... here is just one very simple and cheap recipe ... Dit Da Jow recipe: Arnica blossoms (anti-inflammatory, pain relief) Comfrey (anti-inflammatory, pain relief) Blessed Thistle (blood purifier) Goldenseal root (antibiotic, wound healing) Ginger root (circulation, wound healing, pain relief) Myrrh (antiseptic, circulation, wound healing) Sarsaparilla root (blood purifier) Witch Hazel (anti-inflammatory, pain relief) Use equal proportions of all the herbs (OK, myrrh is a resin) listed, by weight. I measure them out on a small kitchen scale (mine is calibrated in grams, but American versions no doubt do ounces). Grind the herbs in a mortar & pestle (or electric grinder) and place them in a glass jar. Add 80 or 90 proof grain alcohol (I use vodka); use 4 ounces of dried herbs to one pint of alcohol base (or equivalent proportions). Seal the jar tightly. Allow the infusion to work for two weeks; once or twice a day, swirl the liquid gently through the herbal mash. After two weeks, strain off the liquid and discard the herbal residue; pour into smaller glass containers. This tincture can be applied as is to swollen or bruised areas, or can be mixed with a thickener (like lanolin or safflower oil) and a hardener (like beeswax) to make an ointment. This formulation has also been effective in the treatment of arthritis, for pain relief and restoration of range of motion.

Dit Da Jow recipe: Camphor 10g Raw Fruit of Cape Jasmine 5g Raw Root of Kusenoff Monkshood 25g Raw Aconite Root 25g Raw Tuber Of Jack-in-the-pulpit 25g Raw Pinellia Tuber 25g Cattail Pollen 25g Raw Chinese Quince 200g Raw Rhubarb 150g Root-Bark of slender style acanthopanax 100g Rhizome of incised notopterygium 200g Root of double teeth pubescent angelica 200g Root of Red Peony 150g Place in a dark glass jar with any high alcohol content alcohol for 7-15 days. Can be used for all injuries that don't break the skin.

Dit Da Jow recipe: Secretio Moschus moschiferi she-hsiang 1.5g Semen Strychnotis ma-chien tzu 120g fry in oil, remove hairs Flos Carthami tinctorii hung-hua 150g Semen Persica tao-jen 120g Myrrh mo-yao 120g vinegar processed Gummi Olibanum (Frankinsense) ju-hsiang 120g vinegar processed Eupolyphagae che-chung 60g Herba Ephedra ma-huang 90g Semen Sinapis albae pai-chieh-tzu 60g Radix Angelica (dong kwei) dong kwei 90g Radix et rhizoma Ligusticii kao-pen 90g Pyritum dipped in vinegar tzu-jan-tung 90g dipped in vinegar 7x Radix Glycryrrhizae kan-tsao 60g (licorice not ginger) Dry, grind, and place in dark glass jar with strong alcohol for 7-15 days. Can be used for all injuries that don't break the skin.

I'm a bit lazy, would Tiger Balm, do?

