Chinese medicine is precise concerning instructions for how to take herbal medicine. The mixture is carefully formulated according to the specific needs of the patient, and then dosed and administered in the manner that leads to the greatest therapeutic effect.
Most Chinese herbal medicine is administered as a tea, created from either bulk herbs or granules. The action of the tea is a result of the overall flavor and nature of the herbal combination. Adding honey changes the properties. Adding lemon changes the properties. Drinking it while eating changes the properties.
Herbal formulas create responses in the body that necessitate the timing of dosages. Some formulas work best when taken before a meal, some after, and some between meals. Some formulas, for instance those that treat insomnia, should sometimes be taken before sleep.
It is generally important to drink the tea while it is warm. Sometimes it should be hot. Most commonly it is consumed at once, in a particular volume of water.
All of these particulars in Chinese medicine become points of negotiation with patients. Conversations go something like this: “Can I add honey to the tea to make it taste better?…Adding honey or any other ingredient will alter the action of the formula, so try to drink it as I prescribed without modifications…How about lemon?… Again, this will change the properties of the tea…What about adding it to herbal tea or coffee?…Please just drink the herbs exactly as I suggested…Ok, so I think I’ll just sip it throughout the day…No, it needs to be consumed at once…It tastes better cold, so can I do that?…No, it needs to be warm…Why, what’s the difference, as long as I drink it…The heat activates it and enhances the properties of the herbs…Is it ok to drink through a straw?…The taste on the tongue and the activation of digestion and enzymes is important…Can’t I just take an herbal pill?…This formula was made for you specifically; there are no pills that are exactly like this.” Etc…
Chinese medicine is purposeful. To achieve the best results, follow the instructions for preparation and consumption that have been worked out over the past 2,500 years.