Medicine cabinet 101

Plan ahead to ensure you have what you need, when you need it

By Jason Chan Remillard

Your medicine cabinet is an essential part of your family's day-to-day health. By planning ahead, you can make sure you have everything you need to take care of coughs, colds, stomach issues, pain, fever, skin issues, dental care, or any other middle-of-the-night emergencies.

Use this helpful list of medicine cabinet must-haves to take inventory of what you currently have and fill in what you don't. Here are some things that your medicine cabinet should contain:

FIRST AID • Bandages, gauze pads, butterfly bandages • Antibacterial ointment (Polysporin®) • Tweezers (for sliver or tick removal) and scissors • Alcohol wipes and sanitizer • Thermometer • EpiPen® (if needed for serious allergic reactions) • Oral syringe for proper dosing of liquid medications SKIN REMEDIES • Calamine lotion (for itching) • One percent hydrocortisone cream (for rashes or insect bites) • Antifungal cream (for diaper rash, ringworm etc) • Vaseline® (for dry skin and lips) • Sunscreen (of at least SPF 30 or higher) • Aloe vera gel (for sunburn) COUGH AND COLD REMEDIES • Nasal spray/drops/mist/Netipot (to rinse out your sinuses) • Throat lozenges • Cough syrup and expectorants (to loosen mucus) • Decongestants (for sinus issues) and a vaporizer (obviously too big for the medicine cabinet, but keep it close by)

STOMACH REMEDIES • Pepto-Bismol® • Antacids • Imodium® (for diarrhea) • Gravol® (anti-nauseant) • Lax-A-Day® (for constipation)

PAIN REMEDIES • Ibuprofen (inflammation/fever/pain), • Acetaminophen (fever/pain) • Ice packs and a heating pad Where should I keep my medicine?

Most medicine cabinets are in the bathroom, which is not an ideal place for medicines to be kept. Items that are not moisture and heat sensitive can be kept in this location, such as any first aid supplies. It is best to keep medications out of the medicine cabinet and away from the bathroom, as heat and humidity can affect medications and reduce their effectiveness. Ensure these medications have child-safe lids on them and are kept in a cool and dry location where a child would not be able to access them.

Expired medications

You should also be regularly checking expiry dates on items in your medicine cabinet and any regular medications your family uses. Although expired medications are generally not harmful, they lose their effectiveness once they are beyond the expiration date.

I would recommend that you go through your medicine cabinet twice a year; perhaps time it with something like daylight savings time. Any expired medications you find should be properly disposed of. Do not flush medications down the toilet, dump them down the drain, or throw them in the garbage. All pharmacies

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