CHINESE HERBAL medicine
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The Chinese have been using both medicinal herbs and acupuncture for thousands of years. Chinese herbs are all natural and have minimal side effects. Formulas consist of roots, leaves and stems of different plants. Chinese herbs can be taken alongside conventional medications and therapies. All formulas are customer made to your individual ailments to address both the symptoms and the root cause of them.
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Zhen Gao
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INSTRUCTIONS FOR COOKING CHINESE HERBS (DECOCTIONS)
Generally each bag of herbs can be cooked 3 times by covering the herbs with 3 cups of water and boiling and then simmering the herbs for 30-45 minutes so that about 1 cup of fluid is left. Strain the liquid and keep it. Cover the herbs again with water, bring to a boil, simmer, strain the liquid, and repeat once more. The end result will be 3 cups of liquid. Combine all batches together. After the third cooking, the herb dredges can be discarded or put in the garden.
People ask if they can just cook the herbs with 9 cups of water, for a longer period, and extract 3 cups. This is not recommended because this produces a very dilute decoction. Cooking the herbs a second and third time allows for more active ingredients to be extracted.
Keep the herbal decoction refrigerated until you drink it. You can warm the mixture before you drink it. Herbs are most effective warm and tend to taste less bitter the hotter they are.
Directions:
1. Use only a clay or glass pot with a cover. If that is not possible, you can use stainless steel.
2. Take the herbs out of the bag/package, place them in a pot, flatten them, and cover with water so that they are covered with about half an inch (to 1 inch) of water above the herbs.
3. Before the first boiling, let the herbs soak in the water for 20 minutes as it is best to not boil the herbs until they have soaked some water.
4. Bring the herbs to a boil and then simmer for the following amount of time with the lid slightly open to simmer them.
6. The simmer should be such that you get about 1 cup of liquid extracted at the end of the cooking time. If you get a lot more than a cup, your simmer was done on too low a flame, if you get too little, you will want to reduce the flame. Adjust the flame/temperature on the second and third boilings accordingly.
7. Do not dilute the herbs, do not add honey. Honey and sugar change the therapeutic properties of the decoction.
8. You can take gulps of the decoction throughout the day. It is easier to take the herbs warmer and in big gulps. Brush your teeth after drinking herbs to release the taste and to avoid staining.
9. It is best to take herbs about 30 minutes away from food.
10. Do not take herbs for at least 90 minutes prior to going to bed.
People ask if they can just cook the herbs with 9 cups of water, for a longer period, and extract 3 cups. This is not recommended because this produces a very dilute decoction. Cooking the herbs a second and third time allows for more active ingredients to be extracted.
Keep the herbal decoction refrigerated until you drink it. You can warm the mixture before you drink it. Herbs are most effective warm and tend to taste less bitter the hotter they are.
Directions:
1. Use only a clay or glass pot with a cover. If that is not possible, you can use stainless steel.
2. Take the herbs out of the bag/package, place them in a pot, flatten them, and cover with water so that they are covered with about half an inch (to 1 inch) of water above the herbs.
3. Before the first boiling, let the herbs soak in the water for 20 minutes as it is best to not boil the herbs until they have soaked some water.
4. Bring the herbs to a boil and then simmer for the following amount of time with the lid slightly open to simmer them.
6. The simmer should be such that you get about 1 cup of liquid extracted at the end of the cooking time. If you get a lot more than a cup, your simmer was done on too low a flame, if you get too little, you will want to reduce the flame. Adjust the flame/temperature on the second and third boilings accordingly.
7. Do not dilute the herbs, do not add honey. Honey and sugar change the therapeutic properties of the decoction.
8. You can take gulps of the decoction throughout the day. It is easier to take the herbs warmer and in big gulps. Brush your teeth after drinking herbs to release the taste and to avoid staining.
9. It is best to take herbs about 30 minutes away from food.
10. Do not take herbs for at least 90 minutes prior to going to bed.
ZHEN GAO, ACUPUNCTURIST AND HERBALIST
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Hours: Open 7 days per week, including early mornings and evenings
