Are you more likely to recommend natural remedies or pharmaceutical drugs when treating minor ailments? Throughout my childhood and most of adulthood, I preferred the latter.
At the first sign of a headache or menstrual cramps, I would head to my medicine cabinet. Filled with over-the-counter (OTC) pills and syrups, it rivaled the local drugstore's shelves. In mere minutes, I'd feel better, but it never occurred to me that non-prescription medication could be detrimental to my health.
My go-tos were painkillers like aspirin, ibuprofen, and naproxen which can cause long-term side effects including indigestion, ulcers, and gastrointestinal bleeding that may require hospitalization.
According to The British Journal of General Practice, "Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are responsible for 30% of hospital admissions for [adverse drug reactions] ADRs, mainly due to bleeding, heart attack, stroke, and renal damage."
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Using them sparingly reduces the likelihood of negative effects but it's not uncommon for some OTC meds to be used on a daily basis for other issues. A popular cold-and-flu medicine had been so widely used for sleeplessness that the brand created a formula specifically for treating insomnia. I've personally used this particular medicine for restlessness countless times before reading up on the recommended usage.
They warn that it should only be taken for "occasional sleeplessness" and advise that you should consult with a doctor if you're still experiencing trouble sleeping after two weeks of use. Considering that diphenhydramine, the main ingredient in some OTC sleep medications, can increase your risk of dementia, I decided to search for less harmful alternatives and stumbled upon herbal medicine.
Making the switch from traditional to natural medicine requires research and experimentation. It's an ongoing process, but I've found a few remedies that have replaced my past drugstore staples for good.
Ashwagandha Root
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Ashwagandha is an Indian ayurvedic herb that has been successfully used to combat stress, anxiety, and inflammation. A 2012 study found that the stress levels of participants who took Ashwagandha root extract for 60 days were significantly reduced. The study required them to take capsules but I prefer it in tea form. I pack the loose tea in a strainer and drop it in a cup of boiling water. I usually let it steep for 10-15 minutes before consuming it. I prefer to take it at night because, within two hours, I can't stay awake.
Having Ashwagandha tea at least once a day has helped me reduce stress but more importantly, it has changed my sleep habits for the better. I am able to fall asleep and wake up much earlier, which allows me to get more done during the day. Regardless of which form you prefer to take it in, you can find Ashwagandha Root supplements, tea, or powder at your local and online health food store, tea shop, or Amazon.
Garlic & Ginger
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These are staple household spices used in nearly all of my family recipes but they're not just for satisfying your taste buds. Much like Ashwagandha, they have anti-inflammatory properties but these herbs are multifaceted. I always stock up on fresh garlic bulbs and ginger root whenever I feel a cold coming or during holidays when I have a tendency to binge-eat.
I make it into a tea by boiling the garlic bulbs and peeled ginger in a pot for 20 minutes before straining it into a mug. Although I throw the bits of ginger out, I toss the garlic into the mug and eat them after I'm done drinking the tea. Consuming raw garlic is almost painful but after boiling them they have a soft, mushy texture and are tasteless. This combo has prevented colds and reduced symptoms of nausea and bloating for me. If they aren't already in your pantry, you can easily find them in any grocery store.
Cannabidiol (CBD)
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Like THC, it's derived from the cannabis plant but if you want to manage pain and anxiety without causing brain fog, fatigue, or failing a drug test, CBD is a life-saver. A rheumatoid arthritis support organization advocates for the use of the oil to treat symptoms of the condition. A European Journal of Pain study concluded that the topical use of CBD proved beneficial as well.
Full-spectrum CBD oil has helped me with less severe issues like body aches, migraines, and cramps without any adverse effects. Because of its non-psychoactive healing properties, CBD has recently gotten a lot of mainstream attention. Products containing CBD have popped up everywhere in drinks, oils, lotions, and foods just to name a few, but not all CBD products are made equal. As a result of its newfound success, the Food and Drug Administration is "continuing to evaluate the regulatory frameworks for products containing cannabis and cannabis-derived compounds" and warns of potential dangers.
I've personally found that the natural remedies I use are better for my overall well-being than conventional medicine, but you should always do your research. And of course, anyone who is thinking of trying a new natural or traditional medicine should consult with their doctor.
