Hemp for Victory

As the granddaughter, daughter, niece, cousin, and friend of veterans I have seen first-hand the sacrifices made to fulfill an internal patriotic duty and unfortunately the consequences too.

However, what I have seen pales in comparison to the tragedy a group of veterans I recently spent time with have experienced. This group of veterans, so determined to make cannabis accessible for vets, that they decided to start the conversation in Texas. Arguably, the most difficult state to become qualified for medical cannabis in, with only two dispensaries serving a state that took my family and I twelve hours to drive across. 

West Point graduates, a Major General, Army, Navy, military physicians and nurses. All there for one cause, cannabis. As they began to share their stories, they spoke of opiate addiction,  the VA’s ineffective treatment of PTSD, and the all too many vets they’ve known who have taken their own lives. 

Much different than the industry meetings and scientific conferences I frequent, you could feel the suffering. They weren’t there to talk about sales projections or results of studies, they were there to talk about how cannabis could have healed their friends. Although the losses were vast the energy the group had was greater. These were folks who were not going to stop until cannabis was an option for every soldier. These are the leaders that will make a difference. 

The next event will be held in Kansas City, MO on April 19, 2022 so stay tuned to our social media pages for updates. 

Much love,

April

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What’s the Difference between Hemp CBD & Cannabis CBD?

Infusion Services - Cannabis Education - Kansas City, MO

Hemp and Marijuana (Cannabis) plants both belong to the Cannabaceae family, Cannabis Sativa L species, but have vastly different uses. Hemp grows extremely fast and is used industrially to make paper, rope, textiles, and is even being used to make building blocks called hempcrete. Back in 1941, Henry Ford actually made a car from Hemp that ran off Hemp Ethanol!

Hemp CBD has to have a THC content of 0.3% or less to be legal. Marijuana, which I prefer to call Cannabis, is used for medicinal purposes and so-called “recreational” use. I like to consider that “adult use,”; i.e., adults who prefer to use Cannabis for relaxation, creativity, stress reduction, etc.

While both are called CBD (Cannabidiol), there is a difference between CBD products made from Hemp and those made from Cannabis.  Both plants have terpenes, flavonoids, and other cannabinoids, but some hemp has a lower quantity of them. Cannabis CBD is cultivated to have high CBD content and THC below the 0.3% legal threshold. Because of its’ higher terpene, flavonoid, and other cannabinoids content, CBD-rich Cannabis is a much better choice for those who want a non-impairing medicinal benefit.

There are three types of CBD: Full Spectrum, Broad-Spectrum, and Isolate:

Full-Spectrum is extracted from flower and trim and contains the full array of cannabinoids & terpenes present in the hemp/cannabis flower, including THC. Science suggests this form of CBD is best for people who have no known issues with minuscule amounts of THC.

Broad-spectrum CBD products have NO THC present in the final product as the extract is processed to remove all THC. It’s suitable for people with a high sensitivity to THC. It also contains compounds and other cannabinoids from the Cannabis plant like CBC, CBN, and terpenes.

Isolate CBD is 99% pure and contains ONLY CBD. Isolates don’t include additional cannabinoids or other compounds, like terpenes, flavonoids, and other cannabinoids found in the Cannabis plant. The research indicates it’s not as effective as Full and Broad-Spectrum CBD due to their absence. However, for some people, this is a better choice.

Warning! Buying online from unknown companies can be risky due to the FDA’s lack of regulation and oversight! Recent study results on 240 CBD products purchased online, at gas stations, and grocery stores showed 70% were highly contaminated and contained exceedingly high lead levels. Some had other drugs added, i.e., cough syrup, synthetic cannabinoids, melatonin, etc. In 50% of the CBD tested, the dosage stated on the bottle didn’t match the contents; some contained NO CBD at all!

Taru Fisher, Healer Certified Medical Cannabis Wellness Advisor, NLP Health Practitioner & Coach

Copyright 2021 Jean Taru Fisher

Posted with permission

If you are looking for a reputable CBD company, please don’t hesitate to give us a call! 

 

Cannabis for a TBI?

Elana Frankel is not the first person to suffer from a traumatic brain injury (TBI).  She’s one of many to have discovered that cannabis has transformed her thinking about the effects of a TBI. 

