First Aid

bee stings

Pick a few leaves of plantain from a clean source. Chew the leaves up real good keeping the plant matter and saliva in the FRONT of your mouth. Spit it out on to your bee or wasp sting site. Hold it on the sting site for a few minutes until you feel relief. Repeat if necessary.
Mix baking soda with vinegar and apply the thick paste to the wound.
Lay a fresh slice of onion on the sting.
Dab apple cider vinegar (the raw kind) as soon as possible on the bite to draw out any poison and to prevent swelling. Thyme and rosemary infused in the vinegar are especially effective.

The first remedy is simply awareness. KNOW what poison ivy and poison oak look like.
Pick a bunch of jewelweed, crush it, and rub it on exposed parts of your body that might come in contact or have already come in contact with poison ivy. It is a juicy plant. It is more effective before the oils set into your skin that cause the rash.
Apply a paste of baking soda and water to the affected area liberally. This stops the itching as well as calamine lotion. A great poison oak treatment.
Mix equal parts of buttermilk, vinegar and salt. Rub on affected area. Use it AFTER the rash has appeared. Helps stop itching and sooths. This poison ivy remedy works well.
Squeeze the juice of a green tomato. After you come in contact, wash with water immediately and then apply the juice.

A great natural toothache remedy is to either use ground clove or pure food grade clove oil on the affected tooth.
A few drops of tea tree essential oil can be infused in water. Cleansing the mouth with this solution can give rapid relief to inflamed gums. It is a very potent antibacterial.
If your filling comes out, a paste of slippery elm powder and water put into a tooth where the filling has come out, will be very helpful until one gets to the dentist. And a mouthwash made with sage (Salvia officinalis) or calendula (Calendula officinalis) and a pinch of salt, is beneficial to bleeding gums.
Apply fresh yarrow root or leaves to the gums or teeth.
Raw plantain leaves crushed and placed on the aching tooth will also help stop a toothache.
Take a mouthful of water (at body temperature) and rinse vigorously. If your toothache is caused by trapped food, a thorough rinse may dislodge the problem.
Take a "shot" to numb the pain. Hold a swig of whiskey over the painful tooth. Your gums will absorb some of the alcohol and that will numb the pain. Spit out the rest.

A Mosquito bite itches and swells as the result of an allergic reaction to the anticoagulant in her saliva. The most effective treatment is to alternately compress and release the bite to cause the toxin to disperse. This works for the bites of most other insects as well.
Some essential oils, like tea tree oil, can be applied straight on to your skin. Others, try combining with some olive oil and spreading it on. The olive oil itself will deter mosquitoes. Simply put a few drops of essential oil in a handful of the carrier oil and spread it on you. You can use other carrier oils besides olive oil, such as almond or jojoba.
- Essential oils to try: Eucalyptus, citronella, catnip, or even basil. Eucalyptus and citronella make a nice, effective combination. Yarrow and tansy infused oil
Create a breeze. A 50 yard dash will leave the swarm lost and confused. Repeat as necessary.
Choose a high sunny location. Mosquito dehydrates easily, so seeks shade and low areas where the humidity is higher. If all else fails, climb a tree or perch atop a rock.
Eat raw garlic. The essence laces breath and exudes from skin pores, masking your lunch call.
Eat foods and drink aromatic teas indigenous to your area.. You’ll then smell like you belong.
Avoid stimulants and sugar. They rev up the metabolism, which sends out louder invitations.

Aloe vera gel is one of the best remedies. Apply it directly onto your skin.
Silicon and other minerals in oats help relieve the itching and inflammation of sunburn. Grind 2 tablespoons rolled oats (not instant) in a clean coffee grinder or blender until they become a fine powder. Pour the oat powder into a small bowl and mix with enough cool water to form a paste. Gently apply to your face and neck and leave on for 5 to 10 minutes. Rinse with cool water and pat dry. To treat your entire body, try grinding 1/2 cup oats to a fine powder and pouring them into cool running bath water. Soak for 15 minutes and rinse with cool water.