Last year, our whole family started taking Jujutsu. We all enjoy it, but the rolls, throws and climbing aspects definitely come more easily to the kids! Any activity that involves wooden swords and rolling will inevitably create some bumps and bruises along the way.
After one class that left us particularly sore, the Sensei (teacher) shared a traditional herbal remedy that has been used in Asian countries for pain relief and rapid healing for years. It is called Dit Da Jow (literally translated “hit wine medicine”) and is essentially an herbal tincture that is packed with healing herbs. According to this article:
Dit Da Jow is an analgesic liniment traditionally preferred by martial artists. Often a martial arts master blends his unique mixture of many aromatic herbs such as myrrh and ginseng, which are combined to stimulate circulation, reduce pain and swelling, and improve healing of injuries and wounds. The tradition became known as “hit medicine”. Many people have also found this sort of liquid analgesic to be useful for reducing the aching of muscles, and arthritis and rheumatism discomfort.
I researched traditional Dit Da Jow recipes and while it was hard to find many of them (most are considered secret family recipes), I finally found a mixture that works really well for us. I used herbs that can be found in the US, so this wouldn’t be considered true Dit Da Jow, but it has been very effective for our bumps and bruises. It also helps speed recovery of non-martial arts related injuries so we keep it on hand. Store bought Dit Da Jow is available, though I haven’t tried it to know if it is as effective.
As with any herbs, vitamins or drugs, consult with a doctor before using, especially if you are pregnant or nursing. This recipe is for external use only. Any quality sourced organic/wild-crafted herbs will work. It is not inexpensive to make but it is very effective. I’ve seen it get rid of bruises and pain overnight.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon of dried Arnica flowers
- 1 tablespoon dried Plantain Leaf
- 1 tablespoon dried Comfrey Leaf
- 1 tablespoon Frankincense Powder
- 1 tablespoon dried Myrrh powder
- 1 tablespoon Fennel seeds
- 1 teaspoon dried Angelica Root
- 1 teaspoon dried Calendula Flowers
- 1 teaspoon dried Dandelion Root
- 1 teaspoon dried Horsetail
- 1 teaspoon dried Nettle Leaf
- 1 teaspoon cloves powder
- 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
Instructions
- Place all of the herbs in a glass mason jar (at least 16 ounces).
- Pour boiling water to just dampen all of the herbs. (This step is optional but helps to draw out the beneficial properties of the herbs)
- Fill the rest of the jar (or the entire jar if not using hot water too) with alcohol (drinkable, at least 80 proof) and stir with a clean spoon.
- Put the lid on the jar. Store the jar in a cool/dry place, shaking daily, for at least three weeks and up to six months. (I usually leave herbs for six weeks)
- Strain through cheesecloth and compost the herbs. Store the tincture in colored dropper bottles or clean glass jars.
- Use on skin as needed to help with bruises, sore muscles and pain. Do not use on cut or broken skin.
Do you make any herbal remedies? What is your favorite? Share below!
Thank you for the recipe. I make pain relief oil, adjusting the strengths of the oils as needed. Half cup organic Coconut oil (as the carrier), essential oils of Lavender for inflammation, slight bit of Peppermint for easing and cooling, and Lemongrass which heals and stops pain.
I had been suffering from a sinus headache and sinusitis for months. I have literally tried everything to treat it with not success. It had got to the point I was having dizziness. I had some Dit Da Jow for joint pain and thought about it’s healing properties in breaking up stasis in the body so I decided to try it on my face over the sinus membranes where I’ve been experiencing throbbing pain in forehead, cheekbones, and over the bridge of the nose.
Take a cottonball or use your fingers, dip it in Dit da jow, apply over face like forehead, temples, cheek bones and around ears, back of neck (avoid in eyes!). External Use Only! Apply this every 2 hours. After 24 hours of doing this, I feel much better this morning and will continue til 100% better. This has worked better and in a short period of time then anything else I’ve tried.
Love that you learned of dit da jow. That said, you CAN find any and all of the herbs if you live near just about any US Chinatown. I made a batch (recipe in ‘A Tooth From The Tiger’s Mouth’ by Tom Bisio) in 2007 and it is still brewing in a wine jug all these years later. We pour of little at a time into a small bottle (old Frank’s Red Hot) and use it on all types of injuries and inflammatory conditions. My father- a skeptic of sorts initially- calls it “the magic juice.”
if I found just isopropyle or apple cider does’s any fit for making
Have you compared your recipe to Aviva Jill Romm’s?
6 parts angelica root
6 parts comfrey root
4 parts cinnamon bark
4 parts valerian root
3 parts hyssop
3 parts safflower petals
3 parts calendula blossoms
No I haven’t, I was unaware she even had one…
You definitely have the qualities of a real student of martial arts.
Thanks for the article. Keep training for as long as your heart is in it and you and your family will see the benefits for the rest of your lives, guaranteed.
Could this be made into a salve? Thanks!
I haven’t tried, but if you do, let me know how it turns out!
What is dried Horsetail? Where would one buy such a thing?
