Actions of a Diverse America: May 5th, 2025

Recession Survival (Part 4)

Continued……..

DIY or Die - Homemade Everything

The world wants you to think you need fancy shit in plastic bottles to keep your life clean and your body beautiful. They're lying to your face and laughing all the way to the bank. The truth? Most of that expensive crap can be made at home for pennies, works just as well—sometimes better—and won't fill your home with chemicals you can't pronounce.

Make Your Own Fucking Cleaning Products

The cleaning aisle is a monument to corporate bullshit. One spray for glass, another for counters, something else entirely for bathrooms. It's all designed to empty your wallet for what amounts to scented water with a dash of actual cleaning power.

White vinegar and baking soda will handle 90% of your cleaning needs. Mix vinegar with water in a spray bottle—boom, all-purpose cleaner that disinfects and cuts through grease without the chemical stench. Yeah, it smells like vinegar for ten minutes, then the smell vanishes along with the dirt.

For tougher jobs, make a paste with baking soda and water. That shit will scrub away anything from burnt-on food to soap scum that's been building up since your last relationship ended. And when you pour vinegar on baking soda? That fizzing reaction breaks down clogs in your drains better than the toxic blue liquid that costs eight times as much.

Essential oils aren't just for yoga moms—add ten drops of lemon or tea tree oil to your homemade cleaners, and suddenly your house smells like you paid someone to clean it, not like you're pickling vegetables.

Want to get serious about telling Windex to go fuck itself? Here's a window cleaner that costs pennies and works better than the blue shit they're charging you $5.99 for:

DIY Glass Cleaner That Actually Works
- 1 cup high-proof alcohol (cheap vodka works fine)
- ¼ cup white vinegar
- ½ teaspoon liquid soap (only for filthy windows)
- Water to make a half gallon

Mix it all in a bucket, pour some into a spray bottle, and store the rest. Your mirrors will shine so clearly you might actually have to face yourself in the morning.

That "special" toilet cleaner with the angled neck they charge you an arm and a leg for? Replace it with:

Toilet Bowl Destroyer
- ¾ cup borax
- 1 cup white vinegar
- 10 drops lavender essential oil
- 5 drops lemon essential oil

Pour it in, let it sit while you question your life choices for five minutes, scrub, and flush. The bowl will be cleaner than your browser history.

Got soap scum in the shower that's been building up since Obama was president? Try this instead of those toxic fume-spewing sprays:

Soap Scum Annihilator
- 12 oz white vinegar (microwave for 2 minutes)
- 10 oz blue Dawn dish soap

Mix and spray. Let sit for 10 minutes while you scroll through your ex's Instagram, then wipe with a sponge. The before-and-after will be more dramatic than your last breakup.

Dishes need cleaning but you're not about to pay $9 for fancy soap that's mostly water and fragrance? Make this instead:

Hand Dishwashing Liquid
- 1 ¾ cups boiling water
- 1 tablespoon borax
- 1 tablespoon grated bar soap (plain Ivory works best)
- 15-20 drops essential oil for smell-goods

Boil the water, mix in borax and soap until melted, let cool for 6-8 hours (stirring occasionally), and pour into a squeeze bottle. Your dishes will be cleaner than your conscience.

Got a drain moving slower than your career progression? Before you reach for the Drano:

Drain Unclogger That Won't Kill Fish
- 1 cup baking soda
- 1 cup salt
- ¼ cup citrus juice (lemon and lime work best)

Mix the powders, pour about ¼ cup down the drain, follow with two cups of boiling water, and wait an hour. Run the tap. Hair, grease, and whatever other disgusting shit was in there will be gone.

The beauty of these DIY solutions isn't just the money you'll save—though your bank account will notice—it's that you're not filling your home with cryptic chemicals that require a hazmat team if your kid or pet gets into them. You know exactly what the fuck is in everything, because you put it there. Simple ingredients, multiple uses, and not a single mention of "proprietary formula" on the label.

Skip the dishwasher pods that cost 30 cents each and try:

Dishwasher Detergent That Actually Works
- 1 cup borax
- 1 cup washing soda
- ½ cup citric acid
- ½ cup kosher salt

Mix it all up and use just ONE TEASPOON per load. That's right—one fucking teaspoon. A batch costs about $5 to make and lasts for months. Your dishes come out clean, and you haven't been robbed blind for the privilege.

