Effective Dit Da Jow Herbs

[ntc]

I am pretty sure that quite a few of you on this forum use Dit Da Jow to treat bruises, broken bones, etc. I wanted to start a thread to see what herbal formula combinations you found useful, assuming you made your own linaments. There are a ton of formulas out there, and it would be cool to know which formula combinations worked for what types of injuries. Great if you could share your experience... especially if you feel which herbs are "must-haves" in a formula for it to be effective.

(Let's focus on custom formulas, and not over-the-counter generic formulas like Five Photo Brand, etc..... thanks.)

Happy new year to everyone.

[Phil Redmond]

I have a few formulas. I always use Taa Yan, Mut Yeut, and a few others to remove stasis and promote circulation. I can post a picture of the Chinese characters for them when I get to my formulas. Of course no Jau is good without Hung Fa.

[ntc]

Thanks, Phil. I also use those ingredients frequently. In addition, I also like to include San Qi as one of the main blood movers, along with Mo Yao.

By the way, what is your thought of using Camphor which I find quite a few people using in their formulas? I usually am hesitant to use this only because of the heat component, and if I did use it, I try to counter it with something like Bo He as a cooling agent. In fact, I frequently include Bo He in my formulas to minimize the heat that could form so as to facilitate the healing aspect. Do you use coolers and which ones do you use?

[aelward]

Tian Qi, Dang Gui (tail), Ru Xiang, Mo Yao, Zhang Nao... all cool things to put in the mix...

[ntc]

aelward: definitely agree with you.

[aelward]

LOL, speaking of Camphor...

I think it is good to use because it is definitely something that a person feels and therefore can encourage circulation. The only time I have used Zhang Nao in a formula, I also used Bing Pian-- albeit the synthetic type-- another one which can be felt.

In terms of hotness, though, Camphor does not begin to rate with chuan jiao-- another ingredient in some herbal plasters you see out there.

[aelward]

Oh yes, I forgot Xue Jie. It is one of those which gives some jius that dark color. Expensive, though, and makes a huge mess...

[ntc]

Along those lines, I sometimes use Gan Cao, and Shi Gao in addition to some toxic (painkiller) herbs. Never used Chuan Jiao in these linaments, but I can see your point. That herb is pretty warming, just like another one I sometimes use, Chuan Xiong. So, other than just giving the patient the tingling feeling of something happening, what else would you use camphor for?

[yuanfen]

jows can be smelly--- but with camphor? Whew!

[ntc]

Joy..... good point !!! ;-) (hehehehehe)

[Phil Redmond]

Does anyone here have a preference of white liquor over dark in their formulas? I used to buy "home made" Saam Jing Jau in NY Chinatown but since I moved to Detroit I've been using Vodka for lack of a SJJ source. I've been told that white liquor is better, but I'd like to hear opinions from you guys (generic).

I prefer not to use camphor in my Jau. Not because of smell but because of it's properties.

[Phil Redmond]

I let my Jau stand for at least 3 months before use. What say you guys? The older the better of course. Also, I noticed one commercial Jau that I used to buy in NYC was made with rubbing alcohol. I have also used Tincture of Arnica which can be purchased at a drug store when I was out of Jau.

[ntc]

Phil:

White vs dark wine... which is better... hard to say. Ask ten different Dit Da specialists, and there is a good chance the answers will be evenly distributed.

From my own experience, most either use the dark wine or pure vodka. From a TCM perspective, dark wine is an excellent blood mover, and hence would seem to be the better choice. I myself use the dark-colored Shiao Xing Rice Wine (drinking quality, which is a higher quality, versus the cooking version). I have found that to be very effective in the treatments I have administered. One of my good friends, a 70 year-old Dragon style master and also a TCM/Dit Da specialist from Hong Kong and trained in Dit Da in China, uses pure vodka most of the time. He says that its characteristic is extremely powerful and is even better than the dark wine. I haven't tried using vodka yet, but do plan on trying that someday just to make some comparisons.

[ntc]

Regarding soaking time, in general, 90 days to 180 days is the rule-of-thumb for the herbs to take its chemical effect on the wine. I have been told that the longer you soak, the stronger the wine gets, but I also have friends who say that once the reaction between the wine/herbs is completed, soaking any longer won't make any difference. However, also depending on the herbs, some herbs are meant to be quick absorbants and not meant for soaking... you basically heat up those herbs in the wine right before treatment and then apply them. Soaking those herbs would actually neutralize those herbs. But these are rare situations and most often you will find herbs being soaked for 3mos to 6mos.

[yuanfen]

I dont sell jow though I share mine when I want to with some students if they ask.

I have stored batches- but no longer make my own...nor do I get over the counter. I get mine via a martial artist who has been in CMA much longer than me- he is familiar with many martial jows
particularly from two great(non wing chun) CMA artists. He works witha Chinese herbalist in LA to get it just right---appearance, smell, touch and effectiveness.Very helpful and no bad effects- except for signing on in net forums.
My hands are not scarred or calloused but they have above average resistance to injuries(the da in context of dit da jow)

I would never use one with rubbing alcohol.
I also use some Indian martial mixes for my own purposes. Indian martial arts also use(d) pre and post activity lotions and liniments of various kinds.

Again, I do not prescribe or sell.

Sometimes I go to a Chinese herbalist abd accupuncturist in my area who is from Tianjin and has considerable experience and training and evn teaching experience. First part of his training
was like 2/3 of med school.

Also- btw given the outrageous cost of medical care in the US- I think preventive care is the best way to go and I have put my chips on that....while not closing the door on other alternatives including MD/allopathic. Three generations of MDs on both paternal and maternal side. Dad wasa superb diagnostician- but his jaw dropped when I showed him the places where I had been acupunctured. Different paradigms.

Incidentally, he could tell in autopsies if excessive use of aspirin existed from the pock marks in the stomach lining.He always wondered why aspirin and some other things were so easily available while for other things you have to pray to the gods.

((My almost 90 year old mpther has knee pain. Ibuprofen does zilch for her. Mobic can help but the HMO wont go for it- money.
What is managed is the money- not the care))

I know the limits of what I do and if I thought I needed sutures
I would go to a surgeon.