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Friday Formula: Holiday Food Edition (Bao He Wan)

Bao He Wan / Preserve Harmony Pill

  1. Crataegi Fructus / Shan Zha 180g
  2. Massa medieata fermentata / Shen Qu 60g
  3. Pinelliae Rhizoma (preparatum) / Zhi Ban Xia 90g
  4. Poria / Fu Ling 90g
  5. Citri reticulatae Pericarpium / Chen Pi 30g
  6. Forsynthiae Fructus / Lian Qiao 30g
  7. Raphani Semen / Lai Fu Zi 30g

Preparation Grind the herbs in to powder and then take with warm water, or can be decocted in hot water; if decocted use one tenth the amount each time.

Even though this formula comes towards the back of modern formula textbooks, it is often one of the first prescriptions an aspiring physician learns. The typical scenario is that a Chinese medicine student eats too much at a party or celebration the day/night before. In the morning, after complaining of a stomach ache, their teacher will give them this formula and then use the 'teachable moment' to discuss the herbs in the formula. The primary action of this formula is Promoting digestion and regulating the Stomach. The typical presentation of this syndrome would be focal distention and fullness in the chest and epigastrium, abdominal distention and possibly pain often described as 'a stomach ache.' Common accompanying symptoms include nausea, possible vomiting, belching, and diarrhea. The tongue will have a greasy yellow coating and the pulse will be slippery. The principal herb is Chinese hawthorn fruit, Crataegi Fructus or shan zha in Chinese. Hawthorn fruit removes food stagnation, especially that from greasy food like meat. It is also used to treat hypertension and angina due to its ability to increase circulation and move blood stasis.

Please see the disclaimer at the bottom of this post. However, the herbs in this formula are mild and it is generally appropriate for most people after over eating. It is available from most reputable herb suppliers, and acupuncturists will often administer it to patients to keep in their medicine cabinet in case they need it. Prepackaged pills should be taken at the dose listed on them or as directed by your physician or acupuncturist. A common does of commercially available versions of this formula would say

4 tabs/pills 3 times per day

In the common case of over eating a large meal, I would take the first dose as soon as symptoms appear. I would then administer the second dose 1-2 hours after the first if symptoms have not improved. Discontinue the formula as soon as symptoms fade. There are a great many caveats with taking any medications, and I consider herbal prescriptions to be medication, without the advice of a physician that can evaluate your symptoms and is familiar with the medication. Symptoms lasting more than 24h, any sign of a medical emergency including signs of internal digestive bleeding, or any other severe symptoms not consistent with simple over eating should be evaluated by a physician as soon as practical. With those disclaimers, Preserving Harmony Pill is a good addition to the home medicine cabinet and in the case of overindulgence at a large meal can be a replacement for OTC medications like tums or bismuth subsalicylate.

This blog is for information purposes only and is not medical advice. Never start, stop, or change the dose of any medication or supplements, including herbs, without talking to your doctor. Every effort has been made to present accurate information, but the accuracy of any information here is not guaranteed. These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA or any other regulatory agency.
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