In the year
1253, the herbalist Chin Po Wei published a document titled “The
Medicine Chest Worth a Thousand Pieces of Gold”. The manuscript was a
compilation of herbal medicines that Chin Po Wei advised that the
Imperial Court never be without.
I am often asked about the contents of a well stocked medicine chest or
travel kit and have narrowed the contents down to the Chinese patent
formulas that have the broadest indications and longest shelf life.
These are the essentials no home or overnight bag should be without.
Po Chai (a.k.a. Ren Dan Wan, Curing Wan, Uncle Po Pills): This is a very
mild formula with a wide variety of uses. Good for all sorts of
gastrointestinal conflicts, Po Chai can be taken for motion sickness
(taken 1/2 hour before a trip for best results), morning sickness
associated with pregnancy (will not harm the fetus in any trimester),
nausea, dizziness, headache, acid indigestion, poor appetite, food
poisoning, diarrhea, hangover due to over consumption of alcohol or
food. These pills are very small and should be taken thirty at a time
for adults, and 1/2 dose for children.
Yin Chiao: this formula is used to treat early stage common cold or flu
with symptoms of fever, aversion to wind, headache, cough and or sore
throat. The indications for this drug also include acute bronchitis,
pneumonia, ear ache, measles and tonsillitis. Keep in mind that this
drug is to be taken at the first symptoms of any of the above
conditions. If, after taking the formula for 24-48 hours there is no
relief from symptoms consult your physician. This formula, if taken in
time will stop most cold/flus in their tracks but you need to dose very
aggressively with six pills every three hours and lots of water.
Watermelon frost: The main ingredient of this formula is derived from a
mixture of the mature fruit of a watermelon and mirabilite. The
ingredients are placed in a terra-cotta jar and sealed, within a
fortnight the compound causes a delicate crystal to leech through the
terra-cotta and form a white frost on the outside of the jar. The frost
is harvested and compounded to create the medicine.
Watermelon frost is used on severe sore throat (sprayed directly on the
affected area), rashes, burns, scalds, oral ulcerations, cuts and
scrapes. The drug comes in a powder form and is easily administered by
sprinkling it directly onto the affected wound site. Patients report
that the powder can also be used on boils, cysts, warts and acne,
reducing them overnight in most cases.
Dit Da Jiao: The Jiao we make at the Island Wellness clinic is a Shaolin
Temple formula brought to America by Shaolin Master Kan Ni Chan. The
Jiao is used topically for bruises, sprains, strains, bumps and the
assorted injuries that are the typical fruit of martial arts practice.
We have kick boxers who use this formula before tournaments and report
that they have no visible tissue damage after a fight. The Jiao can also
be used for Iron Hands training in lieu of the damaging makiwara
exercises. Master Chan had used daily applications of Jiao on his hands
with no other practice for a month before punching through a four foot
stack of bricks. Obviously I don’t condone punching anything harder than
your pillow, but this illustrates how powerful a medicine the Jiao is.
These formulas can be gotten without a prescription in my and other
clinics of Chinese medicine and they are very inexpensive. They make a
great travel kit and although they won’t cure everything, they do have
you and your family covered against colds/flu, gastrointestinal
disorders, headaches, ulcerations, burns, cuts, sprains and strains.
If you would like to order the Chinese Medicine Chest, contact us at
info@acupuncture-wilmington.com. |
