Friday, December 5, 2008

Inside My Medicine Cabinet




First of all, I guess I should clarify that I don't really have a medicine cabinet, rather a tackle box filled with my medical and emergency supplies. However, Inside My Medicine Tackle Box does not have quite the same ring. Moving on...

I firmly believe in being as prepared as possible for any emergency situation, especially since I have kids. I also take a holistic approach to medicine, so some of the items in my medical tackle box might sound unfamiliar, but here goes:

Tools and Miscellaneous Supplies

Large and small nail clippers
Tongue depressors
Small pen light
Cotton swabs
Thermometer
Surgical scissors
Dissection kit (from my Anatomy and Physiology classes, but it comes in handy)
Ice packs
Water bag
Matches
Emergency blanket
Disposable gloves

Bandages, etc.

Various sizes and shapes of self-adhesive bandages
Various sizes and shapes of gauze, self-adhesive and non-adhesive
Pre-wrap
Various sizes of kinesiology tape
Surgical tape
Mole skin
Adhesive strips (great for sealing wounds, instead of having to use stitches)
Skin glue

Wound care, etc.

Colloidal silver spray (as an alternative to Bactine)
Herbal salve (as an alternative to Neosporin- I have one with Pau d' Arco, Calendula, Plantain, and such)
Aloe gel (100% pure, great for burns)
Oreganol (This particular brand of oregano oil is great for serious fungal infections, spider and snake bites, etc.)
Zinc oxide cream (Weleda makes a good one, it's great for diaper rashes and various skin rashes)
Insect sting and bite gel (Sting Stop by B&T is a homeopathic formula I use for minor stings and bites)

Colds, Ears, and Eyes

Immune system formula (like System Well Ultimate Immunity by Nature's Way)
Cough drops (organic and sweetened with stevia or other natural sweetener)
Nasal spray (I have one with grapefruit seed extract, xylitol, and saline)
Olive leaf throat spray
Herbal eye drops (I use a homeopathic and herbal blend with fennel, clover, eyebright, in an isotonic solution)
Ear oil (Wally's Ear oil has garlic and other anti-fungal/healing herbs)

Tooth, Gums, and Mouth

Clove oil (helps numb tooth and gum pain)
Tooth and gum ointment (Perio Rub by Nature's Answer makes one with clove, olive leaf extract, phytoplenolin, and many other therapeutic herbs)
Cold sore gel (Herpanacine has l-lysine, astragalus, sarsaparilla root, and additional anti-oxidants)

Pain and Inflammation

Arnica gel (Boiron, for contusions and other aches)
Turmeric (reduces inflammation, increases circulation, etc)
Pain relief spray (Stop Pain with menthol, glucosamine, chondroitin, boswellia, etc)
DLPA (helps body and mind cope with pain, neurally)