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            Dr. Pan's Clinic of TCM

Preparation of Chinese Herbs

The best method of preparing Chinese herbs is to use a clay pot because it distributes the heat evenly. If you do not have a clay pot, then you may use a glass pot (Pyrex) or an enamel pot.

Do not use a metal pot (e.g. stainless steel, aluminum or cast iron), these pots will destroy or greatly weaken the effectiveness of your herbal decoction.

There are different decoctions. Some are boiled for a longer period of time (over 30 minutes), some for a shorter period of time (10-20 minutes). Your herbal doctor will tell you how long to boil your specific herbal prescriptions.

Procedure:

Place the herbs into the clay pot. Add enough water to cover all the herbs. If you are boiling for 30 minutes or longer, then add more water, so that the water is approximately 1 inch above the herbs. Over boiling of the herbs is not recommended because some of the effectiveness of the decoction is lost in evaporation. When the water is boiling vigorously, turn the temperature down to let simmer for over 30 or 10-20 minutes as required. Stir the mixture frequently as it brews. After simmering for the allotted time, remove pot from heat, drink hot or quite warm. You should get approximately 200ml of liquid.

Each package can be re-used 2 or 3 times. Just add fresh water to the pot of herbs and re-boil 20-30 minutes. Stirring frequently etc.

Generally, you would take the decoction one hour after a meal. If your prescription is to tonify or enrich the body, then you would drink the decoction on and empty stomach or one hour before a meal. It has been found to be very beneficial to drink the decoction before going to sleep.

Last modified: 12/13/10