A lot of people on my Christmas list got homemade lotion this year, and it couldn’t be simpler to make.

You can customize your lotion to your skin type and desired scent, and you can even make it for baby (calendula and chamomile…)

There are endless variations, but some of my favorites are:

• Calendula and Chamomile for baby
• Rosewater and Almond Oil
• Peppermint, Wintergreen and Ginger for sore muscles
• Coconut and Calendula for face
• Mint and green tea
• Lavender and vanilla

I’ve included my basic recipe below. You can customize by making different herbal bases in the liquid, using different oils, or even using cocoa butter or shea butter for half of the oil if you like more of a body butter consistency.

Organic Homemade Lotion Basic Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup of oil of choice (almond and coconut are good choices- coconut will make more of a body butter texture)
• 1 tablespoon of beeswax
• 1/3 cup distilled water, or brewed herbal infusion of choice (To make: boil distilled water, add herbs you are using and let sit until mostly cool)
• 1 tsp Vitamin E oil (important-to preserve)
• Essential oils of choice (optional)

How to Make:

1. In a double boiler (use an old bowl over a small saucepan that has water in it) put the oil and beeswax and stir over medium heat until the beeswax has just melted.
2. Remove from heat, add the vitamin E oil and essential oils and stir to combine.
3. Make sure water or herbal infusion is slightly warm but not hot (important step or the lotion won’t emulsify)
4. Put the water/herbal infusion in a blender or food processor and turn on high.
5. VERY SLOWLY add the oil mixture, starting with a drop at a time.
6. Continually drizzle the oil mixture into the blender until all poured in.
7. Check consistency and blend more if needed.
8. Store in a glass jar (or pump bottle if you use almond oil and have a thin enough consistency). Lasts up to two-months out of the fridge or up to 6 months in the fridge.

Ever made your own lotion? How did it go? Let me know below!!

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The winner of the OraWellness Brushing Blend and toothbrushes is…

Ryan1Deborah

They’ve been emailed that they won and have 48 hours to claim the prize.

For those of you who didn’t win… OraWellness is offering a great discount/chance to get toothbrushes for free.

For the rest of the month, you will get a free toothbrush for every bottle of Brushing Blend that you purchase, and a family pack of Bass brushes for every 3-Pack of Brushing Blend. (The three pack is Buy 2, get 1 free already!)

I’ve seen great results from using Brushing Blend along with my remineralizing toothpaste, and I hope that this offer will allow you to try it out too!

Just enter “Wellness Mama Free Brush Offer” in the notes at checkout over at OraWellness and they will include the free toothbrushes for you!

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Because of the great response (you guys are amazing!) OraWellness agreed to extend a special offer to Wellness Mama readers.

Even if you don’t win the giveaway tonight, they are offering a FREE Bass toothbrush with the purchase of every bottle of Brushing Blend and a family pack of FREE toothbrushes with every 3-pack of Brushing Blend.

These toothbrushes are much gentler than regular toothbrushes, since they have rounded bristles rather than the rough bristles on regular toothbrushes.

This is a savings of $2.75 with every single bottle and $10 with every 3-pack offer (which is a really good deal since the 3-pack is buy 2 get 1 free already!). They’ve offered a single free toothbrush before, but they’ve never offered a whole free family pack, so this is a great offer and I’m stocking up

This offer will be available now through January 31, 2012. To get your free brushes, just enter “Wellness Mama Free Brush Offer” in the note field when checking out and they will include the free brushes.

Click here to get the free brushes!

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I tried the “no-poo” method, which has great results for some, but did not work on me at all (and I have some terrible Christmas pictures to prove it!). If you have coarse hair that isn’t naturally oily, this method may be great for you! I have baby-fine hair and it didn’t work for me.

I also missed the foaming aspect of shampoo (I know… the “foam” in regular shampoo is made by chemicals and detergents…)

I tried plain liquid castille soap, which left a tangled mess, and I tried a bunch of homemade recipes that didn’t work well at all.

