occasional dose of herbs, it is not good practice to make a habit of this. There are practical considerations in arriving at the optimal dosage and schedule for taking herbs, but once this is determined and agreed upon it is best to follow this. When people routinely skip doses of herbs, the outcome is that treatment is less effective and takes longer than is necessary. Chinese herbal medicine is a powerful treatment for many types of symptoms and illnesses, and can only manifest its full potential when properly consumed.
Previously posted articles about administration of Chinese herbal medicine:
Bulk Herbs, Pills, Powders, “Teas” (On Traditional Chinese Herbal Formulas)
I Don’t Like Tea. Is There Another Way to Take Chinese Herbs?