

I've Got 10 Solid Reasons To Use CBD Oil More Often
I mean, really. Who hasn’t heard of CBD at this point, right? Have you ever wondered exactly what it is, though? OK, so the technical name for the cannabis plant is Cannabis sativa and it contains over 100 chemical compounds that are known as cannabinoids. One of those compounds is cannabidiol and its nickname is CBD. Unlike THC, CBD lacks the psychoactive properties that cause you to feel high. That doesn’t mean it’s not totally bomb, though, because it comes with some pretty amazing health benefits — ones that I’m about to dive into in just a second.
So, if you’ve been looking for some ways to improve the quality of your health without spending a billion dollars to make it happen, I can personally vouch for the fact that CBD oil is something that will benefit you beyond measure. Here are just 10 (of the many) reasons why I say so.
1. CBD OIL: Improves Your Mood
So, let’s start off with something that sounds super complex but it’s really not. All of us have a neurotransmitter in us known as anandamide. It’s tied into what gives us a blissful feeling, plus it can help to increase our oxytocin levels. This is good to know because oxytocin lowers stress while causing you to feel warm, fuzzy, and affectionate. So, if you’ve had a low day (or week), a little bit of CBD oil can literally perk you right on up.
2. CBD OIL: Neutralizes Free Radicals
If you’ve always heard of free radicals but were never really sure what they are, it’s kind of a long story. Probably the easiest way to break them down is they’re the kind of molecules that, when left to their own devices, can wreak havoc in your entire system by triggering oxidative stress. Oxidative stress is problematic because it can cause an imbalance in your body’s cells and tissues. CBD oil is helpful in this lane because it has the ability to neutralize free radicals so that they don’t end up causing damage to your system — and that’s a good thing.
3. CBD OIL: Reduces Inflammation
Whether you struggle with chronic or acute inflammation, CBD oil is something that can really help you out. Something that the oil has in it is anti-inflammatory properties. The properties are so effective that they are able to affect the way your body’s endocannabinoid receptors (ECS) move about. This is relevant because your ECS is the cell-signaling system you’ve got that alerts your body when inflammation is occurring. When CBD oil is applied, less inflammation occurs.
4. CBD OIL: Supports Digestion
Almost a year ago, I wrote an article for the platform entitled, “80% Of Your Immunity Is In Your Gut. Take Care Of It Like This.” Because so much of your health is tied to your gut, it’s important that you’re hypervigilant about proactively taking care of it. One way to do that is by making sure that your digestion runs smoothly and one way to do that is to use CBD oil. CBD oil is good for your digestive system because it is able to keep your GI (gastrointestinal) tract healthy while preventing several different kinds of diseases in the process.
5. CBD OIL: Minimizes Breakouts
Whether you’ve got acne, you experience hormonal breakouts or there is simply an area of your face (or body) where pimples like to pop up, CBD oil can help all of these out thanks to its pretty potent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. In fact, one study revealed that applying this kind of oil to your zits is far more effective than using Vitamin C or Vitamin E on them, which is pretty darn impressive if you ask me.
6. CBD OIL: Relieves Itchy Skin
Speaking of the skin-related properties in CBD oil, if you’re someone who battles with skin issues that are connected to eczema, psoriasis, or just chronic dry skin, you’ll be amazed how much relief applying some CBD oil to your skin can be! Not only can it help to speed up the healing process of cracked skin, but it can also moisturize your skin if it’s causing any type of itching or irritation.
7. CBD OIL: Decreases Pain
I once read an article that said that CBD oil has been used as a way to treat pain-related symptoms for thousands of years at this point. Because your endocannabinoid system consists of things like your sleep patterns, your appetite, and how your body responds to pain, CBD oil is beneficial in this area because it reduces inflammation and relaxes your pain stimuli so that you are able to feel some much-needed relief. In fact, CBD oil is proving itself to be so effective that it is oftentimes recommended to people who deal with fibromyalgia or pain that is associated with cancer.
