Chinese Herbs for Your First Aid Kit
December 7th, 2008 by Jill Blakeway, M.S. L. Ac.Last week I cut myself whilst cooking Sunday lunch and reached for a Chinese powder called Yunnan Baiyao which stops bleeding when sprinkled on a cut. This reminded me to share with you some natural non-toxic Chinese herbal medicines that make a great addition to your first aid kit. All of these products are available in Chinatown and some are stocked in health food stores. We also stock most of these at The YinOva Center so feel free to ask for some if you’re visiting us.
Yunnan Baiyao (Sometimes also spelled Yunnan Paiyao)
Yunnan Baiyao is an herbal combination that works instantly to stop bleeding. It comes in powder form to sprinkle on a cut or in capsule form to be taken internally. It is rightly very famous in China because it works so well and it’s formula is a closely guarded secret. We know that it is an entirely natural product, made of herbs and that the main ingredients are Panax Notogensing and Rhizoma Dioscoreae. Legend has it that the mixture is made up by thirteen separate teams, none of whom have any knowledge of the herbs the other teams are mixing. The individual mixed components are then combined by a further team, who have no knowledge of what is in them. The formula is so closely guarded that only one copy of it exists, locked for safety and security in the safe of the General commanding the Chinese armed forces!
The Chinese army carry it to treat gun shot wounds but I use it for kitchen accidents. If you open a tub of powder you’ll find a little red pill under the lid. This should only be taken in cases of extreme shock. The powder itself can be sprinkled on a cut, mixed with water and rubbed into a wound or mixed with alcohol (vodka works well) and rubbed on a bruise. The capsules are to be taken internally and should only be used under the supervision of your acupuncturist. We use them for a variety of conditions from stopping excessive menstrual bleeding to helping our patients recover quickly after surgery. Whilst its safe to use the external powder if you’re pregnant, you should not take the internal capsules.