Her injury occurred seven years ago and quickly learned three things – 1) she would present like a stroke victim, 2) recommendations for care would include brain and bedrest for 1 to 3 years, and 3) that living with a TBI would be a lifelong adjustment. 

“While I do not remember the actual fall, I do remember waking up unable to speak, think clearly or walk. My brain felt like it was constantly short-circuiting and the physical, cognitive, emotional and behavioral disruptions confused me. Prior to this event, I was the creative director of an online retailer, with a team of 40 people. I was the mother of 2 small children, then ages 4 and 6, and a wife. I taught yoga and mediation and practiced 3-4 times a week. The idea of brain rest, quietly lying in a dark bedroom with no stimuli, for an extended period of time, was disheartening, to say the least,” said Frankel.

Similar to others who had been down the same road, Frankel and her partner began looking for alternatives and read research about TBIs and CBD. They made the decision to give it a chance.  Frankel said that friends and family, well versed in cultivating, extraction, and formulating all wanted to share their products.  She found quickly that with so many options and unlabeled products, her best course of action was to start low and slow.  About four months into her journey, she had discovered the right protocols for her own individual needs – intake methods and dosage had to be tracked to determine what best met her needs. 

She cites there were 4 things that changed with her TBI and how cannabis helped her heal:

  1. My eating habits. When my Parietal Lobe was bruised, I lost my sense of smell and taste so food became unappealing and nutrition went out the door. The right dosage and ratio of THC to CBD stimulated my appetite and boosted my healing through diet and nutrition.
  2. Understanding and expressing language was impossible. My impaired communication skills left me with cognitive and speech difficulties. Basically, I spoke gobbledygook. While many equate cannabis and slurred speech, a dosage of lower THC and higher CBD gave me relief. Honestly, I don’t know how or why. It just did.
  3. Mood. It may be obvious but it needs to be stated. With any life-threatening injury, anxiety, stress and depression sets in. Cannabis helps…a lot.
  4. Breathing. Science has evolved when it comes to mediation, breath work and healing. With cannabis, I accessed calmness and mindfulness.

“Of course, cannabis alone wasn’t the only factor in the healing process and I believe that the combination of cannabis and these four factors brought me tow here I am today: founder of IndigoandHaze.com; founding editor in chief of Women and Weed magazine; author of the book Women and Weed; Chief Growth Officer of medicalcannbismentor.com; creative consultant; and advocate.”

What the Heck is the ECS, and Why Should it Matter to You?

The Endocannabinoid System commonly shortened to ECS, was discovered some 30 odd years ago by researchers looking to understand how cannabis works in the body.

What they discovered was the Endocannabinoid System. It regulates a vast range of biological functions to maintain homeostasis, i.e.  keeping the body in balance and systems functioning effectively, such as:

  • Sleep- wake cycles
  • Pain tolerance
  • Memory & Learning
  • Motor control
  • Appetite & Digestion
  • Mood
  • Immune system
  • Metabolism
  • Inflammation
  • Stress
  • Muscle formation

There are three main parts to the ECS: endocannabinoid receptors, endogenous cannabinoids and the endocannabinoid metabolic enzymes. Because this is such a broad subject this is an overview of one part of this amazing system, the Endocannabinoid Receptors and how Cannabis interacts with them.

ENDOCANNABINOID RECEPTORS: respond to both endocannabinoids and phytocannabinoids (Cannabis)

There are two main cannabinoid receptors, CB1 and CB2, which bind with a set of fatty acid-based molecules called endocannabinoids. These cannabinoid receptors are found in various locations in the body.

CB1 receptors are found primarily in the brain and the central nervous system (CNS). Some are found in the pituitary, adrenal and thyroid glands, fat, muscle and liver cells, and the digestive tract, lungs and kidneys.

CB2 receptors are found mostly in peripheral organs relating to the immune system, the spleen, thymus, tonsils, and gastrointestinal system. Their primary role is the regulation of inflammation, cell migration, and programmed cell death. They also have a role to play in bone mass, density and bone health.

Endocannabinoids bind to these receptors in response to an imbalance in the body. Their job is to help maintain homeostasis, which is our body’s process of maintaining a stable internal environment capable of sustaining life.

So how does Cannabis figure into the ECS? Cannabis is a phytocannabinoid (plant-based) and as such also binds to Endocannabinoid Receptors to help balance the ECS and maintain homeostasis. Both THC and CBD have this binding ability.

