Creating a Natural First Aid Kit
Essential Oils
What Essential Oils should be in my First Aid Kit?
by Penny Keay
Yes, essential oils are an important part of any first aid kits and in your storage case too.
A list of basic essential oils for any one just starting out will include many of these essential oils to begin with.
Without a doubt, number one on the list is Lavender. Next should be Tea Tree. Peppermint, Roman Chamomile, Eucalyptus, Rosemary, Thyme, Lemon, and Clove bud.
Personally, I would also suggest adding Helichrysum.
A quick list of why each oil is useful follows. This list is just the
most common reason or uses. There are certainly many, many more uses of
each of these oils.
Be sure to get a good book on Aromatherapy. One good book is Valerie Ann Worwood's book - The Complete Book of Essential Oils and Aromatherapy.
This book provided some of the information for this article. See our Book Review page for other excellent aromatherapy books.
Lavender:
Stings and bites, burns, bruises, scrapes. It has analgesic,
antiseptic and more properties to help heal wounds. Not to mention the
calming effect it will have to the person affected.
Tea Tree:
Good for all types of infections. It is antifungal, antiviral and
anti-bacterial. Good for all kinds of skin wounds and irritations from
sunburn, to acne, athlete’s foot and more.
Peppermint :
Known for its anti-nausea and indigestion relief. Peppermint also
helps with headaches, sinus congestion and even for painful joints!
I recently read where adding a few drops to some calamine lotion, helps relieve and heal Poison ivy lesions more quickly!
Oh and if you are camping, Peppermint will help keep the ants away
from the picnic table, the mice out of your tent and other unwanted
pests away too! (Al just mentioned that if you go camping in bear
country, you should be cautious about using any essential oil as some
bears are easily attracted to sweet scents.)
Roman and/or German Chamomile:
Excellent to help you and your children relax and fall asleep more
easily after a day of excitement. Of course, they also have
anti-inflammatory properties and are helpful for burns, bee stings
nettle rashes, and other injuries.
Eucalyptus :
Best known to help relieve congestion from coughs and colds. But
did you know that it is also an excellent insect repellent? Especially
Eucalyptus citriodora (Eucalyptus Lemon).
Eucalyptus has great antiseptic and antiviral properties. It is
anti-inflammatory and a mild analgesic (relieves pain). There are
several varieties of Eucalyptus and any of them would be a great
addition to your kit.
Rosemary:
This wonderful stimulating essential oil is great to use on long
road trips. It will give you a pick me up and will be great after a long
and tiring day. Rosemary is also one of Al's recommendations along with
Peppermint to use for those headaches that can pop up out of nowhere.
Just a drop or two mixed with a little carrier oil and rubbed on
the back of your neck and shoulders will relieve those headaches within a
few minutes. Use Rosemary on painful muscles and joints too!
Thyme:
This is a superb antiviral essential oil. It also has great
antibacterial and ant-ifungal properties. Please do not OVER use this
oil. It is very potent and should not be used on an ongoing basis. It
should be used diluted only. Use when needed and do not use beyond where
you are healed and well.
Lemon:
Best known for its antiseptic and disinfecting properties. Lemon
will freshen and clean most all surfaces. Can be very effective on
insect bites. Some folks have found headache relief from using Lemon oil
too.
Clove bud:
Antiseptic, antibacterial, analgesic are the most important
properties held by Clove bud oil. It is great for toothaches and other
pains, such as painful joints and muscles. Be sure to dilute with a
carrier oil before applying to the skin. It is one oil that could cause a
skin reaction (burning sensation).
Helichrysum :
great analgesic, antibacterial and helps if uses on bruises shortly
after they occur. It will reduce the discoloration and help heal the
bruise very quickly. Because it has analgesic properties bumps and
bruises won't be as painful.
Other supplies to keep with your aromatic first-aid kit
- Include a small vial of carrier oil for
diluting your essential oils. You can fill an empty 10 oz. bottle or
purchase a small, empty one and fill it with your favorite carrier oil.
- Put some toothpicks in
a little plastic bag in your kit. You can use a toothpick to dip into
the oil when you only want a trace on your tongue. Or, you can use the
toothpick to stir the oil into your water.
