Everyone has things in their home that they wouldn’t be without. cooking equipment and cleaning materials are usually a high priority. Most people will also have a first aid kit, and some other types of pain relief and cold medicines in case of need.
I have put together a list of 5 home health essentials which are natural, and I think every home should have in case they are needed. My home health essentials often have more than one use, so they are versatile, as well as being economical and natural.
- Aloe vera plant. Not only is it a very attractive plant, but th gel contained within is one of life’s small miracles. If you ever burn yourself or are stung by anything, the first thing you should do is break off a leaf and rub the gel on the injured area. I have also given the gel to people with severely blistered feet, and it has soothed the pain very effectively.
An alternate use which people don’t often think of, is it’s value in cleansing the air. It is believed to help clear chemical residues left behind from cleaners and paints. - Bicarbonate of soda. This gets a place in my home health essentials because of its versatility. Apart from its use in cooking, it’s mildly abrasive character makes it a great natural cleaner.
It can also be used in combination with sea salt (half a cup of each bicarb and sea salt) to make a relaxing and restorative bath when every part of you is sore and aching.
It’s deodorizing qualities make it great for removing the smell from shoes. Just shake bicarb inside them and leave. You can also make a great carpet deodorant by mixing a quantity of bicarbonate of soda with a few drops of tea tree oil. Shake the mixture liberally over carpets, leave for a few hours and then vacuum up. - Epsom salts. If you have ever come home from work tired and aching, then a tub of epsom salts has a place in your bathroom. It is also known as magnesium sulfate, and having a bath with epsom salts will boost your intake of magnesium. Adding 2 cups of epsom salts to a bath will do wonders to relieve aching muscles after a hard day.
I also use epsom salts in my foot scrub recipe which you can find in a previous blog. It’s consistency is fine enough to exfoliate well, without being too abrasive. Many online retailers sell good quantities of epsom salts for very reasonable prices. - Tea Tree Oil. This versatile essential oil was guarenteed a place in my home health essentials, because it can be put to so many uses. It’s powerful anti-fungal properties make it a fantasic addition to any foot product. I use it in my foot scrub recipe, and i sometimes add it to plain cream. It can be used neat to treat verrucae and fungal nail infections.
It also works well with bicarbonate of soda to deodorize carpets and shoes, as described above.
Teenagers can use it as a spot treatment, and parents of younger children can use it to repel head lice. - Coconut Oil. This oil has so many health giving properites, that I am going to devote another blog to it by itself in the next few weeks.
For now I will encourage you to invest in some organic virgin oil. You can use this in cooking, but also to condition hair, and to moisturize your body. It is the third ingredient in my foot scrub recipe.
If you need more information on looking after your health and you live in Bristol or the surrounding area, please call me on 0117 950 6629 or 07811 619860.
Photo credit : Jessica Lewis (Pexels)