Think of these endocannabinoid receptors, CB1 and CB2 as a lock and both cannabis (THC and CBD) and the endogenous cannabinoids (present in the body) as the key. THC binds with the CB1 receptor to provide medicinal benefits related to pain, insomnia, stress and a plethora of other issues.

CBD interacts with the CB2 receptor to affect our immune system response and provides many other health benefits. And when taken with THC, can increase THC’s effectiveness (the “Entourage” effect) and ameliorate unwanted intoxicating effects.

Cannabis isn’t the “gateway drug” that it’s been stigmatized as – it’s plant medicine that can help relieve many painful and debilitating physical conditions. Cannabis education is key – so find knowledgeable people specifically trained in the use of Cannabis to help you find what works best for YOU.

In conclusion, I’m providing a quote from Dr. Dustin Sulak, a renowned expert in the use of Medical Cannabis and CBD and Founder, Healer.com:

“The ECS is perhaps the most important physiologic system involved in establishing and maintaining human health. Endocannabinoids and their receptors are found throughout the body: In the brain, organs, connective tissues, glands, and immune cells. In each tissue, the cannabinoid system performs different tasks, but the goal is always the same: homeostasis, the maintenance of a stable internal environment despite fluctuations in the external environment. Cannabinoids promote homeostasis at every level of biological life, from the subcellular, to the organism, and perhaps to the community and beyond. “ 

I’ve included a list of resources with links if you’d like more information, but be sure to check out our video on the ECS below!

© 2021 Jean-Anne Taru Fisher

Used with Permission

 

Dr. Sulak’s video: Your Endocannabinoid System Explained

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PZYjJf0t2OQ

PubMed: Cannabinoid Receptors and the Endocannabinoid System: Signaling and Function in the Central Nervous System

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5877694/

Healthline: A Simple Guide to the Endocannabinoid System

https://www.healthline.com/health/endocannabinoid-system#thc

Metagenics Institute: The Endocannabinoid System: Components, Actions, and Optimization

https://www.metagenicsinstitute.com/blogs/endocannabinoid-system-components/

Natural Practitioner Magazine: The Endocannabinoid System & Phytocannabinoids

https://naturalpractitionermag.com/the-endocannabinoid-system-phytocannabinoids/

 

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Kansas Considers Cannabis

On February 24, proponents of Kansas House Bill 2184 testified before the Federal and State Affairs Committee to advocate for patient access and amendments to the bill. 

Our fearless leader, nurse April, was one of them. During the 3 minutes she was given to speak she shared two stories, the story of her grandmother who suffered due to opiates and the other, a story about a boy diagnosed with autism who has made great progress since he began a high CBD, low THC oil.

April strongly encouraged the committee to allow the sale of dried cannabis flower, home cultivation, to provide patient protections, and to add autism to the list of qualifying conditions.

To read her full testimony and Todd Scattini’s, a veteran and strong supporter of medical cannabis as an alternative to the often ineffective pharmaceuticals prescribed to veterans, visit the state legislature site here.

 Kansas HB 2184 Proponent Testimonies

To read the Kansas Reflector article where both April and Todd are quoted, please follow the link below. 

Read the KS Reflector Article here

CBD for Exercise and Recovery

CBD is not just for those who are sick and suffering. Many athletes and sports enthusiasts have added CBD pre and post-workout for the benefits it can provide with recovery. 

April was honored to be included on the expert panel for an article written for Incredible Edibles. To read more about how CBD is being utilized for exercise, check out the link below. 

 

read the article here

Have we told you about CBG?

Recently, April was interviewed by writer Joshua Eferighe for an article in Ozy magazine. He wanted to hear first-hand why April thought CBG is the next big thing. 

As a nurse who has spoken to hundreds of patients about the medical use of cannabis, she was happy to share her own experience and the experience of her patients.

April says, “CBG is a non-intoxicating cannabinoid that patients often immediately feel. It has a wide range of benefits and it is often the cannabinoid most patients add to their treatment plan when they haven’t seen the success they are looking for with CBD.”

To read the article published in Ozy, check out the link below. 

