Herbal First Aid Remedies

Aches, pains, bruises, cuts, and scrapes can be uncomfortable and hindering, especially when they occur at inopportune moments, but mother nature provides many herbal remedies for common first aid problems. By creating, combining, and administering natural salves, tinctures, and essential oils, you can quickly and naturally sooth or heal common ailments that occur in the house or on the trail.

Incorporating herbal treatments into your first aid kit can save you money and reduce the number of unnecessary chemicals you put into your body. Many herbal remedies can be carried and used both in the home and in survival situations, and should be labeled with what they are, how to use them, and how to store them.

Always do your research and check with a doctor before administering any medical treatments, and use your best judgment: obtain immediate medical help for any life-threatening injuries or illnesses that last more that a day or two.

Herbal Tinctures

A tincture is a combination of fresh or dried natural materials and alcohol. Tinctures absorb quickly into the body and can provide almost immediate relief of a variety of discomforts, and they are good for use both internally and externally. The alcohol in tinctures preserves the herbs, inherently increasing the shelf life of tinctures (some will last up to five years) and making them a smart addition to your survival first aid kit.

Common uses for tinctures include the treatment of: allergies, infections, wounds, pain, stress, insomnia, nausea, indigestion, and insect bites and stings. Many herbs used in these tinctures can be found in nature (always be sure to have a plant guide to identify these plants!) or purchased from a health food store, herbalist, or grown in your garden.

To make an herbal tincture you will need the following:

– Alcohol that is at least 80 proof (40% alcohol); vodka is preferable due to its clarity and virtual tastelessness.
– Fresh chopped or dried ground herbs
– Sterilized glass jars (mason jars are perfect) for soaking the herbs
– Cheesecloth, an extremely fine mesh strainer, or coffee filters
– Small, dark, glass jars or bottles with airtight lids for storing the finished tinctures

Directions:

1. Fill a mason jar (or other container) with chopped, fresh herbs, or if using dried, about 5 ounces of dried herbs and cover with alcohol, filling the container.

2. Stir the mixture to make sure all of the herbs are coated and that there aren’t any air bubbles.

3. Cover with an airtight lid and store in a cool, dark place (like a cabinet or closet) for 1-4 weeks, shaking to stir the mixture at least once a day.

4. Once mixture has steeped for the appropriate amount of time, strain it through cheesecloth, strainer, or coffee filter, into your dark glass bottles or into another glass or ceramic container, and then transfer to dark glass bottles.

5. Label bottles to with what type of tincture it is, uses, dosage, when it was made, and how to store it.

Common Tinctures:

Echinacea – Immunity boost when cold symptoms arise.
Ragweed – Acts like an antihistamine for allergic reactions.
Valerian – Sleep aid; sedative.
Calendula – An antiseptic, reduces bleeding, wards off infection, soothes irritation from cuts, scrapes, and burns, known for healing skin rapidly.

Oils and Salves

Combinations of herbs can be added to oils to and administered internally or externally to treat a wide variety of ailments and discomforts. Oils can be messy, so be sure to wash hands thoroughly before and after administering to avoid contamination and sticky situations. If the patient cannot stomach the taste of an oil remedy, it can be applied to the bottom of the feet as well, though intake is slower than it is orally.

Extra virgin olive oil, sesame seed oil, and beeswax are common for making oil-based remedies, and can be purchased along with herbal essential oils (concentrated herbal oils) at supermarkets, health food stores, or specialty markets. A good general rule of thumb is that your oil concoction should be about 10% essential oil(s) and 90% base oil/alcohol. Below are some common ailments and oil-based remedies.

Insect Repellant – combinations of castor oil, cinnamon oil, citronella oil, orange oil, and eucalyptus oil with a base of olive, cooking oil, or vodka, spread over the body or administered orally.

Sore Throat – clove, cinnamon, eucalyptus, rosemary, and lemon oils, with an olive oil base, applied to the inside of the cheek, bottoms of feet, or mixed with water or juice and ingested.

Chest/Nose Congestion – Peppermint, eucalyptus, tea tree, and rosemary oils applied to the chest, scalp, upper lip, nose, throat or administered orally can reduce congestion.

Salves are made with beeswax or carnauba wax (vegan!) and essential oils.  To make a salve, you simply need to melt the wax over a double boiler and add your essential oils, mix together, and pour into glass or metal containers and allow cooling and solidifying. Every ounce of wax should have approx 20 drops of essential oil(s). If you are combining oils, ration them out to the 20 drops total for each ounce of your wax-salve concoction.

St. John’s Wort – anti-inflammatory salve that can sooth and treat scrapes, cuts, bruises, burns, inflammation, skin reactions, and insect bites.

Calendula – very gentle but effective relief of skin irritations and injuries. Also, it is safe to use on sensitive skin and babies.

Ginger Root – relieve sore muscles and arthritis pain.

Burdock Root – use for treating skin infections and conditions such as eczema and psoriasis.

Herbal remedies are fantastic to include in your survival first aid kit, and can eliminate or soothe a number of injuries, ailments, and conditions. Before you make or purchase an herbal remedy, be sure to do your research, look into side effects, and if using herbal remedies on children be sure that the child will not have an harmful reaction (or that they’ll be able to stomach the taste). Always consult a doctor before incorporating remedies into your daily routine, as well as if someone has an adverse reaction to a remedy.