Finally, at the inspiration of a natural coconut milk (scented) shampoo that I love, I’ve finally found a recipe that I’m happy with and that doesn’t leave my hair tangled, oily or both.

It works on kids hair too (that’s a picture of my daughter’s newly washed hair) though it isn’t tear free, so watch the eyes!

It’s such an easy recipe that I can’t believe it took me this long to think of it…

Secret ingredient: Coconut Milk!

Natural Homemade Shampoo Recipe:

• 1/4 cup coconut milk (this is my favorite that is organic and BPA free) but any will work UPDATE: a couple of readers mentioned that the canned stuff did not work well for them, but that homemade coconut milk worked great… Depending on your hair type, homemade may be better for you)
• 1/3 cup Liquid Castille Soap (like Dr. Bronners)
• 1/2 of a teaspoon (or several capsules) of Vitamin E oil
• 20 drops of Essential Oils of choice (I’ve used peppermint, lavender, rosemary and orange or combinations of those)
• For dry hair: add 1/2 tsp olive or almond oil (optional)

How to Make Natural Shampoo:

1. Combine all ingredients in an old shampoo bottle or jar of some kind (pump soap dispensers and even foaming dispensers work well for this. If you use a foaming dispenser, add 1/4 cup of distilled water)
2. Shake well to mix.
3. Keep in shower for up to a month.
4. Shake before each use.
5. Use about a teaspoon every time you shampoo.
6. If you use a foaming dispenser, it also makes a great shaving cream- just dilute with 1/4 cup distilled water!

Ever made your own shampoo? Gone “no-poo?” How’d it go? Share below!

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I even shared a way to whiten teeth naturally using one natural substance…

Last year, I found OraWellness products and they’ve been part of my oral health regimen since this. I’m using their products yo help remineralize my husband’s cavity, and other relatives have been having great success with using their products to help receding gums and gum disease.

I use their products daily (and keep a bottle of their brushing blend in my purse as a breath freshener) so I was excited when the founders of Ora Wellness, Will and Susan, agreed to let me share their brushing blend and toothbrushes with you guys.

Will and Susan have become friends over the last few months (they like kettlebells too!) and they are a great resource if any of you have oral health questions. Susan reversed advanced gum disease in her own mouth, and they are now committed to helping others improve their oral health.

The Giveaway:

One reader will win a bottle of their Brushing Blend (It lasts a long time!) and a family pack of their Bass toothbrushes. The brushing blend has a great minty/cinnaminny (is that a word?) taste and the brushes are noticeably different than regular toothbrushes. Check out all of their products over at Ora Wellness.

How To Enter:

1. Sign up for my mailing list (in the right sidebar), and the OraWellness mailing list. If you are already signed up for both, that counts…

2. After you are signed up, leave a comment below about what your biggest oral health challenge is.

3. That’s all!

The Rules:

• Contest is open to all U.S. residents until 11:59 pm, CST on January 20, 2012 (one week!)… enter soon!
• Winner will be chosen at random from comments below using Random.org and notified via email. Winner will have 48 hours to claim prize or it will be awarded to another entrant at my discretion.
• Approximate value of giveaway is $35.
• Must be subscribed to both mailing lists and leave a comment below to enter.
• Enter a comment below is considered agreement with the Official Rules of this giveaway.
• OraWellness is providing the prize at no cost to me, and I am not being paid to sponsor this giveaway. All views and opinions are my own.

Ever tried OraWellness products? What is your biggest health challenge? Share below!

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I used Activated Charcoal a few months ago when I had an awful bout of food poisoning, and it worked wonders! This is actually the substance that many hospitals have on hand and use when patients have ingested toxins or when they pump patients’ stomachs. It is available as a loose powder and in capsule form (see notes below!)

Activated charcoal is a highly absorbant substance. It removes toxins when they adhere to the surface of the charcoal. It is not absorbed by the body, but passes through the GI system, so chemicals and toxins adhere to it, pass through the body and are expelled by the digestive system.