 

read the article here

How an MS Patient Found Success

Ardra Shephard is a Canadian and not well known in the US – but she is on her way to
increased recognition and fame as a blogger, script consultant, and speaker. What you don’t know about Ardra is that her award-winning blog Tripping on Air is an inside look at her life with multiple sclerosis (MS). MS grips its sufferers in the worst ways including nerve pain, spasticity, and insomnia – as well as seizing legs and fatigue. Conventional medicine often produces unwanted side effects and can lead to more pharmaceutical experiments in a continually failing attempt to find relief.

Ardra recently wrote about 7 things she learned in her journey to treat her MS woes with medicinal cannabis. On her list:

1. It’s important to consult a professional. Taking an approach to any treatment plan
without first talking with a medical professional is not only foolish, but can be dangerous.
Ardra recognized early on in her journey that she knew next to nothing about the
plant-based medicine and took it upon herself to do diligent research with the help of
clinicians and pharmacists to ensure she understood recommendations for her specific conditions.

2. Medical cannabis can be expensive. In the US, medical healthcare providers do not cover cannabis as medication and this can be an out of pocket expense which takes experimentation with different types, which can be spendy.

3. It’s possible to overdo it with medical cannabis. Ardra writes about how the dosage for her medication in Canada included instructions to “start slow.” Unfortunately, she unknowingly overdid it and although she slept, when a middle-of-the-night bathroom need interrupted her slumber, she realized she was extremely high and promptly fainted.

4. The effects of medical cannabis can last a long time. As a result of the psychoactive effects in THC, cannabis effects can be long lasting. With practice and journaling effects, one can determine the right type and dosage to serve as a solution to many conditions.

5. Medical cannabis is not without risk or side effects. Don’t misunderstand that finding – there are side effects that can result from cannabis use – but they don’t include addiction, or cancer like many pharmaceuticals do. The side effects from cannabis might include anxiety or paranoia, sedation, and increased appetite. The beauty of these side effects is that with careful use and documenting results as experimenting with different strains and products is that some of these can be easily avoided.

6. Medical cannabis is not a panacea. Ardra is quick to point out that cannabis didn’t cure her MS, but for her is a symptom management tool, used in conjunction with lifestyle modifications, diet, and some conventional medicine.

7. The benefits are worth it. Like many others who suffer from the impacts of MS, Ardra found that CBD and THC helps her to sleep better, decrease pain, and as such pain medication, and enjoy some of life’s simpler tasks without suffering.

view ardra's blog here

CBD for PTSD

Ask those who are passionate about legalization efforts for cannabis what their cannabis story is and you’ll hear a wide range of responses. Many of those are related to veterans, and with good reason. Veterans are the victims of PTSD, insomnia, pain, and a host of other conditions that are related to their time in service.

Ryan Kohrig is yet another veteran whose story is moving and inspiring. Retired in 2018, Kohrig suffers from PTSD after more than 20 years of service and repeated combat deployments – which left him with the daunting task of reintegrating into “normal” society. PTSD frequently leaves sufferers with the frustration of daily interactions and tasks seem insurmountable and Kohrig was startled by sudden movements and sounds. “My hearing was so amplified, any sudden noise had the potential to throw me off, even if it was coming from my neighbor’s apartment,” said Ryan in an interview in 2020.


Accompanying his PTSD came anxiety and insomnia, and like others before him, Ryan sought help from the VA. Unfortunately, again, like others before him, the VA prescribed him sleeping pills, which began a long and arduous dance with a cocktail of pharmaceuticals that would eventually lead him to his rock bottom. He supplemented his pharma with alcohol and seemingly kept himself busy by playing competitive pool, which was an activity that he could perform and feel in control. It was when he and his wife moved to St Croix to begin a completely new life that Kohrig would find his “new” life after talking with a stranger at the gym about his struggles. “We got to talking about my PTSD, anxiety, and insomnia and how I had just moved here. He mentioned something about CBD, and gave me some to try. I had never used cannabis before and was just shocked by the results. I couldn’t believe something so small could make such an impact on
me.”

Ryan’s incredulity over CBD turned into a thirst to learn everything he could and his research began in earnest. He began extensive research online into clean and safe CBD products and certifications and The Remedy was born. The Remedy opened in July of 2019 in St Croix and today Ryan and his wife are thriving as business owners, but more importantly as educators and providers of safe and clean plant-based medicine. Today Ryan takes no pharmaceuticals and has a regiment of CBD he uses to treat his conditions.

(Image courtesy of the Medical Cannabis Society)