- Gauze pads, cling bandages and adhesive bandages.
These may not all fit in your small pouch, but you’ll want them in a
handy first aid kit in your car, at the office and in a convenient and
logical place in your home. Dip them in sterile water with a few drops
of various essential oils mixed in and wrap with your cling bandage.
This is great for quick absorption of lavender for burns, geranium for
small cuts, and peppermint for bruises. You can also keep a supply of
sterile gauze or flannel bandages for use on larger areas.
- A suction extractor
will help take poisons and infectious material out of open wounds (like a
nail puncture wound) and snake bites where you have a serious risk of
infection. You’ll want to use it with Tea Tree as you’re travelling to
your health care provider.
Other single oils you could add for a larger kit
Fir is
excellent for congestion and sinusitis. Use it undiluted on the sinus
areas of your face. Keep it away from your eyes. Be sure to keep a
carrier oil handy to dilute it quickly in case a little does get in your
eyes. Apply it on your toes. For a soothing joint massage and for
emotional trauma release, have a back massage using 4 to 5 drops in a
teaspoon of Fir. Or you can apply it undiluted along your spine and on
your joints.
Lemon is
an antimicrobial oil that also clears the mind. Diffusing 10 to 20
drops will purify the air. Shake 2 to 3 drops into a cup of water for
pleasant disinfectant spray. Make it a habit to stir a few drops in
lemon juice and water for a pleasant liver, gall bladder and kidney
cleanse. Inhale a few drops through a tissue to help with motion
sickness, morning sickness or other types of nausea.
Frankincense oil
has been used for centuries in religious rituals. Apply a few drops to
your palm and rub your hands together. Cup your hands over your mouth
and nose and inhale. Put it a drop under your tongue to assist emotional
trauma. Use a drop mixed into honey for respiratory conditions. Apply a
trace on your temples to help with headaches.
***The First Aid Blends
Because of their amazing synergistic
effects, the blends can do things that no single oil can do by itself.
Some contain as many as 20 different ingredients … some in very tiny
amounts. Blends can be highly effective because they contain powerful,
costly essential oils in small amounts. Many are delightfully pleasant
to smell as well as highly effective.
Respiratory Blends: Aspire, Breezy, Stefanie or Mariah
Aspire is designed more for upper-respiratory conditions. Breezy is designed for the lungs. The other two are for particularly difficult viral and bacterial infections.
You can use any or all of these four oils
topically and in diffusion. Use all the ways listed above for
Eucalyptus radiata, Tea Tree or Fir. Do not ingest these particular
oils. Use them on a regular basis during the cold and flu season. Use
them for foot, chest and back massage diluted 3 to 4 drops per teaspoon
of mixing oil. Use the undiluted on your toes. When applying them
topically, warm the skin with a hair dryer for better penetration.
Diffuse 10 to 20 drops before bedtime.
Deliverance for infections
This strong and versatile antimicrobial
blend was created for all types of infections and as a preventive
cleanse. Use it topically as you would Eucalyptus radiata. It’s great
for diffusing during an illness and to protect you against airborne
infections. Take it internally as you would Tea Tree. Its primary
function is to purify deep in the digestive system, so take 2 to 4 drops
in a vegetable capsule filled up with mixing oil 3 times a day with
meals. Take it in teas, with honey and in your drinking water.
Deeper, the energizing blend
This wonderfully penetrating blend was
created for stiff joints, tendons and muscles. Use 3 to 5 drop in a
carrier oil and massage joints and muscles to warm up them before
exercise or just to get yourself moving more freely and easily the
morning. Use it undiluted on cuts to help them heal.
Tranquility for calming stress
Massage feet and ears with a drop or two
undiluted to relieve headaches, back pain and various other pain
associated with stress, tension or anxiety. Use regularly alone or with
AboutFace on the feet for insomnia, hyperactivity, ADHD, depression and
any other conditions that require calming action. Use 3 to 5 drops per
teaspoon of carrier oil for all types of general calming massage.
Diffuse 10 to 20 drops to calm yourself before sleep.
