Hey Reader!
I'm on vacation this week, enjoying the dry heat of eastern Washington, lazy days paddle boarding, and drinking Okanogan wine. It's been fun to get away from my regular routine and embrace (mostly) true relaxation.
It's been easier to relax knowing that I prepared a natural travel first aid kit to help keep my family healthy. I thought I'd give you a sneak peek at what's inside my travel first aid kit (and I'll be writing a more in-depth post on my blog in the coming weeks as well!)
So, here's a down and dirty, quick list of what's in my travel first aid kit.
First Aid Supplies:
- Bandaids of various sizes
- Thermometer
- Eye Cup (to help wash out anything that gets in our eyes)
- Steri-strips
- Gauze
- Ace bandage
- Tweezers
- Irrigation Syringe
- Cotton balls/Q-tips
Herbal Tea Bags:
One of my favorite ways to bring herbs with me when I travel is to bring tea bags with me. Tea bags are extremely versatile and can be used internally (drinking a cup of tea) but can also be used externally to make a wash or used as a compress. I like the Traditional Medicinals tea brand and bring the following teas with me:
- ginger lemon tea (for digestive upsets)
- chamomile lavender tea (for relaxing the nervous system but also for scrapes, swollen eyes, skin rashes)
- licorice tea (for sore throats)
- red raspberry leaf tea (for its astringent properties- it's great for eyes or cuts)
- smooth move tea (to help with travel constipation)
- breathe easy tea with peppermint and eucalyptus (to help with any respiratory stuff - it can also be used as an herbal steam!)
I just ordered these tea blends from Amazon or got them from my local Whole Foods!
I also like to bring the following herbal products in my travel first aid kit:
- Echinacea tincture to support our immune system us if any one gets sick
- Skullcap/Valerian Tincture to help with sleeping
- Carminative tincture blend with fennel, ginger, and peppermint to help with tummy upsets.
- Wild Yam/Crampbark tincture blend to help with cramping
I get all my herbs and herbal tinctures from Mountain Rose herbs!
Essential Oils:
Essential oils travel so easily and can quickly be made into a topical preparation when diluted with olive oil. I always bring the following essential oils with me when I travel:
- peppermint
- ginger
- lavender
- eucalyptus
- a digestive blend that I make (email me for the recipe!)
- a moontime cramp blend that I make (email be for the recipe!)
I get my essential oils from Aromatics International!
I always bring bentonite clay with me as well which can be used as a poultice for bruises/scrapes/bites/swelling.
And I always pack a xylitol nasal spray like Xclear to help with congestion, ear aches, and any head, nose, throat, and ear issues that come up.
Activated charcoal and ginger capsules always come with me as well as part of my travel first aid kit. And I always bring electrolyte tablets in case anyone gets a little dehydrated. And because this trip was a beach trip, I also packed some aloe vera to soothe sunburns.
Last but not least, I bring some Homeopathic Remedies and Flower Essences with me as well:
Ok, hopefully, you'll find that list a helpful start to building your natural travel first aid kit! I store all of these in a toiletry bag for easy traveling!
Here's a picture of my messy first aid kit:
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Not sure how my garden is blooming at home but over here, we've been going to the community garden daily and picking raspberries and red currants! Chock full of antioxidants and good for the kidneys, the red currants are delicious. Watch out for the seed/pit inside though! #foodismedicine
In addition to the tangible things in my natural first aid kit, I also often use temperature (heat/cold) to help manage first aid situations. In general, ice helps with swelling and pain relief and decreases blood flow to the area. Heat, on the other hand, brings additional blood flow and can be soothing and comforting. My friend Ashlea put together a guide for how to use heat/cold that I wanted to share with you! Check it out here. It was created as a guide to help with the postpartum period but I've found the guide super helpful for first aid as well!
So, Reader, are you going anywhere this summer?
Want any help building a custom natural travel first aid kit?
As part of my Family Health Check Up, I'm happy to suggest items for your natural first aid kit custom to where you're headed and what issues you're most likely to face with your family. It's just $37 and you can get the Family Health Checkup here!
With love and Chamomile,