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Herbs for First Aid
Herbs for First Aid
Authored by Braddock Ray on Sunday, 07-10-2011
Check out our chart to learn which herbs and essential oils can be used as first aid treatments.
| Condition | Herb |
| Abrasions, cuts, scrapes | Apply calendula or German chamomile cream, goldenseal powder, St. John’s wort oil; once wounds begin to heal: aloe gel. |
| Allergies | German chamomile or rooibos tea; ginger, stinging nettle capsules. |
| Diarrhea | Blackberry, peppermint, or raspberry tea. |
| Earache |
Apply garlic, mullein, or St. John’s wort oil. |
| Heat rash | Apply aloe gel or calendula lotion. |
| Insect bites | Apply aloe gel, calendula lotion, chamomile cream, or tea tree oil. |
| Insomnia | Catnip, German chamomile, lemon balm, passionflower, or rooibos tea; kava or valerian capsules or tincture. |
| Motion sickness | Ginger capsules, tea, or tincture; fennel seed, tea, or tincture; peppermint tea or tincture. |
| Poison ivy, oak, sumac | Apply aloe gel or calendula tincture. |
| Sunburn | Apply aloe gel or juice (whole leaf extract); calendula, German chamomile, geranium, or lavender essential oil diluted in apple cider vinegar or witch hazel. |
About Essential Oils
Essential oils are another form of botanical medicine that is effective for a wide variety of ailments. Just be sure to dilute these potent oils in apple cider vinegar, carrier oil, or witch hazel before applying to the skin. Or pack an antiseptic ointment made from healing essential oils: German chamomile, lavender, and tea tree.
| What to Pack | Use For |
How to Use |
| Clove oil | Antiseptic, useful for sore muscles, bug bites, skin irritation, and wounds | Dilute 5 to 10 drops in a teaspoon of vegetable oil or other carrier. (Do not take internally.) |
| Tea tree oil | For disinfecting wounds and healing skin conditions: athlete’s foot, cuts and scrapes, fungal infections, hair and scalp conditions, and insect bites | Do not take internally. Dilute in a carrier like vegetable, primrose, or vitamin E oil. |
| Peppermint oil |
1. For indigestion and nausea 2. As a bug repellent 3. As an inhalant to relieve nasal and respiratory congestion |
1. Add a few drops to water. 2. Dilute in carrier oil. 3. Inhale after dropping in boiling water. |
| Slippery elm bark |
1. Soothes hives and insect bites 2. Treats diarrhea, heartburn, indigestion |
1. Mix powder with water. 2. Stir 1-3 tsp in a cup of water, juice, or tea. |
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