Tag: healthy

Feed Your Endocannabinoid System With Cannabis Apple Ginger Juice

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One of my favorite findings from years of experimenting with raw cannabis in my diet is noticing how it affects my tolerance for other ingestion methods used in my overall medical cannabis regimen.

Before finding a source of dietary cannabis I was using inhaled cannabis throughout the day along with with 2-3 THC/CBD infused edibles, rarely feeling like I was too ‘high’ while taking relatively large doses.

After supplementing with dietary cannabis I could no longer tolerate the doses of edibles that I had been taking and after a couple of weeks I no longer felt a need to consume the infused edibles for pain or sleep on a daily basis. I also noticed that I was ‘full’ with a couple of puffs of inhaled cannabis rather than feeling like I could take more all day long.

Feeling my tolerance go down to the chronic pain medicine I take regularly is nothing short of amazing and opened my eyes to the possibilities of consuming cannabis for the nutritional benefits as something to strive for in my consumption to be healthy and well.

In all of this experimenting I created a seasonal cannabis juice recipe that tastes like a refreshing, spicy treat for the senses as it saturates your endocannabinoid system.

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Cannapple Ginger Juice

-30 grams of fresh raw cannabis leaves

-1 small handful of fresh mint

-1 apple

-1 inch piece of raw ginger

1) Rinse and soak cannabis leaves and mint in cool water for a few minutes before juicing. Prep your apple and ginger to fit into your juicer, as needed.

2) Put all ingredients through your juicer.

3) Serve over ice and take time to really smell your juice as you drink it.

Makes one serving.

Cheers to your health!

Seven Years of Weed Over Pills

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Would you believe it has now been over 7 years that I have been using medical cannabis over pharmaceuticals?  It’s kind of a big deal and here are seven reasons why it has been so significant for me.

1. No Negative Side Effects

For the past 7 years I have missed out on the groggy, uncomfortable feelings of side effects that I was experiencing with prescribed medications for pain and inflammation.  I’ve heard enough first hand stories of people who have been using the very drugs that I was being prescribed seven years ago to know that I made the right choice to stop them and find something else. Each year that I am able to avoid pharmaceuticals and their compounding negative side effects on my body is another year that I am able to enjoy a better quality of life and focus on health.

2. Adventures in Cannabis

Over the past seven years my choice to create a long term pain management plan using pot over painkillers brought me an unusual education about the plant and entry into a thriving unregulated medical cannabis scene that led into this current regulated adult use industry. I am blessed to have also gained professional experience in the cannabis industry doing everything from content creation, blogging, social media, speaking, networking, events, sales, trimming, garden work, lobbying, and protesting.

3- Multiple Symptoms Helped With One Plant

7 years of using one single plant, cannabis, to regulate my body’s homeostasis.  I do use it multiple ways for multiple symptoms (pain, inflammation, depression, anxiety, sleeplessness, migraines) but whether I apply it topically or put fresh leaves in my smoothies it is all coming from various strains of the same non-toxic plant.

4- Cannabis Helps Me Focus On My Health As A Lifestyle

7 years of working on my health with a focus on prevention, nutrition, and happiness. I have always been a health centric person but having an alternative method to manage my chronic health conditions has opened me up to different options and allowed me to find helpful treatments like acupuncture, Bowen, and the Scoliosis Activity Suit. Cannabis has definitely helped me to positively manage my chronic condition and significantly slow progression.

5- Seven Years Of Paying For A Medical Cannabis Authorization

You didn’t think this list would all be flowers did you? I bring this up to shed light on the current system for patients in Washington State. For the past 7 years I have annually been going to a doctor and paying for them to write and process a medical cannabis authorization.  My initial regular doctor wouldn’t even talk to me about it. The state of Washington has been so backward that when they implemented adult legal use they failed to upgrade and include a functional system for supplying medical cannabis to patients. Having to maintain my authorization and also register with he state so that I can have some arrest protections, grow my own, or get a weak discount at some pot shops for non-medical grade products has not been helpful or adequate for filling my medicine needs. I look forward to sharing and supporting fixer bills to medical cannabis in Washington State with you as they come along.

6. Growing My Own

For the past 7 summers I have been utilizing the rights provided to me by my medical cannabis authorization and grown my own. I have to say that experiencing the plant from a gardener’s perspective has given me much insight into how I can use it. Growing my own cannabis has allowed to experience the health benefits of gardening, consume it raw in my diet, learn how to harvest/dry/cure, and experience how to turn this plant into therapeutic tinctures, topicals, and edibles, etc. Knowing how to do all of that has been incredibly helpful in dealing with the lack of products in stores and my MMJ budget. However, having such a small plant limit is inadequate for filling my needs. WA-wa.