HeartSong helps relieve depression and grief
You can create a beautiful, uplifting
massage oil by using a tablespoon of mixing oil with 4 to 6 drops of
Heart Song. Use as a massage oil during loving, happy times to anchor
positive memories and associations. Then you can use the oil later when
you need to restore those positive feelings.
InsideOut for gastric distress
Dilute 4 to 5 drops in a teaspoon of
mixing oil for a calming abdominal massage. Weightless is a good
ingestible blend for gastric distress and cleansing as well as
increasing metabolism. Take a drop in tea or water. Try it in various
recipes. Both oils can be used diluted for abdominal massage.
AboutFace for a grounding foot massage
This is the premier oil for all types of
reflexology—of the ears, hands and especially the feet. Use a few drops
undiluted, especially on your toes. Then use 3 to 4 drops in a carrier
oil for a general foot and ankle massage. This is a synergistic oil to
improve the action of other blends or single oils used on the feet.
Daily foot massage can offer remarkable results for a wide variety of
conditions both of the mind and the body.
Applications
Act quickly to prevent bruises
Most people don’t take simple bruises
very seriously. But with essential oils, you have the opportunity to act
quickly to minimize the body’s clean-up after a bruise. A bruise occurs
because capillaries are broken and blood spills into tissues causing a
“black and blue” area. Then the body’s immune system goes to work
cleaning up all the debris. This causes various forms of discoloration
as the area heals. The result of unnecessary bruising is a lot of
oxidation (think premature aging, free radicals, a higher likelihood of
degenerative diseases).
By acting quickly with Peppermint
or another “bruise oil” you can minimize bruising and prevent a lot of
unnecessary oxidation and free radicals. Peppermint cools the area,
decreases inflammation and minimizes the amount of blood that spills
into your tissues. It also helps clean up any infection and helps cells
regenerate quickly. You’ll also minimize the pain because Peppermint is
an analgesic oil (calms pain).
On a small area use only a trace on your
pinky finger and tap the area of the bruise lightly. If the area is
larger, you can apply a drop in a little mixing oil.
Always take care of injuries quickly
using essential oils. Carry a small case of at least the 6 first-aid
oils in your purse or back pack.
Cuts and scrapes
Here are in-home procedures for minor injuries that don’t require a visit to a clinic for stitches.
Use a drop of Tea Tree
undiluted on a minor cut (that does not require stitches) to disinfect
the wound. Apply an additional amount of Tea Tree every hour or two for
the first 6 hours to minimize the chances of infection.
If there is a lot of bleeding, such as in
a cut on the head, mix the Tea Tree with a drop of geranium undiluted.
The bleeding may increase at first to cleanse the wound, but soon the
geranium will help stop the bleeding to and assist the regeneration of
tissue.
Put a drop of tea tree and/or geranium on
the pad of an adhesive bandage. If there is bruising as well, add a
drop of Peppermint to the mixture.
If you do go in for stitches, you can
speed up the healing and minimize any chance of infection by using a
drop or two of the undiluted Tea Tree, Geranium, Lavender or Deliverance.
Puncture wounds, animal bites and snake bites
For these types of injuries, you’ll want
to get to your health care professional quickly. But you can also grab
your oils on the way to the clinic or hospital and use them quickly.
In the case of puncture wounds, animal
bites and snake bites potentially infectious substances and poisons need
to be extracted from the wound. It can be useful to keep a suction
device handy. It acts like a large syringe without a needle to pull
substances from a puncture wound. You’ll use it before applying Tea Tree
or Deliverance to your wound. Then get to a health care professional as
quickly as possible. If you don’t have a suction device, use Tea Tree
or Deliverance and get professional help quickly.
Brakes and sprains (bones, ligaments and joints)
Grab your oils and get to your health
care professional quickly. Use the oils on your way. Under his or her
direction, after treatment use the oils as helpful home-care additions
to whatever he or she suggests.
You’ll want to quickly help control the pain by using either Peppermint or the Paine
blend. If the area is small and not on an area with highly sensitive
skin, simply put a little oil on your pinky finger and lightly tap the
area. For a larger area mix 4 to 5 drops in a teaspoon of mixing oil,
and spread it on the area.