8. CBD OIL: Improves Blood Pressure
If high blood pressure (or even cardiovascular disorders) is something that you struggle with, this is just one more way that CBD oil may be able to help you out. Although many studies are still being conducted on this particular health benefit, word on the street is, since it’s the kind of oil that helps to balance homeostasis (the state of how your internal, physical, and chemical conditions all work together) in the body, it can help to lower your blood pressure levels if you happen to be in a stressed-out state. And since a whopping 41 percent of Black people have high blood pressure within the United States, knowing this about CBD oil is highly relevant and beneficial.
9. CBD OIL: Soothes Insomnia
Something that I’ve been doing for quite a while now, at least a few times a week, is applying CBD oil to the soles of my feet before turning in for the night. Since there are 2,000 pores on each foot and many experts consider them to be the largest pores on your body, applying oils to that area can result in quick absorption. When it comes to CBD oil specifically, because the properties in it are tied to a reduction in pain and anxiety and also because it’s an oil that is directly tied into reducing your cortisol (stress) levels, it’s easy to see that if you avoid all of these other reasons to give CBD oil a shot, a good night’s rest is definitely a strong motivator to at least strongly consider giving it a try. I’m living proof of that, chile.
10. CBD OIL: Intensifies Orgasms
Remember how I said that CBD oil is good for treating anxiety? There is no way around the fact that, the more relaxed you feel, the more pleasurable sex will be. As a bonus, when you bring CBD oil into your boudoir, you have a far greater chance of experiencing more orgasms too (and who doesn’t want that?!). The reason the oil can help to make this happen is because your body naturally has cannabinoid receptors in your reproductive organs. So, when you apply CBD oil, it can only help to “trigger” them (in a good way), so that your sexual responses are intensified. This is actually why more and more people are becoming super fond of CBD lubricant.
Another writer for the site shouted it out in her article, “Why Cannabis Lube Is The Best Thing To Get Yourself For V-Day”. Also, Leafly is a cannabis-friendly site that has a DIY recipe that’s pretty easy to make (check it out here). You know what they say — don’t knock it ‘til you’ve tried it…so don’t. #wink
Featured image by Getty Images
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Different puzzle pieces are creating bigger pictures these days. 2024 will mark a milestone on a few different levels, including the release of my third book next June (yay!).
I am also a Professional Certified Coach. My main mission for attaining that particular goal is to use my formal credentials to help people navigate through the sometimes tumultuous waters, both on and offline, when it comes to information about marriage, sex and relationships that is oftentimes misinformation (because "coach" is a word that gets thrown around a lot, oftentimes quite poorly).
I am also still super devoted to helping to bring life into this world as a doula, marriage life coaching will always be my first love (next to writing, of course), a platform that advocates for good Black men is currently in the works and my keystrokes continue to be devoted to HEALTHY over HAPPY in the areas of holistic intimacy, spiritual evolution, purpose manifestation and self-love...because maturity teaches that it's impossible to be happy all of the time when it comes to reaching goals yet healthy is a choice that can be made on a daily basis (amen?).
If you have any PERSONAL QUESTIONS (please do not contact me with any story pitches; that is an *editorial* need), feel free to reach out at missnosipho@gmail.com. A sistah will certainly do what she can. ;)
Exclusive: KJ Smith Talks Viral Wedding With Skyh Black: ‘We Did What We Wanted To Do’
Whether it was your group chat, social media feed, or your favorite media outlet covering the spectacle, I’m pretty sure you’ve come across the viral Black wedding between actress KJ Smith (Sistas, Raising Kanan) and actor Skyh Black (All the Queen’s Men, Sistas). From their grand entrance to Jay-Z, Kayne West, and Beyoncé’s song “Lift Off” to KJ’s standout dance routine and the endless celebrity appearances, it’s an addictive TikTok scroll you can’t help but delve into.
But what many people would be surprised to know is that the couple’s original wedding plan was nothing like what it grew to be. What started as her simply scrolling through posts to get ideas eventually transformed into what the internet knows now as #TheBlackExperience. In an exclusive conversation with xoNecole, KJ walked us through her planning process, the morning of her wedding, and what she thinks of the online response.
