Herbal Remedies: Bitten!

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animal bites, bee stings, bug bites, herbal remedies, mosquitoes

(Nuisance) Bug Bites and Stings

Since biting insects can harbor disease (malaria, west nile, lyme disease, etc)—and its annoying to be scratching anyhow, it is better to simply avoid getting bit in the fist place. Around the home one can eliminate places where mosquitoes can breed, make sure that screens are in good condition, and plant plants that pests dislike. In areas where this is difficult, protective clothing should be worn. Chemical insect repellents can also be used, or there are herbal alternatives.

Bug Repellant

2 oz vodka or carrier oil
15 drops lavender essential oil
15 drops citronella essential oil
10 drops eucalyptus essential oil
5 drops cedar essential oil (optional)
5 drops lemongrass essential oil (optional)

Mix and spritz on exposed skin (if in alcohol), or rub on exposed skin (carrier oil)…avoid clothing as oils can stain/discolor. (Remember, no insect repellent is effective against all bugs all of the time–essential oils are volatile, evaporate quickly, and must be reapplied regularly.) If you use a carrier oil, try infusing catnip into the oil prior to mixing the essential oils.

Sometimes though, you get bitten anyhow.  And itchy is annoying…so try this recipe out!

DIY “Calamine”

1/2 c betonite clay
1/4 c baking soda
1/8 c kaolin clay
20 drops of lavender, tea tree, or some combination of the two
10 drops of chamomile, yarrow, calendula, or some combination of the three
1 teaspoon of powdered goldenseal or echinacea or some combination of the two
witch hazel to desired consistency

Mix, store in a jar (its not necessary to refrigerate, but it feels awesome if you do, and it lasts longer), apply to bug bites and other itchy ouchies (poison ivy, chicken pox, etc) as needed.

Other remedies!

• Pest repellent plants for the garden include basil which deters mosquitoes and flies (and it tastes and grows well with tomato as a companion plant), henbit which is a general insect repellent, the mole plant which doesn’t deter bugs but will deter moles and mice, tansy deters ants and flies, peppermint deters flies, mosquitoes and ants (and also rats), and pennyroyal deters fleas (but is not meant to be ingested, so keep away from where kids and pets can ingest it).
• Essential oils citronella and its cousin lemongrass, eucalyptus, bay laurel, lavender, thyme, geranium, and mint family plants (catnip, peppermint, etc) can be diluted in a carrier oil (you can also try infused oils of these plants), or added to aloe vera gel or witch hazel as a spray to repel insects.
• Real vanilla extract (as opposed to the flavoring) is reported to deter mosquitoes. Real vanilla extract is also expensive…not sure the effectiveness of this, much less if it works in dilution (but at least it smells yummy…and is baby safe)
• Bentonite clay and echinacea tincture or powdered echinacea and lavender essential oil combined to form a paste/plaster to apply to insect bites and stings to relieve itching.
• Fresh leaf poultices can be made from plantain, chickweed, sassafras, or willow and applied to bites (to make a fresh leaf poultice, be certain you have identified plant properly, pick leaf, chew, apply to bite, cover with band-aid if needed to hold in place).
• Apply witch hazel to a cotton ball and cover with a band-aid to hold in place as a sort of mini compress to bug bites.

Other bites (and stings)…

Getting bit can be bad.  There are some bites that can do serious damage or even be fatal.  Know what care to give and when to seek medical help for some of the more common bites and stings:

