Q Are there foods I should avoid when I have hwa-byung?
A Spicy and greasy foods, alcohol, and caffeine stimulate liver-fire and worsen symptoms, so they should be avoided.
Detailed Answer
For hwa-byung patients, spicy foods, fried foods, and alcohol often immediately aggravate the burning sensation in the chest and the surging-up symptoms. Caffeine raises the heart rate and triggers palpitations, and excessive sugar widens emotional swings through sharp rises and falls in blood sugar. By contrast, heat-clearing foods such as mung beans, lotus root, and Job's tears, and calming foods such as jujube and poria, are helpful. Stabilizing the spleen and stomach with warm, bland meals is the basic principle.
Korean Medicine Clinic Perspective
At Dongjedang, we advise hwa-byung patients to reduce pungent-hot foods that stimulate liver-fire (excessive garlic, chili pepper, ginger), and recommend spiny jujube seed tea and schisandra tea, which replenish the heart-yin. Alcohol relieves tension in the short term, but it adds heat to the liver and worsens hwa-byung in the long term, so abstinence is best.
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