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 colds, 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 fresh 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.

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 level 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 with 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 correct 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
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