If Only Pepto-Bismol Healed the World the Way it Heals My Stomach

Disclaimer: I have been compensated by Pepto-Bismol as part of the #PinkRelief campaign for this post. The stories and opinions are my own. 

You know that Pepto-Bismol commercial where it shows the pink liquid entering the mouth and slowly makes its way down the throat, coating everything in its way? Heartburn gets covered, indigestion is next, and finally, diarrhea disappears under a layer of pink. I have always loved that commercial. Sometimes you watch a commercial and have no idea what they are talking about, but that commercial shows exactly what Pepto-Bismol does; it relieves stomach problems.

But there is another reason why I love that commercial. In my fantasy world, I see a world where Pepto-Bismol can cure all the acid-inducing trials of this world. For example, let’s say you’re sitting around the table with extended family and someone begins to share her political views dogmatically. Wouldn’t it be great if all you had to do was whip out a bottle of Pepto-Bismol and poor it over her head? In a matter of minutes, the sourness fades away as pink flows down her body like comforting lava. Or how about that annoying coworker that is constantly disrupting your day? Picture it, he walks into your work space and begins talking down to you. In mid-sentence, you grab the pink bottle and drip a teaspoon on his forehead and voila, he flashes a smile and fades away. Oh the possibilities! Jerks on the subway, someone complaining in line, bullies, blog post trolls, Trump… I could go on and on.

Unfortunately we do not live in a world where a little bit of Pepto-Bismol can cure all the ills of daily living. Pepto-Bismol isn’t the cure for global warming, gun violence, or election advertising that plagues us for 18 months. But we can use a little bit of Pepto-Bismol to relieve the upset stomach that comes from daily living and eating all those yummy foods that make us sick.

I used to have a nervous stomach and constantly had stomach issues as a result of stress. Pepto-Bismol was there for me. When I overdue it on chili, sour cream and onion potato chips, jalapeño poppers, and beef jerky; Pepto-Bismol is still there for me. And since eating right is never on my list for New Year’s resolutions, Pepto will continue to be there for me. We bring a lot of problems on ourselves (like the extra spicy Buffalo wings that I’m going to eat later). Sometimes though, we don’t have control over what ails us — stress, traveling, political commentary… Those things are not our fault, but we need some help. Thankfully, Pepto-Bismol will continue to serve us in our hour of need.

And one additional side story – a couple of years ago, I went on a work trip to Haiti a few months after the earthquake that rocked the country. One day, I did something stupid. While taking a shower after a hard day’s work, I opened my mouth and some water got in. A few hours later, I was in my bed feeling nauseous and sweating. I went to see the nurse and she gave me a pill and a bottle of Pepto-Bismol. The  next day, I was ready to work again.

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