What's In Your Medicine Cabinet??

Tea Tree Oil

A really great natural remedy to keep on hand for home emergencies is a small bottle of Tea Tree Oil. Tea tree oil is a pale essential oil taken from the leaves of the Melaleuca alternifolia which is native to the northeast cost of New South Wales, Australia. Tea tree oil undiluted has a very strong camphoraceous odor (or as my husband described it "like gasoline"). No really it's not that strong. This oil has several very helpful uses around the house.

• It's an antiseptic for wound disinfection, insect or spider bites;


• It's an anti fungal that can be used to treat athlete's foot and fungal nail infections;


• Shampoos with 5% tea tree oil effectively treat dandruff and even kill lice;


• It's a great treatment for acne and general skin care. Add it to your bottle of oil when doing the oil cleansing method for even greater results;


• It's a great topical anti-viral treatment, especially when used for the herpes virus, cold sores, chicken pox, shingles blisters, and warts; and


• tea tree oil can be used in mouth wash for dental and oral health; or as a gargle for colds, and sore throats. It's important to remember not to swallow the gargle as tea tree oil is harmful when swallowed;

Pick yourself up a bottle of this wonderful home remedy. You can add it to your shampoo; dilute with distilled water, or cold pressed vegetable oil to make a rinse or salve. You can add a teaspoon of tea tree oil to a cup of water or natural soap for a wonderful disinfectant spray or wash that will even kill mold or mildew around the house.

One word of caution, tea tree oil is harmful when swallowed. It has been reported to cause drowsiness, confusion, hallucinations, coma, unsteadiness, weakness, vomiting, diarrhea, stomach upset, blood cell abnormalities, and severe rashes. It should be kept away from pets and children.

Karla