In the 1800s, two men took lethal doses of poisons (including arsenic) and survived without harm… their secret: they mixed the toxins with activated charcoal powder. (Stating the obvious: do not try to repeat these experiments!)

Activated charcoal is extremely effective at pulling toxins from household chemicals, ingested medicines, and other toxins from the body, especially when taken within 30 minutes of ingestion. For this reason, it is a great first treatment for any kind of poisoning, but should not be taken within several hours of medications (or even vitamins) that DO need to be absorbed.

There is even some evidence that activated charcoal is helpful both before and after alcohol consumption to lessen the amount that is absorbed by the body.

Even mainstream medical sites are on board with the benefits of using activated charcoal for a poison remedy.

Should you ever need to use activated charcoal on yourself of a child for poisoning, use as soon as possible and call a poison control center or go to the emergency room as well to make sure the poison has been fully removed!

In the event of ingestion of poison, 1-2 tablespoons of activated charcoal can be mixed with water and drank quickly. Charcoal should not be taken regularly, as it can cause constipation and block mineral absorption if it is not needed. Also, it can’t be mixed with dairy products or many foods, as they lower its effectiveness. If you have to use it for a case of poisoning, just mix it with water and drink… it doesn’t taste like anything. This dose can be repeated up to 3 times a day until symptoms of food poisoning or other poison are gone.

Important note: If you have to take charcoal, make sure to drink a lot of water as it can cause dehydration if taken in large doses!

Activated charcoal is also effective externally as a poultice on spider and insect bites. I tried this when my son was bitten by a brown recluse, and alternating poltices of activated charcoal, baking soda, and powdered plantain completely reversed the bite and he doesn’t even have a scar now.

Activated charcoal is also the stuff used in gas masks and water filters to remove toxins.

But what does that have to do with teeth?

So, it’s all well and good that activated charcoal is an effective poison remedy… but you might be wondering why I brushed my teeth with it…

First, please excuse my weird smile in those pictures and the bad lighting in my bathroom… I was  trying to show all of my teeth (I don’t usually smile like that!).

The times that I’d recommended charcoal for use in food poisoning or other digestive issues, I always cautioned people to mix with water and swallow quickly so that it wouldn’t stain their teeth. Then, a holistic dentist I know mentioned that it is very effective at whitening teeth… huh?

Since the powder stains everything, I had always worried that it would do the same to my teeth (one of my kids dumped it in the kitchen one time and it does stain tile, grout, clothes and shoes… just a note).

I did some research and found out that even though it temporarily makes the mouth look extremely black (see picture above!) it has the same effect as it does when ingested: it pulls toxins from the mouth and removes stains. (Fair warning: when you open your mouth, it is completely black and rather scary looking! Right after I did this the first time I was intensely worried that it would stain my teeth!)

To my surprise, all of the black washes away and it makes your teeth feel extremely clean and smooth. After a few uses, my teeth were noticeably whiter too (you can sort of tell in the picture above… the lighting didn’t do it justice!).

Further research I’ve done on this showed that activated charcoal can actually be helpful in changing the pH and health of the mouth, and as such is effective in preventing cavities and killing the bad bacteria present in tooth decay and gingivitis. For this reason, I now suggest and use it as part of my remineralizing protocol for teeth, along with my remineralizing toothpaste.

How to use on teeth: Dip a clean, wet toothbrush into the powdered charcoal (or dump a capsule of charcoal on the toothbrush). Lean over the container or charcoal and quickly put the charcoal covered toothbrush in the mouth (this is to protect your sink). Brush in small, gentle circles for 2 minutes, spit carefully and rinse really well. Your mouth will feel amazingly clean…. your sink, not so much! Use as often as needed.

