What Should be in Your Home Natural Medicine Cabinet?

There are many herbal cures and remedies for the common, and sometimes not-so-common, problems with your personal health. Besides being less expensive than many OTC medications, natural remedies rarely have side-effects and often work immediately.

Have a group of remedies at hand for various ailments when they arise. Also have the basics to use them with: sterile bandages, cotton balls, ice packs and heat packs, and a reliable thermometer.

Try these to see which is best for you, because all people respond differently, and stock the most effective ones. If you have children, some remedies come in children’s strength.

Arnica Cream

• Bruises and swelling under the skin, but not for use on open wounds or cuts

• Pain

Arnica Tablets

• Calming following a physical or emotional shock

Black Cohosh

• General pain

• Headache

• Cramp

Calamine Lotion

• Poison ivy, poison oak

• Rashes

Calendula, also called Marigold Cream

• General antiseptic and antifungal

• Cuts, lesions, any broken skin

• Insect bites

Chamomile

• Insomnia (tea)

• Shock and other nervous system problems

Charcoal Capsules

• Charcoal absorbs toxins, especially in cases of food poisoning

• Gas

Chickweed Cream

• Burns

• Insect bites

• Boils

Chinese White Flower Oil

• Muscle strains, sprains

Citronella Oil

• Insect repellent

Colloidal Silver

• Antibiotic

Comfrey Ointment

• Promotes cell growth on wounds

• Indigestion and gas (tea)

Echinacea

• Immune-enhancing, effective when feeling a cold coming on

Elderberry Extract

• Colds, flu

• Sinus infections

Eucalyptus Oil

• Sinus infections

Ginger

• Nausea, morning sickness

• Travel sickness

Ginger Tea

• Indigestion

• Gas

• Upset stomach

Ginseng

• Energy restorer

Ginseng Gel

• Wounds

Grapefruit Seed Extract

• Acne

• Allergies (spray!)

• Anti-fungal (athlete’s foot, nail fungus)

• Bronchitis

• Candida

• Canker sores

• Cold sores

•Dandruff

• Diarrhea

• Gingivitis

• Sinus infections (spray!)

• Sore throat

• Upset stomach

• Warts 

Ignatia Amara (St. Ignatius' bean)

• Anxiety

• Grief, trauma

Lavender Oil

• Sunburns, other burns

• Mixed with another oil, can relieve headache

• Lavender steam, for chest congestion

• Lavender compress for pain, headache and cramps

Magnesium, Magnesium Sulfate (Epsom salts)

• Muscle relaxant

• Detoxification bath

St John's Wort Oil

• Sunburn, burns

• Wounds

Tea Tree Oil

• General antiseptic and antifungal

• Athlete's foot, nail fungus

• Cold sores

• Skin rashes, swelling

• Ringworm

Vitamin E Oil

• Healing of wounds

White Willow

• Muscle strains, sprains

Do you have a natural remedy that should be in the Medicine Cabinet? Please let us know. Thank you!