Natural Medicine for the On the Go Family

Now that the warmer weather is finally here, dare I say, summer! It’s time to start thinking about all the wonderful things our families can get into while enjoying fun in the sun. If you’d like to be prepared for just about anything that summer, and more importantly your kids, can throw at you here are some of my suggestions for things to have on the ready pretty well anywhere you go.

1. Arnica 200 CH: This is one of the homeopathic remedies I hardly ever go anywhere without. If you have this first aid remedy on hand, you can attend to bumps, bruises, scraps, strains, sprains and just about everything in between. If all else fails, remember it’s for pain and you’ll be just fine.
   

2. Safe Sunscreen: when out in the sun for prolonged periods of time, having the right sunscreen is important. There are several factors to consider (SPF, type, Vitamin A content, etc.), but potentially one of the most essential is chemicals put in the sunscreen. Studies show chemicals put in most generic sunscreens are harmful to the body. One of the worst ingredients being oxybenzone, which can penetrate the skin and interfere with hormones. A safer option is a product containing minerals such as zinc oxide and/or titanium dioxide. Mineral based formulas don’t penetrate the skin, don’t disrupt hormones, and offer the best protection by blocking UV rays (both A and B).

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3.  Aloe gel: Despite your best efforts to re-apply sunscreen often you still managed to get a sunburn. Aloe gel soothes and cools the skin so that you will get almost instant relief from pretty well any sunburn. This can be used fairly liberally and often, as aloe gel is both anti-inflammatory and improves the rate of healing. Caution: if you have a young child, be careful they do not ingest the gel. Ingestion could cause diarrhea, nausea/vomiting and abdominal pain.

4. Cantharis 30 CH: This homeopathic remedy is great for burns of almost any type, including sunburns. You can use this in conjunction with Aloe gel or by itself. This would be a good choice if you’re concerned about your child trying to eat the aloe gel once applied. This remedy, like Aloe gel, also relieves pain and helps promote healing.

5. Apis 30 CH: This homeopathic remedy is excellent for bee stings in particular, but can be used to treat other stings and bug bites as well. Generally helps with reducing swelling, pain and heat. Especially helpful for swelling around the eyes when the eyes are becoming too swollen to open the lids. Caution: If someone in your family has an anaphylactic allergy and they require an epi-pen, do not carry Apis in place of the epi-pen.

.This is by no means all the various natural remedies you could use for these situations, nor is it all the possible situations you could potentially encounter this summer. However, this is a good place to start to cover a lot of the common issues that could occur. If you’re not familiar or comfortable with the use of any of these remedies, always check with your Naturopathic Doctor or other similarly educated health care practitioner before use.




Note: Talk to your Naturopathic Doctor today about getting assessed and treated if needed, and as always talk to your health care provider before beginning any new medication or supplement. This information is not meant to replace the advice/guidance of a medical professional, nor should it be acted upon by individuals unsupervised by the appropriate healthcare provider.