Natural First Aid Essentials

We've been using natural remedies to treat minor first aid ailments for a few years and have learnt a lot along the way. Our bodies have incredible healing abilities and more often than not, just need a little bit of assistance to heal. There is nothing quite like feeling capable and confident in managing your families health and you really only need a few basic essentials in order to do so.

1. Calendula tincture.

You can either buy or make your own calendula tincture (it is ridiculously easy to DIY) and it is invaluable to have on hand at home. It's important to correctly dilute your tincture to a ratio of 1:4 (tincture:pure water) before use. You can use diluted calendula tincture for cuts, scratches, small wounds, conjunctivitis, or other eye irritants. It is safe to use on pets as well as humans and is also suitable for all ages.

2. Bandaids

This is obviously a no-brainer but we personally use and love the Patch brand of bandaids (strips) because they are biodegradable and also help heal the wound naturally. They come in a few variants, coconut oil, aloe vera, standard and activated charcoal.

3. Golden Balm

Golden Balm is a soothing balm containing Goldenseal, Myrhh and Calendula. It is excellent for all skin irritants, cuts and scratches and we use it all the time. We purchase ours from Nimbin Apothecary.

4. A homeopathic kit

I attended a homeopathic first aid course a few years and purchased a kit from the teacher. To say it has been invaluable is an understatement! I use it so regularly and for all sorts of maladies that crop up. It saved us thousands of dollars in vet bills when our dog became poisoned when he ate macadamia nuts that caused paralysis in his back legs (Arsenica Album cleared it up in just a few hours), we rarely get sick as we take a remedy at the first sign of any colds or illness, I have used it to combat the lows of parenthood (Sepia is a must have for all mums!) and we love that it is so portable and easy to take with us wherever we go.

5. Essential Oils

We love the Easy Air oil blend from doTerra and find it the best one for immediately easing a stuffy nose and helping to clear up a runny nose. It is especially effective when diffused at night to help us breathe if we have a cold and I have no idea what we would do without it!

6. Ichthammol Ointment

This drawing salve is excellent for splinters or glass shards that are hard to get out with tweezers. We simply place a small amount on the item we want drawn out, cover with a bandaid and leave overnight or longer if needed. Its especially great for the kids as they don't need to go through painful removals with tweezers.

7. Echinacea Tincture

Echinacea is an excellent blood cleanser and works well at the start of any cold and flu symptoms. Take about 10-20 drops three rimes daily at the onset of symptoms and stop once symptoms have disappeared. This is another super easy tincture to make yourself, just be sure to use the whole plant (both roots and leaves) for a more well-rounded medicine.