Every time you make your own cleaner instead of buying the commercial crap, you're giving the middle finger to companies that think you're too stupid to realize what they're doing. You're not just saving money—you're taking back control over what goes into your home and onto the surfaces your food touches, your kids play on, and your pets lick.

So the next time you reach for that fancy bottle with the slick label and the promise of spring meadows or ocean breezes, remember: that shit is mostly water, fragrance, and marketing. You can do better with stuff you already have in your pantry, and your home will be just as clean—if not cleaner.

Drugstore Alternatives That Actually Work

The pharmacy is another money pit designed to separate you from your hard-earned cash. Those 24-hour cold medicines with their fancy packaging? Overpriced bullshit.

Raw honey mixed with lemon juice and a splash of whiskey will knock out a sore throat faster than any cherry-flavored syrup. Can't sleep? Skip the pills that leave you feeling like garbage the next day and try magnesium powder in warm water before bed—your muscles will relax, and your brain will finally shut the fuck up.

Hydrogen peroxide costs about a dollar and disinfects cuts better than antibiotic ointments that cost ten times as much. And for headaches, try downing water and pinching the webbing between your thumb and forefinger for five minutes before you reach for pills—most headaches are just your dehydrated brain screaming for water.

Before pharmaceutical companies convinced everyone they needed a different pill for every fucking sensation in their body, people relied on plants that actually work. Here's your crash course in herbal remedies that big pharma doesn't want you to know about:

Willow Bark: Nature's Aspirin
The original painkiller before Bayer figured out how to synthesize and patent that shit. Willow bark contains salicin, which your body converts to salicylic acid—the same active ingredient in aspirin. Make a tea with 1-2 teaspoons of dried bark in 8 ounces of water, simmer for 10 minutes, and strain. It relieves headaches, reduces fever, and fights inflammation without the stomach irritation commercial aspirin can cause.

Feverfew: Migraine's Natural Enemy
If your head feels like someone's driving railroad spikes through your temples, feverfew is your new best friend. This herb prevents the blood vessel constriction and inflammation that trigger migraines. Chew 2-3 fresh leaves daily (warning: bitter as fuck) or take as a tincture. Unlike those migraine pills that cost $40 a bottle, a feverfew plant costs $3 and keeps giving all season.

Valerian Root: Sleep Without the Pharmaceutical Hangover
Valerian smells like dirty socks but works better than over-the-counter sleep aids. Make a tea with 1 teaspoon of dried root in 8 ounces of hot water, steep for 10 minutes, and strain. Drink an hour before bed, and you'll sleep like you've been drugged—except you'll actually wake up refreshed instead of feeling like your brain is wrapped in cotton.

Elderberry: Cold and Flu Fighter
Those fancy cold and flu medications with their commercials featuring people dramatically sneezing in slow motion? Replace that shit with elderberry syrup. Studies show it can reduce cold duration by 4 days and alleviate symptoms faster than those expensive meds. Make your own by simmering 1 cup of dried elderberries in 3 cups of water until reduced by half, strain, add 1 cup of honey, and store in the fridge.

Heartburn Relief That Costs Pennies
Forget those chalky tablets or expensive purple pills. When acid is crawling up your throat after you demolished that extra-spicy burrito:
- 2 oz of Aloe Vera juice (shot it down like you're at a college bar)
- Follow with 3 raw almonds

This combo works faster than those pills they advertise during every goddamn sporting event, and costs about 1/20th as much. Keep these ingredients on hand and never waste money on antacids again.

DIY Sports Drink Without the Neon Colors
Those electrolyte drinks are mostly sugar water with trace minerals and artificial colors that'll turn your piss into a glow stick. Make your own for a fraction of the cost:
- 3 cups filtered water
- ¼ cup raw local honey (supports local business AND your immune system)
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt (or less if your taste buds object)
- Juice of 1 lemon and 1 lime (about ⅓ cup)

Shake that shit up until the honey dissolves. Refrigerate and sip when you're dehydrated, hungover, or just finished a workout. It tastes better, works better, and doesn't contain whatever the fuck "Blue 1" actually is.

Hand Sanitizer That Won't Dry Your Skin to Hell
Commercial hand sanitizers smell like a hospital hallway and leave your hands feeling like you've been fondling sandpaper. This one actually moisturizes while it kills germs:
- 8 ounces 100% pure aloe vera gel
- 30 drops tea tree essential oil (the germ-killing ingredient)
- 5-10 drops lavender essential oil (so you don't smell like a medicine cabinet)
- 1 tablespoon witch hazel extract or high-proof vodka
- ¼ teaspoon Vitamin E oil (preserves the mixture and moisturizes your hands)

Mix the oils first, add the witch hazel or vodka, then stir it all into the aloe gel. Gentle shake before each use. Your hands stay soft while the microbes die screaming.