• Bee stings–Normally, bees and wasps aren’t that big of a deal…but for some people, their sting can be deadly.  If you are watching someone else’s kids (or they are playing at your house, or you coach a team, etc) make sure you find out if they are allergic to bees or wasps, and that (if so) they have an Epi-pen (or other appropriate intervention) and that you know what to do if they get stung, and that you have an emergency contact for the parent.  (and if your child is the one with that allergy, make sure the people they are with know those things)
• Snakes–If you are in North America, there are 4 families of snakes that are venomous–coral snakes, cottonmouths (aka water moccasins), copperheads, and rattlesnakes.  About 8,000 people a year are bitten, and most of them are bitten because they are being stupid–if you see a venomous snake, don’t try to pick it up, leave it alone.  If it somewhere that you don’t want it to be because it creates an hazard (like your bathtub) and you need to make sure it is gone, call animal control.  And, if you are in an environment that you are likely to share with a venomous snake, practice due diligence….The Hubby was once bitten by a rattlesnake, but due to luck and clothing, it only got his boot.  If you are bitten, DO NOT PANIC, and DO seek immediate professional help at a local hospital.  (with the exception of #7, this is a pretty good guide of what to do (and not to do) if you get bitten by a snake…if you are wondering why # 7 isn’t a good idea, check out “don’t” #9)
• Mammals–Generally speaking, the most common mammal bite that one is likely to have is a dog bite, followed by a cat bite, followed by the bite of a wild animal such as a bat, raccoon, rodents, etc.  Some things to keep in mind: while a dog is more likely to be the source of a bite, a cat is more likely to cause an infection (due to their dental structure they cause puncture wounds), also if you are bitten by a raccoon, bat, skunk, or fox, you have the highest probability of rabies (compared to other mammals).  The best way to deal with a bite by a mammal is to avoid getting bitten!  If, however you are bitten, you need to think about the possibility of infection, and know the risk factors and signs of illnesses that can be caused by animal bites in order to make the appropriate decisions about seeking medical assistance.  For immediate care after a minor bite, thoroughly wash the wound with soap and water, and apply some antibiotic creme with a bandage.  With a serious wound, apply pressure with a clean, dry dressing and seek medical attention.  If you are at all unsure of the immunization status of an animal (or know that they are not immunized), the official recommendation is to seek medical attention.  Also, the CDC recommends that you seek medical attention if you find a bat in or around a sleeping area, whether or not you find a bite mark, as bat bites can be difficult to spot.
• Spiders–World-wide, there are only about a dozen types of spiders that are dangerous to humans, and in North America, there are two groups to worry about–the widows (which include the black widow) and the recluses (which includes the brown recluse).  These two spiders, when they bite, do so because we have startled them and invaded their space.  (By the way, one study suggests that 30% of “spider bite” legions have actually been MRSA infections.)  The space they prefer happens to be warm, dry, dark, undisturbed areas like woodpiles, closets, sheds, etc.  If you suspect a bit from one of these insects, seek medical attention.  For more information about the spiders and symptoms of their bites, check out this site.
• Miscellaneous–Depending on where you live (or visit), you may have other animals around that might be a bite risk.  People have been bitten by alligators and crocodiles, sharks, and all sorts of animals….and (I’m going to go out on a limb here and invent a statistic) I’m willing to be that 9 times out of 10, when they get bit, its because they did something stupid and frightened the animal or because (in the case of sharks) they were mistaken for food.   Leave wild animals alone.  Know the animals where you live, know how to behave around them, and know what to do if you have an adverse encounter with one.

Other Herbal Remedies posts: Anxiety & Stress, ENT issues, Funky Feet, for Babies

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Herbal Remedies: Bleeding, Bruises, & Burns

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bleeding, bruises, burns, first aid, herbal first aid, herbal remedies

Disclaimer: I am not a physician.  I have medical experience and I have a long time interest in herbalism, that is all.  This information is not meant as a substitute to actual medical care from a medical professional.  Use at your own terms and at your own risk.  And for Pete’s sake, if you think that you have a serious injury, please go to the freaking emergency room!!

Bleeding

Initial Care:
For a basic severe wound: Apply pressure to the wound with a sterile (or at least CLEAN) dressing (improvised dressings include clothing, towels, etc). Elevate the wounded area if possible and not contraindicated.  Apply compression to the artery at the corresponding pressure point.

