Y’all know the da lil handicapped homie by now. I am the self-proclaimed “Multiple Sclerosis Outlaw” because I do everything my own way. Healthcare, mantras, prevention routines, fuck the doctors after my horrible first 6 months of DMDs (disease modifying drugs) made me worse and move on for my own mental health. I focus an enormous amount of energy on Gratitudes, yoga, meditation, diet, water, etc. to keep myself in the “present”. I’m not interested in long talks and pondering the future plight of anything, not even my kids. I do my darnest to avoid staring at walls, clouds, plates and wondering what I could have differently to be in a better position now. All of that kind of stuff pretty much depresses me and spirals my MS into a stress-induced relapse. Real talk, I really build routines and management practices to avoid dark thoughts, future planning and walks down memory. (Yes, literally WALKING down memory lane is a two-fold issue. *handicapped joke*)
Soooo, paired with my whole Multiple Sclerosis Outlaw mentality comes a rich, deep, authentic freaking infatuation for treating myself with Eastern Medicine, the old ways, Oriental shit and Native remedies. I don’t know (Well, didn’t know at first) anybody that could guide me on this journey towards natural wellness and become quite adept with my web searches, vetting information, double checking sources and of course, YouTube videos. (Seriously, YouTube can be a help or hurt in the quest for wellness. *straight face*) I watch Netflix, Hulu and other documentaries that cover wellness, spirituality and healing WITHOUT prescription drugs. After that, it is trial and error time. Nope, I am NOT bothered/worried/afraid of side effects and junk because I’m the same Outlaw that went through all that WITH the prescription drugs! (That WILD commercial of a true story can be found here: Why I Don’t Use MS Drugs). I try out the OTHER side of treatment, the alternative methods, the back page stuff, the things that are smoked, made into teas and cremes or eaten. Before my utter collapse into the off-the-reservation lifestyle, I chided and laughed at these saaaaaame practices. I didn’t OVERstand and little effort to sympathize. Now? Dawg, I’m ten toes deep and not looking back because I have my own success stories. Diet manages my weight, a lot of back pain, allergy problems and a bunch of my digestive issues. Yoga and meditation alleviate the back pain, neck pain and flat out emotional challenges of losing your independence while simultaneously cognizant of how bad it will get. Cannabis and CBD are partners in the struggle vs. chronic pain, exhaustion and depression. I can go on and on BUT you are here for my findings on herbal approaches to Multiple Sclerosis…
Link to local news article on Adanna Ade: VoyageHouston article
“Yoooooo!!!!! I met her! She gave me some AWESOME tips on treating Multiple Sclerosis with natural herbs, stuff to AVOID eating and ways to extend my medicine. I was totally impressed and actually flipped out to the Food Market, on Airline in Houston, TX, to learn more and talk with others. I #SaluteMyAssOff wherever she is now!”
This is who I meant earlier when I wrote I didn’t know at first. Adanna taught me some methods, strategies and tips on managing my Multiple Sclerosis using natural herbs as teas, rubs, gels and supplements. Example, rose petals, lavender and jasmine can be ground and smoked to give a tranquil feeling. Nope, it is not cannabis but it definitely has a calming effect or chillaxing sensation. For harmony, peaceful feelings, try doing the same with yarrow, mugworth and chamomile. Yoo. It worked too. I’m not at the point where I can sit up here and explain the difference between the two feelings BUT I can share that I felt relaxed. On top of that, it is all natural, no tobacco and can be smoked inside the crib! She even had an oil that operated much the same way as those two but no smoking needed. THEN, she came out with tea recipes for situations and feelings. *mindblown* It was like being in a classroom but you’re enjoying the lesson and get to do hands-on activities. Before leaving, she gave us the addresses of local markets to find the ingredients in case I wanted to continue this “path of wellness and focus on personal constitution.” Wait… Wait… Folks, the Lady even taught me how to roll my own herbs into a joint! Maaaaaan, I have smoking since forever but rolling blunts, joints, papers, squares, spliffs, anything was a distaster. Shoot fool, in college, my roommates would get pissed at my rolling skills because it wouldn’t smoke. I ended up learning to stuff black-N-mild cigars and rode that until Adanna sat and physically taught me to roll with those herbs. From there, I could remix the lesson and roll anything else so I rolled my first successful joint at the ripe age of 42. Fuck it, I’m blazing with my newfound knowledge and screaming “#EffMS and the symptoms it rode in on.