Some women have their whole wedding planned out, from the bridal gown and venue to the bridal party and playlist. However, KJ was not one of those people. “I didn’t foresee a wedding in my future,” she reveals. “I was just gonna be the boss chick, rich auntie. I didn’t force love in my life until recently. I never had an idea of what a dream wedding would look like, it was easier for me to elope.”
KJ Smith
Photo by Stanley Babb/ Stanlo Photography
And to many people’s surprise, that was their original plan – until Skyh brought up a valid concern. He was raised by his grandmother and thought she should be at the wedding, and naturally, that led to KJ wanting her grandmother to be there as well – then her mom – and later her sister – and, you’ve gotta invite the besties too, right? From there, the guest list continued to blossom. Much like the updo and pop of color bold red lip, she wore on her special day, which was initially on her Pinterest board as a soft glam look with her hair hanging on her shoulders, KJ is okay with changing her plan if it brings her and her loved ones happiness.
So let’s get into the wedding, which took place in Malibu, CA. The first thing you should know about the celebrity couple is that they’re non-traditional. They know, and they don’t care. So, in true unconventional fashion, they shared the morning of the wedding together.
“I woke up with Skyh, we walked our dog, had black coffee, and said good morning to the people who stayed at the venue with us,” she says.
Now, it was time for hair and makeup. While she was getting glammed up, she had Black-owned McBride Sisters wine and champagne (which ties into The Black Experience theme) on deck with her mom and friends, had her besties help rework her vows, retried on every outfit (sis is very Type-A), took photos, and ended the early-celebration with prayer and meditation. It seems very non-Bridezilla, I said.
“Yeah, I was the most unbothered bride ever. Everyone was just so supportive. As entertainers, we go on red carpets all the time. We actually have a production company,” she explains. “The get-ready process was like a day at work, but with people we love the most. Being entertainers, we didn’t feel stressed at all, but my excitement was so high.”
Things moved quickly, and before she knew it, it was time to line up to walk down the aisle.
“Yeah, I was the most unbothered bride ever. Everyone was just so supportive. As entertainers, we go on red carpets all the time. We actually have a production company. The get-ready process was like a day at work, but with people we love the most. Being entertainers, we didn’t feel stressed at all, but my excitement was so high.”
KJ Smith and her bridal party
Photo by Stanley Babb/ Stanlo Photography
Since everything started with their grandmothers, the couple wanted to ensure they honored them and planned to keep an element of their wedding traditional. Although we’ve all seen the reception videos and photos online, you may have noticed visuals from the wedding itself are harder to find.
“We planned for it to be traditional, but we’re not like that, so we tried to create those moments. We jumped the broom and had a salt ceremony (where the bride and groom individually pour salt into a glass container, symbolizing their lives becoming one.) But honestly, still, nothing was traditional about it.”
She goes on to explain that her mom caught the holy ghost coming down the aisle, her glam team was on deck, and she became so nervous with excitement that she had an anxiety attack – something she struggled with for years, she explains tearfully. Her friends had to literally cheer her down the aisle because of how overwhelmed she felt until she eventually calmed down.
“Skyh was standing there with his hand on his heart; we have our own little language, and I could feel the support,” she shares.
It was surprising to hear all these emotional moments happened before the party we saw online. That is until she once again got into the backstory.
“As a Black woman actress, for so long, it was popular to be mysterious and secretive, but that’s not who I am or what I like. Plus, we both wanted to create an experience for everyone there. We are the people who always host family and friends,” she says. “Like for me, the first order of business was getting sandals for the women so they can dance all night long. We had oxtail, D'ussé, and a coffee and sativa lounge – which is part of Skyh and I’s lifestyle and routine. We wanted to bring them into our world.”
Skyh Black (L) and KJ Smith (R)
Photo by Stanley Babb/ Stanlo Photography
She went on to discuss the dance routine she did for her husband at the reception, which has taken over the internet. Apparently, that’s another thing that didn’t go according to plan. According to KJ, she had promised a performance at their joint bachelor/ bachelorette party, but her outfit got stolen from her car. So, Skyh ended up performing for her – complete with a strip tease. Still, she never forgot her promise to dance for him.