Dit Da Jow Artemesia (Liu ji nu) - 5g mugwort above ground parts Carthamus (Honghua) - 5g safflower Catechu (Ercha) - 8g betel nut Leopards Bane (Arnica Montana No Chinese name available) - 5g blossom petals dried. Cirsium (DaJi) - 1g spear thistle, Scotch thistle, bull thistle, black thistle, plume thistle Dragon's Blood (Xuejie) - 30g Mastic (Ruxiang) - 5g frankincense Musk (Shexiang) - 1g Myrrh (Moyao) - 5g Pinellia (ShengBanXia) - 5g Here's another that has the camphor and menthol in it, more for superficial bruising to the fascia tissue. The recipe above goes deeper, but the arnica (leopards bane) might be an irritant to people with fairer skin. Skin type is important. Olive skin tends to be hardier than pale skin for instance. Anyway... here's the other one: Aconite - Fu Zi--30 gm Ban Xia--30 gm Di Gu Pi--60 gm Bai Bu--60 gm Long Gu--30 gm Tian Nan Xing--30 gm Hong Hua--30 gm She Chuang Zi--30 gm Chuan Xiong--30 gm Hua Jiao--15 gm San Qi--15 gm Xue Jie--30 gm Ru Xiang--30 gm Mo Yao--30 gm Ding Xiang--30 gm Dang Gui--30 gm Da Huang--15 gm Add last: Camphor/Borneol Crystals--15 gm Menthol Crystals--15 gm For both of these, powder the herbs, mix with alcohol, preferably strong alcohol. Put them in glass jars and keep them in a cool dark place. After 6 - 8 weeks you should be able to use them. The longer they sit the more goodness the alcohol will leech from the herbs. ________________________________________ Dit Da Jow This is a very basic formula running around martial arts circles. Ru Xiang (Gummi Olibanum) 12 g Mo Yao (Myrrh 12 g Chi Shao (Radix Paeoniae Rubra) 12 g Mu Xiang (Radix Saussureae seu Vladimiriae) 12 g Hong Hua (Flos Carthami Tinctorii) 9 g Tao Ren (Semen Persicae) 9 g Dang Gui Wei (Radix Angelicae Sinensis) 12 g Pu Huang (Pollen Typhae) 12 g Da Huang Tan (Rhizoma Rhei - Charred) 9 g Tian Qi (Radix Pseudoginseng) 12 g Xue Ji (Sanguois Draconis) 9 g Ding Xiang (Flos Caryophylli) 9 g there would be more herbs added for certain conditions, but this is the main formula. ________________________________________ Dit Da Jow This is a traditional herbal recipe is used on sprains, strains, and especially bruises that can occur during training. It is used externally on the closed wound covered with gauze and bandage to help hold the herbs in place. In difficult areas it can be spooned onto a piece of gauze, then place dressing over the painful area; taped or bandaged on. It should not be used during pregnancy or when breast-feeding. It should not be swallowed. Boiling Herbs: Fu Zi 28g Aconitum carmichaeli. Warms the channels and alleviates pain. A method of preparing the root changes the color to white. It is this white herb that is used and not the black version. Dang Gui 28g Angelica Sinensis. Reduces swelling, expels pus, helps to generates new flesh and alleviates pain. Dang Gui Pian 56g Angelicae Sinensis. Another part of the same plant. Raw Herbs: Hong Hua 28g Carthami Tinctorii (Saffron flower). Stops blood stasis and alleviates pain. Ban Xia 28g Pinellia ternate. Reduces ulceration and deep root sores. Ding Xiang 28g Eugenia caryophyllata (clove flower bud). Has a preservative, antibiotic and anti-fungal effect. Tian Nan Xing 28g Arisaema consanguineum. Reduces swelling and alleviates pain. She Chuang Zi 28g Cnidium monnieri. Anti-fungal and reduces itch. Chuan Xiong 28g Ligusticum chuanxiong. Preservative and Antibiotic affect. Xue Jie 28g Draconis Sanguis (Dragons blood). Stops blood stasis, alleviates pain, stops bleeding and helps to generate new flesh. Ru Xiang 28g Boswellia carterii (frankincense). Rudes swelling, helps to regenerate the flesh and alleviates pain. Mo Yao 28g Myrrha. Promotes healing, reduces swelling and alleviates pain. Da Huang 14g Rheum palmatum (rhubarb root). Major cooling agent, don't need much. San Qi 14g Panax notoginseng. Stops bleeding without causing blood clotting, reduces swelling and alleviates pain. Bai Bu 56g Stemona sessilifolia. Root, harder to extract the good stuff, invigorates the blood, preservative and anti-parasitic effect Rice-wine-spirit 3.5 liters ________________________________________ Dit Da Jow bing pian 6g chi shao 20g da huang 20g dan shen 15g dang gui 30g gan cao 10g gui zhi 20g hong hua 20g ma qian zi 10g mo yao 15g ru xiang 15g shen jin cao 20g tian nan xing 10g xu duan 20g yu jin 20g Grind the herbs and soak them in 4 liters of vodka. You can use it after 14 days, but the longer it soaks the stronger it gets. It is great for bruising, inflammation, and pain. It is very good for pain. Like you might expect, it is usually used for acute trauma, but since the warmer stuff was giving you a problem this might be worth a shot. Careful with the ma qian zi and the tian nan xing. They are very toxic if ingested. This is for EXTERNAL USE ONLY. Do not use it if the skin is broken, either. If you delete those two herbs from the prescription, a lot of the pain relieving quality of the formula is reduced (which is why I think it works better than Tom's formula since he does not include it - probably for liability purposes). Hope it helps. ________________________________________ I use a Bioessence/mintong product with my patients. It isn't a jow but an internal formula. It is called Tendon and Bone Healing Pian. I am sure someone out there could get it for you. Health Concerns also has a product called SPZM that may work too. Here is an external soak that you could use: Gouteng 30g jin yin hua 30g fang feng 30g wang bu liu 30g jing jie 15g liu jin nu 15g da huang 15g shen jin cao 15g hong hua 15g dang gui 15g It is for chronic soft tissue injuries, herniated disk, stiff joints or broken bones. Put herbs into the pot, fill it with twice as much water, boil and then simmer it until it is half gone, then soak or you could make a poultice. ________________________________________ The following is from a book which I purchased while in China (1997). The formulas (recipes) are based upon the clinical experience of a traditional doctor's family. Personally, I have found the formulas to be highly effective, therefore, I refer to it quite often. However, I have no experience with this formula. Effective Chinese Recipes Shandong Science and Technology Press First Edition 1996 Medicinal Wine for Trauma Indications: Traumatic injury with redness and swelling, fracture of bones. Prescription: Ren Sheng (Radix Codonopsis Pilosulae) 24g, Ji Xue Teng (Caulis Spatholobi) 24g, He Shou Wu (Radix Polygoni Multiflori) 24g, Gou Qi Zi (Fructus Lycii) 24g, Cao Wu (Prepared)(Radix Aconiti Kusnezoffii) 12g, Qian Cao (Radix Rubiae) 12g, Dang Gui (Radix Angelicae Sinensis) 12g, Bai Shao (Radix Paeoniae Alba) 12g, Mu Gua (Fructus Chaenomelis) 12g, Chuan Xiong (Rhizoma Ligustici Chuanxiong) 6g, Ru Xiang (Resina Boswelliae Carterii) 6g, Mo Yao (Commiphora Myrrha) 6g, white wine 1000g. Administration: Soak the above ingredients in the wine for 7 days. Apply the medicated wine to the affected place with a piece of absorbent cotton 3 times a day. In the case of severe injury or bone fracture, the cotton absorbed with wine may be left on the affected area with a dressing which is removed in 2 hours. The cotton may be applied 3 to 4 times a day or more frequently in accordance with the severity of cases. Caution: The wine is not to be taken by mouth, nor can it be in contact with open cut in the skin.

