Natural healing ointment, insect repellent, and sanitizer can be a great addition to your first aid kit. When at home, or traveling, summer time activity can lead to many situation that require quick attention for treating common ailments that might effect your family.

Making your own natural remedies can be fun, save you money, and is a safe alternative to the over the counter products we buy. By making them yourself is also a way of assuring the highest quality.

All of these items are available in health food stores

First aid ointment
4-tablespoon base/carrier oil, sweet almond oil
3-teaspoon beeswax
3-teaspoon cocoa butter
2- teaspoon anhydrous lanolin (because I’m allergic to lanolin, I use plain old Vaseline instead.)
1- Vitamin E capsule (puncture to release oil)
20- drops lavender oil
15- drops sandalwood oil
Combine sweet almond oil, beeswax, cocoa butter and lanolin (Vaseline) and heat thoroughly in the top of a double boiler. Remove from heat. Add vitamin, lavender, and sandalwood oil, and beat well. Pour into a container, let cool before caping. This recipe should last up to a year.

Insect repellent spray
1oz dark spray bottle
¼ oz Witch hazel
3-drops lemon thyme oil
2-drops peppermint oil
3-drops lemon grass oil
3-drops lavender oil
3-drops citronella oil
¾ oz distilled water
Pour witch hazel into bottle, add essential oils, shake well, then add water, shake well again, spray lightly on skin or clothing, avoiding the eye area.
Remember to always perform a skin test, to avoid allergic reactions to the essential oils.

A drop of undiluted tea tree oil has a powerful antiseptic property to help ease pain from all bug bites.

Several essential oils can be a deterrent for bugs, as a refreshing alternative to chemical repellent, you can just simple, put a few drops of essential oil on your clothes, sleeping bag, hat, or tent. It does not have to be on your skin to keep insects away. Citronella, Eucalyptus, Peppermint, and Lemon Grass, are great to use.

Citronella, lemon grass and peppermint oil works great as an environmental repellent and can be diffused through out the rooms of your home or hotel room. Fill the bathroom sink with hot water and add a few drops of these oils. As the steam dispenses into the rooms the sent will act as a deterrent to keep those insects away.

Toilet seat sanitizer
Add a few drops of lavender, eucalyptus, and peppermint to a paper towel and wipe, works on basins, and tubs. You can prepare your sanitizer ahead of time by adding a few drops of the oils to a cotton ball or paper towel then place them in a plastic bag. This is a great traveling companion.

If, by chance you are caught with out your first aid kit, find a plantain plant. It is also a good idea to teach your children how to recognize this plant/weed and how to use it, just in case your not around, for those little bumps, scrapes, and bee stings.
Plantain is a common “weed” found everywhere and anywhere. You can recognize it growing on your neighborhood sidewalks, fields, lawns, backyards, gardens, and roadsides.
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How to use plant remedy:
Pick a few leaves of plantain. Try to gather it away from the side of the road and where chemicals have not been sprayed. However, in an emergency, use what you can find. You can mash a few leaves into a poultice and apply to a wound or you can chew on the leaves. Keep the plant leaves in the front of your mouth. Then take out and put on your on affected area then hold it on the hurt area for a few minutes until you feel relief. Repeat if necessary.

HOMEOPATHIC
For best absorption do not eat or drink for at least 10 minutes before or after taking. In addition any kind of mint should be taken a few hours before or after taking homeopathic medicine; it can counter act the absorption
{mint gum, mint toothpaste, mint lip-gloss, anything mint.}

No first aid kit would be complete without the following:

Apis- Relieves stinging, burning, and swelling after a bee sting or insect bite and is also recommended for sunburns and skin irritations.

Arnica- Often the first medicine given after an injury to counter bruising swelling, and tenderness.

Calendula- Promotes healing of minor cuts and scrapes, cools sunburns and relieves skin irritations.

Vitamin E- Squeezed directly from the capsule for wounds and burns will relieve pain in a few minutes and helps prevent scaring.
Vitamin A- Squeezed directly from the capsule will help prevent or heal an infection. One application should help pain, swelling, and other reactions from insect bites.

Make sure your first add kit always contains the essentials. Many times we forget to replace what we've already used. Adding a few extras, like natural remedies, can only make you more prepared.



The information provided is for informational purpose only.
Always inform your physician of any new alternative medicine
you might be considering before self-treatment.