Replenish your home and office first aid kits with natural options.
Keep it well stocked and ready to dip into for any emergency, be it minor or major. Rescue Remedy in my opinion is a must-have in every first aid kit at home, in the office and in every handbag! Here are some other natural favourites for a variety of conditions.
INFECTIONS AND INSECT BITES
Lemon balm, Melissa or tea tree essential oils are effective when used diluted on cold sores and for topical use during fungal infections. Homeopathic remedy favourites include Apis for swollen throats and bee stings and Hepar sulph for septic sores, boils, sinus and earache. Baking soda can be made into a poultice and used on spider bites.
Buchu strengthens resistance to infection due to its antiseptic action. It can be used topically as a gel as well as in capsule, tincture and liquid extract forms. The plant’s gooey gel appears to act as a mild antiseptic that soothes sunburns, mosquito bites and skin rashes. Make sure you choose a product with the highest content of buchu gel. Mix it with a little vitamin E oil as vitamin E is a natural burn healer.
Colloidal silver is antibacterial and anti-fungal. Use it as a throat gargle for throat infections, as a nasal spray for sinus congestion, and apply topically as a gel for skin infections, psoriasis, eczema and even for ringworm. In a recent study, it was shown that colloidal silver gel is 95% effective in killing all bacterial strains tested.1
Aloe ferox in the form of a gel can be applied to the skin to reduce irritation, and restore and maintain elasticity and hydration after sunburn. Read the article on aloe ferox here: The Therapeutic Properties of Aloe Ferox
UPSET TUMMIES, CRAMPS AND CONSTIPATION
Aloe ferox can be taken in juice form as a digestive aid as it helps with heartburn and an irritable bowel. Tissue salt Mag phos, and homeopathic Chamomilla soothe upset tummies, period pains and muscle cramps. For spasms, use Spascupreel tablets.
Natural silicate of aluminium and magnesium used as intestinal adsorbents are very effective and sold in South Africa under the brand name Smecta, a powder that dissolves in water or juice. Colloidal silver can also be taken for food poisoning and tummy bugs in children and adults.
Silverlab’s Daily Immune Booster Liquid is effective at dealing with harmful intestinal germs; and at the same time does not upset the balance of your beneficial intestinal flora. Please note that Colloidal Silver is five times more effective when you hold it in your mouth for a few minutes before swallowing. Take 100 ml undiluted at the onset of gastrointestinal symptoms (i.e. nausea and/or diarrhoea). Do not eat or drink for 20 minutes. Then swallow 50 to 100 ml three times a day until symptoms clear. If symptoms do not improve, or if they deteriorate or signs of dehydration occur, please consult a healthcare professional immediately.
Flaxseed works well as a constipation-relief remedy. Take one or two tablespoons orally and swallow down with a glass of water. Another excellent product for constipation is the botanical remedy Oxy-Colon Cleanse.
URINARY TRACT INFECTIONS (UTIs)
Buchu oil caps and cranberry extract (I recommend the the supplement Ellura) treat UTIs and help relieve the burning sensation when urinating. Baking soda is a good remedy to keep on hand for urinary track infections or severe heartburn.
NAUSEA
Nux vomica (homeopathic remedy) relieves nausea, digestive upsets and hangovers. Pegasus has a lovely combination remedy for nausea, diarrhoea and vomiting. For projectile vomiting, homeopathic Ipecac is very effective. The remedy TravelRite, is another effective option in treating nausea. Each tablet contains 20% high-quality standardised ginger extract. Here is our review on Travelrite: Product Review – TravelRite
SORE THROATS, COUGHS AND COLDS
Echinacea is a must-have before and during cold and flu season as a preventative. If you do end up with a sore throat, try Echinacea tincture and salt-water gargle. Another favourite sore throat remedy is the Similasan Sore Throat Relief spray.
Buchu, due to its antimicrobial and antiseptic qualities, strengthens resistance to infection thereby helping fight the common cold.
The following homeopathic preparations are good to have on hand:
Spongia for spasmodic cough and croup will respond to aconite followed by Spongia 20 minutes later and Hepar sulph 30 minutes later, if still needed.
I love using B.O.N.’s Anti-Bacterial Eucalyptus Spray as air spray in the bedroom of someone battling a bacterial infection. It also helps keeps mosquitos at bay!
FEVERS AND TEETHING
The following homeopathic remedies work well for pain, fevers and irritability: aconite for sudden fevers and chills, belladonna eases fever and sunstroke, Chamomilla for all symptoms associated with teething.
Clove oil is effective for toothache if applied on cotton wool, but do not give it to a child. It cannot have contact with the gum as it is extremely dermal abrasive! It can damage tissue, but kept on a tooth you will find its analgesic and antiseptic properties exceptional.
EARACHE
Hexal’s ACC fizzies (N-acetyl cysteine) are wonderful to use as soon as symptoms start. They thin the mucus so that it doesn’t build up causing pain and pressure, but runs out instead. Calendula tea can be applied to a cotton swab and applied to the outer ear to treat swimmer’s ear.
NOSEBLEEDS
A hypertonic solution or gel helps stop a nosebleed by encouraging the natural blood clotting process. Talking of bleeding, applied topically, cayenne powder helps stop bleeding rapidly.
BRUISES, SPRAINS AND BURNS
Arnica applied topically relieves bruising and sprains and orally in tablet or pillule form. Rhus tox (homeopathic remedy) helps relieve sprains.
Lavender oil not only helps soothe scrapes, abrasions, insect bites or minor lacerations but is a brilliant go-to for burns. Honey can be spectacularly effective for severe burns and is the basis of a therapy in China that has attracted much attention from doctors in the West. It is soothing, antiseptic and healing. Opt for one of the medicinal honeys such as manuka honey from New Zealand.
Fix is a natural wound dressing spray made from St John’s wort oil, neem oil and olive oil.
Caution: Please make sure your essential oils are between six months (citrus oils) and two years (sandalwood) old. Fresh oils need to be used because essential oils all contain terpenes and therefore they don’t last very long. Old oils can cause severe skin irritation.
Editor's note: Another article that may be of interest is Remedies Every Home Should Have and an article on Colloidal Silver.
Reference
- Phat Tran et al: The in vitro Efficacy of Betadine Antiseptic Solution and Colloidal Silver Gel Combination in Inhibiting the Growth of Bacterial Biofilms, American Journal of Infection Control (2022). DOI: 10.1016/j.ajic.2022.04.002
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