Keep These Natural Items on Hand for First Aid

Having a first aid kit on hand can help to bandage up accidents quickly and efficiently. Keeping one in your home is a priority, and having one to keep in the trunk of your car can come in handy, too.

Just to be clear, these tips are for minor cuts and bruises. If someone has been injured, don't delay getting proper medical attention. For other common occurrences that aren't severe, you can keep your natural first aid kit on hand to use at a moment's notice.

Soothe Burns

For those occasions when you accidentally touch the edge of a baking sheet after pulling it out of the oven, resulting in a minor burn: aloe vera gel is a great and natural solution to soothe burns of this type. You can also use calendula, or an oil with St. John's wort; although real aloe vera gel is usually easy to find and keep stashed for these purposes. My preference is to keep an aloe plant in your home, for decoration and purpose.

Calm Seasonal Allergies

When that pollen gets into the air, you might feel pretty miserable. If you want to rely on something more natural, stinging nettle and echinacea can help you. Each of these calms seasonal allergies by reducing inflammatory symptoms so you can get through your day without sneezing up a storm.

Quell the Common Cold

When a cold comes on, if you have lemons or limes on hand, you're halfway to feeling better. Mixing those with raw organic honey, a touch of ground cayenne pepper, and a little warm water can help you to feel better.

Relieve a Pounding Headache

If you're tired of taking too many pain relievers to stop your head from aching, considering stocking up on essential oils instead. Specifically, lavender and peppermint are wonderful when diffused into your air space or even applied to your temples. Be sure to use a high-quality third-party tested oil, so you're sure it's not full of nasty chemicals. I personally recommend Young Living Essential Oils, and can help you obtain them if interested.

Stop Bug Bites from Itching

Bug bites from ants or mosquitoes are bothersome, and hard to avoid in the spring and summer months. Fortunately, if you have that lavender essential oil around, you can apply it directly to the source and relieve that itching pronto.

Fix Tummy Troubles

For anyone who has trouble stomaching over the counter medicines, try candied ginger, ginger extract, or YL ginger essential oil when you feel a bit queasy or have an upset stomach. Ginger is naturally good at helping with digestion and is even safe for pregnant and nursing women. You can also use that peppermint essential oil – a drop in a glass of water will help calm an upset tummy, as well rubbing a bit over the belly area – be sure to wash your hands thoroughly after applying. YL’s DiGize oil can also help.

When you go more natural with your wellness routines, you'll start feeling better overall. Keeping these natural essentials around gives you a safer alternative to calming your ailments.