5 Ways to Soothe
by Dan Connors in Health on Tuesday, June 22, 2010 6:00 AM
My children come to me numerous times each day for comfort and succor over their aches and pains, accidents and mishaps. I keep a handy set of remedies for these incidents, and find these to be among the most useful:
1. Arnica Gel
Arnica is great for bumps bruises, sprains and strains. I buy it from BOIRON, in the gel form. This is especially helpful when someone smashes a finger in a door. I find it does increase the pain from an injury initially for a moment or two but after application within a few minutes the pain is then significantly reduced. Arnica also seems to speed healing.
2. Garlic Oil
Garlic is a natural antibiotic. I like to keep a bottle of Natures Way Garlic Oil Extract
(If the pain is accompanied by a fever or persists beyond a day I check in with my pediatrician. It is not recommended to make your own garlic oil for any purpose; evidently botulism can result.)
3. Aloe Vera
Aloe plants are natural first aid kit all their own. Keeping one of these alive in the kitchen is beneficial for burns and abrasions. Break off a piece and squeeze out the gel and juice and apply directly to any minor burns. You can also slice open a piece of aloe and apply it like a bandage or cover a minor wound with it, securing it in place with tape, or a bandage.
4. Mommy Kisses
In addition to the above practical remedies, for my younger children a “mommy kiss” alleviates pain and brings comfort in some degree. They will often ask me to kiss their little hurts and wounds. What a wonderful opportunity to live the fervent cry of our hearts to console our suffering Lord in the form of our ‘least of these His brethren’! Never underestimate the power of motherhood in the loving, gentle expression of care over bruises, cuts, and scrapes!
5. Spontaneous Personal Prayers
I also pray for them out loud. After the kissing, cleaning and treating of hurts, if they are still suffering I will ask them if they want me to pray for them. I pray for them out loud to be able to think about Jesus and how much He loves them and to offer their sufferings for someone in need. I might mention how He might understand what this feels like because when He was a little boy He could have had this injury too, or something like it.
I will sometimes add in a petition to help them grow in some particular virtue they might need in dealing with the little trauma (and drama!). This has amazing effects on the kids- it really helps them feel better and it gives me a profound sense of fulfilling my purpose as mother on many levels.
—Jo Flemings is a Catholic convert, mother of 13 ( ages 23-1), and mediocre ‘jacqueline’ of many trades. She blogs at The Charlotte Observer.
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