For self-treatement:
*Powdered cayenne, sprinkled directly on the wound will initially sting like a mutha effer, but is known to staunch or slow bleeding and MAY reduce pain (capsaicin, the active ingredient is a known pain reliever, though scientific literature indicates that it takes it takes effect over time).
*Powdered kelp, powdered yarrow and powdered plantain can also be used in combination with or without powdered cayenne for the same purpose
*Yarrow tincture on a compress can be used for moderate bleeding

DO NOT REMOVE A DRESSING TO A SEVERE WOUND ONCE IT HAS BEEN APPLIED, UNLESS ADVISED TO DO SO BY A MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL.

*If treating a MINOR wound, CLEAN WOUND FIRST (rinse and wash wound with soap or other antibacterial substance, THEN apply herb.
*For basic cuts and scrapes, dilute an Echinacea tincture with water to wash the wound and apply a basic healing salve

All-purpose healing salve

1part dried comfrey leaves
1 part dried lavender flowers
1 part dried calendula flowers
1 part dried plantain
1 part dried St Johns wort flowers
1 part dried yarrow

Infuse in olive oil-grapeseed oil combination, strain.  Add 10 drops of tea tree oil per ½ cup of infused oil.  In double boiler, heat oil and add 1 oz cocoa butter, and then SLOWLY add beeswax to desired consistency (test by dipping a spoon/stick/etc into the mix, and allowing to cool).

Bruises

The only way to get rid of a bruise once it has formed is time (or leeches, but that is really only advisable with a medical professional).  A bruise develops as a result of blood that has collected in an area of injury, under the skin. FYI: A tendency to bruise easily may be a symptom or sign of another medical condition. Some herbal remedies are said to reduce bruising and/or help it “clear” faster.

*Benzonite clay, arnica tincture, St John’s wort infused oil or tincture and lavender essential oil can be mixed into an herbal paste/plaster and applied to bruised areas to minimize and reduce bruising and swelling.
*Arnica tincture, St John’s wort tincture, and chamomile and lavender essential oil can be mixed with witch hazel and applied with a compress to minimize bruising.

Burns and Sunburns

Initial Care:
For a first or second degree burn, apply cold water…depending on the severity of the burn, this can be for anywhere from 5-20 minutes.  For a second degree burn, also loosely cover in gauze to protect blistered skin. Try here for more information, including what to do for third degree burns.

NOTE: Do NOT use oil based remedies on a burn.  Butters, oils, lard, petroleum based products, etc. will trap in heat and can cause the burn to be more severe.  Essential oils, particularly if diluted into a water based substances are okay, since essential oils are highly volatile and evaporate quickly.

*For areas that you can treat on your own, after applying cold water try applying lavender essential oil mixed into aloe vera gel (5 drops per tablespoon).
*Honey, lavender essential oil, tea tree oil and a chamomile and water infusion can be applied as a wash to minimally burned areas.
*For sunburn, take a bath with lavender essential oil, lavender and/or chamomile flowers, green or black tea, or apple cider.
* Mash ripe strawberries and apply directly to sunburned skin or thinly slice cucumber and place them on sunburned areas.

 

Deck the Halls, Witchlet Style!

Tags

garland, kids crafts, salt dough, tree decorating, winter solstice, yule

In our home, Yule preparations traditionally start the day after Thanksgiving (though this year, we started late since Daddy Man was out of town working) and continue until the week before Yule.  Its partially a hold over from my childhood family Christmases, but also because we “make” about 90% of our decorations.

Except the tree…we rent that.

Okay, we really don’t rent it.  But since we live in an apartment (and I can’t do live trees in the house because of the allergens it brings in), without much storage space, the past few years, we’ve gotten tree from the thrift store and then we’ve re-donated it afterwards.  The money goes to a good cause (YAY, Children’s Hospital!) and we don’t have to figure out where to put the tree box…or the boxes upon boxes of decorations.  We have one large shoe box (from a pair of The Hubby’s boots) that have a few keepsake ornaments, a three sets of mini-LED lights for the windows, and some sleigh bells.  Other than that, (as I wrote about last year) we DIY.

