Cooking the herbs

[Guest guest]

Here's a question that seems so basic it is almost embarassing, but

then it also fits into a whole group of questions about TCM that

spring from the way the TCM developed and its lack of double-blind

controlled studies...

 

***Does it really matter exactly how one decocts the herbs? I don't

mean the herbs with specific instructions like shi chang pu or how

long you cook da huang. What I mean is, is there a bigger difference

between:

 

1. cooking 4 cups down to 2, then 4 more cups down to 2... the first

doses being stronger, then (and possibly having different

constituents- things that are released easier possibly coming out

entirely in the first decoction and not being in the second one at

all)

 

2. cooking 8 cups down to 4... all 4 cups would be the same, then,

right?

 

3. what if you cook one pack of herbs in an even larger amount of

water? Is there a limit to it? Do you just end up with a more

dilute beverage that you have to drink more of per dose?

 

4. how does high temp high speed cooking change the properties of the

formula versus low speed low temp cooking (and do the different

temperatures affect different herbs differently)?

 

I ask because I prefer to cook it all in one go, and I also try to

stretch the formula by using more water, and I cook it on as high heat

as possible. I guess that's not the standard, but it's easiest for

me, and that would have some relevance to compliance

 

Thanks,

Brian Carter

[Guest guest]

enthusinator wrote:

 

> 1. cooking 4 cups down to 2, then 4 more cups down to 2... the first

> doses being stronger, then (and possibly having different

> constituents- things that are released easier possibly coming out

> entirely in the first decoction and not being in the second one at

> all)

 

As I understand it, the first 20 minutes get the Qi out of the herbs.

The second cooking will get the yin energies out of the formula.

 

 

--

Al Stone L.Ac.

<AlStone

http://www.BeyondWellBeing.com

 

Pain is inevitable, suffering is optional.

 

Attachment: vcard [not shown]

[Guest guest]

Yes--it makes a difference how you decoct herbs. Certain herbs have

one effect when cooked for a short time--(for example, DA HUANG added

in the last 5 minutes promotes the bowels...)but have different

actions when cooked longer. Other herbs with volatile oils like SHA

REN, BO HE, MU XIANG may have considerably less effect when cooked for

over a few minutes. So, you need to check with your practitioner to

determine what the desired effect of the formula is.

When you boil one packet up twice, I find it best to mix the

results of the first batch with the second batch. That way they are

the same strength.

A few thousand years of clinical experience have resulted in tried and

true methods. You should follow the recommended methods if you want

to get the most from your herbs.

 

Mike

 

 

, enthusinator@o... wrote:

>

>

> ***Does it really matter exactly how one decocts the herbs? I don't

> mean the herbs with specific instructions like shi chang pu or how

> long you cook da huang. What I mean is, is there a bigger

difference

> between:

>

> 1. cooking 4 cups down to 2, then 4 more cups down to 2... the first

> doses being stronger, then (and possibly having different

> constituents- things that are released easier possibly coming out

> entirely in the first decoction and not being in the second one at

> all)

>

> 2. cooking 8 cups down to 4... all 4 cups would be the same, then,

> right?

>

>

> I ask because I prefer to cook it all in one go, and I also try to

> stretch the formula by using more water, and I cook it on as high

heat

> as possible. I guess that's not the standard, but it's easiest for

> me, and that would have some relevance to compliance

>

> Thanks,

> Brian Carter