"When people reach middle age, they have no choice but to soak wolfberries in a thermos cup." How should you choose the Chinese herbal medicines to soak in the thermos cup?

When people reach middle age, they have no choice but to soak wolfberries in a thermos cup;

Goji berries cannot resist the ravages of time, so we have to add angelica root;

Angelica cannot stop the knife of time, ginseng and deer antler soaked in stew...

Punk health care is popular among modern people. Soaking wolfberries in thermos cups is no longer just for middle-aged people. Young people have become the main force of the health care trend. They pay attention to beer with wolfberries, cola with codonopsis... There are so many kinds of medicinal materials that can be soaked!

So, are the herbs in the thermos cup really brewed correctly? And how should we choose them?

Let me ask you a question first:

Do you think Chinese medicinal materials can be soaked directly in water?

You will definitely say, of course, aren’t the wolfberries soaked in the thermos a Chinese medicinal herb?

In fact, strictly speaking, what we soak in the thermos are all Chinese herbal medicines!

Chinese herbal medicines and Chinese medicinal materials are not the same thing!

Aren't Chinese herbal medicine slices and Chinese medicinal materials the same thing? Chinese herbal medicine slices are Chinese medicinal materials cut into slices, right? Really not! There are both connections and differences between Chinese herbal medicine slices and Chinese medicinal materials.

Chinese herbal medicine slices refer to products formed by processing Chinese herbal medicines under the guidance of traditional Chinese medicine theory, according to the needs of syndrome differentiation, adjustment and preparation. There are various processing methods, ranging from simple to complex. Simple ones include cleaning, cutting and heating; complex ones include adding auxiliary materials. According to the different auxiliary materials used, they are divided into wine roasting, vinegar roasting, secret roasting and oil roasting. In other words, after planting and harvesting, Chinese herbal medicines must first be processed into Chinese herbal medicine slices before they can enter hospitals, pharmacies, supermarkets, etc., and then consumers can buy them and brew them with water instead of tea.

Here we would also like to remind everyone that the Chinese herbal medicines you use to brew must be purchased from regular channels, and never use plants or medicinal materials of unknown origin or unprocessed ones at will.

Is it good for the body to drink Chinese herbal medicine instead of tea?

Chinese herbal medicine slices are the raw materials for Chinese herbal decoctions in hospitals and pharmacies, and are also the raw materials for Chinese patent medicine factories to produce Chinese patent medicines. The principle of the tea substitutes we brew with water is similar to that of tea substitutes, except that the dosage and types of herbal medicine slices are greatly reduced. Therefore, although the efficacy of Chinese herbal medicine slices as tea substitutes is not as strong as that of decoctions and Chinese patent medicines in terms of curative effect, it does have a function, especially for people in sub-healthy conditions who do not have organic lesions but feel unwell. It does have health-preserving value; at the same time, it also has the effect of relieving symptoms for people who already have symptoms.

It should be emphasized that the beneficial effects of Chinese herbal medicines on the body should be based on "disease symptoms". For example, when there is mild asthma, cough and phlegm due to exogenous wind-cold or wind-heat, licorice can be used as tea to relieve the symptoms of cough and phlegm; due to exogenous heat evil causing lung heat hoarseness, sore throat, dry cough without phlegm, Sterculia lychnophora can be used as tea to relieve discomfort; for those with liver fire, internal heat, dry intestines and constipation, Cassia seed, which enters the liver and large intestine meridians, can be used; and for those with heat constipation accompanied by abdominal distension and pain, senna leaves should be used. It is worth noting that if you want to soak multiple pieces together, you must consult a pharmacist or doctor first to avoid improper compatibility and adverse reactions.

When choosing Chinese herbal medicines, what else should you pay attention to besides appearance?

Without further ado, here are some Chinese herbal medicines that can be used as daily tea substitutes and tips for their identification and selection.

Licorice

It is the dried root and rhizome of the legume plants licorice, licorice inflated fruit and licorice glabra. During processing, the fibrous roots are removed, dried in the sun, cut into thick slices, and used raw or roasted with honey. Clinically, it has the effects of tonifying the spleen and replenishing qi, clearing away heat and detoxifying, removing phlegm and relieving cough, relieving acute pain and harmonizing various medicines. Therefore, it is also one of the most commonly used bulk medicinal materials in my country, and is known as the "national elder" among the people.

You can choose those with firm and dense skin, reddish-brown color, solid texture, yellow-white cross-section, sufficient powderiness, and sweeter taste.

Licorice has obvious antitussive, expectorant and antiasthmatic effects, and can also be anti-inflammatory, liver-protecting, anti-allergic and anti-ulcer. It is suitable for cough, sputum and asthma caused by diseases such as tracheitis, emphysema and exogenous cold. Although licorice is flat, not dry or strong, and has a wide range of uses, its sweet taste and good entry into the middle jiao have the disadvantages of promoting dampness and fullness. It is not suitable for people with edema. Long-term use of large doses can cause edema and high blood pressure.