Quick Reference of Uses:

• For food poisoning: Take 1-2 tablespoons in a glass of water (most effective way) or take a lot (6 or more) capsules of the powder. This can be repeated up to three times in a day and is safe for children as well. The only dangers are dehydration or mineral loss over the long term, so don’t take for extended periods of time and drink water. If any type of poisoning occurs, contact poison control or your local emergency room even if you successfully use the charcoal. Has been used for ingestion of household chemicals, medicines and other household toxins.
• For skin infection, spider bites, insect bites and other skin lesions: Make a paste of charcoal and water and either place directly on the skin, or inside a piece of sterile gauze and place over the wound. This can be changed hourly and should pull toxins from the wound. Note: On open wounds, some people report that it can be absorbed and create a tattoo like effect when skin heals, though I did not have this experience when I used on my son, and even this seemed preferable to the oozing bite that was developing.
• For teeth: Dip wet toothbrush in charcoal powder, brush gently for 2 minutes and rinse well. Repeat as needed.

Where to get Activated Charcoal:

Most natural health stores carry activated charcoal in loose powderor capsule form and it is also available online. I keep both the powdered and capsuled forms on hand in case it is needed for poisoning and I use the powdered in a small glass jar for tooth brushing. Make sure that the charcoal is from wood or coconut sources and not petroleum based. This is one of the highest quality forms I’ve found and it is made from coconut hulls.

I’d definitely recommend trying this as part of your oral health routine, and even if you don’t I suggest having some activated charcoal on hand at all times for food poisoning or accidental ingestion of toxins.

What do you think? Am I crazy… would you try it for whitening your teeth? Tell me below!

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FACT: Sugar is not good for your intestines!

FACT: Sugar can be very good for your skin…

Those expensive sugar scrubs you see in department stores and spas… they cost pennies to make! Sugar scrubs are a simple beauty recipe with countless variations, and they can be incredibly moisturizing and exfoliating to the skin.

If you are new to making your own beauty products (or even if you are a veteran natural beauty alchemist) I highly encourage you to try out these sugar scrub recipes.

They can be used on face, body or (especially) feet for silky skin. You can add endless ingredients for your desired outcome, and they take under ten minutes to make.

Convinced yet?

Here’s The Basic Recipe:

Use 2 parts sugar (regular white or brown sugar work great) to 1 part oil (almond, olive and coconut are great), add 1/2 tsp Vitamin E oil (or the gel from a few capsules), add other optional ingredients, and mix well.

Sound simple? It is!

Here are a few of my favorite combinations:

• Pumpkin Pie Scrub: 1 cup of brown sugar, 1/2 cup coconut oil, 1/2 tsp vitamin E oil and 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spices (or just 1/2 tsp cinnamon)
• Vanilla Brown Sugar Scrub: 1 cup brown sugar, 1/2 cup almond oil, 1/2 tsp Vitamin E oil and 1 tsp real vanilla extract
• Lemon Hand Scrub (for after washing dishes): 1 cup white sugar, 1/2 cup olive oil, 1/2 tsp vitamin E oil, 15-20 drops (or more) of lemon or orange essential oil
• Vanilla Lavender Relaxing Facial Scrub: 1 cup white sugar, 1/2 cup almond oil, 1/2 tsp Vitamin E oil, 1/2 tsp real vanilla extract and 15 drops lavender essential oil

These last on the counter for up to 2 months (or more) and smell good enough to eat… Actually, they are good enough to eat, but don’t… sugar is bad for your intestines!

Ever made your own sugar scrub or facial products? What is your favorite combination? Let me know below!

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When you switch to natural cleaning, you can’t just spray it all with “Shout” and call it a day… so what to do?

Borrowing some wisdom from my grandma’s era, I compiled a helpful list of effective stain treatments for various types of stains. I keep this list handy when I’m doing laundry, and I’ve included a printable version in case it will be helpful to you too.

Here’s an overview:

- Always treat stains from the back, rather than the front, to avoid rubbing the stain in more.

-My Homemade Baby Wipes can be kept in a small Ziplock bag and make a great pre-treat spot remover on the go.

-For Ink or Paint Stains: Soak in rubbing alcohol for 30 minutes or (ink only) spray with hair spray and wash out.

-Tea or Coffee Stains: Immediately pour boiling water over the stain until it is gone, or if it is already set, scrub with a paste of borax and water and wash immediately.

