First Aid Alternatives

Note: These alternatives are only suggestions. You will have to decide what works for you.

My Medicine Bag

• Vitamin C
• Echinacea
• Aloe Vera/Vitamin E
• Nutribiotic/Grapefruit seed extract (never use full strength - internal/external uses)
  
  

  Motion Sickness

  • Ginger
  • Pressure point between thumb and forefinger
  • Mixture of ginger ale/7UP, juice of one lime, tbsp corn starch

  Burns

  • NO Butter or salve
  • For grease burns – pat on vanilla
  • For burned tongue – cover in raw sugar

  Stings - Insects

  • Place raw onion on affected area to relieve pain
  • A dab of tooth paste will help stop itching
  • Baking soda and water helps relieve pain
  • Place raw onion on affected area to relieve painA dab of tooth paste will help stop itching
  • A drop of vinegar rubbed into center of bite should help with itching
  • Ammonia rubbed over bites will relieve itching of mosquito bites

  Stings Bees/Wasps

  • Prevention
    • Wear white – stinging insects prefer dark colors and yellow; Don’t smell too good; Insects are attracted to people deficient in zinc
  • Treatment
    • Remove stinger being careful not to squeeze base (slide credit card along skin) and it still contains venom
    • Clean – The faster you get the stinger out and get it cleaned the better
    • Different things will ease pain and swelling
    • Cold – can keep venom from spreading
    • Heat – can neutralize one of chemicals causing inflammation
    • Aspirin – moisten sting, then rub with aspirin tablet – neutralizes certain inflammatory agents in venom
    • Ammonia – if it is going to work it will work very quickly. Dab on skin
    • Baking soda – make a paste and dab on
    • Meat tenderizer – enzyme based – breaks down proteins that make up insect venom. Have to do it right away
    • Activated charcoal – make a paste and it will draw out poison very quickly. Moisten charcoal apply to sting cover with gauze or even plastic wrap. The charcoal is best if it stays moist
    • Take an antihistamine

  Jelly Fish (Aqua malas)

  • Most stings will go away if immersed in salt water, do not flush with fresh water
  • Douse affected area with ammonia, urine is excellent in a pinch
  • Baking soda and water may help with pain
  • Make a paste of meat tenderizer and vinegar to help stop pain

  Cuts and scrapes

  • Black pepper stops bleeding and heals cleanly with very little scarring
  • Turmeric placed directly on wound will help blood clot almost immediately
  • Tampons & Cotex make great dressings for wounds

  Antiseptics

  • Garlic – rub garlic on affected area to help fight infection
  • When needing to cover a clean wound, use honey and a bandage to keep cut clean
  • Kerosene – helps stop bleeding and infection from a cut

  Broken Bones

  Splints can be made from many things around the boat

  • rolled up magazines or newspaper
  • oar
  • other leg
  • kitchen utensils

  Splinter or cactus removal

  Spread thin layer of white glue or a clear silicone product – like shoe goo, on affected area, peel off when dry

  To make a home made ice pack

  Add 1 part alcohol to 2 parts water and freeze in a Ziploc(R) (Ice bag is pliable and reusable)

  Heat Exhaustion

  • Prevention
    • Heat exhaustion or heat stroke – Dehydration is no accident! Skin is cool and moist, pulse is weak and rapid. Thirst is first symptom followed by loss of appetite, headache, pallor and dizziness
    • You should drink at least 1 liter of water a day, and people drinking coffee, tea, beer or alcohol or eating water melon or asparagus should double that as alcohol, caffeine and certain fruits and vegetables are diuretics (cause you to lose water)
    • Get out of the sun
    • Drink water – don't gulp, sip plenty of water through the day
    • Eat more fruit and vegetables – high in water content and good salt balance
    • Drink diluted electrolytes
    • Avoid alcohol, beer and other diuretics
  • Treatment
    • Splash with water rather than immerse in water – water will evaporate and cool more quickly
    • Go to air conditioned area if possible or find a fan
    • Force liquids (not coffee, tea or alcohol), except if person is unconscious or semiconscious
    • Apply cool towels – better than immersion

  Sunburn

  • Prevention
    • Skin suits cost about $40 and are good for protection from sunburn while in the water. Especially as water is so warm and people tend to stay in it longer.
  • Treatment
    • Lie down out of sun raise your feet and rub legs
    • Give salt water to drink – 1tsp salt in 1 liter of water
    • Administer aspirin
    • Cooling compresses of
    • Cold water
    • Skim milk (1 cup water and 4 cups cold water applying for 15 - 20 minutes and repeating every 2 – 4 hours
    • Oatmeal water – strain out oat pulp in cheese cloth and use water in compress
    • Corn starch – apply as a paste
    • Lettuce leaves – boiled in water, strained and allowed to cool in fridge – the dab on with cotton balls
    • Yogurt – cooling and soothing

  Sunburned Eyes

  Place wet tea bags over closed eyes

  Author Unknown

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