If you’re instructed to ice the area,
before applying ice, mix 4 to 5 drops of Peppermint or the Paine blend
in 1/3 cup of water and shake. Soak some gauze or a small flannel cloth
in the mixture and apply it to the painful area. You can secure it with a
cling bandage if you have one handy. Then apply the ice pack.
After a while when the heat and
inflammation from the injured area have diminished and when your health
care professional suggests that you apply heat to speed the healing,
dress the area with the Paine blend like you did before when applying
ice. It will help with both hot and cold applications.
As healing progresses, you can increase
the circulation around the injured area with a gentle massage using a
diluted circulation blend such as About Face, Deeper or Vitality. They
each have a different action, so you may wish to rotate them.
IMPORTANT CAUTION: All
essential oils are “hot” to some degree, even the cooling ones like
Peppermint can be stimulating. As long as you can feel that the injured
area shows signs of inflammation—being red, hot, swollen or in acute
pain—DO NOT use a hot pack because it would add even more heat and make
the situation worse! Listen to what your body is trying to tell you, not
rigid instructions in a book or on a website. If cold seems to bring
relief, use cold. If it feels better with warmth, then that is what
your body seems to be calling for.
Minor burns and sunburns
For first and some second degree burns,
use these in-home procedures as part of an overall plan involving your
health care professional or as indicated in an authoritative
home-health-care directory…
For a localized burn run cold tap water
over the area for about 10 minutes. Then use a drop or two of undiluted
Lavender if the area is small. It will quickly reduce the pain and speed
the healing.
For a more serious burn, follow the instructions of your health care professional, but suggest spraying on Lavender
blended in sterile water. It cools the burn, helps relieve pain and
speeds healing. Mix 4 to 5 drops of Lavender in 1/2 cup of sterile
water. You may also wish to add a drop of Peppermint for cooling and a
drop or two of Geranium for quicker healing. Shake and spray.
You can also dip a sterile gauze pad in
this solution and place it on a minor burn. If you are instructed to
cover the burn with a bandage or a cling film, suggest keeping it cool
by spraying it with your Lavender/water solution or applying cold
cloths or ice packs.
For minor sunburn, create a solution
using one cup of water and 4 to 5 drops of Lavender, a drop of Tea Tree,
a drop of Peppermint, and possibly a drop of Helichrysum if you have
it. Use Geranium if you don’t have Helichrysum.
Shake and spray on the sunburn every 15 or 20 minutes for the first 3
or 4 hours whenever you feel the heat and pain coming on. Continue using
it daily after your (tepid) shower for several days.
You can use a similar solution as a safe deodorant used
after your shower to stop odors before they start. It works by cleaning
out the bacteria from your pores. Because the underarm area is a
sensitive area of the body where there are many lymph nodes, it’s not a
good idea to use strong, chemical deodorants that contain synthetic
fragrances and aluminum. Find a safer crystal or stick deodorant that
works for you and add a drop of Lavender on it each day as you use it.
The Lavender will not leave a strong aroma that lingers or conflicts
with whatever fragrance you are using.
Infected wounds
Consult an authoritative home-health-care
directory or online service and involve your health care professional
as indicated. Use these in-home procedures using essential oils under
his or her direction.
You can greatly speed the healing process by applying a drop or two of Tea Tree or Deliverance
on a wound. This helps clean up the infection without antibiotics and
their dangerous side-effects. Visit with your health care professional
about replacing the antibiotics he or she suggests with safer Tea Tree
or Deliverance.
Nosebleed
Don’t apply essential oils to the
delicate mucous membranes inside the nose (especially for people prone
to hay fever or allergies).
Try putting a trace of Geranium
on the outside of the nose over the nostrils without getting any into
the mucous membranes inside the nose. Apply a few drops of Peppermint at
the base of the neck to enhance the cold action. Then apply an ice pack
or cold cloth at the base of the neck.
Do not apply Peppermint, Spearmint, Wintergreen, Birch or any of the “cooling” or “icy-hot” blends containing a significant percentage of these cooling oils to the necks of children under 2.5 years of age.
Insect bites and stings
Put a trace of Peppermint, Purify or Paine on a minor insect bite or sting as soon as possible.
Peppermint and Purify are also safe
insect repellents. You can create a safe, non-toxic repellent spray with
4 to 5 drops of Peppermint or Purify shaken into 1/2 cup of water.
