A first aid kit

[Guest guest]

Here is an article I had on file... may be of some use to many of you...

great first aid kit, would handle more than just cuts and scrapes. Ideally, I would not include any chemical preparations. The medicines can be all-natural, and will be potent and effective.

1. Antimicrobial healing salve. A comfrey based salve, including herbs such as plantain, St. 's wort, calendula and echinacea, will soothe, accelerate healing, and disinfect. Essential oils such as lavender and rosemary strengthen the effects. Use for any breaks in the skin and for burns. (Do not use initially on puncture wounds, use an antiseptic such as echinacea tincture instead). Gaia makes a good commercially available preparation.

2. Insect repellant. Essential oils (lavender, citronella, eucalyptus, cedarwood, lemon grass, pennyroyal) suspended in a base of water and alcohol, are pleasant smelling to humans and noxious to bugs. The combination works better than the single oils. Make your own or use the all-natural commercial preparations. Note that eating sugar and sweets increases your attractiveness to many insects!

3. Muscle aches and pains liniment for external use: Arnica, witch hazel and St. 's Wort tinctures in combination and essential oils of camphor, eucalyptus, rosemary and clove bud are all excellent. Note that some people are sensitive to arnica: STOP if adverse symptoms result. Do not use arnica on broken skin.

4. Poison Ivy and Poison Oak liniment for external use. Jewelweed (impatiens) neutralizes the Rhus toxin and works well. Use fresh or tinctured, but jewelweed can be hard to find. Other remedies include grindelia, combined with echinacea, calendula and white oak bark.

5. Echinacea tincture. Don't leave home without it. Internal and external antibiotic, provides temporary boost to the immune system. Good in case a cold threatens. Antidotes poison.

6. Ginger capsules. Great remedy for upset stomaches, including motion sickness, morning sickness and gas. Helpful for menstrual cramps. Alternatives: fennel and peppermint.

7. Bentonite clay or charcoal tablets, for diarrhea. These are to assist with detoxification, in case of poisoning. (Of charcoal, take 4 every hour, of bentonite clay, take 1 teaspoon in water, 3-4 times per day). Drink a lot of water.

8. Meadowsweet tincture. Fast acting, anti-inflammatory, pain-killer. Willow bark tea works well.

9. Thyme essential oil. A "must bring" for camping. Two drops in 4 ounces of water for mouthwash for toothache or sore throat. Same recipe used externally for crabs, lice, and all external parasites. Three drops placed in recently boiled water, inhale the steam for cold, flu, or bronchitis.

10. Rescue Remedy. Outstanding emotional support for all trauma. Very safe. Don't leave home without it.

11. Cayenne capsules. Proven styptic. Open and apply externally to stop bleeding. (Yes, it does burn, but it works). It will also warm cold feet, sprinkled inside your boots. Alternative styptics: comfrey and yarrow. Comfrey is perhaps the finest internal anti-hemorrhage we have and is great externally as well, but it recently has come under FDA criticism (read some good herbal texts and decide for yourself.) I prefer to use “Yu nan bai yao” available in Chinatown” .

12. Bug bite and itch relief. Witch hazel, plantain, grindelia, comfrey and St. 's Wort all provide relief from insect bites and general itching. Tinctured combinations of these seem to work best and are applied directly to the skin. Lavender essential oil may be applied directly to the skin and works well. It enhances any tincture combination.

13. Relief from bruises. I think of these as wounds where the skin is unbroken, often accompanied by discoloration. Useful herbs, typically applied topically in tincture form, include Tienchi ginseng, hyssop, myrrh gum, prickly ash bark, cayenne, calendula, comfrey and arnica. Make your own, use the all-natural commercial preparations, or obtain a "dit dat jao" from a Chinese herbalist. Helichrysum italicum essential oil, applied neat, works very well and is non-irritating. Application of the tincture combination, jao, or essential oil immediately following the bruise may prevent the bruise from forming. Do not use these remedies on the eyes or mucous membranes and wash thoroughly after use.

14. The hardware: “Band Aids”, Bandages, 1/2 inch surgical tape, small scissors, single edged razor blade, tweezers, cold pack (cools on impact), ace bandage, bandana. Eye cup (or shot glass). Carry case (soft sided, waterproof for the kit.

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If you are sensitive to any of the suggested remedies, don't use them. Read, listen to your body, and educate yourself. Use common sense and seek additional assistance when necessary.

Suzi

What is a weed? A plant whose virtues have not yet been discovered.

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[Guest guest]

Thanks for the repost on that Suzie, a good reminder. I think

it's time I overhaul my bag. Rather than straight jewelweed I use a

jewelweed/plantain mix that is great on both poison ivy and bugbites.

I like the other stuff you list.