Wellness and Cannabis: It works for me, could it work for you?

By Karli Warner | Special to The Sun

As the sun begins to rise on adult-use cannabis in California, many “canna-curious,” folks are warming up to the plant as a wellness alternative. As one such formerly canna-curious gal, I’ve chosen to share how I have learned to incorporate cannabis into my wellness routine to live, what I’ve found to be, a more balanced life.

Despite being raised by parents who embraced the hippy culture in the ‘70s when cannabis was simply no big deal in our home, I stayed away from ‘pot’ until my mid-twenties. I saw the first hand positive effects of the drug at home, my parents both used cannabis for anxiety and just generally to help relax, and yet I couldn’t shake the public perception that it was “something bad.”

Into my late twenties, I began to experiment with consuming cannabis in its various forms to quell my own anxiety and chronic sciatica I had developed from a snowboarding accident. On and off prescription medications for anxiety through my teens and twenties, I didn’t like the side effects they caused (nausea, decreased libido, mood swings, headaches…) and was looking for a more natural alternative. I began to incorporate cannabis into my wellness regimen, in conjunction with therapy, healthy eating, physical activity and breathing exercises. The frequency with which I needed my anti-anxiety medications became less and less.

I joined Garden Society founder, Erin Gore, when she approached me in 2016 about a cannabis brand she was building pointed toward helping women. I was inspired by her desire to support women in a realistic way. Bringing a sense of balance to women by providing them with a new tool in their “wellness toolbox,” that would not only provide a respite in their busy lives, but something that could be pleasing to both mind and body. A cannabis product that is safe, effective and delicious and a company that is taking the time to educate these “canna-curious,” women (and men). Help them understand how they might use cannabis to ease any number of ailments or stressors.

Apart from my own experience with the effectiveness of cannabis for anxiety and inflammation, I also had secondary experience in watching my husband use cannabis to treat the symptoms of chemotherapy. I saw how it calmed his nausea and allowed him to eat. This, in and of itself, has been enough for me to really believe in cannabis as medicine.

While the medical community is just beginning to scratch the surface of cannabis research, there are already smaller studies out there showing the positive affects of cannabis on the body – and of course the internet is ripe with personal anecdotes showing how cannabis has helped treat symptoms of a vast spread of ailments and serious illness.

So, how exactly does cannabis help me live a more balanced life? In addition to my other methods of reducing my anxiety, which work over time, cannabis works quickly and effectively – and for me has no side effects aside from the intended. I can use different varieties (strains) for different effects, some help with sleep, some with focusing your mind, and some just to completely relax. It’s a fascinating plant that, with more research, I believe will continue to show its benefits to the health and wellness world. In the dawning of legal adult-use, if you are looking for a wellness alternative, I encourage you to explore the benefits of cannabis.

Find out more at www.thegardensociety.com.