What is the correct way to boil Chinese medicine in an electric rice cooker?

As people become more familiar with medical knowledge, more and more people like traditional Chinese medicine. It’s just that most Chinese medicines need to be boiled in a clay pot before taking, so that the medicinal properties will be stronger. However, in modern society, many people’s homes no longer have traditional clay pots, but instead use electrical appliances. The only option left for boiling Chinese medicine is the rice cooker. So, what is the correct way to boil Chinese medicine in an electric cooker?

Myth 1: The fatal flaw of electric frying pans

With the popularity of electrical appliances (induction cookers, electric cookers, electric hot pots) today, especially the widespread use of high-voltage electric frying pans to decoct medicine in many hospitals or outpatient clinics, a very important method of decocting medicine has been overlooked, that is the "water and fire method" that Chinese medicine emphasizes. The "water and fire" here means yin and yang, and water and fire are the embodiment and representation of yin and yang in traditional Chinese medicine. Only when water and fire participate together can the decocted medicine have a more authentic effect. Although the heat energy provided by electrical appliances and the heat energy provided by fire are the same thing from the perspective of thermal energy, they are completely different things from the perspective of Chinese medicine's use of "yang (fire) and yin (water)" to obtain the "four qi and five flavors" in medicinal materials. Even worse is the medicine decocting service now provided by various pharmacies. After 2 hours of high-pressure boiling (water temperature is around 110-120℃), the volatile oils and heat-sensitive substances in many medicines are severely destroyed. It is convenient, but the efficacy of the medicine is greatly compromised. If possible, it is better to use open flame for decoction instead of electric frying pan, as the medicinal effect will be better.

Myth 2: The fatal flaw of the casserole for decoction

The best material is no longer the casserole for decocting medicine. In the past when pollution was less, the heavy metal content in those casseroles was not a big deal. But now, cars and factories are everywhere in cities and towns, and the soil everywhere has problems. The disadvantages of casseroles have outweighed the advantages. During repeated high-temperature decocting, many heavy metals in the casserole will be replaced by the bioalkali or other chemical components in the medicine, and eventually enter your body. The best pot for decocting medicine recommended by old Chinese medicine practitioners is the enamel basin, which is the kind of basin whose paint will fall off if it is dropped. They are resistant to high temperatures and have almost no chemical reaction with the chemical components of traditional Chinese medicine, making them the best pot for decocting medicine.

Myth 3: The fatal flaw of decoction time

In ancient times, the medical saint Zhang Zhongjing clearly told us that decocting medicine should be based on the total amount of water used and the remaining water amount, rather than the time. In modern times, decocting medicine has become a matter of time. Many pharmacies will say "decoction of antipyretics (cold medicines) for 20 minutes, ordinary medicines for 30 minutes, tonic medicines for 45 minutes, and some say it takes longer or shorter to decoct first and then add the medicine". Zhang Zhongjing believed that 3 bowls of water remaining after decocting 10 bowls of water was a commonly used amount for decocting medicine (of course, there may be more or less, and almost every prescription in "Treatise on Febrile Diseases" has a different decoction method). When 3 bowls of water are left out of 10 bowls of water, the drug concentration is just right. If the decoction is based on time, for the same 30 minutes, the one cooked over high heat might have 2 bowls of water left, and the one cooked over low heat might have 6 bowls of water left, and the drug concentration would be uneven. The more or less remaining medicine liquid means that there are too many ingredients that have not been extracted or too many ingredients that have been destroyed.

Myth 4: The fatal disadvantage of taking medicine on an empty stomach

People who have eaten watermelon or drank beverages usually have this feeling: maybe 20 minutes, maybe 30 minutes, they have to go to the toilet, and the urine at that time will already have the taste of watermelon or beverage. The liquid you drink after a meal will at least mix with the food, which will significantly prolong the time it takes to be absorbed and enhance the efficacy of the medicine. At the same time, taking Chinese medicine after meals can significantly reduce the feeling of nausea, stomach acid or pain caused by certain ingredients in the medicine stimulating the stomach. Therefore, taking medicine after meals should be the first choice, unless your attending physician emphasizes that you should take the medicine before meals. Ancient Chinese medicine believed that "for diseases below the stomach, such as kidney disease, leg joints, etc., eat before meals; for diseases above the stomach, such as headaches, lung diseases, etc., eat after meals." This also makes sense.