Preparing Your Medicine Chest for Cold Weather

Cold weather brings with it a new assortment of maladies and potential ailments. Preparing your medicine chest ahead of time prevents emergency runs to the drug store. Use the following tips and ideas to help get ready for whatever comes your way this winter.

Cold and Flu Medicines

Winter usually means it’s cold and flu season. Whether you get a flu shot or not, it’s good to be prepared for a multitude of cold symptoms. Instead of purchasing a one-pill-does-it-all type of solution, aim to buy products that treat one symptom. For example, you don’t need to take cold medicine if you only have a stuffy nose. Cold medicine usually contains cough medicine, fever reducers and even antihistamines. All you really need for a stuffy nose is a decongestant. Consider purchasing the following:

* Decongestant
* Fever reducer: aspirin, acetaminophen, ibuprophen
* Antihistamines
* Cough medicine

Additionally, there are some natural remedies that can help alleviate symptoms – including a vaporizer or humidifier and petroleum jelly for raw, irritated noses. Eucalyptus oil and camphor oil in your vaporizer can also help clear stuffy noses. Honey and loquat syrup are also good natural cough suppressants. And don’t forget to stock up on facial tissues.

Stomach Distress

In most cases a simple antacid can do the trick for stomach issues. However, if you have the stomach flu or food poisoning then Bismuth subsalicylate, the ingredient found in Kaopectate, can help. Activated charcoal is also a natural remedy that works for upset stomachs and food poisoning in particular. It’s good to have on hand. Loperamide, the ingredient in Imodium, helps with diarrhea and a natural laxative is good on hand if anyone is constipated.

First Aid

Finally, it’s always a good idea to have a fully stocked first aid kit in your medicine cabinet. Bumps, bruises, and injuries happen year round and during the winter you may not want to run out to the pharmacy to grab something, especially if the roads are bad. A well-stocked first aid kit will include:

* Antibacterial creams
* Antiseptic
* Bandages in a variety of sizes
* Tweezers
* Wraps, gauze, and pads
* Anti-itch creams
* Anti-fungal creams and powders
* Muscle ache creams – arnica is a natural treatment for sprains, strains, and bruises
* Epsom salts
* Thermometer
* Scissors

The Red Cross recommends checking your first aid kit on a regular basis. Once you’ve stocked it for the winter, consider placing a notice on your calendar to check it again in the spring. You just can never tell what the winter months have in store for you and your family. By preparing your medicine chest in advance for the possibilities, it means you can get a head start treating any illness or emergency.