Patient's question:
My relative's mother has been experiencing frequent dizziness for the past couple of years, and sometimes she feels even more dizzy when standing up. After a thorough examination, it was found that she has high blood pressure. She has been taking antihypertensive medication, which has been quite effective. Recently, a distant relative visited her and bought several boxes of Ejiao (donkey-hide gelatin) to give her. I'm not sure if my relative can consume it. Can patients with high blood pressure eat Ejiao?Doctor's answer:
Ejiao is primarily a qi-tonifying herb. As a holy medicine for tonifying qi, it is quite effective for anemic patients. However, if used solely for qi tonification, it may cause blood stasis. Therefore, it should be combined with herbs that both tonify and promote qi flow to achieve some blood-activating effects.Patients with hypertension or hyperlipidemia can also take ejiao, but those with weak stomachs and loose stools should absolutely avoid it. In daily diet, it is important to follow a low-salt, low-fat diet and consume more white meat, such as chicken, duck, and fish, while reducing the intake of red meat, such as pork, beef, and lamb.