Thursday, January 31, 2013

Adding Essential Oils to a Bug Out Bag


Okay, one thing that most people overlook when they are preparing a bug out bag is healthcare items. Essential oils are a great addition to your bug out bag for many reasons. One of the main reasons I love them for this purpose is that each oil serves many purposes! If you pack benedryl it is good for an antihistamine, and that’s about it. Pack essential oils and you can use them for many other things. You may not find all of these oils to be useful to your specific body type, and you may be prone to experiencing symptoms that I am not familiar with. I recommend that you know the symptoms that you are most likely to incur and pack accordingly. The following are the oils that I have in my bug out bag. Of course, I would try to take my entire "medicine chest" with me, but in the event that I was unable to, the following oils are my go to oils.

Digestzen: I know that for me, stress usually comes with stomach trouble. I will certainly be under stress if I am using my bug out bag, so I had to include this oil. The name pretty much says it all, but let me expound on it for you. This blend contains Ginger, Peppermint, Tarragon, Fennel, Caraway, Coriander, and Anise. This combination is good for all digestive complaints! Constipation, diarrhea, cramps, food poisoning, heartburn, nausea, and parasites. Will your Pepto Bismol handle all those symptoms?

Melaleuca: This oil is a must have for your bug out bag! Melaleuca is antibacterial, antifungal, anti-infectious, and anti-inflammatory among other great things. It can be used for allergies, fungal infections, bacterial infections, boils, bronchitis, chicken pox, cold sores, colds, cuts or wounds, eczema, ear infections (we have used this one many times. Place one drop of melaleuca on a cotton ball and place it in the ear over night. Do not put oils directly in your ear, eyes, or throat), hives, lice, MRSA, pink eye, rashes, sore throat, tonsillitis, viral infections, and warts (Modern Essential Fourth Edition). Now, I cannot think of a single over the counter or prescription medication that can do all that!

Peppermint: Ah, one of my personal favorites. Peppermint is so versatile. I use peppermint if I am feeling overheated for any reason. Be it a fever, or the start of heat exhaustion, I break out my peppermint. I have made a roller ball with 15 drops of peppermint oil and fractionated coconut oil, as well as my straight peppermint oil. Peppermint is also energizing, analgesic, antibacterial, anticarcenogenc, antiviral, and anti-inflammatory (Modern Essentials Fourth Edition). You can use peppermint for bacterial infections, to boost energy, to treat cold sores, decrease congestion, relieve cramping muscles, freshen breath, eliminate a hot flash, and treat hypothyroidism. The most common use for peppermint in our house is a headache. Just use caution not to get it in or too close to your eyes.

Deep Blue: Let's face it, if we are in a bug out situation, we are going to be overworking our muscles! My beloved Deep Blue blend will come to our rescue! Deep Blue has Wintergreen, Camphor, Peppermint, Blue Tansy, German Chamomile, Helichrysum, and Osmanthus. Use this oil to soothe achy muscles, arthritis, and reduce inflammation. It is also great if you have a pinched nerve, bruises, and headaches.

Ravensara from Madagascar
Breathe: There is a good chance that we suffer with some respiratory problems if we are in a bug out situation.  I also use breathe for anxiety, and I am just guessing I will have some mild to moderate anxiety!  Breathe blend contains Laurel leaf (Bay), Peppermint, Eucalyptus radiate, Melaleuca Alternifolia, Lemon, and Ravensara. If you have asthma, do not forget your breathe! Breathe is antiviral too. I have used breathe to relieve symptoms of bronchitis and congestion (apply topically to the chest). Check out it's many other uses in Modern Essentials Fourth Edition.

Frankincense: I suppose if you told me I could only take 1 oil, it would be Frankincense. But, since I have to carry my own, I will bring along the others too. Frankincense enhances the benefits of any oil you layer it with.

Terrashield: Terrashield is a blend that contains Lemon Eucalyptus, Citronella, and lemongrass. This blend is a powerful insect repellent, but it smells wonderful, unlike other insect repellents that you have probably tried. It is also all natural, and does not contain DEET.
The beautiful Citronella plant is one of the powerful ingredients used in Terrashield
Serenity: Serenity contains Lavender, Sweet marjoram, Roman Chamomile, Ylang ylang, Sandalwood, and Vanilla Bean extract. Besides smelling amazing, Serenity is great for calming anxiety and helps with insomnia. It has many other benefits, but these are the main reasons I included it in my bug out bag.

If there are oils you tend to use on a daily basis, I highly suggest incorporating them into your bug out bag. Don't forget to stick at least the mini modern essentials book in your bugout bag! I am putting the Modern Essentials Fourth Edition book in mine. It is a little extra weight, but packed full of useful information that I will need if I am in that situation.

What about you? Are you packing essential oils in your bug out bag? If you haven't used oils before, and would like more information, contact me to start learning about the benefits of essential oils.

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