What advice would I give to someone thinking about starting out on a journey of trying cannabis? As hippy-dippy as it may sound, listen and pay attention to your body and your mind. For many of us living with a chronic illness or chronic pain, communication between our bodies and minds is limited to what hurts and what is wrong. We don’t have room for thinking about how to make the pain better or to stop the crazy shit that invisible diseases dole out. Often we can’t even specify what exactly is wrong, because it is all just too much and nearly impossible to describe. The number one change I made when I decided to come off all of my prescription medications and try healing my body in a more natural way was that I started BELIEVING that cannabis could help.
I had grown up believing that cannabis was not only illegal but that it was not a good thing. I realized that if I held on to that belief if I continued to believe that “nothing good comes from consuming it” I wouldn’t be allowing my body and mind a fair shake at it actually helping me heal and feel better. I put my energy and thoughts into how it was helping me rather than the negative thought patterns of the past – expecting a drug or medication to fail since so many have.
So first and foremost…
1.) BELIEVE
In its medicinal properties. Believe that it can help you feel better and stronger.
2.) RESEARCH
About the plant’s medical benefits. Learn about cannabinoids, endocannabinoids, and terpenes so that as the plant begins to heal you, and helps you feel better, you will understand WHAT is helping and WHY – both of which are incredibly powerful when you are trying to heal yourself.
3.) VISUALIZE
It is extremely powerful to visualize your healing, to think about your body healing and getting better. I have created a whole story about how the little bubble men (the cannabinoids and terpenes) set off to work each time I consume cannabis and their job is to repair the damage that the disease and the drugs have caused to my body and my brain. That works for me, but pick your own storyline about how your body is being fixed and how it is getting stronger and believe it!
4.) EXPLORE
With the different plants (sativa, indica, and hybrids) and with different strains.
I started out being super concerned about which plant and which strains I chose. I believed what I was told by everyone – about indicas being a “body high” that was best for chilling on the couch and being mellow and sativas being for activity, stamina, and productivity. But as I have consumed more and as I have continued to gain comfort and knowledge about this plant, I have realized that for my body and my disease, indicas are for serious body workouts. They are for my #cannabispowered walks and hikes. They are for laundry, cleaning house, catching up on laundry and cleaning out the garage days. They are NOT for sitting still and vegging.
Sativas, on the other hand, are for mellow out, quiet times like reading and writing, and even sometimes sleep.
I am aware that this is opposite of what “everyone” says and it is completely different than what I started out thinking but when I finally stopped listening to others and started listening to what my mind and body were saying each time I consumed a new strain, I was able to figure out my own plan for medicating which is indica for activity, sativa for sitting and hybrid for just every day life things like errands, light gardening and cooking.
5.) JOURNAL
Write down how much you consume (one puff, three bowls, 2 rice sized grains of RSO, 1 edible cookie) Whatever it is you decide to consume and no matter how you choose to consume it, write it down. Document how you felt BEFORE you consumed, and then take notes of how it makes you feel. Edgy, excited, relaxed, creative, reminiscent…there are so many different thoughts and feelings that consuming cannabis can elicit and I have found that each of these is steps in the healing process. There is a reason that a particular strain will make me feel a certain way and recognizing and acknowledging these thoughts and emotions and working through them has helped me to continue to get stronger both mentally and physically.
Cannabis provides me with a clear mind and I am able to focus on what exactly is causing the pain, and other symptoms like my MS fog and blurry vision. Once I am able to recognize what triggers my MS and it’s symptoms I can work on controlling my environment, surroundings, and stimulants to keep the disease more stable. It helps me to keep what I refer to as my autistic brain-child quiet and content.
I am learning what works for me and my body – irrelevant of what anyone else says.
6.) DON’T BE AFRAID
Cannabis is far less toxic and dangerous than many of the drugs and medications we are often prescribed in an attempt to ward of progression, to curb the symptoms and to help with the side-effects that come from the drugs. I have tried many of them. I have had some severe reactions to some of them (anaphylactic shock being one) and my family has had to call 9-1-1 to respond when I almost blacked out from taking the wrong medications at the wrong time.
All of that shit is and was scary. I have learned that there is nothing to be scared about when it comes to this plant. No one dies from a marijuana overdose. Once I came to understand the sheer truth behind that statement it eliminated a lot of my fear and hesitation. I began to believe that it is not something to be feared but instead something to be revered for its ability to help with some many different ailments.
Which made answering the nagging question I had, “how much do I take?” a bit easier, but to begin with, I followed the general rule…
7.) START SLOW… but I’ve added… DON’T BE AFRAID TO PUSH YOUR LIMITS
I started out slow and I approached each an every product and strain that I tried with the utmost of caution. I wish that perhaps I hadn’t been quite so prudent when it came to sticking to my rules of slow but steady increases. I began with a bead of RSO the size of ½ a grain of rice once a day. I did that for a week or two before increasing. Eventually, I moved over to edibles – I would eat one 10mg mint and wait for big and notable results and began using a vape pen and cartridges with various different strains and levels of THC and CBD.
For the past week, given the graduations, out of town visitors and the wedding, I have been consuming between 4-5 grams a day. I managed to keep my MS fog at a minimum while feeling present and emotionally attached to the people and activities around me. I was able to feel focused and clear-minded thanks to cannabis, but I am not sure I would have had such great successes over the past few months if it weren’t for the fact that I had someone encourage me to try more.
