Natural First Aid Tips For Summer!
Summer is finally here! And along with fun in the sun and the great outdoors can come summertime ailments. We’ve got a few tips to help you and your family enjoy a healthy & happy summer.
How to make an Outdoor Spray that will keep the bugs away:
Fill a 300ml amber glass bottle with water and set aside. *Amber glass is best because it will protect essential oils from UV exposure.
In a separate container, add 5ml of olive oil, 30 drops of True North Essential Oil, 30 drops of Citrus Sunshine Essential Oil and 30 drops of Lavender Essential Oil. The defenders in this formula are Black Spruce which will confuse insects by masking your human odour and May Chang - a powerful insecticide, proven to be comparable to deet in this study: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4617422/
Insect bites:
Lavender essential oil is known for its calming effects but did you know that it’s also anti-inflammatory and analgesic (pain relieving)? Not only will it accelerate the healing process but it will reduce the itching sensation stop the desire to scratch! Arnica oil is also known to accelerate the healing process and the infused oil can be helpful in reducing swelling and pain from insect bites. Recipe: add 20 drops of lavender essential oil to 30ml of arnica infused oil and shake until well blended. Apply directly onto affected area. May be reapplied as needed. Sleepy Owl Boo Boo Stick contains both of the ingredients above as well as vitamin E, calendula & organic tea tree oil. The easy-to-use roll on bottle makes it perfect for taking trips or at camp.
Sunburns:
Sometimes our best efforts to avoid a sunburn fall short, but here is a natural recipe that could help to soothe a mild sunburn.
What you need: aloe vera gel, 1 black tea bag, Baby’s Blue Oil
Brew the tea bag in 100ml of boiling water. Allow to cool. Mix approximately 2 tablespoons of aloe vera gel, add 2 teaspoons of the brewed tea and 1 teaspoon of the Baby’s Blue Oil. Apply to affected area every half hour for the first 6 hours, then as needed. The aloe will soothe and cool the skin, the black tea will reduce and hopefully reverse UV damage and our Baby’s Blue Oil will reduce redness, soreness and inflammation. This combination will provide general relief and assist in the healing process. Be sure to hydrate, hydrate, hydrate with any over-exposure to sun.
Scrapes & grazes:
Many essential oils have disinfecting properties but the most common are lavender and tea tree essential oil. You may apply both diluted with water to minor scrapes and grazes to disinfect, reduce pain and speed up healing. Dampen some gauze with water, apply 1 drop of both lavender & tea tree (preferably organic) and gentle apply to the wound. These essential oils only sting a little and it doesn’t take long for the lavender to provide relief from pain, making it idea for little ones.
Although we are providing these natural tips to be helpful, please use common sense for more severe affections and consult your physician.