Some of those DIY projects are perfect for witchlet magic lessons…

Chickadee’s Favorite: Blessing Chains

Chickadee had made an absolutely adorable video tutorial, that I had planned to post…but somehow, I deleted it instead.  It is no longer in the computer OR on the SD card.  Which is fine…because garland is wonderful all year long, and can be made to match the seasons.  We’ll just do the video at a later date, and stick to the written instructions for now!

The first thing you need to make a “Blessing Chains” as the Chickadee calls them, are blessings!  Next, you need some sturdy cotton thread and a needle.  Last, you need stuff to string.  We’ve used marshmallows, popcorn, cranberries, citrus slices, apple pieces, rosebuds, pretzels, animal crackers, macaroni, shells, glass beads, wooden beads, buttons, cereal, and more.  The only “rule” is to 1) pick stuff you like, and 2) pick stuff that can go back into to nature.

The Technique (as related by Chickadee):  Take a piece of stuff to string and then close your eyes and take a big breath in VAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARY slowly.  Imagine being filled with a warm light all the way down to your toes.  For blessings, my light is pink and smells like peppermint ice cream with sprinkles.  When you think your lungs will explode, stop and let the blessing grow in your brain until you are filled with it.  Then blow the blessing out of your body into the cranberry or popcorn or bead.  Open your eyes and string it…if you don’t open your eyes, you will poke your finger with the needle and that hurts.

Mom tip: Instead of individually blessing every piece, try blessing a bowl of each type of item with something different.  Or bless every fifth or whatever item, or take turns stringing items between a group.

When you have a foot or two or five, tie it off and hang it on the tree, or in the bushes, etc!

Sharkbait’s Favorite: Salt-Dough Tree Talismans

Talismans?  Really?  I actually had to check the dictionary on that one…lol!

Anyhoo…

Sharkbait is more of a hands-dirty type of kid, so these are a favorite of his!  We start with salt-dough–about 1 part salt to 2 parts flour, add just enough water until its the consistency of a thick play-doh like dough, and then a couple of drops of food color.  Pick your cookie cutters, then roll the dough flat and cut them out.  Make sure you poke a hole in them before you bake them.  Bake at ~200-250 degrees F, checking on them every 15-20 min.  They should take around 30-50 minutes to harden nicely. String them and hang.

Now, there are tons of things you can do to incorporate magic here–color and shape correspondences (pigs for prosperity!), adding herbs, decorating with stones, etc.  If you were making these as gifts, you could “add the magic” (say, a general blessing for health and wellness, or a home protection) while you were mixing the dough up.  If you are making them at home, with different shapes and colors for different things and people, you might wait until you are mixing the individual color (if you are focusing on color correspondences) or cutting them out (if you are focusing on the shape correspondences), etc.  We make most of these with a general sort of blessing, and then everyone makes one especially for them–some to represent ourselves and something we wish to emulate better in ourselves, and we tie it to the tree with a ribbon that has had a blessing written on it just for us.  After Yule, these special ornaments are put on the family altar.

7 Practical Things I’ve Learned From Social Media

Tags

facebook, good ideas on the internet, pinterest, ravelry, social media

1.  How to DIY Fruit Water (via Facebook, originally posted @ The Yummy Life) 

This is probably my favorite discovery via social media.  I love water, but sometimes…it gets boring.  Add some fruit, maybe even some veggies or herbs, infuse in the fridge, and voila! Some of my favorite variations so far, strawberry with chamomile, orange with mint, and orange with hibiscus and ginger.  For me, this is a great way to get the kids to eat oranges–for some reason they aren’t fans of the fruit itself, and since I’m not a fan of store-bought juices, this is a great way to sneak some of the fruits and veggies into their diet that I couldn’t otherwise get them to consume.