Mouthwash That Won't Burn Like Satan's Piss
Commercial mouthwash is mostly alcohol and food coloring that makes your mouth feel like you've been gargling lighter fluid. Make your own that cleans without the pain:
- 1 cup aloe vera juice
- ½ cup distilled water
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 10-20 drops of peppermint essential oil

Mix together and shake well before using. Your breath stays fresh without the sensation of your taste buds committing mass suicide.

Bug Repellent That Doesn't Smell Like Chemical Warfare
Those commercial bug sprays smell like toxic waste and leave an oily film that makes you look like you've been basted for roasting. This natural version keeps bugs away without the nuclear aftermath:
- 2 tablespoons witch hazel or vodka
- 2 tablespoons carrier oil (grapeseed, jojoba, almond, or olive)
- ½ teaspoon vodka as preservative (if not already using it)
- 55 drops lemon eucalyptus essential oil
- 15 drops cedarwood essential oil
- 15 drops rosemary essential oil

Combine in a small spray bottle and shake well before each use. Reapply every few hours when you're in mosquito territory. Bonus: you won't smell like you just fumigated your body.

Room Energizer Spray When You're Dragging Ass
Skip the $8 "revitalizing" sprays that smell like a chemical approximation of what marketing executives think energy should smell like. Make this instead:
- 1 ounce high-proof vodka
- Distilled water (to fill your bottle)
- 12 drops rosemary essential oil
- 8 drops bergamot essential oil

Alternatively, for a citrus kick:
- 10 drops bergamot
- 5 drops orange
- 5 drops grapefruit

Spray in your home office when that 3 PM slump hits and you're considering whether to actually work or just stare at your screen with your eyes glazed over for the rest of the day.

Calming Linen Spray For When Your Brain Won't Shut Up
Instead of expensive pillow mists that cost $25 for what amounts to scented water:
- 1 ounce high-proof vodka
- Distilled water (to fill your bottle)
- 15 drops chamomile essential oil
- 5 drops lavender essential oil

Spray on your pillows and sheets about 10 minutes before bedtime. The alcohol evaporates quickly, leaving just the calming scent to help your racing thoughts finally give it a rest.

Frozen Ice Pack That Won't Leak All Over Your Shit
Those blue gel ice packs inevitably split open and leak mystery goo all over your cooler or lunchbox. Make these instead:
- 2 cups water
- Food coloring if you want it to look "official" (completely optional)
- 2 zip-top freezer bags (or better yet, vacuum sealer bags)

Fill one bag, seal it carefully, then place it inside the second bag for leak protection. If you have a vacuum sealer, even better—make a few of these at once and keep them in your freezer. They stay colder longer than commercial ice packs and if they do spring a leak, it's just water, not some proprietary chemical cocktail.

Ginger: Nausea's Worst Enemy
You know those motion sickness pills that knock you out for six hours when you just wanted to not puke on a boat? Skip them. Fresh ginger root is more effective with zero side effects. For nausea, motion sickness, or morning sickness, steep 1 tablespoon of freshly grated ginger in hot water for 10 minutes, add honey if you need it sweeter, and sip slowly. Works faster than those little pills and doesn't make you feel like you've been tranquilized.

Echinacea: Immune System Boost
When you feel that tickle in your throat that means you're about to get sick, don't reach for those fizzy vitamin tablets with their 8000% daily value of everything. Grab echinacea instead. This herb stimulates your immune system to fight off viral and bacterial invaders. Take as a tincture (1/2 teaspoon three times daily) or tea at the first sign of illness. Your wallet and your sick days will thank you.

Chamomile: Nature's Chill Pill
Instead of those "non-habit-forming" anxiety meds that somehow still leave you dependent on them, brew a strong cup of chamomile tea. This gentle herb reduces anxiety, helps with insomnia, and even relieves menstrual cramps. For best results, use 2-3 tea bags (or 2 tablespoons of loose flowers) per cup and steep covered for 10 minutes. It's nature's Xanax without the prescription or side effects.

Peppermint: The GI Tract Soother
Those pink liquids for upset stomachs and gas? Highway robbery. Peppermint has been proven in actual scientific studies to reduce IBS symptoms, relieve gas, and calm stomach upset. Brew a strong tea or take enteric-coated capsules if you have reflux. A peppermint plant costs a few bucks and provides medicine all season, or the tea costs pennies per cup.

