What's In My Medicine Cabinet

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This time of year, we are right in the heart of sick season. Everywhere you look, people are talking about not feeling well or their children not feeling well and it can get to be too much. But let’s remember, panic will do us no good and probably make us more susceptible to that illness going around. Having the things you need BEFORE the illness comes will not only let you start treating the illness right when symptoms start, but it will also save you from having to figure out which thing you want to take while not feeling well. Being prepared is always key and I want to share with you some of the staple things I always have in my home this time of year.

I want to preface this by saying, I’m not opposed to medication if it is needed, but it is not my first line of defense. I will treat any illness with more natural approaches until we get better, or I think it’s necessary to go the modern medicine way. I’m also on a budget, so you’re not going to see a plethora of items in my medicine cabinet. I try to choose the ones that can be used for multiple illnesses or the items that are for common illnesses at this time of year. And you’re going to see that some of my “things” that I use are free!

My stance on this has changed a few times through the years and I invite you to think about how you want to approach sickness in your home. What I write here is not exhaustive, nor is it the only way to go about treating sickness. My hope is that this is a jumping off point for you to start deciding how you want to approach this, and also start to think about what you want to have on hand in your home 🙂 

None of these things that I mention here is medical advice as I am not a medical professional. I encourage you to research all these things before using and consulting whomever you need to consult before taking them.

What I have on hand for sickness:

Fresh air- it is so important to get outside and breathe in some fresh air especially when you are not feeling well. It is also important to open your windows in your home, even if it’s cold outside, for even just a few minutes a day to help get that stale air out. The air in our homes is not always the best so getting fresh air is good.

Sun- just like fresh air, getting some sun on me, even if it’s only my face because it’s so cold out and that’s the only skin showing, is so helpful. When used correctly, meaning don’t go sit in it all day every day and burn to a crisp, the sun can be very healing to our body.

Minerals- I always keep coconut water on hand and usually I have some Pickleball packets as well to help keep my mineral stores up. When your body is stressed, and being sick is a stressor to the body, your minerals tank, so it’s important to be mindful of that. Coconut water is an inexpensive way to get some potassium (put some salt in there  and you will get some sodium too!) which is why I always keep in on hand, but so are potatoes, which leads to my next thing……

Nourishing foods- The minerals I mentioned above you can and should get from foods too.  A good rule of thumb here is eating whole foods, not processed. Broths, fruits, and things like garlic and honey are full of minerals and nutrients that will help your body feel better faster. I always have all these things on hand for when any of us is feeling under the weather.

Warm baths-I will make sure to always have Epsom salts on hand for baths. If it’s a quality Epsom salt (like this one), it can be a good way for you to absorb some magnesium, which is a mineral your body needs. It is also good to sweat. Sweating is a detox method of the body’s and can help to remove whatever ails you. Just be sure to hydrate (which you should always be mindful of!) during and after a hot bath.

 Cold Calm- This stuff has been in my cabinet for many years and is the first thing that got my husband to start letting me treat him more naturally first before turning to conventional medicine. It helps lessen the number of days you feel the cold symptoms and my family swears by it!

Oil of Oregano- This one is newer to me this year. It is very powerful, so it needs to be used with caution. It is GREAT at killing bacteria inside the body, but it does not discriminate, it will kill the good bacteria too, which is why it needs to be used with caution. This is something that we will take for 2- or 3-days max to help boost our immune system and kill whatever is in there but then we stop. It is very helpful but very powerful like I said.

Oscillococcinum- This is newer to my medicine cabinet too. This one is good for reducing the duration and severity of flu symptoms. And when I say flu, I mean body aches, headache, fever, chills, fatigue… not the vomiting. That is a stomach bug and NOT the flu. I know some people use flu to mean a stomach virus and I don’t believe this will help with a stomach virus. This works much like the cold calm does and is the same company.

Beekeepers Naturals Proplois Immune Support- This one is also newer to my medicine cabinet. I have been using this when anyone in my family tells me their throat is hurting. My kids say it is not the best tasting (I feel like they say that about everything I give them 😄) but has helped so…I call that a win and something I will continue to keep on hand.

Earthley Wellness Feel Better Fast- I have had this one in my medicine cabinet for a long time. I stumbled upon Earthley many years ago and have loved them ever since. This one is a tincture that I use for just about everything… the name says it all. I will give this right alongside the other things mentioned above. Tinctures can be tricky with how they taste, but in my opinion, this one is probably one of the better tasting ones.

Traditional Medicinals Throat Coat cough drops- These are my favorite cough drops for not just coughs, but for when my throat is not feeling that great. I tried the tea that is from the same brand… 😖not for me; but I did give these a try and really liked them. There are three flavors to choose from, but the eucalyptus mint is the best.

That’s it! Not very much but helpful when we all need it.

Being prepared for sickness can make all the difference in how quickly and smoothly your family recovers. By having a few key items on hand, you can avoid the stress of scrambling for remedies when illness strikes and instead focus on rest and healing. Remember, there is no one-size-fits-all approach—what works for my family may look different for yours. The important thing is to be prepared in a way that aligns with your values, budget, and preferences. I hope this list gives you a helpful starting point as you think about what to stock in your own home.