Herbal First Aid Kit

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Misty L. Trepke

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HERBAL FIRST AID KIT

 

Having an Herbal First Aid Kit on hand can prepare you for quickly

treating many common ailments that may effect your family. The kit

contains frequently used herbs for treating the symptoms of colds and

flu, bumps and bruises and skin irritations. Many remedies can be

made at home, imparting Mother's special healing magic.

 

What to include in your Herbal First Aid Kit:

 

Echinacea Glycerite

Give during any illness to provide immune system support. Helps to

fight infection and reduce complications.

 

Mullein Garlic Ear Oil

Use whenever an ear infection is suspected for pain relief and to

reduce complications. Do not use if the ear drum is perforated

 

Arnica montana 6x

Homeopathic remedy that helps to reduce bruising and muscle soreness.

 

Camomillia 6x

Homeopathic remedy that helps with teething, irritability and

sleeplessness.

 

Usnea Tincture Has antibiotic properties useful for co! lds, flu,

bronchitis, urinary tract infections, sore throat and some fungal

infections.

 

Eucalyptus Essential Oil

Helps clear congestion.

 

Tea Tree Oil

All purpose essential oil used topically to fight bacterial and fungal

infections.

 

Herbal Salve

Helps abrasions and skin irritations to heal.

 

 

Recipes

These are the remedies you will reach for most often. All of these

items are available in health food stores and here are some recipes

you can make yourself. Making herbal remedies yourself is fun, can

save your family lots of money and assures you the highest quality.

 

Mullein Garlic Ear Oil

1/4 cup Mullein Flowers

3 cloves Garlic

Olive oil

Preparation: Chop the garlic into small pieces. Place the garlic and

mullein flowers in a small glass jar with a lid. Cover the mullein

flowers with olive oil and allow to set in the sun for several days,

or heat over very low heat for 4 hours. If you are using fr! esh

mullein flowers, cover your jar with cheesecloth rather than a lid to

allow moisture to escape. Strain the oil through cheesecloth and

store your oil in a small dropper bottle in the refrigerator.

 

To use warm the oil to body temperature by placing the bottle of oil

in a glass of hot water for a few minutes. Insert 2-3 drops in the

affected ear 2-3 times per day.

 

If there is fluid oozing from the ear or any chance that the ear drum

is perforated do not use the ear oil

 

Herbal Salve

1 part St. John's Wort

1 part Calendula

1 part Comfrey leaf

1 part Plantain

Olive Oil

Beeswax

Vitamin E

 

Great all purpose salve. Use for insect bites, itching, wounds, burns

and on fungal infections. (Misty- I also highly recommend the

Ultimate Healing Oil from http://www.nearmagic.tv )

 

To begin your salve, measure the desired amount of herbs into an

enamel or stainless steel pan, or into a crock pot.

 

Cover the herbs with oil. Use enough oil to cover the herbs plus

another inch of oil above the l! evel of herbs.

 

Heat the herbs and oil over a low heat for several hours ( about 3

hours). If you are using roots you should heat the oil longer( about

5 hours). I strongly encourage you to use a crock pot for heating

your oil because it operates at a controlled low temperature which is

less likely to be a fire hazard. If you don't use a crock pot then

use a double boiler.

 

After heating, cool your oil for awhile. Set up a strainer lined with

cheesecloth then pour the oil through to strain. When most of the oil

has filtered through the cheesecloth, pick up the cheesecloth,

keeping the herbs enclosed, and squeeze as much oil as possible from

the herbs and cloth.

 

Add beeswax to the oil and heat it until all the wax is melted. To

test to see if your salve is hard enough, put some on a spoon and set

it in a cool place for a few minutes. If your salve is too soft, add

more beeswax.

 

If you are using essential oils or Vitamin E you can ! blend them in

now. Finally, pour your salve into containers and label.

 

Note - If 1 part equals 1/3 cup then you will need 12 - 14 ounces of

oil and about 1 ounce of beeswax.

 

Usnea Tincture

1 ounce Usnea barbata

1 cup 100 proof vodka

To make an alcohol tincture you will need the herb, 100 proof grain

alcohol and a labeled glass jar. Do not use isopropyl rubbing alcohol

which is very toxic when ingested!

 

Place the chopped herbs in a glass jar and cover with alcohol plus

another inch of alcohol above the level of the herbs. Shake the

mixture well to bring the alcohol into to contact with all surfaces

of the herb. Label the jar with the contents and the date. Shake your

tincture everyday throughout the next six weeks. Strain and use as

needed.

 

Usnea is best extracted in alcohol as some constituents are not

soluble in glycerin. If you don't wish to consume alcohol it is

possible to put the required dosage into a cup wi! th an few ounces

of boiling water. The heat will cause the alcohol to evaporate

leaving the therapeutic qualities of the herb in the water.

 

Echinacea Glycerite

2 ounces Echinacea purpurea root

4 ounces pure vegetable glycerin

2 ounces distilled water

Follow the same basic instructions for making the alcohol tincture

substituting glycerin for alcohol. To make a glycerin tincture you

can cover your herbs with 3/4 part glycerin with 1/4 part water.

 

Glycerin is very sweet and will dissolve mucilage, vitamins and

minerals. It will not dissolve the resinous or oily properties of

herbs very well. Because glycerin is sweet it is an excellent choice

for children's remedies. Make glycerin tinctures in small amounts

because it will not last as long as an alcohol tincture, about 1 to 3

years. Be sure to use 100 % vegetable glycerin.

 

Dosages for Children

Dosages for children are not provided in most herbals. To determine

the correc! t dose you need to consider the size of the child, the

ailment, the power of the herb you intend to use, and the adult

dosage. Clark's Rule for determining dosages divides the weight of

the child by 150 to give the approximate fraction of the adult dose.

Dosage for a 40 lb. child: 40 /150 = .26 or approx. 1/4 the adult

dose.

 

Copyright 1999 - 2000 Millie Fodor

http://www.wildroots.com/firstaid.html