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The pair often says they’re two sides of the same coin. Skylar is an Aquarius. She attended art school, paints, and loves poetry. She’s more than happy to let the couple’s management firm and agency, Kensington Grey, handle their admin work. And, she loves to sleep in. Temi, on the other hand, wakes up early. He’s a Virgo. He loves a to-do list and regularly checks in on the couple’s brand partnerships spreadsheet to make sure everything is on track.
Because his storytelling was steeped in his love of technology, he didn’t always think of himself as a creative person. “Where I [am] the dreamer who wants to pluck things out of the sky and spend all day with my head in the clouds, Temi [is] so good at grounding me and helping me figure out how to make things make sense on paper. We just work together in such a complimentary way,” Skylar says.
It’s been more than six years since Brooklyn-based couple Temi and Skylar started dating, and nearly four since they cemented their working relationship. On TikTok and Instagram, the couple’s travel, fashion, and home content regularly rack up hundreds of thousands of views. They’ve worked with brands such as Coach, Aesop, Away, and Liquid IV, bringing their vibrant perspectives to every campaign they execute. Still, nearly two years since both Temi and Skylar committed to full-time content creation and creative directing, the couple says their romantic connection remains their priority.
“We told each other we would much rather go back to full-time jobs and preserve our relationship than to be full-time freelancers, barely getting a night's rest [and] barely kissing each other because we're so busy shooting,” Skylar says.
Working from home can make it hard to separate work from personal life for any entrepreneur. It can be even more challenging when your business partner is also your lover. Temi and Skylar had already used couples therapy as a tool to help them effectively communicate with one another. When they ran into challenges while working together, their therapist helped them set physical boundaries to help combat the issues.
"We told each other we would much rather go back to full-time jobs and preserve our relationship than to be full-time freelancers, barely getting a night's rest [and] barely kissing each other because we're so busy shooting."
“It actually took us doing very specific physical things to create boundaries between work and play in our relationship,” Skylar says. “So, for instance, we will only have conversations about work when we're out of bed or we're at the table or in the office. Initially, when we started, we had to light a candle to say that, 'Okay, this is a space where we're connecting, we’re not talking about work.' We needed really hard boundaries at the top. And then it became a little bit more organic.”
The boundaries have been crucial to implement, especially because the couple began working together so naturally. When the pair first met, Skylar was NY-based a social strategist for BuzzFeed and was using content creation to drive business to her lingerie company. She was shooting her own content. Temi was working for Microsoft in D.C. He’d recently traded in his DJing equipment for a camera. “I've always loved taking pictures,” he says. “Even when I was a kid, my African mother would wake me up at 3:00 a.m. [during a] party, and be like, 'Come take the family picture.'”
Growing up, Temi says he watched his parents support each other and be the true definition of partners. He knew he wanted the same for his own relationship. But, the couple also wanted to make sure they were being financially responsible. The pair didn’t quit their traditional jobs until they’d saved up two years' worth of their cost of living. And, Temi received his Master of Business Administration from New York University with the knowledge that it could either help him advance in his corporate career or be applicable to his business with Skylar.
Temi and SkylarCj Hart @hartbreakToday, they say their working relationship is more of a “quiet dance.” They still implement some of the boundaries they learned in therapy, but they also lean into their natural strengths and deep love for one another. When we speak, Temi has planned a date for the couple to see Princess Mononoke in 4K IMAX and added it to their Notion so they can factor it into their busy schedules. “I fully plan to date for the rest of my life,” he says.
Skylar says the couple doesn’t just wait for date nights to check in with one another, though. This often happens in the mornings, after Temi has made her peppermint tea and poured himself a cup of coffee. When they ask each other how they slept, she says, it’s not just a “nicety.” It’s a genuine question meant to foster connection.
“A lot of it happens during the day in the midst of work. We'll stop and we'll hug. Or we’ll slow dance in the kitchen,” she says. “Sometimes it's hard to set a whole date night when you have 7,000 things going on. So, we must grasp these moments and check in when we can. And I think it's become so organic to us that I actually didn't even realize how often we do it. But all day long, we're like, 'Are you good? I felt like your energy shifted,' because we're best friends, we just know. We just feel it happen.”
What’s better than being in love? Building wealth while doing it. Watch Making Cents here for real stories of couples who make money moves together.
Featured image by Cj Hart @hartbreak