Creating Your Natural Home Remedy Kit by Kathy Kornblum

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The advancement of medicine over the past century has brought about some amazing possibilities. People can live longer, can have cancerous tumors removed, and often survive serious accidents. One negative consequence to our current western medical practice, however, has been the loss of common knowledge in the home and the use of gentler natural remedies to handle everyday health issues such as bumps, bruises, colds and flus. One of my passions is empowering people to handle much of their minor health care issues. This article is not intended to replace medical care, but to assist you with issues that may not require medical care.

The first topic is first aid. For minor scrapes, bruises, and burns their are excellent remedies that I believe every household should have on hand. Calendula gel is excellent for scrapes, minor burns, and especially cat scratches. St. John’s Wort oil or salve is also excellent for the same conditions but is not as readily available in stores. One brand, Nelson, has a gel called Hypercal that is a combination of St. John’s Wort and Calendula. Aloe Vera gel is also good on burns, but my favorite for minor burns is Sweet Leaf salve. It is only available through herbalists like myself.

Bruises may seem innocuous but can lead to problems down the road. A bruise is the collection and pooling of blood beneath the skin. It can lead to chronic inflammation, or can be a feeding ground for cells that you don’t want to have a feeding source such as cancerous cells. For example, injuries to the breast are considered a risk factor for breast cancer. My favorite remedy for bruises is Yarrow. One can use tea, oil, or tincture. The tincture is the easiest to buy in the stores. Just drop a few drops on a bruise, several times a day. It reduces the pain immediately and you’ll notice it clear the bruise quickly. It does so by helping the capillaries absorb the blood. Yarrow can be used on sites of bruises from the past too. One of my clients had injured his leg a year prior. The bruise was no longer visible but there was a little pain. He put yarrow on it which brought the bruise back and then cleared it, clearing the pain as well.

For sprains, pulled tendons and ligaments and even breaks; my favorite is Solomon’s seal. This is hard to find in the stores but is incredible for healing joint injuries. Homeopathic Arnica topically and internally can also assist with sprains and strains but not as well and can never be used topically when there is an open wound. Solomon’s seal is available, again, through herbalists such as myself.

The other topic most people can address on their own is colds and flus. Echinacea works well especially if taken in large doses at the beginning of symptoms. It should not be taken all winter to “build the immune system” or to prevent colds. At the onset of a cold I take 2000-5000 mg of vitamin C in the form of ester C, drink a half gallon of water during the day and either take 30 drops of echinacea tincture or there is a wonderful chinese patent formula called Gan Mao Ling. This formula is available at most stores. Another patent formula that is good, especially if your symptoms have a lot of heat like a sore throat or fever, is Yin Ciao. If you prefer homeopathic remedies Oscillococcinum has never failed me. One more excellent herb to mention, especially because it is good for children over 6 months old, is Elderberry. It is gentle, tastes good, and works. All of these are best taken at the onset of symptoms. For the layman, goldenseal is warranted only for sinus infections.

Minor coughs can also be easy to treat naturally at home. My favorite remedy for coughs with green or yellow mucous is elecampane. Take as soon as a cold moves into the chest. If you have a high fever or your condition does not improve within a day or two you should see a doctor and be checked for a bacterial infection or pneumonia.

For the sore throat, zinc lozenges have worked for me and my family. Ear infections can ofter be treated at home if they are viral, but need to be addressed with caution. Some are bacteril and need antibiotics. My rule is: if there is a high fever, and if the symptoms do not start to improve within 24 hours of trying to treat at home; see a doctor. At first signs of an ear infection I eliminate dairy from the diet, take vitamin C and put mullen/garlic oil drops in the affected ear. This is available in stores. I warm the bottle first in a sink basin, put 2-3 drops in the ear and cover with a cotton ball. Yes it smells, but it usually works. Elderberry can also be taken, while light massage around the ears, head and neck will help the ear decongest. Again, if the pain does not recede in 12-24 hours and/or there is a high fever, see a doctor.

A few passionate words about fevers. Fevers are our bodies attempt to fight off infection. That is a good thing. Our bodies can handle much of what it encounters just by running a fever. Taking an aspirin, tylenol, or motrin for a fever blocks this process and can lead to a low grade infection that is difficult to treat. My protocol with fever is to take a diaphoretic which actually encourages the fever and opens the skin. I take mint, lemon balm, catnip, elderberry, or yarrow. These can be taken as teas or tinctures. For fevers that alternate with chills and achiness there is an excellent herb called boneset. If a fever is high, over 104 for children and 103 for adults, I will often take aspirin and see a doctor.

Use common sense! Seek help when you feel you need too, or if the condition is not improving. But also trust yourself and some of the gifts available from the natural world. The information here is not intended to replace medical care and advice, it is simply from the experience of an herbalist. Use of this information is the sole responsibility of the reader. In general, all health care decisions should be made with the assistance of a health care professional. When in doubt, get help.