Experience Life - September 2010

Medicine Cabinet Makeover

You stock your kitchen’s pantry shelves with wholesome, all-natural goods.

Why not the shelves of your bathroom, too?

BY CATHERINE GUTHRIE

PEEKED INSIDE YOUR MEDICINE cabinet lately? Chances are — even if you eat locally, compost food scraps, and clean with nothing but vinegar and baking soda — its contents are a medicinal flashback to your childhood.

“When it comes to our
medicine cabinets, it’s habit-
ual to reach for over-the-
counter drugs,” says Madelon
Hope, M.Ed., LMHC, a clini-
cal herbalist and director of
the Boston School of Herbal
Studies. “These medications
are the ones our mothers gave
us, and those memories con-
dition our responses today.”
If this sounds like you, it’s
time for a bathroom-cabinet
makeover. While there are
times you may still want to
use conventional meds, such
as ibuprofen and antibiotic
ointment, natural remedies
can be just as fast and effec-
tive as over-the-counter fixes
— sometimes more so.

Best of all, they often have far fewer (if any) pesky or potentially harmful side effects.

You don’t have to replace everything in your cabinet all at once, of course, and not every natural remedy is right for everyone. But if you’re looking to transform your medicine cabinet from retro-conventional to at least partially au naturel, here are a few items you’ll want to consider keeping within reach.

Good for: Insect bites, stings or skin irritation

Because: Calendula (made from marigolds) is a centuries-old remedy for any skin itch or ouch, from bee stings to sunburn to eczema. The plant’s skin-relieving properties come from its mixture of essential oils, which are both antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory. How to: Apply an ointment containing 2 to 5 percent calendula, as needed, up to four times daily.

Tip: If you have ragweed allergies, apply a dime-size test patch the first time and watch for an allergic reaction (red or itchy bumps). Why? Because calendula (i.e., marigolds) and ragweed are both members of the Aster (Compositae) family and may cause an allergic reaction in those who are hypersensitive.

Calendula Cream

Good for: Cuts, burns, athlete’s foot, minor infections or as a natural disinfectant Because: Both are natural antiseptics, so they are great for killing germs, and each has its own medicinal prowess. Although best known for its relaxing aroma, which is proven to quell anxiety, lavender can also cool the pain of minor kitchen burns and sunburns, as well as prevent scarring.

Lavender & Tea Tree Oil

Meanwhile, tea tree oil is an equally powerful disinfectant,

so a drop or two of essential oil can be smoothed onto cuts to stave off infection. Plus, its antifungal properties make it a natural weapon against the common toe fungus that causes athlete’s foot. In one randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study, tea tree oil was more than twice as effective as a placebo in relieving the burning and itching of athlete’s foot. How to: Both essential oils are natural antiseptics, and too much may dry the skin, so use sparingly.

Tip: Add a few drops of lavender and tea tree essential oil to a spray bottle filled with water to make a disinfecting spritz for countertops, doorknobs and even yoga mats.

Good for: Bruises, bumps, muscle aches and sprains Because: Arnica is made from extracts of the mountain daisy, a flowering plant common at high elevations in Europe. Reportedly, the herb’s healing properties were discovered when people noticed that mountain goats nibbled on the plant after a bad fall. Quaint as that sounds, arnica has some serious scientific backing. Studies show that an active component in arnica, called helenalin, impedes the body’s inflammatory response to injury by preventing the release of an immune system regulator ➺