cider vinegar or lemon juice fi rst. Then treat with applications of lavender
and chamomile essential oils for two or three days.
Nonemergencies
This is a brief outline of some of the more frequent everyday problems
you may encounter, with suggestions on how relief may be obtained by
herbal and other methods.
blisters
Apply one drop each of undiluted lavender and chamomile essential oils.
Apply gently and rub in thoroughly. Or use lavender spray, followed by
fi nely powdered myrrh, and cover with a padded adhesive bandage.
bruises
Apply hot and cold packs to increase the circulation. Follow with
applications of comfrey leaf ointment, to which calendula fl ower, hyssop
leaf, or plantain leaf could be added. These herbs can equally well be
made into a poultice. Tincture of arnica (Arnica montana) fl ower and
marigold fl ower, applied directly to the bruise several times a day, can be
equally soothing. Do not ingest arnica in any form, as it is poisonous if
taken internally. St. John’s wort oil would also be a good alternative.
chilblains
Chilblains are caused by poor circulation. I have heard many a tale of
traditional remedies — including cayenne pepper in the socks and onions
in the stockings — and they all seem to work. But ultimately you need to
work on the problem internally, which means investigating the reasons
for your poor circulation (see “The Circulatory System” in chapter 9).
diarrhea, stomach ulcers, bowel pain, and other digestive
disorders
Mix slippery elm inner bark or arrowroot with cold water into a drinkable
gruel. This is excellent as a convalescence food too.
infection of a deep cut or wound
Use echinacea root, because when each dose it is ingested, the white
blood cell count will increase dramatically. The best course of treatment
is to take it for ten days, have four days off, and then, if necessary,
continue with another ten-day course. In the fi rst few days you can take
half-hourly doses of ten drops of tincture, and this dosage can be reduced
first aid 279