Turmeric: Inflammation's Natural Enemy
Those expensive anti-inflammatory pills they market to the aging population? Turmeric does the same damn thing for pennies. Mix 1 teaspoon with a pinch of black pepper (improves absorption) and add to warm milk or tea. Drink daily for chronic inflammation or whenever joint pain flares up. Your knees will feel better, and so will your bank account.

The pharmacy wants you to believe that health problems require complicated, expensive solutions with sciency-sounding names. The truth is that most minor ailments respond just as well—often better—to simple remedies that humans have been using for centuries. Before there were billion-dollar pharmaceutical companies, people weren't just dying in the streets from minor health issues. They were using plants that grew in their own backyards because they actually fucking work.

Your great-grandmother knew more about effective medicine than most pharmacy technicians. She didn't have the advantage of MRIs and blood panels, but she knew which plants would stop her headache, settle her stomach, or help her sleep. And unlike modern pharmaceuticals, her remedies didn't come with a list of side effects longer than this chapter.

Next time you feel the urge to drop $14 on cough syrup or $9 on hand sanitizer, remember that your kitchen and bathroom cabinets probably already contain everything you need to solve the problem for a fraction of the cost. Your wallet will thank you, and your body won't know the difference—except that it won't be processing whatever unpronounceable preservatives they've crammed into the commercial version. And if you're willing to grow a few basic medicinal herbs, you'll essentially have a free pharmacy in your backyard that big pharma can't patent or profit from.

Homemade Beauty Products That Don't Smell Like Ass

The beauty industry is perhaps the worst offender in the "charge you $50 for $2 worth of ingredients" game. Those fancy face masks? Sugar mixed with olive oil will exfoliate your skin better than any "microdermabrasion" product.

Coconut oil is nature's miracle—it removes makeup, moisturizes skin, conditions hair, and can even handle certain intimate moisturizing needs that companies charge a fortune to address. One jar handles the work of five different products.

Apple cider vinegar makes a kick-ass hair rinse that removes product buildup and makes your hair shine like you just stepped out of a salon. Mix it with water (1:3 ratio), pour it through your hair after shampooing, and rinse. Your scalp will thank you by actually growing hair that doesn't look like shit.

While Sephora is charging you next month's rent for tiny jars of "revolutionary" formulas, your kitchen contains ingredients that work better without the bullshit marketing and fragrance that makes your skin freak out. Here's how to tell the beauty industry to go fuck itself:

DIY Hair Spray That Actually Holds
Those aerosol cans of hair spray cost $15 and leave your hair feeling like you could break it off and stab someone with it. Make your own that holds without the helmet-head effect:
- 1 whole orange (for dark hair) or lemon (for light hair)
- 2 cups distilled water
- 2-3 tablespoons high-proof vodka
- 6-8 drops of lavender essential oil

Cut the citrus into wedges, boil with water until reduced by half, strain through cheesecloth, and let cool. Add vodka and essential oils, then pour into a spray bottle with a fine mister. Shake before using. Your hair stays in place without looking like it's been shellacked.

No-Bullshit Shampoo Alternative
Commercial shampoos strip your hair with harsh detergents, then coat it with silicones so it feels smooth—until buildup makes your hair look like an oil slick. Break the cycle with this simple mixture:
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup water mixed with 2 tablespoons honey

Shake before using and apply directly to your scalp and hair. Massage for a minute or two, then rinse thoroughly. Your hair gets clean without being stripped of its natural oils.

Conditioner That Actually Fucking Works
Most commercial conditioners are wax and silicone that coat your hair temporarily but cause long-term damage. Skip that shit and try:
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 cup water
- 10 drops tea tree oil

Shake before using, massage into hair and scalp for a couple minutes, then rinse. Don't worry—once your hair dries, you won't smell like a salad. Your hair will be softer, shinier, and generally less fucked up.

Lip Balm Without the Addiction
Most commercial lip balms contain ingredients that deliberately dry your lips out so you need to apply more. Break that cycle of dependency with:
- Beeswax (1 part)
- Olive oil (2 parts)
- A few drops of lavender oil

Melt beeswax in a double boiler, add olive oil and essential oil, pour into small containers, and let cool. Your lips stay moisturized for hours without needing constant reapplication.

