First Aid the Natural Way

I knew summer was almost here when my four-year old came in the house with two scraped knees, his brother an hour later with a sliver .   The biggest change  I make in first aid supplies this time of year is simply buying more band-aids for my portable oils case.  I also stock up on those instant ice packs from a local sporting goods store.   You’re probably  mindful of the foods you  eat,  creating a natural first aid kit is just an extension of what you are already doing to be healthy.  You can build your own compact first aid kit that is not only more natural, but  kid friendly and even helpful in dealing with the stress that mishaps of  life may bring.    This natural first aid kit is compact and perfect for taking on trips camping , driving or flying.  The 5 & 15ml (equal to 1/2 ounce) bottles of essential oils should be no problem to carry on a flight, although you can verify carry on restrictions with individual airlines before traveling.  My first aid kit is not much more than my Everyday Oils collection -  enough to treat most non-emergency situations in a natural way, some bandaids, antibiotic ointment and an instant ice pack.   When you add essential oils to your first aid kit, make sure you are using quality therapeutic grade oils, preferably food-grade oils that are guaranteed to have no additives or chemicals in them which could actually be harmful if used for first aid.   Here are some common first aid ailments and how we handle them with the Everyday Essential Oils Collection:

Cuts & scrapes - cleanse first with water & soap if available.  Apply 1 drop of lavender or Purification oil to wound before covering with a bandaid.  Lavender disinfects and speeds healing.

Bumps & bruises – apply PanAway to bump, only to unbroken skin for adults and older children.  If there is a scrape on the bump, use Frankincense.  Frankincense is gentle enough for newborns and toddlers, Young Living Frankincense can be applied undiluted directly on location to bump or wound.

Burns – apply lavender undiluted directly to the burn as soon as possible.  Lavender stops the inflammation and can immediately start the healing.  I’ve used this countless times, every time I apply right after injury, a blister never forms.  Continue applying lavender (even every 5-10 minutes) until pain subsides.  For sunburn, make your own lavender spray.  Add 10 drops of lavender essential oil to a 4 ounce glass spray bottle, fill with water and keep in the fridge for cooling relief when sprayed directly on skin.

Cramps, muscle & PMS – apply 1-2 drops peppermint essential oil directly to sore muscle, to the abdomen for PMS.

Digestive issues - including nausea, diarrhea, travel sickness and IBS.  Apply 1-2 drops of peppermint essential oil directly to the abdomen, for children under 3 use Peace & Calming or Lavender essential oils.  If using Young Living’s food grade peppermint oil, add a drop to a 16 ounce glass of water and take small sips every 10 minutes until symptoms subside.  Even just applying a drop on the vent of the car as you travel can help ease motion sickness for everyone.

Fever – Lavender is cooling and especially effective for children and infants.  Peppermint is helpful for those over 3 years of age.  Apply 1-2 drops of your oil of choice to the soles of the feet or along the spine, massaging into the back.  Frankincense can also be added to the lavender or peppermint to enhance the cooling effect.  Repeat every hour if needed.

Headache – apply lemon essential oil to the big toe.  Peppermint and Thieves may also be helpful.  PanAway is another option, applying 1-2 drops to the temples or back of the neck.  Check out my drug-free headache relief post for specifics on techniques for applying the oils.

Insect bites – apply Purification blend directly to mosquito, spider bites and bee stings.

Itching – apply lavender undiluted directly to area of irritation.

Muscle injury – apply PanAway essential oil directly to point of injury.  Layer peppermint oil on top to drive Panaway deeper into tissue. Repeat every hour until pain subsides.

Sinus Congestion – apply peppermint essential oil to bridge of nose. For congestion from allergies, apply lavender essential oil to the bridge of the nose.

Stress – apply lavender essential oil or Peace & Calming blend to the back of the neck, breath aroma in deeply to calm nerves.  Frankincense is especially helpful in chaotic situations when you need to focus and relax.  Apply frankincense to the temples, back of the neck or simply breath in the aroma. Any of these oils as well as Valor blend are also helpful in severe injury situations and can be inhaled or rubbed on to the soles of the feet on the way to seek medical treatment to calm those involved.

Essential oils are an easy, compact and effective way to deal with non-emergency situations in a natural way.  Add them to your existing first aid kit for natural options that do not expire.  For more information on specific usage in these and other situations, refer to an essential oil desk reference or other aromatherapy guide.  Watch for my next post June 4th,  with recipes for using essential oils for chemical free sunscreen and bug repellant!

This information is for educational use only and Pure Home and Body LLC does not intend to diagnose, treat or cure any disease.