First Aid Kit for Gardeners

I don't know about anyone else, but when I am working outside in the yard or garden, I will sometimes get a scrape or cut on my hands, an insect bite, splinter in my finger, or some other kind of very minor medical emergency. While it may be minor, the wound or bite needs to be tended to before infection sets in or before I get blood every where. But it is very inconvenient for me to stop my work, come into the house, take off my shoes (so I don't track dirt through out my house), find the supplies that I need and then tend to the wound.

I have solved that problem by making up a first aid kit that I keep outside during the spring and summer months. I keep my kit under my gardener potting bench which is out of the sun and the rain cannot get to it. It is important that the kit is not exposed to the elements and direct sunlight. If you do not have a place like that outside, you could also store your kit in a tool shed, garage, or some other out building.

While you might not need or want everything on my list, the things that I include in my kit are:

• A empty, cleaned out, large ice cream bucket with a lid. This is what I store all my supplies in. It helps to keep the supplies together and the handle makes it easy for me to just grab it and go in an emergency.
• Suntan lotion
• Baby orajel. This is in case of a splinter. I rub the orajel around the skin by the splinter which numbs the skin and makes the removal of the splinter a lot less painful.
• Isopropyl Alcohol
• Hydrogen Peroxide
• Bandages in all sizes
• Sterile 4X4 gauze sponges
• medical tape
• safty pins
• tweezers
• scissors
• Benzalkonium chloride towelettes
• Sterile gloves
• antiseptic hand wipes
• hand sanitizer
• antacid tablets
• insect sting relief pads
• electrolyte dehydration tablets
• antibiotic cream
• paper hankies
• rolls of gauze bandages

I hope this helps. If you have any suggestions of other things that would be good to include in the kit, please feel free to share them in the comment section of this post. Thanks for reading and visiting my blog. :-)

Aspirin Substitute – Natural Remedies

A substitute for aspirin may be as close as in your own neighborhood, and that is bark from the Willow tree. The reason that this works is because the bark has most of the same components in it as aspirin. Willow tree bark has been used for centuries to reduce pain and inflammation. However, it will not reduce a fever.

***WARNING*** If you have any medical condition(s). especially an allergy to salicin, or take medication of any kind  (legal kind or otherwise), please consult with your doctor first. There have been some known interaction between some medications that has resulted in serious side effects. Also children under the age of 16 should not use Willow bark because of the danger of them developing Reye syndrome. And of course, if you are pregnant or breastfeeding you shouldn't use Willow bark.

You can buy the bark from a health food store or online. The kind of willow tree bark that is sold most often in the United States is usually a combination of white and purple Willow although any bark from any Willow tree can be used. If you do harvest your own Willow bark, please be kind and take the bark from a small branch. If you must take the bark from the trunk, go vertical with your cut and not horizontal. Girdling a tree can kill it.

To make Willow bark tea, boil 1-2 teaspoons of the dried bark in 8 ounces of water and simmer for 10 – 15 minutes. Let the tea steep for ½ hour more. Drink 3-4 times daily.

Thanks for reading and visiting my blog. 

Disclaimer: (Legal stuff my lawyer said I should include in this section of my blog.) I am not a doctor or a member of the medical community. The content of this post is solely from my own personal research and use and the information provided here has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This post is intended for educational purposes only and not intended to treat, diagnose, cure or prevent any condition or disease. Be sure to consult with a medical professional regarding the treatment of any condition or medical symptom you may experience.