What You Need in Your (Natural) Medicine Cabinet

Tis’ the season for flu shots and boogers. I wish I were kidding, but we all know what this time of year means for anyone who has a little kid in a classroom with a cajillion other little kids, and it’s not pretty.

I’m sure you’re stocking up on all things over-the-counter, like tissues, hand sanitizer, and Tylenol, but if you’re looking for a few things al’ natural to help you avoid an optional inevitable, allow me. I only have a few kids (like five), but they are rarely ever sick. When that’s not the case, I’m prepared with an arsenal that could light up a circuit. Why? Because I don’t mess around … and neither should you.

I respect a good cold (and the benefits of it), and I want to give my children the things that will support their body through it as quickly as possible, but you won’t find Tylenol in my house … or old prescriptions for antibiotics, pain or sleepy anything, and whatever else over-the-counter you’re “supposed” to have on hand for kids these days. Nope … you’ll only find the all natural things that have absolutely no medicinal benefit whatsoever in my medicine cabinet, and the things my 102-year-old grandma is insistent you must have on hand to survive a modern-day plague.

Here’s “THE” list:

• Silver Shield Gel and Liquid
  Silver compounds have been used for medicinal purposes for centuries and research shows it’s pretty awesome at fighting a wide-range of bacteria, including those that are commonly resistant to other antibiotics. The microscopic silver nanoparticles we use today, do not disrupt the intestinal microflora and it’s relatively nontoxic, making it an absolute must-have for the “just in case.”

• Peppermint Oil
  I keep peppermint oil on hand for all things gas, pain, fever, and a “long list of other things” that shall not be mentioned. When I need to bring down a temp, it’s into the bath with a few drops of this goodness … and BOOM. You can also dilute a few drops in raw coconut oil and rub it on the back of your child’s neck and feet to accomplish the same thing. Peppermint has never steered me wrong and your medicine is empty without it.

• Lavender Oil
  There are a ton of essential oils, but lavender is the universal oil for a reason and it’s my go-to for colic, sleep issues, you need to calm down right now issues, and those “you fell on your bottom and got a boo boo” problems. For sleep and mood, I diffuse it. A drop is all that’s needed for a bath and for skin, I dilute it.

• Zinc Lozenges or Elderberry Syrup
  I’m a huge fan of zinc for preventing and addressing a good cold, and I think it deserves at least a little credit for the fact that I’ve never had to resort to an antibiotic. If a little zinc can prevent a wiped out immune system, what have you got to lose? On the other hand, some people love them some elderberry. I must agree, the syrup is quite nice.

• Apple Cider Vinegar
  Guys … it’s apple cider vinegar. Need I say anything about this magic elixir of amazingness? People go back and forth on whether apple cider vinegar is anything but fermented apple juice, but anyone into anything natural knows how awesome it is. The ACV comes out in my house for stomach upset, digestive complaints, and UTIs.

• Raw Coconut Oil
  Raw coconut has some pretty sweet antimicrobial properties and is a must-have for diluting essential oils, making salves on the fly, and anything skin problem.

• Epsom Salt
  How did the world survive before epsom salt? This is just one of the many questions that keep me up at night because epsom salt is so amazing. If you don’t know why you need it or how to use it, read THIS.

• Hydrogen Peroxide
  At a few dollars, there’s no excuse for not having a bottle of H2O2 in your medicine cabinet. Although some people use it for cancer and detoxing – I wouldn’t take it that far. I keep a bottle on hand as an antiseptic and for “just in case one of my kids should ever have an ear infection or wayward tonsil” scenarios.

• A Diffuser
  One of the best ways to use essential oils with your children is through diffusion. There’s a vast amount of research behind aromatherapy and an oil’s ability to diffuse the germs right out of the room. So when any of my kids are sick the diffuser is ON.

• Legit Runner-Ups
  There are some legit runner-ups that may be good to keep in your medicine cabinet: liquid lobelia, licorice root, charcoal, homeopathic cough syrup, witch hazel, bentonite clay, Oscillococcinum, and vitamins A, C, and E are just a few that make this list.

I can think of a cool 200 more things to add, but the truth is, it’s unnecessary. Sure, there are many things I do for prevention and super supplements I give my kids on the daily, but when one of them drops, I do a double take a hit them with a home remedy that has absolutely no medicine benefit whatsoever – if ya know what I mean.

And what can I say, it has worked every time.