So, you want to create a natural medicine cabinet.
CREATING A NATURAL MEDICINE CABINET: WHY?
According to the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), in 2010 the number of drugs provided or ordered at physician office visits was 2.6 billion. The three most frequently prescribed classes of drugs were analgesics (or pain killers), antihyperlipidemic agents (or drugs for high cholesterol), and antidepressants. Most, if not all, of these underlying issues can potentially be resolved without the use of pharmaceutical agents.
There can be a lot of side effects from pharmaceutical drugs as well as drug interactions. Drug interactions may make your drug less effective, cause unexpected side effects, or increase the action of a particular drug. Some drug interactions can even be harmful to you.
For example, mixing a drug you take to help you sleep (a sedative) and a drug you take for allergies (an antihistamine) can slow your reactions and make driving a car or operating machinery dangerous.
Herbs and other natural remedies can be just as effective, as herbs have pharmaceutical grade potency. Not to say herbs are always the solution because they can be just as harmful as a drug if used incorrectly. However, if used and chosen properly, the side effects should be very minimal, if any at all.
There are so many natural remedies out there which is why I just made a basic guide to get you started.
Please take precaution when using essential oils.
Remedy (in alphabetical order)
Activated Charcoal: mild food poisoning (consult a local poison control center or emergency services in the event of an overdose or poisoning)
Allium cepa (homeopathic remedy): allergic or viral runny nose
Aloe Vera: for burns, cuts, and skin irritations, including sunburn & poison ivy
Arnica gel/salve/cream/massage oil: muscle pain or injury
Baking soda: apply a water/baking soda paste to the affected area to soothe the pain of a bee sting, poison ivy, oak or sumac, or a prickly heat rash
Coconut oil: anti-aging, fungal and microbial infections, fatigue, gives natural energy, chronic indigestion, and protects against many types of cancer
Elderberry syrup: for preventing and recovering from the flu, colds, excessive mucus, and sore throats
Eucalyptus: muscular aches and pains, respiratory infection, skin infections, skin ulcers, sprains, throat infections, wounds, blisters, bruises, headache, insect bites, burns, fever/chills, colds, cough, lack of concentration, and mental exhaustion
Euphrasia officinalis (homeopathic remedy): for burning, itchy eyes
Ginger: motion sickness, morning sickness, chemotherapy nausea, nausea and vomiting after surgery, and osteoarthritis
Lavender: burns, headache, insect bites and stings, insomnia, nausea, sunburn, and ulcers
Lemon/lemon juice: acute rheumatism, sore throat, sunburn, narcotic poisoning, hangover cure, fevers, treating heavy-metal poisoning, fight viral and bacterial infections
Olive oil: digestion, sore itchy throat, treats dandruff and head lice, eczema and psoriasis
Peppermint: colds, cough, cramps, fever, flu, bad breath, headaches/migraines, indigestion, insect bites, motion & travel sickness, mouth or gum infections, muscular pain, nausea, earache, toothache, and an upset stomach
Redmond clay: Internal uses – occasional diarrhea, constipation, heartburn, stomachache, acid indigestion, acid reflux, and other digestive problems. External uses: as a poultice on cuts, bruises, insect bites, bee stings, boils, rashes, achy joints, acne, and burns.
Slippery elm: Orally – for coughs, sore throat, diarrhea, constipation, hemorrhoids, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), bladder and urinary tract infections, syphilis, herpes, expelling tapeworms, protects against stomach and duodenal ulcers, colitis, diverticulitis, GI inflammation, and too much stomach acid. Topically – for wounds, burns, gout, rheumatism, cold sores, boils, abscesses, and toothaches
Vinegar: bee sting, jellyfish sting, sunburn, relieves dry itchy skin, sore throat, skin burn, sinus infection and cold (in a vaporizer), wart remover, and insect repellant
Vitamin C: anti-aging, fight tumors, repairs wounds, strengthens the immune system – take at the first sign of illness
Witch hazel: laryngitis, sores, bruises, diaper rash, cuts, external hemorrhoids, sunburn, poison ivy, poison oak, chicken pox blisters and bug bites
Illness (in alphabetical order)
Cold/Flu: echinacea (at the first sign), astragalus, elderberry, eucalyptus, garlic, vitamin C, zinc, peppermint
Colic: Gripe Water, probiotics
Conjunctivitis (pink eye): eyebright – add to a warm compress and place over the eye or water it down and use as an eyewash
Constipation: abdominal massage, psyllium husk powder, elderberry jam, chamomile tea, slippery elm bark, Redmond clay
Diarrhea: probiotics, peppermint, chamomile, ginger, Recharge (for dehydration), Redmond clay, slippery elm bark
Fever: cool (not cold) sponge baths, cool compress on forehead, alcohol compress on forehead, eucalyptus, lemon/lemon juice, peppermint
Gas: probiotics, chamomile, peppermint, or spearmint tea
Headache: feverfew, willow bark (not for children), garlic, Melissa oil, eucalyptus, lavender, peppermint
Nausea: ginger, peppermint, fennel, chamomile, lavender
Resources for finding your natural remedies
What are some of your natural remedies?
Building a natural medicine cabinet doesn’t have to be rocket science. What you’ve shared here is totally useful if one wants to create a natural medicine cabinet for the first time!
Yes, you are totally right! Building a natural medicine cabinet CAN be simple!
Great help. Natural medicine is effective and very easy to acquire. There are source of it everywhere and it has good effects.
I put raw honey on my dog when she got some kind of skin problem and was digging her skin into it bleeding. I spread the honey on the raw skin and put cheesecloth over it so she would not lick it off. The honey healed the skin within a few days and the hair started growing back. I love, love honey and I put it in my coffee and my hot tea now instead of sugar.