Hey there! 😄
I think Filipinos have a funny relationship with medicine.
And I don't mean "funny" in a bad way.
I mean... we seem to have this unspoken rule that unless we're practically dying, we're not taking anything.
A few weeks ago, someone in the office said, "Ang sakit ng ulo ko."
I had paracetamol in my bag, so I offered it.
They smiled and said, "Hindi ako naggagamot hangga't kaya ko."
I thought, "Fair enough."
A few days later, another coworker said they had a headache.
Again, I offered paracetamol.
Again, they declined.
"Hindi ako naggagamot hangga't kaya ko."
Different person.
Same sentence.
And that's when it hit me.
...Wait.
I'm exactly the same.
I don't know where I got it from, but I have this invisible line in my head. A headache has to reach a certain level before I even consider taking paracetamol.
If I can still work, I'll probably just drink water.
Or eat something.
Or complain dramatically.
Sometimes (Read: ALWAYS 🤣) all three.
My cousin is even worse.
She had a toothache once that looked absolutely unbearable. I kept asking if she'd taken anything for it.
"No."
"Why?"
"Kaya pa."
Girl... 👀
Your face says otherwise.
She only took medicine when the pain became completely impossible to ignore.
The more I thought about it, the more I realized I know so many people like this.
Maybe it's a Filipino thing.
Maybe it's just the people I grew up around.
I honestly don't know.
What I do know is that before anyone in my family reaches for medicine...
Someone reaches for Oleia.
Usually Peppermint.
It's almost automatic.
Headache?
"Nasaan yung Peppermint?"
Stiff neck?
"Pakikuha nga yung Oleia."
Shoulders sore from sitting all day?
Same answer.
Nobody really announces it. Someone just grabs the bottle, massages a few drops where it hurts, breathes in that cooling peppermint scent, and waits to see if that's enough.
And surprisingly...
A lot of the time, it is.
I like that.
Not because I think we should avoid medicine.
Please don't misunderstand me.
Medicine has its place, and I'm incredibly grateful that we have it.
But I've come to appreciate that not every discomfort needs the biggest solution first.
Sometimes my body is just asking me to pause.
To unclench my shoulders.
To get up from my desk.
To drink water.
To stop pretending one more email is more important than my headache.
Sometimes, a little Oleia Peppermint Oil and a few quiet minutes are enough to get me through the rest of the day.
Sometimes they aren't.
And when they aren't, I'm perfectly happy to take that paracetamol.
Listening to your body isn't about proving how tough you are.
It's about paying attention.
Knowing when your body is saying, "Hey, I just need a little help."
And also knowing when it's saying, "Nope. This one's beyond peppermint."
I think that's a pretty healthy way to look at it.
Not "medicine versus natural remedies."
Not "one is better than the other."
Just... using the right tool at the right time.
And in our house?
The first bottle we usually reach for just happens to say Oleia.
Show me your bottle and I'll show you mine? 'Til next time! 💜
xo, L.