I wrote about it here: https://wellnessmama.com/8592/horsetail-herb-profile/
As a relative newcomer to this remedy (gung fu student), I have heard that very advanced herbalogists/traditional practioners will add live pit vipers and scorpions to the brew when concocting (stressing absolute caution against internal digestion or absorption into the bloodstream)…..what is the reasoning behind the notion of adding these ingredients?
I haven’t heard of doing that…
Hi, first time EVER hearing about you and these types of remedies. And believe me I’ve looked at everything possible for pain.
I’ve heard of Chinese herbal remedies but in passing, nothing concrete. Never thought to look deeper into them. Glad I found you. Maybe there’s something in this that’s beneficial since nothing else has worked. I don’t do martial arts or anything like that. But my fiance is interested in it and in fact he’s the one that came across your link and told me. I used to work out a lot in my younger years. Jogging, biking, extensive long walks, speed walking, gym machines, and weights. Now I can’t do any of it. I’ve had rheumatoid now for the past 15 years. But last year I came across a really awesome workout and I can do it with no pain involved. I was on vacation in Florida visiting with family. I was over weight because after years of just doing moderate to no working out and doing this for years I gained a lot of weight. And after years of not going into water either at the beach or a pool. I decided to buy a bathing suit and go into my sister’s pool. Immediately after being in there not more than a minute I began to instinctively do what was familiar and normal to me as far as doing aerobics. I couldn’t believe that for the first time in years I was actually jumping and doing jumping jacks and kicking my legs and twisties and all sorts of other workouts. I mean I was moving hard and fast. I actually cried in my sister’s pool because I had found a workout that I could do pain free. I was moving again. I felt useful again. And I was doing what I always loved to do. WORK OUT. So I spent all this summer working out at the community out door pool and loving it. Now for Autumn and winter I joined a gym with an indoor pool. Loving it too.
However remember I said I do have rheumatoid. And that’s the main issue. I do have to deal with pain in between before and after my workouts. I do take meds for pain management but I just think I’m supporting some big wig over at big pharmas expensive life style.
I’ve tried supplements, all kinds. And in fact now because I came across some interesting info I’ve stopped eating meat and I don’t consume sugars. Because they say that both cause inflammation plus other nasty stuff to happen in the body. The sugars I stopped since 2013 because I was put in the hospital due to a diabetic incident. I never was a diabetic before but because of tremendous weight gain and bad eating my body was giving up and the sugar went really high. But thankfully I’ve been cleared from that. And am no longer considered a diabetic. Right now I’m in experiment mode with the meat out of my diet because they said that it takes 6 to 8 weeks to start feeling the results from being off meats and on the 4th of December it will be a month so I still have a few weeks to go. I hope that works. Now the question.
Will this remedy or any other remedies help rheumatoid pain sufferers. Because I’ve tried all sorts of balms. Tiger balm, manteca de ubre, icy hot, even ointments with cayenne in them. . So will this help. I am so tired of pain and right now as I write this I am experiencing a flare up. Which makes the paid more intense.
Thanks for any advice you can give me.
I haven’t tried so I can’t say. It definitely helps with sore muscles though, so give it a try and see.
sounds like morse code
Is this just rubbed on once, or is a towel soaked in it and left to sit on the bruised/injured area? How often should it be applied?
You can try it either way…
hi
just checking as to see which variety of dried Angelica Root you used ? there are many types to use with different properties
Hi Katie,
Is there a decent alternative to arnica, I don’t mind if I need to add a blend of additional herbs. Arnica seems to be quite difficult to obtain in the UK without paying really really high prices.
I tried growing it but we just don’t have the altitude either.
Many Thanks
Gee.
You can omit. It is helpful but not absolutely necessary
Could this be made as an infused oil? Our family does not purchase alcohol.
Hi,
I was just wondering if the Horsetail is the one on Mountain Rose site as well as the Frankincense, Angelica Root, and Myrrh Powder?
Also, you stated that this could last indefinitely… can you keep it in the jar to continue getting stronger and just take out what you need or is it better to strain all at once?
Thanks in advance.
MRH should have all of the ingredients, and as long as you use a strong alcohol, you can leave in the jar to just get stronger and stronger (that is what the Japanese do with the traditional recipe)
I’ve healed broken toes with this miracle tincture. It’s one of my favs!
Hi Katie, thanks for all your hard work bringing forth great information. Would it work to double the herbs to make this liniment stronger? Or use 1 and a half recipe? Would either work OR would the liniment be too strong??
Thanks
Great post, iIjust purchased a kit to make a gallon of this Dit Da Jow from eastmeetswest dot com for a Xmas gift for my husband who just started karate and is always getting banged up, so thanks for your article and Happy holidays!
First of all.thanks for sharing this amazing recipe
I use dit da jow since I started practicing kung fu, it has incredible results in sore muscles and injuries.
I have just a small question, how much water should I put in a bottle of 16 onces?
You don’t need to put water. i have never heard of putting water when making tinctures in any of my course books I make tincture often and only put vodka and allow to sit 2-4 weeks before using if i need it right away.