Los Cavazos caught our attention with a candy shop sitting on the right and sage burning & wafting straight to me. OMG. It was pure enlightening as the owner carefully explained different herbs, sage, soaps and cremes. Everything he taught, paired nicely with Adanna’s tutorial the previous week. We stayed over an hour with him, exchanged contact information and he assured me he would remember US when we returned. Let me me stop to describe some things that left an impression and will bring me back. One, he had over a dozen sages, green, normal, rainbow colored and everything he burned smelled better than the last thing. He spoke to us about childhood trauma and the effect it has on kids. For such drama, he had a special rock that worked like soap. “Parents wash the ‘trauma’ off their children using this soap. Adults also use it for deodorant.” I didn’t laugh or crack a smile as I jammed his advice and instructions like it was a late 90s hip ho album. Tea, yes TEA, is huge for me. I started THIS year, 2020, and worked myself up to an avid drinker. I prefer loose leaf for the aggressive flavoring and BOOM. Dude went into using his herbs for loose leaf tea because he doesn’t smoke at all. Hmmmm… WELL, I don’t HAAAAVE to smoke everything. I can grow up, learn more, enhance my experiences. I left Los Cavazos with over a $100 in his plants, charcoal, spices, soap and herbs. The way I see it, I ain’t doing jack else but quarantine’ing with my kids for a loooong summer. I will try my herbal medicines the entire time and blog the whole way. WE, MS’ers as unit, squad and crew, can all learn as I go. *winks*
By waaaaaaack, I mean my ragged sage falls apart every time I use. Every. Single. Time. The little white ribbon is loose as heck. The branches/sticks are breaking, broken and leave bits all over. My sage is waaaack. Where did I buy it so you can avoid it? I don’t even remember. I chose the cheapest sage I could find on Amazon and received my disappointment in the mail one week later. HIS stuff was straight, tightly rolled, nothing broken in the bundle, just goooood stuff. I was most excited about the black sage. It is the one you use to send your prayers, wishes, etc to the heavens or creators!
What I’m Starting With, Why & Initial Notes
When it came down to choosing what to buy, I had to get over the feeling of wanting EVERYTHING. (Da lil handicapped homie is broke and handicapped. I don’t receive disability or nothing because teachers don’t pay into Social Security. Nope, I didn’t know that before teaching!)
Chamomile was first. The benefits of chamomile are long known with sleeping, stress relief, stomach cramps and an alternative to smoking tobacco.
Besides smelling good as heck, mint is good for IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome), improving brain function, relieving cold symptoms. Did I mention it may mask your bad breath? *LMAO*
Damiana was brand new to me. The owner of Los Cavazos was a big fan so I went with it too. It is supposed to be relaxing, peaceful, mood enhancing and… AN ANCIENT APHRODISIAC. Y’all KNOW I was sold like a MUG.
Calendula is another new NEW thing. It helps prevent muscle spams, reducing fever and works like an anti-inflammatory. (Awwww yeahh, I had to get this. Anti-inflammatory? Spasms? SOLD.
I’ve heard of hibiscus. It’s usually a flavor of something so I was shocked to see the actual plant. I got it because it helps regulate body temperature, relieve heart/nerve pain, constipation and increase urine production. (I have retention and other stuff so it was a must.)
The final piece was similar to a hookah without the user smoking. Throughout the time, the owner would switch up his little charcoal set-up. The coals burned and he sprinkled various herbs as needed. It kept the spot smelling like something from Gargamel’s kitchen? Remember Gargamel from Smurfs? The druid like bad guy? *shrugs* I do.
It is day 3 and I am having a blast experimenting with different concoctions. It may be tea, might be smoke but every day, I am working with one of these herbs. My goal is pinpoint, if any, just which actually does what it is supposed to do. So far, what I can say is that it makes my cannabis last waaay longer. Whether I’m mixing a blend or just using the herb, cannabis is reserved because the herbs carry such cool beans feelings of stress relief. In a way, it mimics CBD.
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