My Experience and Relationship with Cannabis
Cannabis can be part of a healthy lifestyle.
Since I came into the menopause years, my tolerance for both alcohol and caffeine changed (the body just processes substances/stimulants differently because of the hormonal changes) but since I started to use cannabis, I can now enjoy coffee in the morning without any issues.
Of course I can’t prove that it has to do with cannabis, but after have been going back and forth with coffee for a few years and getting to know my body on a whole different level, I can only conclude that cannabis has a lot to do with the positive changes.
It has definitely balanced things for me (read my other article on cannabis HERE), but I’m only sharing my own experiences and thoughts on this, so don’t take any of what I say as advice or suggestions.
You’re an adult, and the only suggestion I would give anybody is that you need to do your own research on it, and only if you feel internally guided to do so.
Having a healthy relationship with cannabis.
I have a history of drug addiction (I’ve been clean for 20 years on January 25th next year/2022), but my relationship with cannabis back then can’t even be compared to the relationship I have with it today.
And my main addiction was to stronger drugs such as amphetamine etc. so cannabis in itself was never a ‘problem’ for me in the same way the other drugs were.
My intention when I started experimenting with cannabis this year was to see if it could help me with my peri-menopause issues, and it has really been like a miracle for me and has helped me a lot.
At the moment I’m 100% symptom free (and have been for quite some time now) and I feel fabulous and I’m not having any issues at all.
I use cannabis mainly for medicinal reasons but also occasionally for recreational purposes.
It’s less harmful than alcohol so it can definitely be part of an overall healthy lifestyle if used in responsible ways.
I also enjoy it sometimes when I meditate, and in other settings as well, such as while cooking, listening to music, and things like that.
It’s important to use cannabis with respect and clear intention so that the relationship stays healthy.
Cannabis has been used for spiritual reasons too for thousands of years.
It’s used in Shamanism, as plant medicine, and Taoist monks use it in ceremonial settings for example.
There’s so many interesting things that I have learned about cannabis that I had no idea about until a few months ago.
Cannabis also enhances the process of neuroplasticity, which I’ve also experienced powerfully in my meditations, so in that way too it’s interesting to explore (for me).
There’s so much more I could say about it, but my main intention with sharing this is simply to bring it more out into the open to help break the stigma around it.
It’s okay by societal norms to say you drink wine, take sleeping pills, or whatever other prescription drug it may be, or even drink coffee, which is the most used drug in the world, and I think it should be just as ‘normal’ to say that you use and enjoy cannabis, if you do that.
I have learned so many positive things about it both from my own experiences and through other people’s stories and other research I’ve done, so it’s obvious to me that this needs to get more into the open.
The more people that talk openly about their cannabis use, the more the world opens up to do more research about it.
And the more scientific research and studies that are done, the more people can come to benefit from the health/medicinal (as well as recreational) benefits of cannabis.
And just like with everything else in life, it’s obviously not for everyone,
But it should definitely be everyone’s own choice to use it if they wish to do so, just like with any other legal substances/stimulants/medicines we use, such as alcohol, caffeine, and prescription drugs.
I’m always open to talk more about these things so please feel very welcome to start a conversation in the comments section below!
Hi Maria! Really happy to hear you have found benefit in Cannabis…
I was fascinated by your discovery that caffeine doesn’t have such a negative impact whilst using it.
I discovered the same with alcohol and caffeine whilst conducting my own experiments last year and my conclusion was that the numbing affect of alcohol on body meant that I was unable to feel the jittery uncomfortable energy that caffeine induces without any alcohol.
Food for thought, perhaps Cannabis is the same?
I choose to enjoy a weak shandy and a nice cup of tea now and again these days as they seem to have no negative impact.
Tom
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Hi Tom,
Thanks for commenting!
Hopefully people will become more willing to share about these things as it’s really remarkable what cannabis can help with.
There’s a documentary on YouTube called “Cannabis: A Lost History”, by Chris Rice that I watched a while ago, maybe you like it too:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X2p6qFT_Zjg&ab_channel=chrisrice
And here’s a couple of other YouTube videos that shows how it can help people with Parkinson’s and children that are having seizures etc:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zNT8Zo_sfwo&ab_channel=RidewithLarry
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L96iEYvk2gk&ab_channel=NationalGeographic
And here’s a couple of videos about the endocannabinoid system in our bodies (which was discovered in the early 90’s!):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H6Yl6840-_E&ab_channel=TheCannigma
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vtc11kRinf4&ab_channel=FundacionCANNA
So we don’t know much of the health benefits of cannabis yet (and how it works with our endocannabinoid system), but I can tell you that in my mind, and in my experience, it’s a miracle plant from God, it has really helped me a lot.
