Josh takes all sorts of supplements to enhance performance, aid in muscle recovery, and who knows what else. Meanwhile, I don’t like taking anything because I have issues. My psychiatrist way back when explained it perfectly: “when you swallow something you feel as if you’ve lost control because it is acting on your body and you can’t control what it is going to do.” Yep, yep. Nailed it.
So I have my list of “safe things” that I will take because I have experience with them and I know that they aren’t going to do anything weird to me: 1) Zoloft (though if I get a new prescription and the pills are a different color I do get a bit weird about it the first few times) and 2) Motrin (prefer brand name gelcaps because we have a solid history.)
So, Josh bought me this herb ashwaganda and said I should take it and I’m like, “Um, do you even know me at all?” But he persisted and said it’s supposed to be good for stress and adrenal support and with all of the stress in our lives that it would be good for me — he listens to too many healthy living postcasts. The idea of a natural stress reliever sounded good so I googled all the possible side effects. Bad idea, but I can’t help it. It’s a compulsion.
Other than the blanket “could cause allergic reaction if you’re allergic to it” warning there wasn’t too much to be worried about so I waited a week and finally, in a grand ceremony, took one. And then spent the next 20 minutes pacing and evaluating how I felt and stroking my neck and chest, willing my airway to stay open.
Since I’m still here I’m sure you can figure out that I didn’t die so I started taking it morning and evening. I complained to Josh that I didn’t feel any sharper or smarter yet and he sighed and said that’s not what this is supposed to do. I guess that’s one his other “nootropic” things that he takes and it has something to do with mushroom coffee. I don’t see myself going there even if it does give me brain power.
But I did cave and started taking Camille’s melatonin chocolates after seeing how fast she is falling asleep every night. And yes, I held the same ceremony where I swallow it (or in this case, chew up the yummy chocolate) and then wait 20 minutes to see if I fall over dead. Thankfully my throat didn’t close up and I can verify that they are magic in a big blue M&M. I am never sleepy at night, but this week I’ve been yawning and end up in a deep sleep before Josh even comes upstairs. I’ve turned into Sleeping Beauty and I love it.
I don’t see any more pharmaceutical stretching in my future for a while. I have a big bottle of Calcium/Magnesium sitting next to my bed, just waiting for me to start taking it, but I want to make sure all my other pills work together before adding something new to the mix. And yes, I do know how ridiculous that sounds . . .