Astragalus

It is the dried root of Astragalus mongolica and Astragalus membranaceus of the Leguminosae family. When processing, the fibrous roots and root heads are removed, dried in the sun, sliced, and used raw or roasted with honey. It can replenish qi and strengthen the spleen, strengthen the body's defense system, promote diuresis and reduce swelling. It is an important medicine for replenishing the middle qi and benefiting qi. Li Shizhen said: "Astragalus is yellow in color, which is the best among tonics, hence the name."

When choosing, choose those with few wrinkles on the skin, dense and soft texture, yellow-white cross-section, sufficient starchiness and sweet taste.

Astragalus belongs to the spleen and lung meridians, and mainly contains polysaccharides and amino acids. Therefore, drinking raw Astragalus soaked in water can replenish the spleen and lung qi, promote the body's metabolism, enhance immunity, and resist fatigue. It is especially suitable for people with weak spleen, long-term cough and asthma, shortness of breath, fatigue, and perceived poor resistance.

Panax notoginseng

The dried root of Panax notoginseng, a plant of the Araliaceae family, is dug up, cleaned of soil, dried in the sun, and used raw or ground into powder. It can invigorate blood circulation, dissipate blood stasis, and relieve swelling and pain. It is an excellent product for treating blood stasis and is an essential medicine for traumatology. Panax notoginseng is the first choice for all injuries, blood stasis, swelling, and pain.

The appearance of Panax notoginseng is known as "copper skin, iron bones, lion head". "Copper skin" means the color of Panax notoginseng is like the color of copper; "iron bones" means the sound quality of Panax notoginseng when it is knocked on the ground or on the table is like metal iron; and "lion head" refers to the irregular protrusions on the surface of Panax notoginseng. When selecting, the best ones are those with large size, heavy weight, solid texture, smooth surface without branches and claws, and gray-green or yellow-green cross-section.

Grind up some Panax notoginseng and take it with warm water. Modern pharmacological research shows that Panax notoginseng powder can dilate blood vessels, stop bleeding, and promote hematopoiesis. Therefore, it can have a good effect on people with fatigue, fatigue, or gastrointestinal bleeding. However, pregnant women should use it with caution.

Ophiopogon japonicus

The tuberous root of the Liliaceae plant Ophiopogon japonicus. After repeated exposure to the sun, it is piled up to 70% to 80% dry, the fibrous roots are removed, dried, broken and used raw. It has the effects of nourishing yin and moistening the lungs, benefiting the stomach and producing body fluids, and clearing the heart and relieving restlessness.

The appearance is spindle-shaped, with slightly pointed ends. The surface is yellowish white or light yellow, with fine vertical lines. The texture is soft and tough, the cross section is yellowish white, translucent, and the central column is small. The smell is slight, the taste is sweet and slightly bitter, and it is sticky when chewed. When selecting, the best quality Ophiopogon japonicus is bright yellow, the grains are uniform, plump, and more than 3cm long.

Ophiopogon japonicus is a medicine that clears the heart and moistens the lungs. For palpitations, insomnia, forgetfulness and confusion caused by insufficient heart qi, or dry nose and throat, dry cough with little sputum, sore throat and hoarseness caused by lung yin deficiency, you can usually soak more Ophiopogon japonicus instead of tea.

honeysuckle

The dried buds or flowers of honeysuckle of the Caprifoliaceae family. The flowers are picked in April and dried in the shade. They can be used raw, fried or made into dew. They can clear away heat, detoxify and dissipate carbuncle.

The flower buds are small stick-shaped, thick at the top and thin at the bottom, slightly curved. The surface is yellowish white or greenish white, and the color gradually deepens with long storage. It is densely covered with short soft hairs. The smell is fresh and the taste is light and slightly bitter. The ones with more flower buds, light color, soft texture and fresh smell are preferred.

Chlorogenic acid and isochlorogenic acid dissolved in water after honeysuckle is soaked in water, which are the main effective ingredients for detoxification, anti-inflammation and swelling. For modern office workers who have a fast pace of life, eat hot pot every other day, work 996 hours, and are prone to sore throats and mouth ulcers, it is particularly suitable to always have a cup of honeysuckle water on hand. However, since honeysuckle is cold in nature and can easily damage the spleen and stomach, it is not suitable for people with weak spleen and stomach.

Drinking Chinese herbal medicines instead of tea is a simple and easy health care method, but it is not suitable for everyone. First of all, it requires correct diagnosis, and secondly, it requires drinking in moderation. In addition, attention should be paid to the quality of the Chinese herbal medicines to ensure safe and effective use of the medicine.

Author: Li Yun, Chief Chinese Medicine Pharmacist, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital

Review expert: Li Bin, deputy chief pharmacist of Tianjin Medical University General Hospital

Li Zhengxiang, Chief Pharmacist, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital