Stop Bleeding Naturally With Traditional Chinese Medicine- Yunnan Baiyao

There is nothing more panic-inducing than seeing blood where it shouldn't be; that is - anywhere other than coursing through your veins. Women are used to seeing blood monthly during their menses, but other than that, blood belongs inside one's body. Cuts can usually be dealt with easily, if you haven't chopped off a limb, but when you see blood in your stools it can send one's cortisol levels into overdrive.

Blood in your stool is an indication that something is definitely not right with your innards. Those of us with Ulcerative Colitis (U.C.) are intimate friends with rectal bleeding- it is part and parcel of IBD (inflammatory bowel disease) and invokes a certain sense of fear when it first appears. It can mean 1 of 2 things, the U.C. has returned, or worse yet, the possibility of colon cancer, since U.C. increases the potential for colon cancer. For those without U.C. it could mean other things.

There are a myriad of reasons you might find blood in your stool or on your toilet paper ranging from relatively harmless hemorrhoids to stomach ulcers to colon cancer. Bright red is an indication that it is closer to the anorectal cavity- hemorrhoids, rectal fissures, IBD. Stools are dark red or maroon with Diverticulosis. Stools can be both bright or dark red with Colon Cancer, but usually dark and "tarry". The darker the color usually indicates blood loss is higher up the digestive tract. There are various allopathic methods of diagnosing blood loss from colonoscopies to capsule endoscopies, which you will definitely need to avail yourself of, if the bleeding continues.

With Ulcerative Colitis, if there is profuse bleeding, high doses of prednisone are often prescribed. I had a terrible time with corticosteroids, so will never take prednisone again, particularly after my amazing experience with a Chinese herb called Yunnan Baiyao, prescribed by my acupuncturist.

Yunnan Baiyao aka Yunnan Paiyao, yunnan pai yao, yun nan bai-yao, yunan bai yao, yunan paiyao, yunnan pai-yao, hunnan baiyao, yuhnahn pie yow or "White Medicine from Yunnan", as it is known in English, comes from southern Yunnan province in China and is a popular formula used in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) for both internal and external bleeding, among other things. It is truly a miracle herbal medicine, at least for internal bleeding. In my case, it stopped the U.C. bleeding almost immediately on various occasions, and ultimately for good.

HISTORY: It was formulated in China by TCM doctor Qu Huanzhang in 1902 and became an instant success when, after 30,000 bottles were donated to the Chinese Army during the 1937 battle of Taierzhuang, many lives were saved. The formula was later donated to the Chinese government which still manufactures it today. I've been told that it was used by Viet Cong soldiers during the Vietnam War, and that the dead were usually found with an empty vial . Apparently, they would use it to help stop bleeding wounds while they waited for help.

LIST OF INGREDIENTS: From what I understand there are different companies that manufacture Yunnan Baiyao in China. The original formula was and still remains a secret, other than some common ingredients. Although the formula has a proprietary secret blend of who knows what, most of the brands contain Pseudoginseng root (san qi), Chinese yam root ( shan yao), wild yam root (chuan shan long), sweet geranium ( lao guan cao) and lesser galangal root (gao liang jiang). Other substances can include ox gall bladder (bai niu dan), borneol (bing pian) herb of clarke (san yu cao).

USES: Stops bleeding internally and externally. Can be used internally for heavy menstruation, bleeding ulcers, Ulcerative Colitis, and topically on wounds, including gun shot wounds. There are many other uses listed for Yunnan Baiyao including, but not limited to, carbuncles and arthritic pain. Although I am not endorsing any of the following sites (that also happen to sell the product since I prefer to purchase mine through my licensed acupuncturist) they give more detailed information on the variety of uses: Chinese Medecine Herb , Help Of Chinese Medecine.

HOW TO USE: It would be best to consult with your alternative health practitioner for dosing information and/or follow directions on the box. It's available in powder form, capsule, tincture, plaster and spray. With each vial or packet of capsules comes a small red pill. This should only be used in very severe cases of bleeding where there is the possibility of shock.

For external wounds apply directly to the wound, after cleaning. If the wound is deep, squeeze the wound together, place the powder on top of the wound and release after several minutes.

For internal bleeding take as directed. Usually, 2 capsules 4 times a day for adults. 1 capsule 4 times a day for children ages 5 to 12. (Check with your practitioner for how long you should use this product).

Although I have never used it topically, I can personally attest to the fact that it works in amazing ways to stop internal bleeding. The first time I used the product for a week, and the bleeding stopped very soon after using the product. A few times thereafter, I would notice a small amount of blood, but within a day, it would be gone. It has been over a month and I have not seen any recurrence of bleeding. I do know, that if I do see any, one dose will take care of it.