-Grass stains: Scrub with liquid dish soap or treat with a 50/50 Hydrogen Peroxide and water mix

-Mud stains: Let dry and brush off what you can, then scrub with a borax/water paste and wash immediately

-Tomato Based Stains: Treat with white vinegar directly on the stain and wash immediately.

Dingy Whites or Underarm Deodorant Stains: Soak the stain directly in a mix of 50/50 hydrogen peroxide and water for 30 minutes and then add 1 cup of hydrogen peroxide to the wash water.

-Other Food Stains: Treat with a mix of 50/50 Hydrogen Peroxide and water and soak.

-Grease and Oil Stains: Sprinkle the stain with dry baking soda to remove any loose oil or grease and brush off. Then, soak in undiluted white vinegar for 15 minutes, rinse and scrub with liquid dish soap before washing

-Vomit, Urine, Poop, Blood, Egg, Gelatin, Glue or other protein based stains: DO NOT WASH IN WARM WATER!!!!! This will set in the smell. Soak in cool water and then wash with an added mixture of 1/2 cup hydrogen peroxide and 1/2 cup baking soda in the washing machine.

Here is a printable version of the infographic above. Click to download.

What’s your best natural stain treating trick? Please share below! My kids could put it to the test….

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For babies and small children especially, treatment options are limited, but congestion and coughing can really interfere with their ability to sleep well.

We used to keep regular Vicks Vapor Rub and the Baby version on hand for illnesses, until I realized that it had PETROLEUM in it.. yuck!

In the name of not consuming or slathering our skin with anything that is more beneficial to a car engine… I’ve been making this really easy homemade version ever since.

If you don’t have the ingredients or don’t want to take the time to make this recipe, mixing the essential oils with coconut oil works almost as well. All ingredients for the recipe below  (including tins or lip chap containers to keep it in) are available here.

Vapor-Rub Ingredients:

•  1/2 cup olive oil or almond oil
• 2 level tablespoons of beeswax pastilles
• 20 drops of Eucalyptus Oil
• 20 drops Peppermint Oil
• 10 drops Rosemary Oil
• 10 drops cinnamon or clove oil (optional)

How To Make Vapor Rub:

1. Melt beeswax with olive oil/almond oil in a double boiler or in the microwave until just melted.
2. Add the essential oils (use half the amount for a baby version or dilute with coconut oil before using)
3. Stir until well mixed and pour into some type of container with a lid to store. Little tins work well, as do small jars. I also always make a few in lip chap sticks to keep in my purse or use on baby feet.

What are your tried and true remedies for beating illnesses? Ever made your own remedies? Tell me about it below!

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Despite our best attempts to live a healthy and toxin free life, there are times when illness or injury strike. In some of these cases (like trauma) conventional medical treatment is certainly warranted and I’m certainly grateful that medical treatment is available if needed.

But what about the times when the illness or injury is not life threatening, but merely uncomfortable or limiting? While our first instinct (especially as parents) may be to get medication to mediate symptoms, there are often natural remedies that don’t interfere with the body’s own immune responses and which can help ease uncomfortable symptoms.

Many of these natural remedies can also be used in the comfort of your own home, rather than having to take yourself or your ill or injured child to a doctor and expose them (and  others) to more illness.

The following is a list of what is in my “First Aid Kit” and is a combination of remedies I’ve tested myself, ones suggested by a naturopathic doctor, and ones that I hope to never need! Please note that I am not a doctor and don’t play one on the internet, so this list is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be used as a replacement when medical attention is needed!

Herbs in My First Aid Kit:

Note: Almost all of the below herbs are available here and are good quality. Since they are just loose herbs, they do take preparation in some cases, but buying them here is a less expensive alternative to capsules or pre-made remedies. I personally get most of my herbs this way and make my own tinctures and salves. If you decide to order through Mountain Rose Herbs, just use the search box in the top right hand corner to find the herbs you’d like to order.