Makeup Remover That Won't Strip Your Face
Those makeup wipes cost a fortune and are filled with alcohol that dries your skin faster than a week in the desert. Use this instead:
- 1 part witch hazel
- 3 parts coconut oil

Mix together and apply with a cotton pad or soft cloth. It removes even waterproof mascara without turning your skin into the Sahara Desert.

Deodorant That Works Without Aluminum
Natural deodorants usually don't work worth a damn, but this one actually does:
- 1 bottle high-proof alcohol (vodka, Everclear, etc.)
- 10 drops tea tree essential oil per 1 oz of alcohol

Mix in a small spray bottle. The alcohol kills odor-causing bacteria instantly, while the tea tree oil provides longer-lasting protection. No white marks on your clothes, no weird yellow pit stains, and no sketchy aluminum compounds being absorbed into your body.

Body Scrub Better Than That $45 Jar
Those fancy body scrubs with their cute packaging and beachy names? Here's one that works better without costing half your paycheck:
- 1 cup brown sugar
- ½ cup coconut oil
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 5 drops of your favorite essential oil

Mix together and store in a glass jar. Use in the shower 2-3 times a week. Your skin will be smoother than it's been since before puberty hit.

Toothpaste Without the Mystery Ingredients
Commercial toothpastes are full of detergents, artificial sweeteners, and God knows what else. This simple recipe cleans just as effectively:
- 2/3 cup baking soda
- 1-2 teaspoons peppermint extract or 10-15 drops peppermint essential oil
- Filtered water to reach desired consistency

Mix the dry ingredients, then add water a little at a time until you reach a paste-like consistency. Your teeth get clean without ingesting whatever the fuck "sodium lauryl sulfate" actually is.

Every time you make one of these products instead of buying the commercial version, you're not just saving money—you're avoiding the chemical shitstorm that most beauty products contain. Your skin, hair, and body weren't designed to handle the dozens of synthetic ingredients in most products, which is why so many people have mysterious rashes, breakouts, and irritations they can't explain.

The beauty industry has convinced us that looking good requires complicated formulas and specialized products for every square inch of our bodies. It's all bullshit designed to separate you from your money. Your grandmother didn't have seventeen different products for her face alone, and her skin probably looked better than yours does.

Take back control of what goes on your body. Know what the fuck you're putting on your largest organ instead of blindly trusting companies that have profit, not your wellbeing, as their primary motivation. Your skin, hair, and bank account will all thank you.

Tea For Everything: Nature's Cheap Medicine Cabinet

Tea isn't just for sipping when you're pretending to be fancy. Different varieties serve as medicine that actually works without costing an arm and a leg.

Peppermint tea settles an angry stomach faster than those chalky tablets. Chamomile actually does calm your ass down when you're stressed beyond belief. Green tea applied to sunburns takes the sting out better than aloe (though aloe is still pretty damn good).

Keep a stock of basic teas—ginger, peppermint, chamomile, green, and a good black tea—and you've got remedies for everything from nausea to anxiety to inflammation. Steep that shit strong, drink it hot or cold, and watch minor health annoyances disappear without a trip to urgent care or the pill aisle.

That box of tea bags hiding in the back of your cupboard? It's a fucking pharmacy in disguise. Here's your guide to using tea for everything from anxiety to zombie-level exhaustion:

Black Tea: More Than Just Your Morning Caffeine
That regular black tea you drink to wake your ass up? It's also an astringent that freshens breath and reduces mouth inflammation. Brew it strong, let it cool, and use as a gargle when your breath could kill small animals. It's also a solid first-aid item—a cool, wet black tea bag applied to minor burns takes the heat out immediately. Cheaper than burn cream and works just as well.

Ginger Tea: The GI Tract's Best Friend
When nausea hits you like a brick to the gut—whether from pregnancy, motion sickness, or last night's questionable takeout—ginger tea is your savior. Slice fresh ginger root (about thumb-sized piece) into 2 cups of water, simmer for 10 minutes, strain, and sip slowly. It settles your stomach without the side effects of those pink liquids, and also improves overall digestion when drunk regularly. The pharmaceutical companies hate that this root costing pennies works better than their $9 anti-nausea meds.

Peppermint Tea: The IBS Eraser
Peppermint doesn't just freshen your breath; it's a powerful anti-spasmodic that relaxes the muscles in your digestive tract. When your gut is cramping or you've got gas pains that make you want to die, peppermint tea brings fast relief. Brew it strong, drink it hot, and feel your intestines chill the fuck out. Studies show it works as effectively as prescription anti-spasmodics for IBS symptoms, without the side effects or the cost.

