🌱💊 My Holistic Medicine Cabinet: Natural Remedies, Medications, & More!
From Herbs to Meds: My Balanced Approach to Feeling Better
Yes, I’ll admit it—
I’m a bit crunchy 🌱
But here’s the twist: I also love science.
And modern medicine.
If you’re new here (and there are a lot of you lately—welcome!👋🏼), I’m a registered nurse with my doctorate degree in integrative health, and my approach to health is leaning into holistic modalities in a science-backed, responsible way. Think: essential oils and peer-reviewed journals. ✌️
And, today, I am going to share you the specific items I keep stocked in my personal medicine cabinet— from herbs to medications, we are covering it all!
And, yes, I just mentioned herbs and medications in the same sentence (gasp!).
Because, here’s the thing, wellness is not all one way or the other, despite what our hyper-polarized world loves to proclaim 🤪
My approach to everyday health issues—colds, headaches, stomach bugs, you name it—is simple.
I start with holistic remedies, integrative approaches, and natural modalities, and honestly? They usually get the job done. ✨ But when they don’t? I’m not afraid to reach for medication. Balance is key!
Because here’s the thing— even though I love holistic health, I’m NOT anti-medicine. Like, at all. As a healthcare professional, I firmly believe pharmaceuticals are amazing when warranted.
But when it comes to what I’m putting in my body (and my family’s bodies!) on an everyday basis, I prefer to *start with* natural, simple, holistic options and then work my way up the intervention ladder to medications, if needed.
🌱 Here’s an example— if I had a headache, I’d follow these steps, starting with the least intense treatments and working my way up until I find relief:
Drink water with electrolytes and have a small cup of coffee for a hydration & caffeine boost— always my first move!
If it doesn’t resolve, I’ll do a few minutes of acupressure on point LI4—the meaty spot between your thumb and pointer finger. This usually helps a TON for me. Note: don’t do this point if you’re pregnant as it may stimulate uterine contractions!
If the headache is still there? I’ll apply peppermint essential oil to areas of tension. (I cannot describe how well this works— in fact, one randomized, placebo-controlled study found it just as effective as taking tylenol)!
From there, I’ll do a quick nap if I can— a little sleep can work wonders.
If it’s still persisting, I’ll take an herbal blend made for headache relief.
From there, I’ll use an ice pack that wraps around the head.
And if it’s still lingering... time to reach for the medicine. Boom!
For me, it’s all about starting small: I lean into natural remedies first and layer in medications only if they’re truly necessary. I apply this method to just about all “everyday” health hiccups—headaches, colds, muscle aches, and more!
So let’s open up my holistic medicine cabinet and take a tour of what I keep on hand for cold and flu season, headaches, immune support, first aid, and more. ⬇️
Everyday first aid essentials I always have stocked (thermometers, first aid must-haves, anti-choking devices, etc.!)
What I reach for at the first signs of illness (these holistic hacks often stop an illness before it fully progresses!)
What my husband and I take when on the occasions we do get sick— treatments for cold, flu, respiratory illness, and headaches.
My go-to remedies (both natural and medicinal!) that I feel good about giving to my children.
And the specific clean-ingredient medication brand that I reach for when holistic remedies just aren’t cutting it— but I don’t want all the unnecessary additives, high fructose corn syrup, and food dyes that are found in common medications.
This post is concrete, specific, and laid out by common ailment—
Annnd it took a lot of time to create so I am reserving it exclusively for the paid community ◡̈ Let’s do this! ⬇️