7. Learning To Be NORML

It was brought to my attention at this week’s Norml Women of Washington meeting in Seattle that even after 5+ years into us having ‘legalization’ in this state, there are still 600,000 people per year being arrested for marijuana possession in this country. When I hear stats like that I am motivated to get more involved in educating lawmakers and others in my community to end the social injustice that is wrapped up with cannabis.

7 things I would say to myself 7 years ago…

1. Take it slow.  At first I thought I had to feel high for it to be therapeutic. The higher the better. LOL.

2. Unless directed by your doctor to use high doses, consume as little as you need rather than consuming a lot to see how much you can tolerate.

3. Get a good flower vaporizer and use it more than smoking it when possible. I say this because I have often found vaping over smoking flowers to be the most beneficial for immediate relief of ending or at least muting a migraine headache.

4. Try not to lick the spoon too much when you are making edibles. You might get too high and that might be uncomfortable for a few hours.

5. If you ever take too much cannabis and feel too high, you are still going to be ok. Sip on some lemon water while doing something that helps you feel calm.

6. Stay low key about your cannabis medicine use but share your knowledge as often as appropriate. Don’t be shy about sharing your story if it might help somebody else have a different option that may benefit their health too.

7. Grow your own and expand your gardening knowledge from those who can not only grow impressive cannabis but also their own organic fruit and vegetables.

Here is to seven more, as needed.

Raw Cannabis And Spirulina Smoothie Recipe

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For those of you who know how much I like to eat the color green AND how much I enjoy all things marijuana, you know that I am in heaven when I can eat raw cannabis. I use it in all sorts of things from smoothies to salads.

One important thing I’ve learned about eating cannabis (and any leafy green vegetable, actually) is that you will get a better nutritional payback when you eat it raw. When you cook a green many of the nutrients are destroyed that work synergistically with each other in your body. Consuming your greens raw ensures you get all the plant has to offer.

When you are eating greens it is worth your time to completely chew (even if it is a smoothie) and allow the food you eat to really mix with your saliva before swallowing. This allows the enzymes in your saliva to mix with the food, start the digestive process, setting you up for optimal nutrient absorption and digestion.  Take your time, chew, breathe.

The smoothie recipe that follows was my breakfast one day this week. It gave me energy and filled me up without any psychoactive effects from the cannabis. And it came out the prettiest color of green.

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Raw Cannabis and Spirulina Smoothie

30g cannabis leaves

1 blood orange

1 banana

1T hemp seed

1T spirulina

1C coconut milk

1/4C fresh coconut (totally optional)

IMG_07111) Blend.

IMG_07102) Drink immediately and enjoy.

IMG_0719The deep green color of this smoothie is amazing. It screams vitamins and minerals and healthy energy.

Eat Raw Cannabis!

 

Boxing Day Coleslaw

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Happy Boxing Day, the day after Christmas that is reserved for relaxing and unwinding after the holidays.

As I looked in the fridge for leftovers today I found yesterday’s Christmas Coleslaw. It dawned on me this is really more of a Boxing Day Salad because it will last great for leftovers and save you a day of cooking while providing the fresh produce and nutrients you may be craving by the end of holiday meals.

It is crunchy, balancing sweet with sour, and uses fragrant fresh herbs to make you feel it is a special holiday meal. It’s also packed with fiber, protein, and healthy fats which qualifies it as a meal all by itself.

It is also gluten free, dairy free, egg free, and delicious.

Boxing Day Coleslaw

1 small/med cabbage, finely chopped or shredded

1 red apple, chopped or shredded

1/3c dried cranberries

1/3c hemp seeds

1/3C pumpkin seeds

Dressing

1/3C avocado oil

1/4C Apple cider vinegar

1/2 lemon, squeezed for juice and zested

1T honey, to taste

Salt and pepper

Fresh sprigs of rosemary, thyme, and sage, finely chopped

1. Combine all dressing ingredients into a small jar with a lid and shake until well combined.

2. Stir dressing into salad ingredients until fully combined.

3. Store covered in fridge until ready to eat. Enjoy!

Stay tuned for what is coming in 2018 and exciting health improving projects. Happy new year!!

Cannabis Infused Peanut Butter Fudge (Vegan)

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Chocolate peanut butter fudge made without processed sugar that will help me sleep and relax my body? Yes please.

During an especially strong chocolate craving I came up with this simple, and healthy fudge version that is effective as medication and packed with nutrients.

I used a CO2 extracted cannabis oil, purchased from a local pot shop, that I know had been tested for quality and impurities. I like cooking with CO2 oils because they can easily be added to oils and because they are tested for potency making it easy to dose THC or CBD by the milligram.

