Do you remember in the movie “My big fat greek wedding” the father of the protagonist who tries to treat everyone and everything with a spray type Vetrix? Here I am a bit ‘as the Tiger Balm. Just that someone is complaining about some pain or pain in childbirth and I suffered in the fourth to decant this remedy, which, especially when I travel, I always with me so I understand it very easy and quick stick his hand in the bag, pull out the tiny jar and put it under the nose of pain relative, lover, friend, colleague, acquaintance, passer, “but you who the hell are you?”.
I must admit, however, that personally I found out later this ointment because, although I had heard a lot about it from a friend of mine, I never found the situation to prove it and I had never bought. Then I went to Asia.
There, a French girl with whom I had made friends invited me to applying a little ‘of her to relieve colds and headaches that struck me after an experience of extreme caving. I remember that I opened a large barattolone (her, taken by the enthusiasm of finding him made by hand, had bought the format “for the rest of my life”) and smelled a smell that brought me immediately to my childhood and my mother I pomatina He puts on the chest before going to sleep when I was affected (those born in the 80s sfebbravano between Tylenol, Vicks VapoRub and cartons Pollon). I applied it a little bit at the temples and on the chest and, in a short, I went to the hostel dall’aggirarmi like a ninety year old woman being ready again – okay, let’s say almost ready – to share with backpackers for the next destination.
The next was to buy the balm for me and the one next poison everyone else praising him.
What is Tiger Balm?
It is an ointment created in Rangoon, Burma, in 1870 at the hands of the herbalist Aw Chu Kin mixing Chinese camphor, cloves, menthol and other oils. It is said that Aw, on his deathbed, he asked his sons Boon Haw and Aw Boon Haw Par to perfect his work and they did once spostatisi in Singapore where he still the Haw Par Corporation Limited operates the world market balm Tiger, although you begin to find some copies on the market.
The name “Tiger Balm” is derived from that of a son “Boon Haw”, which in Chinese means “tiger”, animal symbol of power and strength, so the choice to aid the balm was almost predictable. It must be said, by the way, that very ancient Chinese doctors were using tiger bones crumble in ointments that prepared because they believe that anti-inflammatory properties.
It is available in two versions:
- the Tiger Balm or cold white, lighter, treats diseases considered cold in traditional Chinese medicine (eg headaches and nasal congestion) and relieves the itching of mosquito bites,
- Balm Tiger hot or red, stronger, cold cure ailments such as muscle aches, rheumatism and joint.
It is to avoid the application on open wounds, eczema, in case of allergies to one of the ingredients or pregnancy.
In the East, the cost of a jar is around 1 euro, in Italy around 3. Typically has a deadline that has lasted two years, but there are also up to five storable.
What else? Seeing is believing. I, meanwhile, I put it in my backpack and I carry around the world.
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