THC has a cooling effect on the body (lowers the temperature), which has worked wonders on my hot flashes for example (I don’t have them anymore and hopefully it stays that way!), something I know many women are struggling with.
I don’t care if it’s TMI, this needs to be shared so that other women can know about it and try it themselves if they feel intuitively guided to do so.
There needs to be more studies made on the benefits of cannabis, not only for menopausal issues but also neurological disorders, cancer, and much more, so it’s really important that its healing properties becomes more known worldwide so more research can be done, that’s why I’m sharing this, so that I can do my part in changing the stigma around it.
Anyways! 😊
To respond to your comment;
Yes, it’s amazing, the thing with coffee (or caffeine).
I know we talked about this before in one of my older articles where I wrote about quitting coffee, but since then things have changed.
I seem to be totally fine now, so fingers crossed it continues to be that way!
I do keep the caffeine consumption to a minimum though as I’m sensitive to it otherwise too, and not just because I’m in my menopause years.
But it’s nice to be able to enjoy it again without any issues.
Maybe it has to do with the cannabis, but I can’t know for sure, it could be just that my body is in balance now, I don’t know, but at the same time, the endocannabinoid system in our body is the system that rules the hormonal system, so if it works properly, then all the other systems in the body works well/fine too.
It’s the system in our bodies that holds every other system healthy and balanced, so I absolutely believe that cannabis helped me achieve the health/balance I have today.
It’s very interesting how it works, and we don’t know much about it yet (other than what people share and their own experiences with them), so there are much more to be discovered!
I’m truly happy that I was guided to start experimenting with cannabis, and I tried different strains and whatnot, CBD oil too, and hash etc, and have found what works best for me so I’m going to continue using it for as long as I’m intuitively guided to do so and feel the need for it.
Fantastic news! I never knew THC reduced body temp
Not TMI, really fascinating that is has had such a profound effect…
Was it almost instant relief from the hot flushes or did it reduce the symptoms over a period of time?
I’m tempted to go and have a few puffs on a joint and drink a coffee in the sun!
Tom
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Good to hear Tom! 😊
About smoking a joint and having a coffee in the sun;
Some people are good with mixing caffeine and cannabis, but some people could potentially get more anxious for example if they suffer from anxiety, if they mix those two.
(Since caffeine affects your nervous-system and some people are sensitive to cannabis in a way that it makes them more anxious).
With that said; cannabis can also help reduce anxiety (and even help PTSD), so for anyone having issues with anxiety I would say drop the coffee and try cannabis on its own.
I prefer cannabis in the evening (when needed) as I like being focused and clearheaded during the day.
But that’s just me, we’re all different. Seth Rogen for example smokes all the time (all day long) but he still manages to have a productive life and career.
Regarding your question if it was a gradual or instant relief from the hot flashes and night sweats;
It was instant – I had instant relief, it was truly a miracle.
Awesome…Bet you’re glad you tried it!
I am exactly the opposite of Seth Rogan and am utterly non-functional with Cannabis, even with the smallest dose haha and still choose to not drink coffee but the idea is very pleasant!
Ahh, an interesting question just popped up and might be useful for others too…is it a specific strain eg indica or sativa that you use?
Tom
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Everybody is different and everyone has a different reaction to cannabis so it doesn’t matter what I use in that sense (I don’t think it would be useful for others to know).
What works for me might not work for you etc etc.
But I tried different kinds of strains/CBD/THC and from all the testing (and trial and error) I was able to find out what works best for me, at least for right now, but of course that too can change later on.
Some people need more/higher THC levels on whatever cannabis product/strain they use, while others need more/higher levels of CBD, and vice versa/a mix,
So that’s also one of the reasons that we need to have more research done on these things, so that people can get the strains and strengths that they personally need for their health issues so that it can be most helpful to them.
Ahh, I wondered wether you had found a certain type was more beneficial specifically for the relief from hot flushes
Fascinating stuff and really happy to hear…
Tom
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Yes, I’ve found what works for me, but again, it’s very individual.
When I did my research and found out that women are using cannabis for their menopausal issues, I also learned that there is no one right answer to it.
You just have to try things out to come to the conclusions yourself when it comes to what works for you.
For some women CBD oil is great, while others need more THC etc etc.
Yes, it’s very interesting and I think it’s great that more and more women are finding relief through cannabis.
Got it…
T x