I have always loved the summer. There is so much to do outside; swimming, hiking, exploring, sports games and more. There are fresh fruits and vegetables to pick that taste so good. Everything is alive, green and vibrant. In all that enjoyment we can experience some bumps and bruises along the way. I’d like to share some aides that helped me recover from bumps, blisters, and exhaustion. However, never ignore the need to seek professional help in emergencies.
 
Bumps
It was a wonderful night at the local minor league baseball game, a favorite summertime activity for my children and me. Somewhere in the fifth inning, a foul ball came out into far left field and ricocheted into my eye. It happened so fast I couldn’t react and boy it hurt! The ball hit the rim of my right eye socket which is called the zygomatic bone. It was extremely tender. Unfortunately, I left my purse in the car with my cayenne tincture and other herbal aides. A wonderful EMT looked after me and had me ice the side of my face for the last 4 innings which really made a difference. When I came home I took a blend of herbs consisting of 2 parts turmeric, 1 part ginger, 1 part cayenne and 1 part spirulina. Turmeric is an excellent anti-inflammatory. In addition, I took Dr. Christopher’s Complete Tissue and Bone capsules. This blend of herbs hastens and assists the body in repairing itself. If you don’t have this formula, I would consider taking comfrey, oak bark, slippery elm, or nettles, even a blend of these if you can. These herbs help repair and strengthen bone and tissue. I then took a fresh aloe leaf, opened it and applied the gel to the area where the ball had hit.  After it dried, I applied Complete Tissue and Bone ointment. I followed this protocol for a week, taking the capsules internally about 5-6 times a day. I applied the aloe and ointment in the morning and night. At night I would place a piece of cotton over the area after I had applied the ointment, to prevent it from coming off as I slept. This routine worked so well. I was impressed, as was my family, at how quickly the black eye and inflammation left. This protocol could be used for bruises or breaks in supporting the body’s healing process. Our team lost the game, but what a memorable one!
 
Blisters
After a few grueling hours in my garden, I realized I had worn a large, painful blister in my palm. It was about the size of a quarter and oh so tender. First I cleaned my hands gently. I then used some gel from the aloe vera plant. I spread the gel on the blistered area and let it dry. Then I placed Complete Tissue and Bone ointment on it. You can also use comfrey, plantain, calendula, or marshmallow preparations to help heal the wounds. Use the gel in the aloe leaf by cutting the spiked sides of the aloe off, cut the leaf in half, exposing the gel. You can run the gel directly on the wound or slice the clear gel segment off and apply it directly to the wound. I then blanched a smooth leaf (I used basil) for 15-20 seconds to kill any bacteria. I used the leaf as a bandage to go directly over the ointment and then a Band-Aid or cloth over that. I had used a cotton cloth directly over the ointment initially but discovered that the fibers irritated the skin tremendously. Using the leaf soothed and hastened my healing. Never clear off the ointment when healing a wound. You could inadvertently wipe off new cell growth. Just add more aloe or ointment to the area and add a new bandage leaf daily. This works well with both burns and blisters in aiding the healing process. “Aloe vera penetrates the skin quickly and deeply. This allows water and other moisturizers to sink deeply into the skin, restoring lost fluids and replacing the fatty layer....It heals blemishes with little to no scarring.” (Herb Syllabus, Christopher) “Aloe vera contains glucomannan, a mannose rich polysaccharide, and gibberellin, a growth hormone, which stimulates activity and proliferation.” (Indian Journal of Dermatology, Surjushe, Vasani, and Saple)  My hand healed without scarring. I love plants!
 
Exhaustion
Recently I was visiting a very hot climate. I am a runner and had been running a lot the past few mornings. I had been drinking enough water or so I thought. By the third day, I felt exhausted and had an uncommonly intense headache. When we sweat we lose minerals that are required by our body to function. All I wanted was watermelon and lots of it. Watermelon has potassium and small amounts of sodium in it that supports our sodium potassium pump which is vital to our lives and is full of water. I also drank a cup of hot water with a pinch of cayenne, knowing this would equalize my blood pressure and help my headache leave. By replenishing my body with water, sodium, potassium, and other minerals and then equalizing my blood pressure the headache left and I quickly recovered.
When spending time outside this summer, remember to drink lots of water before, during and after you go outside to best support your body. Celery, dates and coconut water are also great natural sodium and potassium sources (aka electrolytes) to help replenish and stabilize body fluids.
Bumps, blisters, and exhaustion may come, so be prepared. Have a safe, happy and healthy summer!
 

Kelly Pomeroy is a Master Herbalist, mother of four, and works for the School of Natural Healing. She is also pursuing her Biology degree at a local University

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