First Aid for Summer

Summer is a great time to practice the Boy Scout motto: Be Prepared. With a few simple supplies on hand with some basic first aid know-how and most summer mishaps, from insect stings to ankle sprains can be easily addressed. In addition to the bandages and ice packs you may want to tuck a few tea bags into your First Aid Kit: ·

Chamomile tea will soothe the nerves. If taken orally; it soothes headaches and irritations, and if used topically, it reduces inflammation of wounds and insect bites.·

Peppermint tea eases stomach upsets that may follow summer picnics andheadaches after hours in the sun.

Raspberry leaf tea applied topically to a wasp sting is especially useful in easing the pain.

White Oak Bark tea is good if you get too close to poison ivy or oak. Apply a compress soaked in the tea or the homeopathic remedy Anacardium.

Following a fall or collision during a family game of soccer, Arnica, a homeopathic remedy, may lessen the severity of an injury if taken under the tongue. In a topical cream, the herb Arnica will soothe bumps and bruises and may decrease healing time. Tea tree oil is an essential oil that is a natural antiseptic.

Tea tree has multiple uses from direct application to minor wounds to prevent infections to a foot soak to ease the itch of athlete's foot.

A second essential oil that is multipurpose and a great addition to your First Aid kit is Lavender. It has sedative, anti-inflammatory, and antiseptic properties. Helpful for headaches, anxiety, insomnia, wounds, burns, and insect stings. When in doubt, use lavender.

Terri Klas