TORTOISE SHELL health benefits you need to know

Different people have been using the Tortoise shell as both food and medicine since the ancient times. It is used for those purposes since the Han Dynasty, 2000 years ago. Tortoise is one of the four spiritually endowed creatures because they use it as an emblem of strength, longevity, and endurance.

In the Chinese diet, they regard very tenacious animals that act and look unusual as animals with exceptional power; they are supplementing. Animal materials with shell, such as scales, antlers, and skins, are the most commonly used animal substances in Chinese materia medica.

In Chinese Traditional Medicine (TCM), oyster shell is probably the most widely used, followed by Deer antlers, Tortoise shell, and Pangolin scale, with lesser amounts of Donkey skin gelatin and Turtle shell.

Tortoiseshell was described as medicine and has become one of the standard items of materia medica, with consistent use since the earliest recorded medical books.

As a broad-scope Chiropractor, I have used tortoise shell in the management of degenerative disorders. All these materials are rich in collagen and calcium compounds.

Tortoiseshell also contains chondroitin sulfate, a protein-polysaccharide complex (recently used to treat joint degeneration because it is the building block of the cartilage. It comprises mainly glucosamine).

Collagens are the proteins that help determine the overall physical structure of the body. Calcium compounds contribute to the rigidity of the two vessels that run along the medial line (or plane) of the body, the back (yang) and the front (yin).

They mostly used tortoise shell as a medicinal agent in Rehmannia- based formulas that nourish the Yin and blood and settle the Yang.

The Chinese interpretation may have originated by observing the natural materials more than the physiological responses: the antler arises from the back and top of the deer head (yang) and the plastron protects the tortoise underbelly (yin). Traditionally, antlers intensify toning and open the governing vessel (du) while tortoiseshell tones and opens the conception vessel (ren).

In Africa, they separate the shells from the flesh by boiling, then the scales are removed with a knife, the shells are sundry and powdered. Many studies show that the tortoise carapace has twice the amount of extractable gelatin as the plastron, no difference in composition.

Yoruba herbal medicine uses the tortoise shell bottom (plastron) and top (carapace). These shells of the tortoise are burned and processed into fine powder. They improve asthmatic attacks by licking the fine processed powder.

Chinese traditional medicine often includes tortoise shell in their formula for pills, using about 2 grams of shell per daily dose.

Tortoiseshell gelatin serves as a medicine for treating uterine bleeding and hemoptysis associated with tuberculosis.

According to Dui Yao, when the turtle and tortoiseshells are combined, they make yin and yang interact. In addition, together, they enrich yin and clear deficiency heat, subdue yang, extinguish wind and stop tremors.

The best way to use tortoise shells is in powder form. Though the shell is poorly soluble in hot water, yielding a small fraction of the active constituents of the decoction, the stomach acid dissolves the shell in powder form readily, the digestive system also extracts it well.

They can also prepare tortoise shell in decoction form (though the calcium and gelatin will be of small quantity).

A complex formula that includes tortoiseshell, turtle shell, donkey skin gelatin, and deer antler gelatin can aid in treating some disorders listed below;

• soreness and pain of the back and spine.
• enlargement of the joints.
• sore legs.
• painful heels.
• inability to raise the upper limbs.
• difficulty lifting the legs.
• general weakness of the body.

Tortoiseshell also contains Vitamin D, Omega-3 fatty acids.

Wang Weilan, a specialist in arthritis treatment, frequently recommended gelatins to treat deficiency type arthritis.

So, for bone, ligaments, degenerative disorders, tortoiseshell is now an option.