This time of year (at least for those of us in the northern hemisphere) is so busy for many of us “not dabbling in normal;” there’s gardening, preserving, getting ready for winter, etc. I don’t know about everyone else but all that work leaves me sore, bruised, bitten, sometimes swollen, and even occasionally burned. Admittedly, I’m a bit of a klutz but I know most of us get a little beaten up in the height of our “busy” season.
To help care for myself I keep a small stash of items for those days when just a little TLC and minor first-aid might be needed:
- Epsom Salts – Always good for a warm foot or hand soak when they’re sore and/or swollen. It never ceases to amaze me how a little soak can do wonders for my aches and my spirit.
- Dandelion Massage Oil – Made by soaking dandelion flowers in some oil for a month – works great on those sore muscles with just a bit of rubbing. If you can talk your spouse into rubbing it in for you so much the better.
- Arnica Cream – Helps reduce swelling and bruising. Great for those times when you walk into the wheelbarrow while watching the egret fly over ahead instead of watching where you’re walking.
- Aloe – Inevitably, I get in a hurry while I’m canning and burn myself just slightly. I have an aloe plant in the kitchen for just this occasion. Aloe is good for sunburns too.
- Ice Packs – I keep a few bags of ice in the freezer to help bring down swelling, which comes in handy at least once a summer.
- Toothpaste – Okay, toothpaste serves many purposes, but it can help relieve the sting from some bug bites when rubbed onto the area and left to dry. (If you have allergies to bee / wasp stings, please keep your epi pen close by.)
For the most part the above items with a little extra rest when I need it, help me stay relatively injury free. Paying closer attention would do wonders, too…
Not Dabbling In Normal 
We have just began, and I know what you mean and we defiantly have things on hand!!
I also use comfrey for those cuts and scrapes (and bug bites as well). I just snipped my finger while harvesting peppers (looked like a horror movie was filmed in the garden. I made a poultice of comfrey and it healed very quickly, no stitches needed (just a butterfly bandage and some comfrey.
I’m trying to get into growing more herbs for medicinal purposes, someday I’ll have a nice medicinal garden and know how to use everything in it.
I do need to get an aloe plant for the house.
Totally forgot about the toothpaste thing. Love that! And the Epsom salts.
The many uses for toothpaste other than brushing teeth never fails to amaze me since I’ve learned about them. I’ve also used honey poultices (with turmeric) as an antiseptic and a way to reduce inflamation with great success.
One evening, I sloshed *boiling oil* on my foot while making frybread (barefoot in the kitchen but not pregnant). Oy, that hurt.
I took a leaf of aloe, butterflyed it open with a knife, and placed it on the burn with a bandaid overnight.
The next morning? NO SIGN of the burn. No mark. Like it never happened.
I’ve been sold on aloe ever since.
Good article, kathie…insect bites and sun damage are a constant challenge for us. The fire ants have taken over most of our yard and we have yet to figure out a non-chemical eradication of them…and so they thrive. One thing I’ve used for years for wasp and bee stings that works amazingly well for taking the sting out of the wound is Vitamin E liquid caps. If you pierce one of them and put the Vitamin E liquid right on the wound, it takes the ouch right out (not sure how, but hey!) But those fire ant stings…haven’t found the magic remedy yet 🙂 For chapped skin from clothes rubbing sweat into skin or heat rash or any hot spots that recur, good ole original formula Desitin baby rash ointment is our favorite. It smells a little fishy, but that’s because it has cod liver oil in it, I think..but works great.
Robbyn 🙂