14 Natural Items for Your Alternative First Aid Kit
by
Joseph Mercola
Recently
by Joseph Mercola: One
of the BEST Breakfasts to Eat for Proper Elimination and a Toned,
Muscular Body
Matador Network
has assembled a list of 14 natural items everyone should have on
hand for first aid. Here are a few:
Echinacea
It helps support
a healthy immune system, and has antibacterial and antibiotic properties.
If you start to feel an illness coming on, dosing yourself with
a tincture of echinacea is a good way to help you stay healthy.
Goldenseal
Goldenseal
is a powerful antibacterial, antibiotic, and antiparasitical potion.
In powdered form, it can be applied to open cuts to help them from
getting infected.
All
Heal
All-Heal, Self-
Heal and Heal-All are all common names of a plant that can be used
as an antibiotic, antiseptic, astringent.
Ginger
Both ginger
and peppermint can soothe stomach upsets with remarkable speed.
Arnica
Used externally,
it is wonderful for removing bruises, bringing down puffiness or
swelling, and easing deep aches. Internally, it can be used to alleviate
headaches and help your body recover from trauma.
To see the
rest of the list, you can click on the link below.
Source: Matador
Network April 13, 2011
Dr. Mercola's
Comments:
When you're
in a pinch and need some symptom relief, nature has provided a wonderful
assortment of herbs, spices and other plants that can soothe throbbing
muscles, settle a queasy stomach, give your immune system a boost
and much more.
I say "symptom
relief" because supplements, teas and tinctures are generally only
doing just that ... relieving symptoms as opposed to treating the
underlying causes of the discomfort.
The best "remedy"
is going to be an overall healthy lifestyle that focuses on a nutrient-dense
diet, restriction of fructose to under 25 grams per day, exercise,
toxin avoidance and stress relief, but, that said, natural remedies
certainly can be useful and are typically far less expensive and
toxic than their drug equivalent.
And generally
speaking, opting for a well-established natural folk remedy over
a drug is going to provide you with a far greater safety margin
when you need to treat a symptom. Deaths associated with the use
of dietary supplements or alternative medicine are extremely rare
compared to the death
toll from medical errors and prescription drugs.
Four Simple
Natural Tricks to Keep Up Your Sleeve
The Matador
Network's list is actually quite useful, and offers numerous non-toxic
tips for first-aid purposes.
Some of the
others
not listed above include:
- Clove
oil: When diluted, clove oil can be used to numb your
gums, mouth and teeth during a toothache, which is especially
useful if you can't get in to see your biological dentist right
away. Because clove has anti-bacterial properties it may also
help tooth infections from spreading.
- Neem:
Traditionally used to help soothe skin irritations and support
oral hygiene, neem powder can also be used as a natural insect
repellant or a non-toxic fungus-fighting foot powder. Neem capsules
may also be used internally to help purify your body and offers
benefits that parallel the actions of bitters, tea tree, garlic,
and aloe.
- Licorice
tea: This naturally sweet tea may soothe a sore throat
and help give sluggish digestion a pick-me-up.
- Lavender
Oil: Rub a bit of lavender oil on your temples, under
your nose and on the insides of your wrists for a natural stress
reliever that may also help relieve headache pain and promote
restful sleep. Lavender essential oil is also emerging as a powerful
weapon against fungi.
What Natural
Remedies do I Always Have on Hand
Many of the
ailments you experience can be addressed using very simple, natural
means, many of which I have used personally. The following natural
remedies are at the top of my list for effectiveness, safety and
ease of use, and as a bonus most are very inexpensive.
- Probiotics
for Diarrhea: Probiotics are one of the few supplements
I take on a daily basis, but I also make sure I always bring them
with me when I travel, as using a high-quality probiotic is one
of the most amazingly consistent approaches to managing travelers'
diarrhea I have ever seen.
If you
come down with acute infectious diarrhea, large therapeutic
doses are required -- typically an entire bottle over a day's
time or about one-eighth of a bottle every hour until the problem
is resolved). Most often, the symptoms will subside within four
hours.