Activated Charcoal: For acute use in food poisoning, intestinal illness, vomiting, diarrhea, ingestion of toxins, etc. Also keep the local poison control number on hand in case a child ingests a toxic substance and immediately take a child to the hospital if he/she has swallowed a battery or magnet!

Arnica- Topical creme used for muscle pain or injury, bruises or any type of trauma. We’ve found that it greatly reduced healing time or bruises and sore muscles when used topically right after injury. Not for internal use or use on open cuts.

Cayenne Powder- Though this is a good addition to many foods, it is even better to have in a medicine cabinet. I keep a few cayenne capsules in my purse as well. Topically, cayenne powder helps stop bleeding rapidly. I’ve read cases of it being taken internally during heart attacks to increase blood flow and help clear blockage, though thankfully, I’ve never had to test this one. It is also a useful remedy to take internally during illness as it increases blood flow and speeds recovery.

Chamomile- I order this in bulk from Mountain Rose Herbs (and keep in the freezer). I use it to make a relaxing tincture that helps calm kids if they are ill or just have trouble sleeping. The tincture also works wonders on teething gums. The dried flowers can also be made into a poultice with some gauze and placed on an eye for 15 minutes every hour to reverse pinkeye rapidly (usually works in a couple of hours). Brewed as a tea, chamomile is a relaxing drink at night and the tea can be cooled and rubbed on the stomach of colicky infants to help sooth them. I sometimes add some brewed chamomile tea to the kid’s bath as it is great for the skin and promotes relaxation. I keep the tincture in my purse at all times.

Comfrey-An external herb that promotes healing from injuries and broken bones. A poultice made with plantain and comfrey that is placed on a wound can greatly reduce the healing time and help prevent and reverse infection. I make a homemade “neosporin” with this and other herbs and use it on bug bites, cuts, bruises and poison ivy. It is available here and it is best to keep the dried herb on hand for poultices and homemade salves.

Eucalyptus Herb and Essential Oil- I keep on hand for respiratory type problems. We use eucalyptus herb in a face steam for congestion or sinus troubles and I make a mild (and petroleum free) version of Vapo-Rub for coughing and respiratory illness. The essential oil can be diluted with coconut oil or olive oil and be applied externally to the feet and chest to help open nasal passageways.

Ginger Capsules- Ginger is great for nausea, reflux, stomach trouble and morning sickness. I also keep some in the car for motion sickness. It helps sooth the stomach after a digestive illness or food poisoning.

Echinacea- I keep a homemade echinacea tincture on hand for severe illnesses. I don’t use it as a first resort, but it is helpful in prolonged illnesses.

Peppermint Herb and Essential Oil- Another great digestive herb. For upset stomach or digestive illness, the herb is made into a tea. The tincture can be used internally or externally for headache or digestive troubles and when combine with a few other digestive herbs, it makes a highly effective digestive aid and nausea remedy. The essential oil applied behind the ears and on the feet helps alleviate headache or nausea and a weak tea made from the herb and rubbed on the skin can help sooth a colicky baby. We also use the essential oil in our homemade toothpaste. The herb and oil are both available here.

Plantain-Good to have the loose herb on hand. It actually grows in most places in the summer and looks like the picture at the right. You’ve probably pulled it as a weed without knowing it.  It is a natural remedy for poison ivy, cuts, scrapes and bites. In a pinch, I’ve picked some from the ground, chewed and put it on a bee sting… it immediately relieved the pain. I keep the dried herb on hand at all times to make into a poultice for bites, stings, cuts and infection. My most recent use was on a confirmed brown recluse bite and a combination of plantain and comfrey in a poultice kept the bite from eating away the tissue and helped it heal completely.

Slippery Elm-Helpful for sore or irritated throat or when you lose your voice. These lozenges taste great and are helpful for kids with sore throats. The herb itself can be used in tinctures or teas for sore throat relief.

Other Remedies:

Apple Cider Vinegar- I keep a bottle of organic Apple Cider Vinegar with “the mother” on hand for digestive troubles, indigestion, food poisoning and more. Taken in a dose of 1 teaspoon per 8 ounces of water every hour, it helps shorten the duration of any type of illness, though it is tough to get kids to take it willingly.

