Martial Arts is as popular as ever, largely due to MMA and the UFC becoming more popular over recent years as certain personalities making it regularly into mainstream news.
I don’t know about you, but I noticed more MMA gyms opening up in my city. So last year I decided to give it a try as I love experiencing new things.
Martial arts and MMA are great for cardio and strength building, learning the core rules of discipline that comes with a martial art, and some great self-defence skills.
Wrestling and practicing jiu-jitsu is fun, and while the aches and pains I felt all over was proof I’d put in a good workout, the soreness next day was tough to deal with.
Massage therapy is great for working out knots, soothing aching muscles, and stimulating circulation to get your body on the road to recovery.
However, someone at the gym told me about Dit Da Jow. I’d never heard about Dit Da Jow before, and after looking into it I discovered it’s a wonderful and interesting remedy that helps soothe the aches and pains after a workout.
Contents
What is in Dit Da Jow?
Dit Da Jow is a mixture of herbs that make blend traditionally used by martial artists to help them recover from aches and pains developed in training.
This aromatic blend reduces swelling, bruises, pain, and stimulates blood circulation to help your body speed up its natural healing process.
There are many recipes and quite a bit of flexibility in regards to the exact herbs used. Traditionally the ingredients were coarse-ground, then steeped in alcohol and aged.
You can buy some ready made Jow, or you can have some made by a skilled herbalist tailored to you specific injuries or ailments.
There tends to be some difference in the ingredients used when comparing Western and Eastern recipes. This is largely due to the accessibility of certain herbs and roots, but there are many recipes that are effective.
Dit Da Jow Recipe You Can Make at Home
After trying a few different Dit Da Jow Recipes here is a recipe that shouldn’t be too difficult for you to make at home:
Ingredients:
Note – Use equal amounts of all these herbs, this makes it easy to make as much or as little as you want.
Ginger Root – Relieves pain, increases circulation.
Comfrey – Relieves pain, anti-inflammatory properties.
Arnica Blossoms – Relieves pain, anti-inflammatory properties.
Myrrh – Heals wounds, increases circulation, antiseptic properties.
Goldenseal Root – Heals wounds, antibiotic properties.
Witch Hazel – Relieves pain, anti-inflammatory properties.
Sasparilla Root – Purifies blood.
Directions:
- Grind all the herbs into a fine powder.
- Add the herbs to a glass jar and add 80-90 proof alcohol (Vodka will do, use one pint per 4 ounces of herbs).
- Seal the jar so it’s airtight and leave to stand somewhere cool for at least two weeks.
- Stir up the ingredients once a day.
- After it’s been standing for two weeks strain the liquid and discard the rest.
How to Use Dit Da Jow
Note – Dit Da Jow recipes are for external use only, never ingest any of the herbal mixtures.
- First, test a small area of sensitivity or allergies to any of the ingredients. It’s rare but worth checking a small area before using over a much larger area to be safe.
- Place a few drops of your mixture into the palm of your hand.
- Rub and gently massage the mixture into the desired area.
- For older injuries, you might see better results with firmer and longer strokes.
- Repeat before and after working out, or twice a day on injuries you’re trying to cure.
What Can You Use Dit Da Jow Liniment to Treat?
As I mentioned above, Jow recipes have been formulated with herbs that help reduce swelling, have antiseptic properties, and stimulate your body to naturally heal aches and pains.
Some of the injuries and conditions you can treat include:
- Bone bruises
- Muscle recovery
- Muscular injuries
- Joint pain
- Tissue bruises
- Soreness
Final Thoughts
Homemade Dit Da Jow is fun to make. You can use all kinds of herbs that are designed to help stimulate healing, and it really feels like you’re involved in some ancient Chinese herbalism.
It’s believed that there are lots of recipes that are closely guarded secrets. Passed down from martial arts masters to students.
If you know of any recipes I’d love to hear about them, just leave a message below for others to read and share. Thanks.
I’m a MA, (CMT) Certified Massage Therapist, Licensed Massage Therapist (LMT), and Reiki Master — I’m a licensed massage therapist with over 10 years of experience in the industry.