I was lucky to have someone that knows a lot about cannabis and CBD that helped me explore my limits
(first dabbing sesh with the crew from Everyday Natural Products, which is where I get my CBD oil from – along with an amazing mushroom tincture)
If I had kept at the rate I was going, it would have taken years for me to experience the relief that I have been living with lately because it would have taken me that long to build up to the levels where I am now. So on that note, you might want to kick it up by larger increments every once in awhile, just to see what happens. If you start out with one puff – after a week, try taking three puffs at once and see what happens. Be a bit daring and pick a time when you don’t have anywhere to go, or anything to do, be in a safe place with someone you know and trust and give it a go. I have had some great and wonderful experiences when trying to find my limits.
8.) DON’T BE AFRAID OF THC
Yes, it can mess with your mind, but in combination with CBD, it has medicinal properties which can not only help alleviate pain, help with cognitive functioning and focus and help with vision issues and other common symptoms of MS but can begin to heal your body, by replacing needed terpenes and cannabinoids. Everyone’s body is different and different levels will affect people differently based on what their body needs – so instead of focusing on “not getting high” I suggest that you focus on what level of THC your body needs – because it will tell you if you listen. It might be a lot (like me,) it might be a little and it might be none. Some people find great relief from hemp derived CBD (which is legal in all 50 states and is something that I have come to believe everyone should take – irrelevant of health and medical conditions because it helps your body in so many different and positive ways.)
I loved even more than you will get done right here. The overall look is nice, and the writing is stylish, but there’s something off about the way you write that makes me think that you should be careful what you say next. I will definitely be back again and again if you protect this hike.
This is a really good place to read, and I’ve bookmarked it for later. I’m curious how much effort goes into making a webpage this excellent and instructive.
I’ve been regularly checking out this fantastic website lately, they share great material for their users. The site owner is gifted at engaging visitors. I’m a big fan and hope they maintain their wonderful efforts!
Wow, this article is fastidious, my sister is analyzing these
things, therefore I am going to let know her. I saw similar here:
sklep internetowy and also here: e-commerce
I detect any attempts to circumvent the rules of fair play.
Drug screening in college is often done to promote a healthy and
safe environment.
I coordinate with employee assistance programs to provide resources for drug
counseling and treatment. I am prepared to submit to
drug testing if requested by my employer.
I’ve been browsing online more than 3 hours today, yet I never found any
interesting article like yours. It’s pretty worth enough for me.
In my view, if all webmasters and bloggers made good content as you did,
the web will be a lot more useful than ever before.
Hello! Do you know if they make any plugins to help with Search Engine
Optimization? I’m trying to get my blog to rank for some targeted keywords but I’m not seeing very good gains.
If you know of any please share. Thank you! You can read similar art here:
Najlepszy sklep
It’s very interesting! If you need help, look here: ARA Agency
Hi there! Do you know if they make any plugins to
help with SEO? I’m trying to get my blog to rank for some targeted keywords but I’m
not seeing very good results. If you know of any please
share. Kudos! You can read similar article here: Najlepszy sklep
Hi there! Do you know if they make any plugins to assist with Search
Engine Optimization? I’m trying to get my blog to rank for some targeted keywords but I’m not seeing very good gains.
If you know of any please share. Cheers! You can read similar art here: Sklep online
I know this if off topic but I’m looking into starting my own blog and was wondering what all
is needed to get set up? I’m assuming having a blog like yours would cost a pretty penny?
I’m not very web smart so I’m not 100% sure.
Any tips or advice would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
My page – vpn coupon 2024
In fact when someone doesn’t understand after that
its up to other users that they will assist, so here it occurs.
Also visit my blog vpn 2024
Great post. I used to be checking continuously this
blog and I am impressed! Extremely useful info specially the last phase 🙂
I take care of such info a lot. I used to be looking for this particular
information for a very long time. Thanks and best of luck.
Also visit my web page :: vpn special coupon code 2024
Hurrah, that’s what I was looking for, what a information! present here at this weblog, thanks admin of this website.
Here is my web page vpn coupon code 2024
Hello there, I discovered your site by means of Google
while looking for a similar matter, your website came up, it
looks great. I have bookmarked it in my google bookmarks.
Hi there, just changed into aware of your weblog thru Google, and
found that it’s really informative. I am gonna watch out for brussels.
I will be grateful in case you continue this in future. Many people can be benefited out of your writing.
Cheers!
my blog vpn special coupon code
You have made some good points there. I looked on the internet to find out more about the issue and found most individuals will go along with your
views on this website.
Here is my blog :: vpn special
Hi there, after reading this awesome post i am
as well happy to share my knowledge here with mates.
Feel free to surf to my homepage :: vpn special coupon
Your blog has become an indispensable resource for me. I’m always excited to see what new insights you have to offer. Thank you for consistently delivering top-notch content!
Wow, incredible blog structure!
How long have you been blogging for? you made running a blog look easy.
The full look of your website is great, as neatly as
the content! You can read similar here prev next and that was wrote by Josef06.
Wow, amazing weblog structure!
How long have you ever been blogging for? you make running a blog glance easy.
The entire glance of your website is wonderful, let
alone the content! I saw similar here prev next and that was wrote by Jessie76.
Wow, fantastic blog layout!
How lengthy have you been blogging for? you make running
a blog glance easy. The whole glance of your site is great, let alone the content!
You can see similar here prev next and those was
wrote by Daryl84.
Wow, incredible blog structure!
How long have you been running a blog for? you make running a blog look easy.
The total look of your web site is magnificent, as smartly as the content material!
I read similar here prev
next and
that was wrote by Adan06.
Wow, incredible blog structure!
How long have you been running a blog for?
you made running a blog look easy. The whole look of your
site is great, let alone the content! You can see similar here prev next and that was wrote
by Gayle73.
Hi my friend! I wish to say that this post is amazing, nice written and include almost all important infos. I would like to see more posts like this.