And I’ve found quite a few great recipe ideas this way–Overnight Oatmeal, Spicy Guinness Mustard, P.F. Chang-style Lettuce Wraps, and this delicious looking little 4 ingredient recipe for Meyer Lemon Sorbet that I found on my pinterest today.  Anything you could possibly want to eat is probably posted online already.  Maybe just a Facebook update or Pinterest pin away.

2.  (Almost) Perpetual Green Onions…and other veggies from kitchen scraps (Facebook and assorted blogs)

Most of us probably know that you can grow a carrot top by placing it in a cup of water.  But how many of us would have thought to regrow our green onions that way?  Or to root and replant celery?  How about a pineapple?  Or an avocado (though it can take 7-15 years to fruit, assuming you are even in the right climate)? There’s also ginger, garlic, potatoes and sweet potatoes, that awesome hydroponic lettuce with the roots attached (this is my favorite lettuce of all time, when I can justify the expense…being able to grow it again in my window sill is *squee!!*), and beets and turnips and radishes, etc.  Plus, if you shop at the farmers market, you have a better chance at getting non-hybrid varieties (just ask, they’ll be happy to tell you!) and can save the seeds to plant in your own garden.

3.  The Secret Produce Code (Facebook)

The premise is that the little sticker on your produce can tell you how your fruits and veggies were grown.  The PLU code (Price Look Up–its official name) is a defined list of codes for produce by the International Federation of Produce Standards, and numbering convention goes like this:

4 numbers=conventionally grown
5 numbers starting with an 8=GMO
5 numbers starting with a 9=organic

This one is actually a bit of a mixed bag. These codes are a matter of convenience for the store, not the consumer.  In all technicality, its true.  But in practice, its not…at least with regard to identifying GMOs.

4. Underwater Viewfinder=beach fun for kids (pinterest)

Egg Carton Mancala

I originally came across the idea for this on pinterest, though I’m not entirely sure if I pinned the original or not.  Either way, the kids and I made our own, and much fun ensued.  And there are zillions of other ideas for cheap or low-tech crafts and toys for kids to be found in blogs, on pinterest, etc.  Like this list of kid friendly experiments.  One of my favorite finds (that I still haven’t tried yet) was one that I first ran across from the TED videos…Squishy Circuits–a way to teach circuits to preschoolers, and its made from homemade play dough recipes!

5.  Rediscovering Lost Crafts (youtube, ravelry, pinterest, assorted blogs)

Ever hear of a Dorset Button?  How about chicken-scratch?  Victorian-era hair jewelry?  Pine Burr quilt pattern?  The web has become a treasure trove for reclaiming and rediscovering lost and obscure crafts.  And even the not-so-lost-and-obscure crafts.  I can’t even begin to tell you how many times my grandmother tried to teach me to crochet while I was growing up…but after watching a tutorial on Tunisian Crochet on youtube a couple years ago and checking out a couple of tutorials (including this one) and I’ve been crocheting up a storm ever since (interesting fact: during the Victorian era, what is now called Tunisian crochet was used in winter clothing).

6.  Just Say No to Commercial Cleansers! (pinterest, facebook, assorted blogs)

This is a topic I’ve written about on occasion, though its been a while.  But I continuously run across  some great ideas for greener (environmentally and pocket-book wise) cleaning or some twists on an old favorite.  From laundry soap, to dishwasher detergent, to orange vinegar cleaning spray, there is an environmentally and economically friendlier replacement just a Google search away!

Along with commercial cleansers around the home come tons of ways to replace commercial cleansers of your body.  From going No ‘Poo to DIY facials, the web seems to breed DIY beauty tips like Tribbles on Star Trek (yes, I am that much of a nerd)…even on my own blog.

