FIRST AID SUMMER ESSENTIALS

Did you know you could supplement your kit with a few essential oils and use them for various ailments?

All you need is a little know how.

Sunburn – something we all try to avoid but sometimes fail. Children’s skin is very delicate and needs a high factor screen even if staying in England, if however, there are a few red shoulders you could use Lavender, Lavandula angustifolia or Roman Chamomile, Anthemis nobilis, to soothe the redness and reduce the pain.   Lavender, is a natural analgesic and applied gently to the skin can be very soothing. Chamomile is a natural anti- inflammatory and can soothe the burn. Both of the essential oils must not be applied directly to the skin you must first dilute them in a cream or oil. Aloe Vera is a wonderful sunburn soother and is a great medium for adding essential oils. Take a good dollop of cream, Aloe Vera or a teaspoon of vegetable oil and add 1 drop of Roman Chamomile, or Lavender, to your chosen base, mix in your hand and apply to the sore area. This can be repeated twice a day.

Heat Rash – again in the same way that Lavender, Lavandula angustifolia, and Roman Chamomile, Anthemis nobilis, can assist with sunburn they can also be used for heat rash or prickly heat. Run a tepid bath and add 1 drop of each to a small amount of base oil, no more than a tea spoon, and add to the bath water just before getting in. Make sure that you give the bath a good stir before getting in and supervise children.

Stings or Bites–  annoying and itchy and fairly common in the summer. Again essential oils can bring relief to the itch. If the skin is broken it’s important to wash the area but again Lavender,Lavandula angustifolia, could bring relief. It is a natural antiseptic and an analgesic. 1 drop applied neat to the area will bring about some respite from the itch and or redness.

Tea tree, Melaleuca alternifolia, is also a good essential oil to pack in your first aid bag It can be used on stings and bites in the same way as Lavender. It is also a good antiseptic and you may want to add 1 drop to a cloth to wipe over surfaces in hotel rooms and bathrooms or even over a table top.

Upset Tummy – unfortunately again a rather common ailment when travelling.  A soothing tummy massage can work wonders for a number of symptoms from diarrhoea to constipation to trapped wind or bloating.  By adding Essential Oils you can enhance the effect of the massage. Add 1 drop of either Roman Chamomile, Anthemis nobilis, or Mandarin, Citrus reticulata, to 5ml/teaspoon of vegetable oil, warm up in your hands and massage in a circle around the navel in a clockwise direction.   This can be applied twice a day.

I am hoping that you won’t need any of the above but being prepared is just as important. So by adding just 4 Essential Oils to your usual first aid travel kit you can be ready for anything!