Dear Mr. Stock,

I am a mother of two young children ages one and three. I am concerned with the chemicals and drugs we often use on our children. I am interested in knowing what I should stock my medicine cabinet with for those summer time bumps, bruises, falls, and rashes?

T.S. Dover, NH

Dear T.S.,

As we all know, we are constantly showering ourselves and our children with chemicals and toxins. Nature has provided us with several natural remedies that can provide safe non-toxic solutions to our summertime bumps and bruises.

For starters let's talk about insect bites and the pests that inhibit or reduce our enjoyment of summertime festivities. For prevention, there are several essential oils that are very safe when applied topically (after dilution) to prevent or ward off insects and mosquitoes. Citronella is perhaps the most popular.

If you do some research in various aromatherapy books, you will find several essential oil mixtures that will also help ward off insects quite effectively. Unfortunately you will have to purchase several bottles of oils just to get a few drops of each for the mixture. Some manufacturers are now making sprays and lotions that contain citronella, peppermint, soy, cajuput, tea tree oil, lavender, bergamot, calendula/and myrrh, yet most of them are not very effective against black flies. (On the bright side, black fly season is past us!) Some other remedies worth noting include rubbing garlic on the skin as well as giving a dose of B-complex before children go outside. Thiamin (vitamin B1) is excreted through the skin and repels insects.

For symptomatic relief from insect bites, there are several natural alternatives to hydrocortisone, Benadryl and chemical anti-itch preparations. Quercetin is a bioflavonoid that has anti-histamine properties and may be useful for itching or reducing the allergic response to the insect into. Vitamin C with bioflavonoids can also help relieve the toxicity of the bites. Calendula ointment is a good choice for the bite area as well as a repellent. Applying a paste made of baking soda can help reduce swelling, and a paste made from a charcoal capsule and goldenseal extract can help draw out poisons from the bite. A homeopathic remedy of Apis, either topically or under the tongue, is a good choice for a bite that is swollen, puffy, red or hot which would be soothed with the application of cold.

For bumps and bruises, homeopathic Arnica Montana, topically or orally, is a good choice. It may also be helpful for muscle soreness. It may be advisable to discuss any skin rashes with a health care professional if you are not sure what the cause of the rash is. There are many skin conditions that are caused by problems far greater than contact dermatitis. If you choose to go it alone, calendula ointment or cream may be useful.

There are numerous companies which manufacture herbal blends that are excellent for skin rashes such as the new homeopathic cream Florasone that is suppose to mimic the effects of cortisone. Another great cream called Superbalitic good far just about everything. For scrapes and cuts, tea tree oil is a good antiseptic and calendula can be used for wound healing. Vitamin E applied to a cut can help with scar prevention and oral use of vitamin C is good to assist in overall wound healing.

My advice for sunburn is to prevent it!  Cover up or wear sunscreen. For children, application of SPF 30 or better is recommended, however, I make it a practice to apply the sunscreen to children myself, rather than letting them do it. The long term effects of sun damage are well documented and skin cancer is partially attributed to sunburn and sun damage in the early years between the ages of birth and eight years old. So cover up and do what you need to keep them out of the sun especially during the peak sun hours of 10am to 2pm.

lf you are not able to prevent sunburn and have to deal with the aftermath, then a fresh aloe vera plant is a great choice. Cut off a stalk and filet the skin. Apply the pulp or inside leaf to the burned or sensitive area directly. A commercially prepared cream can also help. Calendula and St. Johns Wort have antiseptic, wound healing, and pain killing properties. Apply them topically to the affected areas. Poison ivy is treatable with the homeopathic remedy of Rhus Toxicodendron or a homeopathic poison ivy combination remedy. Using oatmeal soap or applying or soaking in a colloidal oatmeal bath can help soothe the itch and promote healing. Vitamin C is necessary to prevent infection and spreading of the rash. Aloe vera gel used topically is also useful for this type of rash.

Your local health food store or natural pharmacy can help you make the right choice where natural products are concerned. A good reference source for home is The Prescription of Nutritional Healing by Dr. Balch. It is well-done and easy to use. Good luck, have a great summer and don't forget to send in your questions!

____________________

Ron Stock has been involved in the pharmaceutical profession for nearly 15 years and holds a certificate from the British Institute of Homeopathy. Send in questions for this column via email to ronstock@aol.com or write to Ron Stock directly to the Herbal Path, 839 Central Avenue, Dover, NH 03820. Or call 603-740-8400. Web site www.herbalpath.com

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