So, she hired her friend as a choreographer, learned the routine, made friends and family watch it endless times, and attended Beyoncé’s Renaissance show a few days before for a confidence boost. It ended up being a show to remember. But that wasn’t all the night offered. Lil Mo performed, and the guests received special goody bags featuring their favorite Black-owned products like journals, hair care, and more.
“We made sure everyone was taken care of all night. That kind of stuff makes us happy. I wanted everyone there to experience the joy and love I have for myself, my partner, and for them. I wanted them to feel full and whole, and they had the time of their lives,” she says.
But naturally, the internet is going to internet, and while there were countless people praising the event and applauding the newlyweds, some thought it was too over the top. I was curious to know her thoughts on some of the criticism.
“It’s cool. We did what we wanted to do. I’ve decided to share my world with people. Just how I went on social media platforms and found inspiration, I want people to do the same,” she explains. “I don’t think it's fair to my supporters not to give that out. There’s so much I wanna share with brides, specifically Black brides. I love that people are adding it to their Pinterest boards."
"I wanted everyone there to experience the joy and love I have for myself, my partner, and for them. I wanted them to feel full and whole, and they had the time of their lives."
KJ Smith
Photo by Stanley Babb/ Stanlo Photography
“I’m happy with it because we did what we wanted to do. They can do what they wanna do. Don’t be cruel, though, because you will get blocked,” she said, laughing.
The more I spoke with her, the more her sense of freedom shined through. People are always going to have their opinions, but at the end of the day, it’s you who has to live your life, and it seems like the couple realizes that and embraces that power. She also stressed the importance of not living for others and the lessons life has taught her.
“I’ve been to countless weddings, and I’ve been in countless weddings. I’m a generally older bride. So when women in my demographic get married, and you and your husband are busy working people like us, you deserve to have the one you want to have,” she shares.
“This is what we wanted to do. Our loved ones love and support us. We did so much to honor them, but we also wanted to start our own tradition, legacy, and creation. I'm not going to be pulled back into ideas of the past when I’m trying to create a future with my partner. “
If you’d like to see more of the couple, you probably won’t have to wait long. Although no content is planned yet, she admits to being an oversharer. “Me being open and transparent about my experiences lets people know it’s okay to have flaws; it makes you human, and for many years, I didn’t believe that was okay. I had pressure to be perfect, and I’d crumble every time,” she explains to xoNecole.
Now, she owns her flaws and uses them as a superpower to connect with her community and feel and express her love.
“Some people give us [Skyh and KJ] a hard time because they say we just seem too perfect. I’m like, why is that a bad thing? I love the people I love. From my man to my mama, to my friends - unabashedly. We move through time and space how we want to move. If we did it another way, we’d let ourselves and our union down.”
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Feature image by Stanley Babb/ Stanlo Photography
It's Time To Start Taking Low Iron Levels Seriously, So We Asked A ‘Blood Doctor’ How To Do It
I can still remember the look on my doctor’s face when he read back my hemoglobin levels after taking routine blood work.
“You should be in the hospital right now,” he said with a look of concern on his face. Unaware of the weakened state that my body was in at the time, I was confused by his reaction. “Your hemoglobin levels are at 7gm/dL,” he told me.
“And what are the normal levels?” I asked him, now with equal concern. “For women, normal levels are between 12.3 gm/dL and 15.3 gm/dL.”
It was at that moment that I realized that there was nothing “normal” about my perpetual fatigue and low energy levels — as they all pointed back to one thing: my anemia.
It wasn’t long after my appointment that I started on iron transfusions, and over the four sessions, it felt like I was given an entirely new body. One with more energy, better sleep patterns, less intense periods, and no more fatigue. The surge in energy made me wonder why I went so long to make my anemia a top health priority. What would've happened had I not gone in for the routine check-up sooner?
