I’m sure you’re wondering what on earth naturopathic medicine could offer in a first aid capacity? No, we’re not going to set the broken bones of a child who has jumped off the top of a slide – bring them to the emergency room where they will be taken care of properly! However, for minor injuries, there are fantastic old tried-and-true supports.
Sunburns
Everyone has stayed in the sunlight a shade longer than they should. Aloe vera is commonly known to assist with sunburns, but so are the following:
Traumeel – A homeopathic preparation of herbs which are great for pain and swelling. The gel formulation might be cooler and refreshing for the skin in the first 24 hours, but the cream will be more hydrating as the skin layer peels.
Curcumin (turmeric) – Yes, this herb that you find in butter chicken and East Indian cuisine is anti-inflammatory and will help to heal the damage from the inside out. You can even make a little paste of it with olive oil and put it right on a hot area. If that is too strange for you, sprinkle 1 tsp in each meal.
Calendula – Calendula is a herb that is very anti-inflammatory, very orange in appearance and good for healing in general however should not be used by individuals allergic to the Asteraceae family (daisies)
Glonoium – a homeopathic that is fantastic for sunstroke, or for headaches from sun exposure
Bug Bites
They hurt, and they’re itchy. What do we do?
Ledum. A homeopathic that is specifically for bug bites and will soothe your irritation.
Tummy ache
Aside from not eating too much food, sometimes outdoor barbecues and new places lend stomach upset when it is least desired.
L-glutamine – Soothing to the enterocytes of the gastrointestinal mucosa, these cells are in our intestines and need extra support when we have had an episode of looser stools.
Good bacteria or probiotics – Good bacteria in our stomach in the proper amounts can prevent other bad bacteria, yeast, parasites, or viruses from sticking around. Making sure to increase your probiotic usage. Not all probiotics are the same however – but if you are unsure of which ones, better to go with a multi-strain probiotic (many good bacteria in one bottle) than one strain on its own, as our own intestines have many strains in one.