Natural First Aid Kit

On our recent car trip, I pulled out our first aid kit to see what was there and update it.  My, but what a look at our lifestyle change it was!  Inside were adhesive bandages that had melted apart in the heat of the car, antacids and pain relievers which had expired YEARS ago, antibiotic ointment that had expired years ago, soap that was chock full of chemicals, a sewing kit, a few sterile dressings, a roll of adhesive tape, several alcohol wipes, a candle and a single blade disposable razor.  Literally, everything that could expire had expired in 2004 at the latest.

It is funny because none of the things in the kit were things that we ever truly use - which is why most of it had to be thrown out.  For a house with young children, we amazingly rarely use adhesive bandages or tapes.  The Bean and I are both allergic to the adhesive, and when you are just used to not using them, you rarely reach for them.  We rarely used chemical medications to begin with, and the ones that were on the recommended list were simply never reached for because we didn't use them.  And I never cleaned out the first aid kit and restocked it because we pretty much never used it.  I am good about clearing up what we have and use at home - getting rid of outdated items, buying in advance items that we will use if we get sick, looking for natural alternatives, and keeping us well stocked.  So, I decided to update the first aid kit for the van, and began looking for a good list of what products to put in.

So, I've made a list of general items to keep in a natural first aid kit, as well as a list of things to keep in the car.  I thought I'd share as some of you might find it helpful!

Natural First Aid Kit for Home
Small, medium and large sterile gauze dressings.
Scissors for bandages
Tape for bandages
At least two sterile eye dressings.
Ace type bandages.
Safety pins.
Disposable sterile gloves.
Tweezers.
Thermometer, preferably digital.
Distilled water, for cleaning wounds and as an eye bath.  Eye drops are also an option.
Tongue depressors.
Nasal aspirator.
Flashlight and extra batteries.
CPR Mask – optional.
Blanket.
Cleansing wipes – alcohol, peroxide, etc.
Soap and/or hand sanitizer.
Hydrogen peroxide or rubbing alcohol.
Witch Hazel.
Epsom Salt.
Skin rash cream such as Better Baby Bottoms or Lavender Oil.
Cream or spray to relieve insect bites and stings - Florasone.
Antiseptic cream or ointment (can be made with essential oils).
Pain relievers – peppermint or lavender oil ointment for headaches, arnica cream for bumps and bruises, rice bags to warm or freeze for muscle aches, hot water bottle
Cough remedies – Honey to eat, Eucalyptus Oil (to diffuse or rub on chest mixed with oil), vaporizer, Hyland’s Cough ‘N Cold for kids, hot teas (many herbal varieties), and cough lozenges with zinc.
Digestion Aids – Papaya tablets
Nausea remedies – Ginger tea, candies or tablets can be helpful.  We also use St. Claire’s brand Tummy Soothers tablets.
Immune support therapies – Echinacea tincture, elderberry juice/concentrate/tincture, Herbs for Kids brand Temp Assure
Burn ointment to prevent infection – aloe vera gel, Weleda burn gel, lavender oil.
Nasal spray.
Antihistamine tablets or liquid – Benadryl, etc.
Tube of non-petroleum jelly or other lubricant.  Beeswax and oil heated and melted together makes a lovely ointment and the oil can be steeped with herbs or infused with essential oils to provide further protective properties.

Natural First Aid Kit for Car
Small, medium and large sterile gauze dressings.
Scissors for bandages
Tape for bandages
At least two sterile eye dressings.
Ace type bandages.
Safety pins.
Disposable sterile gloves.
Tweezers.
Distilled water, for cleaning wounds and as an eye bath.  Eye drops are also an option.
Flashlight and extra batteries.
CPR Mask – optional.
Blanket.
Cleansing wipes – alcohol, peroxide, etc.
Soap and/or hand sanitizer.
Skin rash cream such as Better Baby Bottoms or Lavender Oil.
Cream or spray to relieve insect bites and stings - Florasone.
Antiseptic cream or ointment (can be made with essential oils).
Pain relievers – peppermint or lavender oil ointment for headaches, arnica cream for bumps and bruises.
Digestion Aids – Papaya tablets
Nausea remedies – Ginger candies or tablets can be helpful.  We also use St. Claire’s brand Tummy Soothers tablets.
Burn ointment to prevent infection – aloe vera gel, Weleda burn gel, lavender oil.
Antihistamine tablets or liquid – Benadryl, etc.

The items for the vehicle should be packed together in a small container that you can easily access in an emergency and will be protected as much as possible from sunlight and heat.  The items in it should be in a form that is easy to use immediately (making ginger tea on the side of the road for a nauseous child is really not as ideal as giving them a ginger tablet or candy), and you may want to consider smaller sized items so that your container doesn't need to be as large.  For example, you may want small or fold-able scissors instead of a large pair.  Many of the vehicle items can easily be made into balms or ointments and stored in small jars or tins to keep them from being messy.  One of my favorites is to make a balm of olive oil and beeswax, then add peppermint oil as it cools and store it in a small tin for headaches when I'm out and about.

What else do you keep in your natural first aid kit?