Mew Hing’s All Purpose Dit Da Jow 1.) Phellodendri, Cortex, Huang Bai 30g 2.) Acanthopanacis Gracilistyli Radicis, Cortex Wu Jia Pi 30g 3.) Drynariae, Rhizoma, Gu Sui Bu 30g 4.) Olibanum, Gummi, Ru Xiang 30g 5.) Arisaematis, Rhizoma, (Toxic) Tian Nan Xing 30g * 6.) Eucommiae Ulmoidis, Cortex Du Zhong 30g 7.) Aconiti Carmichaeli, Radix, (Toxic) Chuan Wu 30g * 8.) Curcumae, Tuber Yu Jin 30g 9.) Gardeniae Jasminoidis, Fructus Zhi Zi 30g 10.) Corydalis Yanhusuo, Rhizoma Yan Hu Suo 30g 11.) Aconiti Kusnezoffi, Radix, (Toxic) Cao Wu 30g * 12.) Curcumae Longae, Rhizoma, Jiang Huang 30g 13.) Codonopsitis Pilosulae, Radix, Dang Shen 30g 14.) Rehmanniae Glutinosae, Radix, Sheng Di Huang 30g 15.) Asari, Herba cum Radice, Xi Xin 30g 16.) Myrrha, Mo Yao 30g 17.) Citri Reticulatae Viride, Pericarpium, Qing Pi 30g 18.) Radix et Rhizoma Rhei, Da Huang 30g 19.) Sappan, Lignum, Su Mu 30g Put all ingredients in a gallon GLASS jar and mix with any of the following: Vodka Rum Or Rubbing Alcohol To save money you can mix the Rubbing Alcohol with the Vodka or Rum. Let the contents sit in a cool dark place for a minimum of six (6) weeks. Shake the contents everyday for those first six weeks. The longer you let your formula soak in the alcohol the stronger and better it will get. This Jow is a great All purpose Jow for Iron-Palm training. Rub a small amount on hands before each set of strikes, and then after the last set. Your hands will feel fine by the next day ready for you striking procedures again. This jow is also great for Meditations. Rub some jow on your hands before you start your meditation and then a small amount afterwards. This will greatly enhance your meditations and the effect they will have on you. “Note this Formula is for External Use Only”

absolutely:):) I can tell you the best way to release stress is doing the pigeon toe pose in yoga:):) That pose is my Dit Da Jow..it makes me feel bette it releases tension in your lower back):) I also believe in eating a whole lot of plant root( potaotes and ginger), and keep in your diet a whole lot of green:)..like spinach, asperagus, and green beans:):) And you want to make sure you get enough of your natural herbs dit Da Jow):) Cilantro, Rosemary,Cinammon,Thyme,and Mint Leaves:):) I am so hungry now!!