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My Natural Medicine Cabinet

While I believe modern medicine has it's place, I personally think it's best saved for serious injuries and serious illness. When I can, I tend to treat at home.

In this post I will share the natural remedies that I almost always keep on hand and what I use them for.


My Natural Medicine Cabinet from The Barefoot Mom


Fresh Garlic and Fresh Ginger:

Garlic is a powerful antimicrobial and can be effective against a wide range of bacteria, fungi, viruses, and parasites. (source )

I infuse it in oil for skin infections and ear infections. I eat it raw (or take it in capsules) for fighting off infections and parasites.

Ginger is great for nausea, inflammation, and respiratory issues. (source)

I use it in tea for sore throats or nausea and infused in oil for chest congestion or sore or swollen joints. 

Raw Honey:

Honey is another powerful antimicrobial and has wound healing properties. (source)

 I use it in tea to sooth sore throats. I use it on bug bites (it's great for bee stings, very soothing), cold sores, and minor wounds.

Essential Oils:

I keep a variety of essential oils on hand for a wide variety of medical purposes including fighting germs, inflammation, pain, congestion, anxiety, and much more. My 5 favorite and most used oils are:

-lavender 
-tea tree 
-sweet orange
-cypress
-frankincense 

You can read more about how I use these 5 oils here.

You can read more about the medicinal properties of essential oils here and about safe essential oil usage here.

Dry Herbs:

I keep a variety of dried herbs on hand for medicinal teas and soups. The ones we use most are:

-chamomile-for fevers, sore throats, upset stomachs

-lemon balm- for sleep, viruses, cold sores

-lavender- for sleep

-yarrow- for fevers and bleeding

-rosemary- is another powerful antimicrobial 

-peppermint-  for upset stomachs

All Purpose Salve:

I use my all purpose herbal salve for everything, well not quite everything but it's some pretty useful stuff. I use it for bug bites, rashes, minor scratches, minor burns, sunburns, bruises, chapped skin, and more.

 For instructions to make your own, check out my DIY All Purpose Herbal Salve post.

Black Drawing Salve:

Black drawing salve is some pretty awesome stuff too. It's made with both activated charcoal and bentonite clay, both of which absorb impurities and pull infections to the surface. 

I use it for bug bites, splinters, skin infections, and cold sores. Sometimes I make my own but when I don't have the ingredients on hand I order from Earthley.

Elderberry:

Elderberry syrup or elixir is a fantastic remedy for colds and the flu. It can shorten the duration of colds and the flu and it can even help prevent them all together. It's effectiveness has been demonstrated by several double blind studies, you can read more about that here and here.

It should be noted that raw elderberries and their stems are toxic. They have to be heated properly.  I personally buy a premade syrup from Mountain Rose Herbs so I don't have to worry about it. 


Apple Cider Vinegar:

Apple cider vinegar (the good stuff with "the mother") is a remedy for so many things! It can be used to reduce the appearance of scars (source), treat acne (source), reduce heartburn and acid relux, fight athlete's foot, remove warts and moles, and kill bacteria (source).

Bone Broth:

Bone broth is one of my go to remedies for morning sickness. It can help settle upset stomachs, sooth sore throats, and even relieve congestion. For more information about the amazing health benefits of bone broth and for my personal recipe, check out my post The Amazing Health Benefits of Bone Broth.

Epsom Salts:

Epsom salts (or magnesium sulfate) have so many uses. Dissolved in warm water they're an excellent soak for sore muscles and joints. They can reduce inflammation, promote relaxation, and relieve mild constipation. A warm bath with Epsom salts before bed can help with insomnia, restless leg syndrome,and muscle cramps. And we use Epsom salts in our weekly detox baths because they can help draw toxins out of the body. 

What are your go to home remedies?
Sources:

 -Antimicrobial Properties of Allicin From Garlic: 
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1286457999800033
-Ginger: An Overview of Health Benefits:
https://journals.lww.com/nutritiontodayonline/Abstract/2010/07000/Ginger__An_Overview_of_Health_Benefits.8.aspx


-Honey: it's medicinal property and antibacterial activity:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3609166/


-Randomized study of the efficacy and safety of oral elderberry extract in the treatment of Influenza A and B virus infections :
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/15080016/


-Elderberries: A Potent Cold and Flu Remedy?:
http://www.pharmacytimes.com/contributor/cate-sibley-pharmd/2017/10/elderberries-a-potent-cold-and-flu-remedy


-Lactic acid peeling in superficial acne scarring: 
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20883299


-Evaluation of anti-microbial activities of ZnO, citric acid, and a mixture of both against Propionibacterium acnes:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26940755



-Antibacterial action of vinegar against food borne pathogenic bacteria:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9713753





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Comments

  1. Nicole | Glamorously YouApril 10, 2018 at 8:26 AM

    This is fantastic! I am trying to transition into using cleaner/more natural beauty and health products so this will be a great resource for me :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. denise tuncaApril 10, 2018 at 11:00 AM

    Love the post! :) Will keep in mind to have a look when needed.

    ReplyDelete
  3. cookwithrenuApril 17, 2018 at 8:55 AM

    I always believe in natural medicines, and use this for myself and my children's. I keep on adding to my knowlegge on this. Loved your article, Pinning your post for detail read later. Thank You

    ReplyDelete
  4. Carrie VisserApril 17, 2018 at 12:20 PM

    I've always used natural remedies as well. I use many of the ones you mentioned, although I'd love to try the black drawing salve!

    My 'go to' remedy for sore throat, or the beginning of a cold is to gargle 2-3x a day with hot salt water.

    I find, if I gargle immediately when a sore throat starts, the cold doesn't develop any further!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Brandy NicoleApril 17, 2018 at 7:24 PM

      That's a good one, my mom swears by gargling salt water.

      Delete

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