Natural First Aid

27 Dec Natural First Aid

Natural First Aid
Nature has a cause and cure for everything. Add nature’s nurses to your first aid kit to promote rapid recovery and prevent complications.
Life’s little mishaps can strike at any time. Bleeds, bruises, burns, breaks, strains and stings are just a few challenges that call for quick TLC. A classic first aid kit with bandages, saline, scissors, gloves, face shield, hand sanitiser and tweezers is your best mate in an emergency. The Red Cross have TGA approved affordable kits for the house, workplace and car (redcross.edu.au). A First Aid course also equips you with simple steps to save lives such as CPR and AED application (stayingalivefirstaid.com). Adding some natural remedies can also ease the hurt through hard times. Having these medicines on hand can make the difference between a positive or potentially fatal outcome. Be prepared to treat sudden illnesses or injuries with these fantastic First Aid allies.
Anaphylaxis
This life threatening condition is often triggered by insect bites, nuts, seeds, dairy, shellfish, latex or acidic fruits. The only reliable treatment for the internal swelling is an adrenalin auto-injector which is available by prescription through an allergist or script-free from a pharmacy. If the anaphylaxis was triggered by a bee sting then scrape it out, immobilize the casualty, administer the epipen, call 000 then give Apis 30 homoeopathic. Applying ice directly to the sting site will give pain relief but won’t ameliorate the anaphylactic reaction. The casualty should stay still for four hours and repeated doses of adrenalin may be given every five minutes if the anaphylactic reaction doesn’t abate.
Asthma/ Breathing difficulties
Asthma, allergies or chest infections can cause strained breathing. While waiting for the pharmaceutical medication to work or arrive encourage the casualty to relax their shoulders and breath slowly with longer exhalations. The casualty can also inhale dilute eucalyptus or camphor steam. You can apply a heat balm to the chest and upper back such as the following homemade vapor rub.
¼ cup olive oil, ½ cup coconut oil, ¼ cup grated bees wax, 10 drops peppermint essential oil, 10 drops tea tree oil, 20 drops eucalyptus essential oil and 4 drops lemon oil.
Melt the olive oil, coconut oil and beeswax in a double boiler. Allow to cool and add essential oils.
Bites
Australia abounds with venomous spiders, snakes and marine life. An essential item in your first aid kit is two compression bandages in case of envenomation from a snake, funnel web spider, blue ringed octopus or cone snail. Firstly stay still, don’t wash the bite site and apply the two bandage pressure immobilization technique. One tight bandage directly over bite site and the other from toes to groin or fingers to armpit. If you know it’s a redback spider then apply a cold compress. If symptoms progress after medical attention apply a paste of activated charcoal and bentonite mixed with colloidal silver to pull the poison from the tissues.
Bleeds
Small cuts can be washed in saline solution, dilute tea tree oil or colloidal silver and powdered with turmeric to reduce the bleed. To accelerate healing calendula increases blood flow and oxygen to wounds, fast tracking tissue repair.

Breaks
Healing a fracture can be a long, painful process. However with the help of homoeopathic Comfrey or Symphytum a break can heal miraculously. Comfrey’s allantoin, steroidal saponins, rosmarinic acid and tannins team to increase bone cell growth, soothe swelling and ease inflammation.
Bruises
Add arnica to your first aid armory to banish bruises better than Vitamin K formulations according to Northwestern University’s Department of Dermatology. Arnica can be applied externally or internally in homoeopathic form to ease aches and fade a black bruise fast. For centuries arnica has been the anti-bruising boss thanks to its powerful anti-inflammatory helenalin and vasodilating thymol content.
Burns
Subdue burns under gently running cool water. Deep, blistering burns require immediate medical attention to prevent shock and infection. Mild to moderate burns can be sprayed with a 50% dilution of lavender essential oil then coated in a blend of manuka honey and aloe vera gel.
Diarrhea
A runny tummy can ruin a trip and turn to dangerous dehydration. Rehydrate with homemade hydrolyte. Combine a cup of water, coconut water or caffeine-free tea with a pinch of salt, a tsp of honey and a tsp of citrus juice. A heaped tsp of activated charcoal taken with water will stop the flow and farts. Homoeopathic Arsenicum album 30 is a firm favorite for food poisoning. Nux vomica works well when overindulgence results in indigestion.
Fevers
Cool a hot headed fever with homoeopathic Belladonna 30. Dip a cloth in cool sandalwood essential oil diluted in rosewater and apply to the forehead. To break a fever encourage sweating by keeping the body warm and sipping diaphoretic yarrow or elderflower tea.
Head injury
After a blow to the head it’s important to check for concussion, a haematoma or hemorrhage. Keep the casualty still, lying down with their chest and head raised. Aconite is indicated within the first few minutes or hours after injury, where the person is in shock. If there is vertigo and tinnitus Nat Sulph. homoeopathic is useful.
Puncture wounds
Ledum 6c is the homoeopathic hero for puncture wounds. It can protet the body from infection especially vital when there has been minimal bleeding.
Rashes
Soothe sudden rashes with calamine lotion or chickweed ointment externally and Rhus Tox 30 internally.
Shock/Trauma
Rescue Remedy or Bush Flower Emergency essence are powerful potions to ease the psychological stress of a sudden illness or injury.
Vomiting
Administer homoeopathic Ipecac and ensure rehydration with electrolyte rich fluid such as hydrolyte.
If symptoms persist please seek medical attention.
Caroline Robertson is a naturopath and first aid trainer based in Sydney. For consultations, courses and health retreats contact www.carolinerobertson.com.au, 0430 092 601