Tuesday, September 24, 2013

First-Aid Remedies: Straight From Your Kitchen


You don’t have to invest in a costly first aid kit to be prepared for a minor emergency. In fact, most people already have a wide variety of food ingredients in their kitchens that double as first aid remedies. Oatmeal, baking soda, vinegar, ice cubes, honey and milk are just a few items from the kitchen that can be used as treat minor ailment, and here's why!

Stop the Itch
Outdoor summer fun or work can lead to an itchy poison ivy or poison oak rash. Stop the itch and soothe the skin with plain oatmeal. Cook a small pot of old-fashioned oatmeal according to directions, adding no flavoring. Allow it to cool, then apply a thin layer of the oatmeal to the skin rash to stop the itch. To sooth all-over dry, itchy skin caused by sunburn or too much time spent in the salt water or chlorinated pool water, pour two cups of old-fashioned oatmeal into a tub of warm water and soak for 15 minutes.

Baking Soda Remedies
Got heartburn? Mix one-half teaspoon of baking soda in a small glass of water and drink to put out the fire. Bee sting or bug bite? Dip the tip of your finger in water, then dip it into baking soda and dab it onto any type of sting or bite to soothe the inflammation and stop the pain.

Vinegar
Vinegar is a disinfectant and will cleanse any minor wound, as well as rubbing alcohol or hydrogen peroxide. Vinegar also kills nail fungus and promotes healing of minor cuts and scraps. Mix a few drops of white vinegar into baking soda to make a paste (mixture will foam) and spread onto large scraped areas or skin rashes for pain relief and to promote healing.

Ice Cubes
Every cook has (or will) burn their finger while cooking. An ice cube will cool the skin quickly after it has come into contact with a hot pot. Hold an ice cube on the burn for 15 seconds on, then 15 seconds off, until the pain subsides.

Honey
Raw, pure honey contains antibacterial properties and is great to coat, protect and promote healing of minor skin burns and abrasions. Apply a thin layer of honey to injured skin and cover with gauze to keep in place.
Honey also quiets a cough and soothes a sore throat. Swallow a spoonful of honey every hour or so to coat and soothe a sore, irritated throat and kill germs.

Cure Diaper Rash
An irritated baby’s bottom needs some quick first aid to stop the pain and crying. A little cow’s milk will soothe skin, stop the burn and promote healing. Gently wash the area with plain water to remove all urine, then soak a clean soft wash cloth in milk and gently place on the diaper rash area and let sit for 15 minutes. Rinse with cool water and let skin air-dry before re-diapering. Milk is a natural anti-inflammatory and will calm the inflammation on contact and begin to cure the diaper rash pronto.

Milk It!
The next time you get a heel blister from an ill-fitting shoe or a hand blister from a DIY project, soak a cotton ball in milk and hold it on the blister for 15 minutes to relieve the pain, prevent infection and promote healing.

Jose Jimenez writes all about natural health and home remedies. His recent work is on the best rn-bsn online programs in the US.

Wednesday, September 4, 2013

The Perfect First Aid Kit Suitable for Many Different Purposes

Note: Special thanks to Danielle McAnn for this blog post.


Every home should have a first aid kit, most people know this, but not many people actually have them. Even having the most basic of supplies in a household first aid kit could ward off tragedy, stopping a bad situation from becoming any worse. Situations like a bad cut could lead to drastic blood loss if not treated properly with the right supplies. To avoid this, it’s a good idea to buy a first aid kit or put one together yourself. Here are some of the basics to include in a good, all-purpose first aid kit:

- a first aid manual
- disposable gloves
- various adhesive and non-adhesive dressings
- adhesive tape
- assorted bandages (elastic, crepe, triangular)
- a splint
- antiseptic wipes and cream for burns and cuts
- saline solution
- scissors, tweezers and safety pins
- torch with batteries
- a face mask of some kind

Remember these are just the BASICS for a first aid kit, but there are so many other things you could add to make a more thorough kit, and it’s something to consider if you have young kids or someone in the family who works with dangerous tools as the risks are higher and more varied. In addition to being prepared with a first aid kit, you should also equip yourself with the right first aid knowledge, after all, the first aid kit is a little useless if you have no idea how to treat different injuries. Receiving training in first aid is relatively easy because there are so many places that offer short, concise courses, like First Aid Management. With the knowledge of how to treat allergic reaction, injuries, or even illness, you can reduce your medical costs and have the peace of mind that you know how to respond appropriately to an emergency situation.