Vitamin C- Helpful for all illnesses, but especially flu-related illnesses. I keep the powder on hand because it is additive free and can be mixed into food or drinks to get the kids to consume it.

Aloe Vera Plant-We have one growing in the house for burns and blisters.

Epsom Salt-Good as a bath soak for sore muscles. Dissolved in water, it can also be a good soak to help remove splinters.

Hydrogen Peroxide-I keep several bottles on hands at all times. Besides using in my homemade OxyClean and for cleaning out wounds, it can help prevent ear infection and shorten duration of respiratory illness. At the first sign of ear infection or illness a dropperful of Hydrogen PEroxide can be put in the ear. The person then leaves the peroxide in for 15 minutes or until it stops bubbling and repeats on the other side.

Homemade Neosporin (recipe here)-  I make my own “Neosporin” Healing Salve (no petroleum needed). I keep it in small tins and in lip chap containers for on-the-go size. This “boo-boo lotion” as my kids call it, is used on cuts, bruises, rashes and anything else antibiotic ointment could be used on.

Witch Hazel- I keep a gallon on hand for use on cuts, scrapes, and in cosmetic uses. It makes a great skin toner and is good for postpartum bottom

Gelatin- I take gelatin regularly for its health benefits, but I also keep it on hand for first aid and illness. The natural gelatin in homemade chicken soup (from the bones and tissue) is one of the things that makes it so nourishing during illness. During any type of illness, the afflicted gets gelatin in various ways: in food, homemade jello, smoothies, in hot tea, etc. After surgeries or when there especially bad cuts that might scar, I also give gelatin to speed skin healing. There is evidence that it is also effective in improving blood clotting when used externally on a wound, though I have not tested this.

Baking Soda-Also a good remedy to keep on hand. For severe heartburn or urinary track infections, 1/4 tsp can be taken internally to help alleviate quickly. It can also be made into a poultice and used on sider bites.

Probiotics-These are the strongest probiotics I’ve found and we use them during any illness and after the illness to repair gut bacteria. I’ve seen clients improve skin conditions with regular use of probiotics, and I especially recommend them to pregnant mothers, as newborn babies receive their gut bacteria from their mother and this can make a tremendous difference in if baby will get ear infections or illness in the first months. For children who get constant illness and ear infections, probiotics can also really help.

Coconut Oil- I’ve said it before, but I am to coconut oil as the dad in My Big Fat Greek Wedding is to Windex. From skin salve, to diaper creme, to makeup remover, to antifungal treatment, I use coconut oil for everything. I keep some in the first aid kit to add remedies to to take internally, to use to apply tinctures and help absorption externally and for dry skin and chapped lips. There is also growing evidence that daily consumption of 1/4 cup or more of coconut oil can help protect against Alzheimer’s and nourish the thyroid.

Other Supplies:

Butterfly Bandages

Gauze

Superglue- On minor to moderate skin cuts (not puncture wounds) use superglue and butterfly bandages. I’ve used this instead of stitches several times and it healed faster and left less scarring than the places I’ve had stitches. Especially good for face and other visible areas that scar easily or in hair where other bandages can be difficult to apply. I’ve also use on fingertips or knuckles (I’m infamous for grating knuckles while cooking) or other places where band aids won’t stay well.

Strips of sterilized muslin cloth in plastic bags for wrapping wounds.

Cut off wool sleeves from old sweaters to cover bandages and hold ice packs

Hot water bottle

enema kit

Bulb syringe

Assorted bandages and gauze

Homemade ice pack (just freeze liquid dish soap or rubbing alcohol in a double-bagged- ziplock bag and use as an ice pack.

[Important Note: Stay tuned soon for more detailed information on herbal remedies for various conditions including asthma, hormone imbalances, UTIs, PCOS, wounds, ear infections, etc, but check out the Wellness 101 page in the meantime since I have never seen a case where these conditions were not in some way connected to nutrition!]

Image source:

Image: m_bartosch / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

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