Is it better to take Chinese medicine before or after meals?

The question of whether Chinese medicine is better to be taken before or after meals should be considered according to different situations. Some Chinese medicines that have heat-clearing, detoxifying and nourishing effects are suitable to be taken one hour before meals, which is more conducive to the complete absorption of the medicine by the stomach and intestines. However, some Chinese medicines are relatively cold. Taking them on an empty stomach will irritate the gastric mucosa and is not conducive to gastrointestinal health. Such medicines need to be taken half an hour after a meal. Some Chinese medicines are better taken before going to bed at night, such as those that promote sleep and calm the mind. Therefore, you should determine the time of taking the Chinese medicine according to its efficacy and consult your doctor.

Usually there will be reminders on the prescription for taking the medicine "before meals" or "after meals", telling the patient the time to take each medicine. Please be sure to follow these instructions, as this is very important.

If you take medication as directed, it will start working the moment you take it. It is very important to take a specific amount of medication at a specific time.

Before meals refers to about thirty minutes before eating, and after meals refers to thirty minutes after finishing eating.

What should you do if you don’t eat? At this time, please take “time” as the primary consideration. In other words, even if you have not eaten, please take the medicine thirty minutes after you are scheduled to finish eating.

There are many dietary considerations when taking Chinese medicine, such as not eating raw, cold, or irritating foods, as these foods usually affect digestion and thus hinder the gastrointestinal absorption of the drug. Chinese herbal decoctions are very bitter, and after drinking them, you usually drink something to rinse your mouth. At this time, do not drink strong tea, because tea will reduce the efficacy of traditional Chinese medicine and affect absorption.