7. You can reuse, DIY, upcycle…just about anything (all over the web)

Crochet hooks from sticks?  Play kitchen from an old TV cabinet?  Innovative storage for board games AND wall art, simultaneously?  Turning cans into an adorable organizer? Make a yarn political statement on reproductive rights for your congressman?  I’ve run across all these and more in my social media feeds…from the adorably whimsical to the practical to the outright bizarre.  Some of them I’d love to do, if I had the need and the stuff to do it with, and some of it, I just kind of stare in awed wonder of creative superiority.  Every once in a while, I just stare.

feed your face

Tags

cleansing, diy beauty, facial recipes, mask, moisturizers

Chickadee models the Mango Mask…and just *look* at those eyelashes!
She got those from daddy (so did Collin)…I’m totally jealous, lol!

I’m always looking for a way to do stuff with what I have, and to do them as naturally as possible…and since I assume that most people that read my blog are at least *somewhat* like minded, here are a few ways that I use fruit on my face.

Now you can use fruit on your face too!

Not that I’m advocating peer pressure or anything.

But really, you should try it…you might like it.

Applesauce Steaming Cleanse
Take a 1/4 cup of applesauce, a dash (or two) of grapeseed oil, and a sprinkle of cinnamon (just a sprinkle!) and mix. Apply to the face. Take a steaming hot wash cloth or towel (but not so hot you burn your face) and place it over your face. Relax. When cool, wipe off, rinse the rag and repeat a time or two. Leftovers can be refrigerated and used throughout the week.

Simple Citrus Scrub
Take about 2-3 tablespoons of the juice of a citrus fruit (I prefer orange or tangerine, but lemon and grapefruit are also popular choices) and add sugar (white or brown, your choice) until all the juice is absorbed. Add a dash of extra virgin olive oil (or another appropriate oil). Scrub gently and rinse thoroughly. Leftovers can be refrigerated and used throughout the week. If you add a dash of Dr. Bonner’s Peppermint soap, this makes an awesomely fantastic and refreshing exfoliating body wash too!

Mango Oatmeal Mask
Pulverize about 1/3 cup of oatmeal (I do it in the blender, since my food processor bit the dust) and mash about 1/3 c of mango (I do this by juicing the mango flesh that is close to the pit–I think that part has a weird texture and don’t like to eat is, so I turn it into juice for mango-ade while using the left over pulp for my face). Add a big dollop of yogurt about a generous drizzle of honey, and mix it up (buzz it for a second in the food processor or blender, if you’ve already dirtied it). Put it on your face. Don’t worry, it *will* be a bit lumpy and that is okay. Let it start to dry and then rinse off well. Leftovers can be refrigerated and used for a couple of days…and are pretty tasty.

Banana Moisturizing Mask
Peel a banana and take a few bites. When all that is left is about 1/2 of the banana, mash it up. Scramble in an egg yolk and add a dash of sunflower oil. Put it on your face. Rinse after about 10 minutes. Leftovers *can* be put in the fridge for a day or so, but look kind of gross (like old banana)–I don’t recommend it…which is why I suggest eating part of the banana first. No one has such a big face that they need an entire banana for their mask.

Apple Chamomile Toner
Since it never fails that at least once a week I cut up too many apple slices for the kid’s snack tray for them to eat in a timely manner, I had to come up with a way to use them. Take a handful of apple slices (or even a whole apple if you want to dedicate an apple to your face) and pulverize it (or just dice really finely). Put the apple and a about one cups of water in a saucepan. Add about 2 tablespoons of chamomile flowers (or two chamomile tea bags) to the pan (you could also add some yarrow if you have some handy), bring to a boil and then cut off the heat and allow to cool. After its cool, strain and add about 1/4 cup of witch hazel. Apply liberally with a cotton ball or cloth. Keep in the fridge for up around two weeks.

Watermelon Juice After Sun Toner
Take home a few slices of that watermelon from the barbecue–you know, the one where you forgot to reapply the sun screen? Juice the watermelon pieces (watermelon juice also makes good popsicles) and add to an equal amount of aloe vera gel and green tea. Put the mixture in a spray bottle and apply liberally.