@andreadeanmd Take iron deficiency seriously. It can affect your quality of life. #irondeficiency #irondeficiencyanemia #lowhemoglobin #anemiaproblems #anemiasymptoms #blackwomenoftiktok #hispanictiktok #tiktocdocs
What Is Anemia and Its Symptoms
Iron deficiency anemia (IDA) is a medical condition characterized when the body lacks enough iron to produce all of the hemoglobin necessary for healthy red blood cells (RBCs). Hemoglobin is a protein in red blood cells that helps carry oxygen from the lungs to the rest of the body.
Because we need oxygen to regulate proper blood flow, individuals with anemia can find themselves experiencing irregular heart rates and extreme fatigue, which can lead to serious health complications if left unchecked.
Other symptoms of anemia include:
- Cold extremities
- Weakness
- Pica, or the desire to eat non-nutritional foods like clay or ice
- Dizziness
- Hair loss
- Brittle nails
- Brain fog
- Shortness of breath
- Restless leg syndrome
There are several types of anemia, each with different underlying causes, such as nutritional deficiencies in iron, vitamin B12, or folic acid deficiency, chronic diseases like blood loss from injuries or medical conditions, or genetic factors like sickle cell anemia.
Anemia and Black Women
While having anemia at times gets overlooked as a serious health condition or even reduced down to “always being cold” and eating ice, it’s important for those living with anemia to understand the causes and long-term effects of this condition.
Studies show that “anemia in Black women and Hispanic women occurs 2 to 3 times more often than in Caucasian women.” While it is still unknown why women of color have a higher occurrence of iron-deficiency anemia, key factors that cause anemia, such as your body’s inability to absorb iron and low intake of essential nutrients like vitamin B12 and B9, should be taken with a great amount of care and consideration as you prioritize your health and well-being.
That’s why we’ve tapped Hematologist/Oncologist of Hematology Connect Andrea R. Dean, MD, to provide us with insight on how to manage and treat our anemia because it’s a condition worth taking seriously.
xoNecole: Are there genetic factors that make Black women more susceptible to anemia?
Dr. Dean: Black women are more susceptible to anemia due to iron deficiency, which is most prevalent in this group. Iron deficiency is commonly due to heavy menstrual bleeding from fibroids. Black women have a greater lifetime incidence of fibroids than any other group of women. This likely has a genetic component, but more research is needed.
xoN: Iron pills are commonly recommended to aid in low iron. From your expertise, what are some other supplements or treatments that can help manage anemia?
Dr. Dean: Treatment for anemia depends on the underlying cause. If anemia is due to B12 deficiency or folate deficiency, replacement of these vitamins is needed. If anemia is due to gastrointestinal bleeding, a referral for an EGD and colonoscopy is needed to locate the source of [the bleeding] and stop it. If anemia is due to iron deficiency, you can take iron pills, liquid iron solution, or intravenous iron.
xoN: What dietary changes can someone make to improve their iron intake and absorption?
Dr. Dean: You can eat green leafy vegetables and red meats to increase iron in your diet. If taking iron pills, absorption is better when taken in the morning on an empty stomach every other day.
xoN: At times, anemia and low iron can be overlooked as a health concern, but what are the potential long-term consequences of untreated or chronic anemia in Black women?
Dr. Dean: Untreated anemia can be detrimental to your health. Your hemoglobin carries oxygen to organs throughout your body. If you are anemic or your hemoglobin is low, your organs are not receiving the oxygen they need to properly function. You can pass out from being anemic, and low hemoglobin stresses your heart muscles, and some patients can experience a heart attack. Additionally, the symptoms from anemia can be debilitating and can decrease your quality of life.
xoN: Can low iron be permanently corrected, or does it have to be managed throughout one’s life?
Dr. Dean: The underlying cause of iron deficiency will determine whether it can be corrected. If iron deficiency is due to decreased absorption from H. pylori, once the bacteria infection is treated, iron deficiency should resolve. If iron deficiency is due to heavy menstrual bleeding, it will likely have to be managed until a woman enters menopause unless she seeks treatment to stop or slow down periods. If iron deficiency is due to gastrointestinal bleeding, it might have to be managed throughout one’s life if they have arterial venous malformations.
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Featured image by Goodboy Picture Company/Getty Images