When a meal still weighs on you hours later

A full Stomach that lingers, heaviness after a rich or overly large meal, no appetite until the next day… In TCM, this situation has a name: Food Stagnation. Food stays where it is, the Stomach no longer sends down what it receives, and the Qi of the Middle becomes blocked. The Su Wen, one of the founding texts of Chinese medicine, already said so: when we eat beyond our measure, the Stomach and Intestines bear the brunt.

Bao He Wan, the “Pill that Preserves Harmony”, was born in the 14th century from the pen of Zhu Danxi (朱丹溪), one of the four great masters of the Jin and Yuan dynasties, in the Dan Xi Xin Fa (《丹溪心法》). Its name sums up its method: rather than forcing, it brings together gentle herbs that help the Stomach do its work, without rushing a body that is already overloaded. It has remained the reference formula for food stagnation.

Helping the Stomach send things down

In TCM, good digestion rests on a simple movement: the Stomach receives, transforms, then sends down. Bao He Wan supports this movement in three steps: it helps “melt away” what is stagnating, gets the Qi moving again, then helps clear the Dampness that excess leaves behind.

Harmonises the Stomach: Hawthorn, the cornerstone herb of the formula, and radish seed help the Stomach recover its natural downward movement.

Contributes to good digestion: Tangerine peel moves the Qi of the Middle, while poria supports the Spleen in its transforming function.

Eases the feeling of heaviness after a large meal: Forsythia, which is cooler, tempers the heat that an overly rich meal can leave behind, to restore a feeling of lightness.