- Vitamin
D for the flu: If you are coming down with flu-like symptoms
you can take vitamin D in doses of 50,000 units a day for three
days to treat the acute infection. If you maintain your vitamin
D levels within the optimal range year-round, by getting safe
sun exposure, using a safe tanning bed and/or using an oral vitamin
D3 supplement, you will likely avoid
being affected during the cold and flu season entirely.
- Hydrogen
Peroxide for Colds and Flu: Many patients at my Natural
Health Center have had remarkable results in curing colds
and flu within 12 to 14 hours when administering a few drops of
3 percent hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) into each ear. You will hear
some bubbling, which is completely normal, and possibly feel a
slight stinging sensation.
- Wait until
the bubbling and stinging subside (usually 5 to 10 minutes), then
drain onto a tissue and repeat with the other ear. A bottle of
hydrogen peroxide in 3 percent solution is available at any drug
store for a couple of dollars or less. It is simply amazing how
many people respond to this simple, inexpensive treatment.
- Ginger
for Nausea: You don't need much, typically a piece the
size of your thumbnail works great. Just dice it up finely and
swallow. The fresh root works best. Ginger also has anti-inflammatory
properties and helps protect against bacteria and fungi. Also
eliminates intestinal gas and relaxes and soothes your intestinal
tract, while boosting your immune system.
- Pure
Water for Hiccups: If you have hiccups, have someone
hold down the tragus
of your ear to close off your ear canal while you drink a
FULL glass of water. This has been the single most effective remedy
I have ever used for hiccups. It is the rare occasion where it
doesn't work.
- Hot
and Cold Packs for Pain: I recommend keeping hot &
cold packs at home so you have them the moment you need them,
because ice should be applied as soon as possible to reduce swelling
and thwart inflammation.
Hot
and cold packs are available in all sorts of shapes and sizes,
to accommodate various parts of your body, such as wrists, arms,
knees and elbows.
Other Home
Remedies Worth Trying...
Long before
there was a pill invented to treat virtually every condition, families
valued natural remedies that were passed from one generation to
another. Many of these healing remedies have actually been valued
for hundreds, if not thousands, of years. Among them:
- Olive
leaf extract: Ancient Egyptians and Mediterranean cultures
used it for a variety of health-promoting uses and it is widely
known as a natural, non-toxic immune system builder.
- Vitamin
C: A very potent antioxidant, use a natural form such
as acerola, which contains associated micronutrients. For treating
colds you can take several grams every hour until you are better
unless you start developing loose stools
- Oregano
oil: Also useful for warding of colds, the higher the
carvacrol concentration, the more effective it is. Carvacrol is
the most active antimicrobial agent in oregano oil.
- Propolis:
A bee resin and one of the most broad-spectrum antimicrobial compounds
in the world, propolis is also the richest source of caffeic acid
and apigenin, two very important compounds that aid in immune
response and even fight cancer.
- Cabbage
leaves: For facial bruises, take the large outer leaves
of white cabbage, break the ridges of the leaves and dip them
into very hot water. Then apply to the bruise (but make sure they're
not scalding hot as you put them on your face). Compresses made
from green cabbage leaves can also be used to reduce swelling
from sprains and may help relieve breast engorgement for nursing
moms.
Again, these
folk remedies are not a replacement for a healthy lifestyle, but
in the event you need some relief from an uncomfortable ailment,
natural healing practices of yore often prove to be very safe and
effective.
What are Your
Favorites?
One of the
great benefits of our forum is that it allows us to collect the
wisdom of the community to capture useful information. Users can
vote up or down so hopefully the best posts rise to the top. It
is not a perfect system by any means, but it is the best we can
do for now and it does allow the community wisdom to be shared among
large numbers,
So if you have
any favorites that I missed please feel free to add them to the
comment section below.. If we get enough good ones we can write
another one and include the ones you have found to be great.
May
5, 2011
Copyright ©
2011 Dr. Joseph Mercola
The
Best of Joseph Mercola
|
