The Most Useful Home Remedies Have These 9 Things In Common

There are a wide variety of reasons why someone might want to seek out a natural remedy for what ails them. Personally, I utilize natural remedies both because I enjoy thinking resourcefully and making use of stuff I already have on hand, and because I don’t want to rely too heavily on over-the-counter pain medications, which can be hard on our kidneys.

And while most natural remedies are simple and easy to use, they do require a different set of supplies than what you would expect to find in the average medicine cabinet. So I decided that I would put together and share a guide of my own must-have items for the “natural medicine cabinet!”

Most of the items in this list should be familiar to you, especially if you’re familiar with natural remedies and DIY solutions I’ve shared here in the past. Armed with these basic and relatively inexpensive items, you’ll have everything you need cure what ails you… the natural way! :-)

9 Must-Have Items For Your Natural Medicine Cabinet

1. Essential Oils

Essential oils are an indispensable part of my own “natural medicine cabinet,” and while I could go on and on about the uses and benefits of each one in my collection, we’d be here all day! ;-) So instead, I’ve chosen to highlight a few that I consider indispensable for natural remedies:

Defend

Defend is a blend of cinnamon, lemon, clove bud, lime, eucalyptus, rosemary, peppermint, spearmint, and oregano essential oils, and it’s my go-to blend for cold and flu season! Take advantage of these antimicrobial oils by using Defend in your diffuser or applying it topically. colds or flus that are going around.

Complete Relief

Complete Relief is a blend of marjoram, black pepper, basil, spike lavender, and copaiba essential oils that can help ease the pain and tension of headaches. Black pepper, spike lavender, and copaiba oils help to relieve pain, while marjoram and basil have a soothing effect to help get you back on your feet.

Restore

When my hands are aching from arthritis pain, I reach for one thing: my bottle of Restore Essential Oil Blend! Featuring wintergreen, camphor, peppermint, ylang ylang, helichrysum, blue tansy, blue chamomile, and osmanthus essential oils, this blend is ideal for soothing away everyday aches and pains.

Lemon, Lavender, & Peppermint Oils

Lemon oil, lavender oil, and peppermint oil each have plenty of uses individually (more on that here), but they can also be used in tandem as an effective remedy for allergies!

For relief from allergy symptoms, try adding two drops of each oil to your diffuser. Or you could try my preferred method by using them to make a DIY aromatherapy inhaler!

Tea Tree Oil

Tea Tree oil is a powerhouse when it comes to treating minor wounds, so it’s a great one to have on hand! Applying a small amount topically can help treat blemishes, heal ingrown toenails, and much more!

Eucalyptus Oil

Eucalyptus oil has an fresh, spa-like scent that can help alleviate minor respiratory symptoms and open up airways. Use it in a diffuser when you’re feeling stuffed up, or add it to your bathwater for a relaxing steam treatment.

2. Coconut Oil

Coconut oil is packed with healthy fats, making it a popular oil for use in cooking and baking. And its antimicrobial properties make it a staple in a hundreds of DIY health and beauty products, from healing sales to toothpaste!

3. Honey

Raw honey has antibacterial and moisture-attracting properties that make it a valuable addition to your medicine cabinet. Honey can help soothe sore throats, coughs, and minor burns like sunburns.

4. Clay

When mixed with water, absorbent and detoxifying Bentonite clay can help treat insect bites as well as shallow cuts and scrapes. It can also be taken internally to help settle an upset stomach.

5. Aloe Vera

Aloe vera can be used to help soothe and heal a variety of skin conditions, including sunburns, bites, eczema, rashes, and razor burn.

6. Epsom Salt

Adding a cup or two of Epsom salt to a warm bath is a great way to relieve body aches, cramps, sprains, and other forms of physical stress.

Learn more about the benefits of epsom salt here.

7. Apple Cider Vinegar

Many people swear that drinking apple cider vinegar every day can help promote a strong immune system and good digestive health. But its acidity makes it useful in topical applications too, and can be used to reduce swelling, clarify the hair and scalp, and even help prevent breakouts.

8. Homemade Salves

Homemade salves are are packed with moisturizing and skin-friendly natural ingredients, and can be customized to help treat different types of ailments.

I always keep a jar of my All-Purpose Healing Salve on hand, which is made with coconut oil, olive oil, beeswax, vitamin E oil, and antibacterial essential oils. It’s ideal for smearing over everyday bumps, bruises, and scrapes, and I keep it in a small container so I can carry it around in my purse!

Learn how to make and customize your own homemade salves here.

9. Neti Pot

A neti pot is used for nasal irrigation, and while it does take some getting used to, it’s an effective way to clear nasal congestion and reduce uncomfortable sinus pressure.