It recently occurred to me just how different my first aid kit is from what most people are used to. It’s kind of funny because we are so used to antihistamines, pain killers, and commercial antibiotics that we don’t think of them as drugs, and we are very willing to use them and loan them to others. But that isn’t what’s in my first aid kit. When I suggest using something, even when someone knows I’m a trained herbalist, they look at me funny, but they will borrow a drug from their friend, neighbour, or coworker without thinking twice about it.

What is in my first aid kit? Well, for cuts we use things like cayenne, honey, and comfrey.

Recently my daughter moved away to go to university, and was shopping around for supplies she would need. She wondered if she should buy some cayenne… no, not for cooking, for her first aid kit. Ah… they do learn from their mothers.

Cayenne has been used around our house for small cuts for years now. In our experience it stops the bleeding and the pain [1]. After cleaning the cut in running water we just sprinkle the cayenne on. After a little while we again rinse it in water and bandage the injury (if necessary). It can also be very useful on sore muscles. Plus there is almost always some in the kitchen cupboard.

Comfrey is a very useful plant because it is soothing and speeds healing [2]. I grow it in my yard, and when it’s in season I will chop up the leaves, till they’re nice and juicy, and use them as a poultice on wounds to speed recovery.

This plant has received bad publicity based on only two studies, neither of which really applies to the way most herbalists use it. In fact studies of toxicity reveal that tea (from Camellia sinensis – i.e. green tea, black tea, etc.) is more alarming than Comfrey, but tea is still widely available and used, while comfrey has been restricted [3].

Honey makes an excellent antibiotic dressing for wounds. Plants contribute to the effectiveness of honey for healing; creating a remedy that is more than the sum of its parts. Some honeys have been found to be useful against drug resistant bacteria [4]. It is also great for burns not just because if it’s disinfecting ability but also because it contains a lot of moisture. It is soothing to the burn and doesn’t stick to the injured area the way other treatments do. Again, we almost always have honey in the house. Usually I have some set aside for first aid so that there are no crumbs or other contaminants in it. For this purpose consider Melaleuca Honey.

These are only three remedies from the many that are useful for first aid. Others include Calendula, St. John’s Wort (Hypericum perforatum), Yarrow (Achillea millifolium), Thyme (Thymus vulgaris), Chickweed (Stellaria media), Plantain (Plantago major), Aloe vera, Tea Tree oil (Melaleuca alternifolia), Ginger (Zingiber officinals), and so many more.

Consider these options next time you reach for the first aid kit.


-- Elizabeth Walker, CHT, RH



As the Clinical Herbal Therapist at Amber Leaf Wellness, Elizabeth helps people who are frustrated and disillusioned by their conventional health care, and are seeking fewer side effects, fewer drugs, and want natural and effective options that work even in chronic health conditions. To learn more about making Amber Leaf Wellness part of your health care team go to www.amberleafwellness.ca



[1] Kerry Bone, Simon Mills. Principles and Practices of Phytotherapy.
[2] Thomas Bartram Bartram’s Encyclopedia of Herbal Medicine. 1998 Robinson Publishing Ltd.
[3] MediHerb Professional Review No. 4, Feb 1990
Wounds. 2007;19(9):231-236
[4] T.J. Bosch, et al. Speeding up the healing of burns with honey. Plenum Publishing Corp. 1997 57-63