Goddess Bless You

The indignities Black women suffer, at work at least, became infamous fodder when the Twitter tag #BlackWomenAtWork began trending after Congresswoman Maxine Waters and veteran journalist April Ryan were publicly insulted in separate incidents, the same day. Bill O’Reilly has since been fired by his employer Fox News for multiple allegations of sexual harassment by White women – Sean Spicer, one can pray, is somehow next.

Science may offer an explanation of why my stomach burns on the days when one of my superiors talks to me like I’m a kid. Our gut is inextricably linked to serotonin levels in the body. Researchers believe the chemical regulates mood and that a deficit can lead to depression. Probiotics do tend to help the burn but don’t alleviate my stress.

The three key elements I try to incorporate into a day, that seem to truly help, are:

1.  Flowers – Flowers in our homes reduce depression, anxiety and can help improve relationships with co-inhabitants. Purchase them at your local Farmer’s Market where they tend to be more affordable and place them all over the house including the bathrooms and kitchen.
2. Music – A few years ago I read a prescription “10 songs a day keep depression at bay.” Actually, I made up the rhyme but not the 10 songs aspect. I start weekday mornings listening to Sirius XM as I get ready for work; really helps elevate my mood and even reduces pain.
3. Tulsi Tea – Not that I don’t enjoy coffee, I love the taste, but I am a confirmed tea drinker. Because of that fact, I happened to order a Lavender Tulsi tea at a gluten free restaurant a little over a month ago. I enjoyed the taste so much, I researched Tulsi, also know as Holy Basil, and was elated to learn the tea contains a significant amount of Omega 3 Fatty Acid which is thought to help depression, anxiety, schizophrenia and lower blood pressure. At an employer hosted a bio-metric screening in late February my blood pressure was 167/90. After just two days of drinking Organic India Tulsi Original tea, a week later at my primary care physicians’ office, after rushing to the appointment, my blood pressure was 134/90. I’m an advocate for life.