Chamomile Tea: Nature's Xanax
When anxiety has you bouncing off the walls or you can't sleep because your brain won't shut up about that embarrassing thing you did in 2007, chamomile tea is your friend. This gentle sedative won't knock you out like prescription meds, but it takes the edge off without making you feel like a zombie the next day. It's also anti-inflammatory, making it perfect for menstrual cramps or joint pain. Brew with two bags per cup for maximum chill.

Passion Flower Tea: Anxiety's Enemy
When stress has you ready to throat-punch the next person who talks to you, reach for passion flower tea. This powerful relaxant works on your GABA receptors—the same ones targeted by prescription anti-anxiety meds—without the addiction potential. Drink a cup when your boss assigns you another "urgent" project at 4:55 PM on a Friday, and feel the murderous rage subside.

Valerian Root Tea: The Sleep Inducer
When insomnia is kicking your ass, skip the pills that leave you groggy until noon the next day. Valerian root tea is nature's most powerful sedative herb. It smells like dirty gym socks but works better than many over-the-counter sleep aids. Brew it strong, hold your nose, and drink it an hour before bedtime. You'll sleep like the dead but wake up refreshed instead of feeling drugged.

Green Tea: Metabolism's Best Friend
Green tea doesn't just give you a gentle caffeine lift—it's packed with catechins that boost metabolism and suppress appetite. When you're trying to avoid eating an entire pizza by yourself, brew a strong cup of green tea instead. The combination of caffeine and catechins helps burn fat and reduces inflammation throughout your body. It's also a powerful antioxidant that fights everything from cancer to bad skin when consumed regularly.

Rosemary Tea: The Brain Booster
When your focus is shot to hell and you can't remember why you walked into a room, rosemary tea is the answer. This herb improves memory and concentration while acting as a natural antiseptic and bug repellent. Keep a cup by your desk during long work sessions, or use cooled rosemary tea as a hair rinse to prevent bugs from making your scalp their new residence during summer camping trips.

Licorice Tea: The Throat Soother
When your throat feels like you've been swallowing razor blades, skip the expensive throat lozenges and brew licorice tea instead. This natural demulcent coats and soothes irritated tissues while thinning the blood slightly to improve circulation to damaged areas. It tastes sweeter than sugar without affecting blood glucose, making it perfect for diabetics with sore throats.

Sage Tea: The Respiratory Rescuer
When seasonal allergies or upper respiratory infections have you sounding like you smoke three packs a day, sage tea clears congestion and soothes irritated airways. It's a powerful antioxidant and has natural antibiotic properties. Gargle with it for sore throats, drink it for congestion, or use it as a steam inhalation by draping a towel over your head and breathing in the vapors.

Rooibos Tea: The Allergy Fighter
This red tea from South Africa is caffeine-free but packed with antihistamines that fight allergic reactions naturally. When pollen has your sinuses feeling like they'll explode, rooibos tea reduces inflammation without the drowsiness caused by over-the-counter allergy meds. It's also loaded with antioxidants that fight aging and cellular damage. Drink it daily during allergy season as a preventative.

Ginkgo Biloba Tea: The Brain Fog Eliminator
When your thinking is fuzzy and you can't focus worth a damn, ginkgo improves blood flow to the brain and enhances cognitive function. It takes a couple of weeks of regular use to reach full effectiveness, but the results are worth it. Drink a cup daily and watch your mental clarity improve without the jitters and crash of caffeine or other stimulants.

The beauty of tea as medicine is that it's gentle enough for daily use but effective enough to make a noticeable difference. Unlike pharmaceuticals with their laundry list of side effects and interactions, most medicinal teas can be consumed safely by almost anyone. They're also dirt cheap compared to prescription and over-the-counter remedies—a box of 20 tea bags costs less than a single dose of many medications.

Keep your tea arsenal stocked and you'll have solutions for most common health complaints without setting foot in a pharmacy or doctor's office. Most of these teas can be found in any grocery store, but for the more specialized varieties, check health food stores or order online. Buying in bulk saves even more money—a pound of loose tea leaves makes hundreds of cups for the price of a few boxes of tea bags.

Medicine doesn't have to come in expensive pills with warning labels longer than this book. Sometimes the most effective remedies are the simplest ones that humans have been using for thousands of years before pharmaceutical companies convinced us we needed their products. Brew yourself a cup of nature's medicine and tell Big Pharma to go fuck itself.