Okay, first of all, I have to clarify that I mean the term “doctoring” loosely.  (I just liked the alliteration. 🙂 )  Health care is, obviously, one of those areas where DIY will often not be a good option, and all the standard disclaimers apply: I’m not a doctor, the FDA doesn’t read or approve my blog, nothing here is intended to diagnose, treat, or prevent illness…you know the drill.

With that said, we all have first aid kits and medicine cabinets, right?  Because common sense tells us that not every little ailment requires a trip to the doctor.  Where you decide to draw that line is up to you — some of us have more knowledge in this area than others and can safely handle more on our own.  But let’s look at some safe, natural options for that “minor illnesses & ailments” tool chest.

Odds & Ends

Okay, first up: the things that don’t really fit into other categories.  Activated charcoal and/or medicinal clay are helpful to have on hand.  Both help “grab” toxins and draw them out.

Internally, this means adsorbing things like unwanted bacteria, die-off, poisons, etc.  (Activated charcoal is often used in ER’s now for poisoning, and is recommended over Ipecac.  It’s a lot more pleasant, too!)  Just be aware that it will bind minerals, too, so you might need to replenish those.

Externally, this means bug bites, snake bites, bee stings, and the like.

Of course, bandages are not really healthy or unhealthy.  Gauze and things like that — things that are “items” rather than “substances” are not especially unhealthy.  (We could nitpick over adhesives or bleaching or something, but, generally speaking, these are okay.)

Arnica gel is amazing for bruises.

Honey is useful, too.  Back before modern antibiotics, it was used as a wound dressing for soldiers.  It’s soothing to the throat, can be useful for coughs, and local honey (local to you) can help alleviate seasonal allergies.

Supplements

When you’re facing illness, one of the best things you can do for yourself is build your nutrition.  Good food is, of course, the primary choice.  But sometimes that’s not enough.  The body uses up certain vitamins extra-fast when it’s fighting off illness, so supplementing vitamins A, D, and C can be useful.

Probiotics can be helpful, too — especially when dealing with tummy stuff — to help rebalance the gut (which houses a good portion of the immune system).

And then there’s good old chicken broth. Which is not really a supplement; it’s actually food.  But real chicken broth really is health-building (and pretty easy on the digestion).

Homeopathics

I have to admit I’m not especially familiar with homeopathics.  I’m familiar with them as a whole, but not their individual uses.  They’re nice and small, and very safe, but I find them a bit difficult to use broadly without a lot of education, because very specific remedies are used for very specific purposes.  This also makes them expensive, in my opinion, to stock up enough to be helpful.

However, we do like Hylands teething tablets for (obviously) teething discomfort.  If you vaccinate, there are remedies said to help reduce the negative side effects.  And if you have a particular health issue you deal with on a regular basis, it might be beneficial to keep a remedy or remedies on hand for that.

Herbs

A lot can be done with herbs.  We don’t do a lot of tinctures or poultices at my house, but we do like herbal tea for medicinal purposes (as well as just for enjoyment).  For simplicity’s sake, we often just purchase boxes of pre-blended tea bags, but peppermint and red raspberry leaf get fairly frequent use, too.

Our go-to for congestion might technically fall under this category, too.  (Or maybe the first one, since it’s really more foods than herbs.  Our homemade decongestant has been very effective for us every time we’ve needed it.)

I find herbs a bit difficult because you need a variety, but you also need a decent amount of volume, which means that keeping a good stock for a variety of uses takes up a  lot of space.  That doesn’t mean they’re no good — herbs are an excellent option because they’re very accessible.  (An average person can grow, harvest, and use them.  Even if we had a major breakdown of society, with no access to the medical facilities and such that we’re used to, herbs would still be an option.)  But for me, they don’t get as much use.

Essential Oils

That’s one of the major reasons I like essential oils.  Just a few essential oils can do a lot of things and, being so concentrated, they don’t take up a lot of space.  You can read about my top three favorites here.  There are other excellent options, too, though.

Essential oils haven’t been taken through the same testing process as pharmaceuticals, so the FDA throws a fit if anyone says they actually do anything, but there is a lot of evidence that various oils are effective against various things.  Many of them are antiseptic, antibacterial, and/or antiviral, and they don’t seem to cause the same resistance to treatment that many pharmaceuticals do.  (Just goes to show that man can’t outdo God!)

For medicinal purposes, the top two oils I use besides the ones in that other post are probably frankincense (for viral things) and tea tree (for fungal things).  And maybe sweet orange (especially since my oldest doesn’t care for the smell of lavender).

I have very small children, so I stick to a handful of oils for most purposes, because not everything is good to use for babies and toddlers.  (I do use other essential oils.  But my “core” oils are the ones I can use on the toddler, too.)

Safety Notes

As a rule, correctly-used herbs and essential oils are pretty safe.  They don’t contain a bunch of man-made chemicals like pharmaceutical drugs do.  But they’re still pretty potent!  (Especially essential oils, which are very highly concentrated.)  So use them with care — especially with very young children or pregnant or nursing moms — and a solid dose of common sense.  And never use an herb or oil you have no familiarity with.

Anything can hurt you if you use too much (even water!), so use a reasonable dose.  A dose of essential oil is going to measured in drops.  Herbs you’ll obviously need more of.  (For most herbs, you’d probably have a hard time “overdosing.”)  And a few herbs and essential oils that we readily use externally are not okay internally. In fact, some of them can be deadly if consumed.  And if you’re on medications, you’ll need to check to be sure that natural things you’re using won’t interfere with your meds.

I’m not trying to freak anyone out — just warn you to pay attention.  Know that the thing you’re using is safe to be used in the way you’re using it before you do it.