14 Natural Items for Your Alternative First Aid Kit

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:

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. Licorice tea: This naturally sweet tea may soothe a sore throat and help give sluggish digestion a pick-me-up.
4. 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:

1. 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.
2. 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
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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.