When you get a bruise, in addition to applying a cold compress (like an icepack or a bag of frozen peas wrapped in a towel) to the area for about 20 minutes to reduce the swelling, you can also use natural remedies to help speed up the healing.

Bear in mind that these are all for external use, so don't drink or swallow these mixtures.

• Aloe Vera: Use the fresh juice from the fleshy inner part of the leaf and apply. Aloe has many healing properties, such as preventing infection, so you can apply it to minor skin irritations and small wounds to speed up healing.

• Cabbage: For facial bruises, take the large outer leaves of white cabbage, break the ridges of the leaves and dip them into very hot water. Then apply to the bruise (but make sure they're not scalding hot as you put them on your face).

• Calendula: To make a salve, boil one ounce of dried calendula flowers or leaves (or 1/4 teaspoon of fresh juice from the herb) with one ounce of lard. Once the mixture has cooled, apply it to the bruise. This mixture is also good for sprains, pulled muscles, sores and boils.

• Fenugreek: To make a poultice, put 1/2 ounce of crushed fenugreek seeds in a small cloth bag and boil it in water for a few minutes. Remove the bag and apply the "tea water" to the area. Make it as hot as you can stand it (but make sure it's not scalding the skin).

• Garden Thyme: Put the green plant parts in water and boil them for three to four minutes. Cover the pot and leave it for another two to three minutes. Strain the mixture, and add the decoction to your bath water. Soak in it as you would normally.

• Onion: Apply it raw, directly to the bruise.

• St. John's Wort: Put 10 to 15 drops of St. John's Wort Oil in water and apply the mixture to the area.

• Apple Cider Vinegar: Apply a hot or cold poultice of apple cider vinegar to your bruises.

Dr. Mercola's Comment:

Life can be a challenge. It is very rare where we are able to completely avoid the side effects of gravity unexpectedly taking us places we wish it didn't, and we suffer an acute trauma as a result of this collision.

As a result, bruises are an all-too-common occurrence. They usually are the result of blood from damaged blood vessels deep beneath your skin collecting near the surface, which results in a black and blue discoloration.

The key, like most areas of health, is proactive prevention. The reason why most people bruise is that their capillaries are too fragile and essentially are easily torn. One of the best ways to ensure that your capillaries remain strong and flexible is to make sure you have an excellent source of bioflavanoids.

Typically, a well-rounded diet with nutritional-type-appropriate organic vegetables and fruits will be more than sufficient to provide all the micronutrients you will need to prevent bruising from all but the most severe traumas.

However, if you already have a bruise, nature is full of simple, natural solutions for your health. Among them are the above listed herbal remedies that can help speed the healing process of your bruises so they go away faster. In the comments below, you can also read about still more helpful suggestions for healing bruises from readers, including the stem and petals of Scotch marigold, Arnica, the Chinese liniment Zheng Gu Shui, and others as well.

BUT remember the key is to avoid bruises in the first place by having loads of appropriate vegetables and fruits.

I do not recommend taking acetaminophen for pain associated with common bruising, as it's been shown to cause liver damage with excessive or extended use. Ibuprofen and aspirin are no better, and taken together they can be a downright deadly combo.

There's really no reason to succumb to taking these dangerous drugs for minor, everyday problems, as the risks far outweigh the benefits.

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