Spray on skin and clothing.
Bruises, bumps and smashed fingers
Put a drop of undiluted Peppermint or the Paine
blend on your little finger and gently tap around the injured area to
quickly relieve pain and prevent inflammation could add even greater
pain.
For more serious bruising mix a drop of Lavender, Fir, Lemon, and Geranium into a little carrier oil and apply to the injured area.
You can also dilute a drop of Tranquility in a little carrier oil and apply it to the affected area. Then massage the surrounding muscles with a drop of Deeper diluted with a little carrier oil to increase circulation and speed healing.
If the area of bruising is quite large, mix 1/4 cup water with 4 to 5 drops of Peppermint or the Paine
blend. Soak a gauze or flannel and apply it to the area. Cover the area
with cling film and apply a cold pack or ice pack as desired.
Shock
Apply a drop of undiluted Geranium on the sternum area of the chest and massage a drop or two into the balls of the feet.
Use 2 to 3 drops of About Face with a drop of Geranium, Lavender or Tranquility
mixed into a teaspoon of mixing oil. Simply smelling Geranium,
Lavender, or Tranquility will help prevent shock and aid recovery.
Poisoning detoxification
Follow emergency measures as outlined in
an authoritative first-aid manual or online guide. After these emergency
measures have the poisoning under control, you will want to detoxify
your body from the residual or deeper effects of the poisoning. With the
approval of your health care professional …
Use a drop of Peppermint and/or Lemon
in a quart of drinking water. Drink at least 1/2 gallon or more every
day for several months. Do this for several months to detoxify.
Heat stroke
Quickly drink whatever safe liquid you can find …preferably water. A trace of Peppermint in the water will bring “cooling energy” into your body quickly.
Hypothermia
Mix 3 to 5 drops of Deeper
in a tablespoon of mixing oil and have a vigorous full-body massage to
increase the energy and heat. Drink a cup of herbal tea or warm water
with a trace of a spicy oil like Cinnamon.
Altitude sickness
When you are hiking or travel in high altitudes, carry Aspire, Peppermint, Lemon and Tranquility.
Put a drop of one of these oils in a tissue and inhale through it. Or
you can put a drop in the palm of your hands and cup your hands over
your nose and mouth and inhale the aroma. You can also put a trace of
the oil under your nostrils. Be sure to avoid getting the oils in the
mucous membranes inside your nose.
Put a trace or a drop of Peppermint or
Lemon in a cup to a quart of drinking water. Use a toothpick to adjust
the amount. You don’t want too much. Use a toothpick to put a trace of
the oil under your tongue.
Frostbite
Mix 2 to 3 drops of Lavender or Geranium
in a cup of warm water. Soak a cloth in the mixture and apply to the
frostbitten area. Cover with a plastic film and keep a warm cloth or
heat on the area for a few hours. Then massage the area gently with 2 to
3 drops of either of the two oils mixed in a teaspoon or less of the
carrier oil.
Simple First Aid Wash
Simply put several drops of Lavender essential oil in a small basin of
tepid water. If the body part that needs cleaning is easy to submerse,
simply swish around in the water for a few minutes. If the body part can
not be submersed, then use a wash cloth and gently wipe or sponge water
over the area.
The natural antiseptic properties of Lavender may help fight any
infection and its analgesic property will help with any pain or
discomfort.
Use this wash for scrapes, bug bites and any other bump or bruise!
We carry essential oils with us wherever and whenever we travel.
★ Please, do not leave your essential oils in your car. ★
Ideally, if you have a small insulated bag, or cooler, your oils
will be much happier in that!! Protecting them from sunlight and
excessive heat will prolong their effectiveness and extend their shelf
life.
For use in Hotel rooms:
Don't forget to take along a small diffuser or two. ****The TruMelange
fan diffuser or a Scentball are small and easy to use in any guest room
or suite.
Have a safe and fun time while you travel or when you are at home too.
Carrier Oils
Carrier oils are used for diluting
essential oils. They’re also called mixing oils or fixed oils. Our
carrier oils are cold pressed and organically grown. Click here to learn more.
