Herbal First Aid Kit Additions

Having a First Aid Kit at home is a pretty standard issue practice. If you don’t already have one, they can be bought for less than twenty dollars at most grocery stores and drugstores. You can also go the build your own route for a more customized first aid kit. Either way, the Red Cross recommends your kit contain the items listed on their website, here: http://www.redcross.org/services/hss/lifeline/fakit.html

Because I am an herbal enthusiast, in addition to my first aid kit I also have an herbal comforts kit on hand. My herbal comforts kit complements the things found in the first aid kit, and provides a natural solution for occasional, run of the mill discomforts.  

I keep my herbal kit in a bathroom cabinet at eye level. Everything is in a basket so it’s portable, but it’s also easy to reach everything as is. I like to have the option of moving the whole kit around to different parts of the house. It's not necessary to make it portable, but I would at least consider keeping everything together on the same shelf. That way, things are easy to locate as you need them. Other good places to store a kit might be in a kitchen cabinet, or in a nightstand by the bed. Cars, garages, or other areas that get extremely hot or cold aren’t a good idea, because herbs are temperature sensitive.

So, what do I keep in my herbal comfort kit?

Peppermint Tea

Digestive bitters blend

Aloe gel

Plantain and goldenseal salve

Calendula tea

Turmeric extract

Passionflower extract

Soothing throat spray

Herbal cough syrup

Rather than suggest that you copy my kit, let’s take a look at some flexible categories that can be used to put together an herbal comforts kit from scratch.

Digestive comfort

Simples (single herbs) that have traditionally been used for digestive support come in two varieties, carminatives and bitters. Carminatives include ginger, fennel, and mint. They were traditionally used after a meal to dispel gas and freshen the breath. Carminatives generally have a pleasant taste and are easy to find as teas or extracts. Oregon grape, yellow dock, and gentian are examples of bitters. Bitters were historically used before a meal to aid digestion. Generally found as extracts, many different combinations of bitters exist, and some of these combinations also include carminatives, both for their taste and for their complementary action.

Burns and Bruises

Aloe is a live plant that many herbalists keep in the house because it is so soothing to the skin. It excels in comforting burns, whether kitchen or sun related. Aloe may also be purchased in a bottled gel, generally in a 99% aloe form. The other one percent is usually agar, pectin, or another natural substance to give the gel more body, and citric acid or another natural preservative. Calendula, plantain, and chickweed are also very good for burn related skin complaints. Traditional herbs for bruises include comfrey and arnica.  

Cuts and Scrapes

Plantain, calendula, and aloe have all historically done double duty in assisting with cuts and scrapes as well as burns. Salves can be easiest to apply, but an extract can be added to a little olive, sesame, or vitamin e oil with equally good results. Honey has a long tradition as a skin remedy; it can be used plain or herbs may be steeped in it.

Aches and Pains

White willow has traditional uses as an anti-inflammatory and pain and fever reducer. It is considered fine for adults, but should probably not be used in children, for the same reason that aspirin (which was originally derived from willow) should not be used. Turmeric and skullcap are two other herbs worthy of consideration, and several herbal companies make excellent formulas based around these herbs.

Sleep and Stress

Like products for aches and pains, a number of formulas are available which focus on promoting a restful night’s sleep. Single herbs that have historically been used include passionflower, catnip, chamomile, valerian, hops, and lavender. Sleep and stress herbs lend themselves well to both teas and extracts.  Day time stress can benefit from tulsi (holy basil), passionflower, or oatstraw.  

Cold and Flu Season

Throat soothing teas, sprays, and lozenges can be extremely useful during cold and flu season. Many of these are based around licorice, marshmallow, or slippery elm. Herbs for lung support can include wild cherry bark, osha, grindelia, or horehound to name a few. Lung support herbs typically come in syrups, teas, or single herb extracts.

As you can see, the options for an herbal comfort kit are endlessly customizable. A very basic comfort kit could be put together exclusively out of teas. If you hate teas, perhaps try a combination of extracts or capsules and a few topical oils. Whatever you choose, the point is to find something that works for you, is easy to use, and complements your first aid kit. 

Anecdotes or Ideas? Please comment below; I'd love to hear from you!