What’s in Your Medicine Cabinet?

Often when Spring cleaning, our medicine cabinets get missed. Have you ever wondered what’s in our medicine cabinet? The staff at Sunflower Health Shop & Services put our heads together and compiled a list of our top “must haves”.

Arnica Montana, one of the most widely used homeopathic remedies, is excellent for falls, injuries, bruises, stiffness, swelling, easy bleeding, shock, trauma, sprains, strains, post-surgery, and inflammation. The sooner Arnica is taken it tends to stop or slow down the progression of the injury. Taken right away, it can significantly reduce bruising and since it is homeopathic, it has no contra-indications with other medicines. However, take it at least
15 – 20 minutes away from eating or drinking.

Sheep often seek out Arnica as their medicine for the continuous injuries they sustain in the mountainous areas, where it grows. Also known as Leopard’s Bane, Wolf’s Bane, or Mountain Daisy, it is a perennial plant with bright yellow flowers that bloom into a star or sunflower shape. Arnica has been used since the 1500s for medicinal purposes, both internally and externally as a cream, gel, ointment, tincture, and pellets.

Colloidal Silver is another “go to” that is used topically on cuts, burns, infections, cold sores, athletes’ foot, diaper rash, and for soaking dentures. Eye drops can help with pink eye, conjunctivitis, and styes. It is also a great gargle for sore throats, tooth and gum infections as well as a nasal spray against infection and allergy issues. It can be taken internally as a natural antibiotic against viruses, bacteria, and fungus — I have used colloidal silver many times in my dogs’ water as a natural antibiotic. 

The numerous health benefits of Colloidal Silver have been known for over 2000 years, traced to ancient Greek and Roman empires. Water and wine were kept in silver jugs to prevent spoilage and silverware protected the rich from the plague in the Middle Ages, and was protection from pathogens. Silver was often suspended in wells to keep algae and bacteria from growing and silver dollars were put in milk to keep it fresh.

Often silver spoons were given to babies — “born with a silver spoon in their mouths” they benefited from its protective properties. In the 1880’s silver nitrate was put in the eyes of newborns to prevent infection. Silver is a powerful germ fighter and has been used for years in hospitals as a germicide. 

Science Digest was quoted saying “Antibiotics kill perhaps a half dozen different disease organisms, but silver kills some 650. Resistant strains fail to develop. Moreover, silver is virtually non-toxic. Colloidal silver used as an anti-microbial agent, will not create superbugs as antibiotics do.” Imagine the health benefits we have locked away in our wood chests containing our sterling silver cutlery. 

Elderberry,  a good cold preventative, is high in vitamin C and antioxidants. It can help cut the duration of colds and flu even more so started at the onset of symptoms. 

Blackseed, full of many health benefits, is high in anti-oxidants, is anti-bacterial, anti-fungal,
and anti-viral.

Digest Force, a combination of charcoal and ginger, helps with digestive upset such as nausea, lack of appetite, digestive spasms, indigestion, dyspepsia, gas, bloating, flatulent colic, and food poisoning.

Peppermint & Ginger tea are warming for the body, and good for indigestion. 

Throat Coat, containing ingredients such as slippery elm, wild cherry bark, fennel fruit, marshmallow root, is amazing for sore throats and coughs.

Rescue Remedy is a combination of flower essences Rock Rose, Clematis, Impatiens, Star of Bethlehem and Cherry Plum. It can be used in moments of stress, shock, injury, trauma, and emotional distress. It is great for help with anxiety, panic, or fainting spells. 

White Willow Bark dates as far back as 400BC during  the time of Hippocrates — people would chew on the bark to help with with fevers, headache, and joint pain without G.I. upset.

Natures Aid, a cooling gel containing aloe vera, tea tree oil, witch hazel, vitamin E and rosemary, is great for sunburn, insect bites, rashes, eczema, itchy, cracking, dry and irritated skin. 

Oscillococcinum is a wonderful homeopathic remedy for fevers, chills, body aches and flu-like symptoms. It is ideally taken at the initial onset of symptoms. 

St. Francis RespiraCleanse containing mullein, ginger and horehound is good for dry coughs while 

Respirafect is great for wet coughs connected with bronchitis and excess mucus. 

EchinaSeal a good preventative for colds and infections.

Oil of Oregano is a powerful preventative against colds, flu, respiratory ailments, infections and is anti-bacterial, anti-viral, anti-fungal, anti-inflammatory and anti-septic. It can be used to fight against gum disease and is a good preventative before getting a dental cleaning. 

Nin Jiom, a very popular cough syrup contains herbs, such as loquat leaf, snakegourd seed, ginger, licorice and honey. It tastes delicious and is non-drowsy. 

Apis is a homeopathic remedy that is  good for bee, wasp and insect stings. It treats symptoms such as burning, swelling, stinging, redness and irritation.

Boiron motion sickness is a homeopathic, non-drowsy remedy good for nausea, vomiting, dizziness, and cold sweats. 

Now we’re asking you- what’s in YOUR medicine cabinet?