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Sweet almond oil is
the most popular carrier for many reasons. It is inexpensive and
absorbs quickly, usually within 5 to 10 minutes. Almond oil has a light,
non-offensive aroma. It is slightly heavier than coconut or grapeseed.
The economy-sized 8 oz. bottle is your best value.
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Fractionated coconut oil is
another popular carrier oil choice. Like almond oil, coconut is
inexpensive, absorbs quickly, has almost no aroma and has a long shelf
life at room temperature. It doesn’t go rancid. The 8 oz. size is your greatest value.
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Grapeseed oil is
another excellent choice for a carrier oil. This is the one you will
want to use for creating capsules. It is also light for mixing with
essential oils for spray bottles. Sweet almond and grapeseed oils can be
used by themselves or in combination. The 8 oz. size is your best
value. |
**Recommended size of Oils 10 ml- 1 oz.
*** First Aide Blends can be found here
Everyone has a place in
their home where they keep band-aids, ointments, aspirin and allergy
medicine. For us, we have a couple of places because we like to have
multiples of everything. It’s important to have these things on hand at
all times — you never know when you’ll need them. But do you have an
actual first aid kit put together?
Having a well-stocked first aid kit is a necessity in any home. Keep it
in easy reach so it’s ready at a moment’s notice. You could just buy a
pre-packed kit, or you could put together your own diy first aid kit —
and chances are good that you have a lot of this stuff in your cabinets,
drawers and linen closets already.
Copyright © 2016 - Survival at Home - Read more at:
http://survivalathome.com/diy-first-aid-kit/Everyone has a place in
their home where they keep band-aids, ointments, aspirin and allergy
medicine. For us, we have a couple of places because we like to have
multiples of everything. It’s important to have these things on hand at
all times — you never know when you’ll need them. But do you have an
actual first aid kit put together?
Having a well-stocked first aid kit is a necessity in any home. Keep it
in easy reach so it’s ready at a moment’s notice. You could just buy a
pre-packed kit, or you could put together your own diy first aid kit —
and chances are good that you have a lot of this stuff in your cabinets,
drawers and linen closets already.
Copyright © 2016 - Survival at Home - Read more at:
http://survivalathome.com/diy-first-aid-kit/Everyone has a place in
their home where they keep band-aids, ointments, aspirin and allergy
medicine. For us, we have a couple of places because we like to have
multiples of everything. It’s important to have these things on hand at
all times — you never know when you’ll need them. But do you have an
actual first aid kit put together?
Having a well-stocked first aid kit is a necessity in any home. Keep it
in easy reach so it’s ready at a moment’s notice. You could just buy a
pre-packed kit, or you could put together your own diy first aid kit —
and chances are good that you have a lot of this stuff in your cabinets,
drawers and linen closets already.
Copyright © 2016 - Survival at Home - Read more at:
http://survivalathome.com/diy-first-aid-kit/Everyone has a place in
their home where they keep band-aids, ointments, aspirin and allergy
medicine. For us, we have a couple of places because we like to have
multiples of everything. It’s important to have these things on hand at
all times — you never know when you’ll need them. But do you have an
actual first aid kit put together?
Having a well-stocked first aid kit is a necessity in any home. Keep it
in easy reach so it’s ready at a moment’s notice. You could just buy a
pre-packed kit, or you could put together your own diy first aid kit —
and chances are good that you have a lot of this stuff in your cabinets,
drawers and linen closets already.
Copyright © 2016 - Survival at Home - Read more at:
http://survivalathome.com/diy-first-aid-kit/Everyone has a place in
their home where they keep band-aids, ointments, aspirin and allergy
medicine. For us, we have a couple of places because we like to have
multiples of everything. It’s important to have these things on hand at
all times — you never know when you’ll need them. But do you have an
actual first aid kit put together?
Having a well-stocked first aid kit is a necessity in any home. Keep it
in easy reach so it’s ready at a moment’s notice. You could just buy a
pre-packed kit, or you could put together your own diy first aid kit —
and chances are good that you have a lot of this stuff in your cabinets,
drawers and linen closets already.
Copyright © 2016 - Survival at Home - Read more at:
http://survivalathome.com/diy-first-aid-kit/