Normally I am very careful about what I ingest, and the fact that not all the ingredients are listed isn't very appealing, but when one is anemic stopping blood loss is of tantamount importance. I suppose, in this case, what I don't know won't harm me.

WARNINGS: Should not be used if pregnant. Keep out of reach of children. Some brands recommend avoiding broad beans, fish, sour or cold foods for 24 hours after taking.

Manufacturer Disclaimer

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food & Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

The wonders of Holistic medicine

Frasypoo, from This and That blog, is jumping on board with Mind, Body and Spirit. Frasy hails from India and is very knowledgeable about Ayurvedic and Homeopathic remedies, so when she has time, she will be posting about those alternative healing methods.

Ayurveda, like Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), is an ancient system of healing which has helped people for centuries. Homeopathy is relatively newer (from the early 1800s), but equally efficacious. As with allopathic (western) medicine, a certain amount of experimentation is needed, as certain methods will work better on certain people, but it is well worth the effort.

I have always been interested in alternative and complementary medicine, because not only does it work, there are far less risks involved when dealing with herbs etc. The major difference between western and holistic medicine is that western medicine merely treats the symptoms, whereas holistic medicine treats the body, mind and spirit as a whole. Those 3 aspects of our being are inextricably linked, and when one is out of balance, it can adversely affect the other aspects. So when you see a holistic practitioner, they will usually spend about an hour or an hour and a half for the initial consultation. They will ask a series of personal and health-related questions to get an idea of what might be out of sink. Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioners (TCM) will check pulses and your tongue. This enables them to gauge how best to treat you. Unlike, allopathic medicine, it is definitely not a one size fits all kind of treatment.

I have had great success with alternative medicine. About 16 years ago I was diagnosed with severe Ulcerative Colitis (ulceration of the colon), an Auto-Immune disorder with no known cause or cure. Although most western doctors deny that nutrition has any bearing on the dis-ease, I discovered that cheese was always a factor in my flare-ups, so now I refuse to eat it. Thankfully, I have been in remission for 4 plus years, but my last flare-up lasted 9 months on western meds with no end in sight. Fed-up with my Gastroenterologist, who was at a loss as to why his meds weren't helping, I did some research on herbal remedies and opted to try a protocol of Robert's Formula (specifically for U.C.); a product called Intestinew by Renew Life (strengthens the integrity of the lining of the stomach and colon), and George's Roadrunner Aloe Vera juice (healing agent). Even though my doctor insisted herbs would be of no use, within a month I was starting to heal, and within 3 months I was in total remission. I've been fine ever since, without taking anything. That sold me on herbal remedies. Needless to say, I never went back to the doctor.

Then, in December of 2004, I became very ill with Rheumatoid Arthritis, another auto-immune disorder with no cure or known cause. Within 5 short weeks every joint in my body, from my shoulders down, was in excruciating pain. At one point I was hospitalized because they thought I was bleeding internally, from the 6 Advils per day that I was taking, which, by the way, did absolutely nothing for the pain. My SED Rate (the measure of inflammation in one's body) was 121, when I was first diagnosed. Normal is 0 to 20! I could barely walk, couldn't move my arms more than an inch or 2 from my body, because my shoulders froze from lack of use. It was just too darn painful to move them. I wish someone had warned me about the importance of exercise, even when in pain. It's very important to exercise when you have arthritic conditions.

At first, my Rheumatologist wanted to put me on Enbrel (a heavy-duty auto-immune suppressant) claiming my hands would become crippled and deformed if I didn't. Stubborn as I am, I refused. I agreed to take Bextra, but in the meantime I started seeing a TCM/Acupuncturist. I reached a plateau with him, and stopped. Meanwhile, had to have physical therapy (for the frozen shoulders). When I was done with that, I started seeing a Naturopath/Acupuncturist who helped me reach another level of wellness. In the meantime, I started researching and experimenting, on my own, with various herbs. Bextra went off the market, and yet I kept improving with just the herbs and supplements, much to the amazement of my Rheumatologist. My SED rate now fluctuates between 1 and 7, well within the normal range. And my knuckles are as perfect as they always were. Although a major sceptic at first, my Rheumatologist is now a believer, and has even told other patients about my success.

The only downside is that the healing process ,with most natural remedies, often takes longer, and you need to have patience. But for me it was truly well worth it. You also need to thoroughly research the products, so it is usually best to use the guidance of a holistic practitioner if you're not willing to take the risks, particularly if you are on western meds, as well.

The wonderful thing, though, is that there are certain complementary therapies, like acupuncture, that are becoming more widely accepted by the western medical establishment. I think people will benefit greatly from that emerging awareness and acceptance of the benefits of alternative medicine.