MMJ Peanut Butter Fudge

1/2C cacao powder

1/2C hemp hearts

1C coconut milk

1t vanilla

6 medjool dates

1/4C maca powder

1g CO2 cannabis concentrate (option for MMJ version)

1C peanut butter

1/3C chopped walnuts

1) Blend cacao, hemp hearts, coconut milk, vanilla, maca powder, and dates until smooth.

2) Gently heat the peanut butter and coconut oil in a double boiler. Remove from heat and add the cannabis concentrate to the warm oils. Mix well.

3) Combine both mixtures then add walnuts.

4) Place in a 6″x9″ pan and chill in fridge for 15 minutes. Cut into pieces and place into freezer until firmly set. Keep refrigerated or in the freezer until ready to eat.

These turned out to be a pleasant way to medicate. Not sugary but with a rich and fudgy texture and effective daytime mmj potency.

Perfect with an afternoon cup of tea.

5 Ways Cannabis Can Help Chronic Back Pain

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Chronic back pain is a condition like no other.  It’s a horrible ailment, actually.

I am one of those people who will always have issues with my spine. While I have been dealing with this stuff since I was a child it wasn’t until my very early 20’s when every doctor I saw started freely prescribing me synthetic drugs to manage my spinal condition.

I’ve tried to avoid taking too many synthetic pills too often because they always end up making me feel like crud, they mess up my digestive system, I don’t ever want to be addicted to them, and the idea of having to take them from now until I die as a way to cope with pain is not a future I am about to roll over for. There are better options to consider.

When I first explored using cannabis as part of my long term pain management I honestly thought that it just worked by acting more like a mental mask or a distraction from the pain. I didn’t fully understand how beneficial cannabis would be for managing the enormity of my chronic spinal condition. Turns out a lot of people I know still believe that cannabis only provides a happy distraction for pain, so, for you I write the following… 

5 Ways that Cannabis Helps Manage Chronic Back Pain:

1) Cannabis is a natural pain killer. Cannabis doesn’t just mask pain or distract you from it, it works with your body to relieve physical pain. One of the biggest plusses of using cannabis (for me) has been the pain relief without the unpleasant synthetic drug side effects or the potential risks with long-term use of synthetic medications. When you’re looking at a potential lifetime of chronic pain, you tend to take the  long term side effects of pain medication very seriously. 

2) Cannabis acts as an anti-inflammatory in the body. Having aches and pains caused by inflammation is a miserable experience and over time can negatively impact your overall health. Cannabis brings inflammation down to relieve pain and discomfort. Ideally, your pain management program will also be able to find what may be triggering inflammation in your body so you can address it from all angles.

3) Cannabis acts as a natural muscle relaxer and suppresses muscle spasms. Back spasms take chronic pain to a whole new level. I used to take muscle relaxers regularly to deal with muscle spasms but now that I have been taking cannabis regularly, muscle spasms and super sore overactive back muscles hardly ever happen.

4) Cannabis calms anxiety. Experiencing chronic pain creates anxiety, stress, and tension in the body. The anxiety, stress, and tension in the body create more pain thus building a vicious cycle of pain that never ends. Using the right strain of cannabis can significantly reduce or eliminate anxiety altogether by calming down the body and nervous system. Once you break the cycle of anxiety from creating stress and tension in the body, less pain will follow.

5) Cannabis helps to lift the depression that can come with chronic back pain. Being in pain every day and dealing with a debilitating back condition is one of the most challenging things a person can go through and there are predictably going to be dark spells along the journey. Pain can create a physical depression and depression can create more physical pain. Cannabis can lift the depression that will benefit not just your body but also your mental health.

Cannabis: The pain-relieving, anti-inflammatory, muscle relaxer that also acts as an anti-anxiety and an anti-depressant. One plant working naturally and synergistically in the body to heal, calm, and create well-being.

Pain is supposed to be one of those things in our body that is there for our benefit. It is our job to listen to what it has to say,  respect it, and do what is necessary to relieve it in the healthiest way possible. Cannabis is one effective option and worth considering if you are somebody dealing with chronic back pain.

Peace.

Pam Dyer is a Holistic Health Coach who trains people with scoliosis and chronic illness how they can improve sleep, gut health, immunity, and brain function to live full and hurt less.  To book a consult with Pam please email:  butterflysessions@gmail.com  

How To Save Money By Wasting Less Food

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22 Days Of Blogging- Day 3

The tips in this post could potentially save you 40% on your food bill forever.

Wasting food is a common health coaching conversation because most people are spending a lot of money on their healthy food only to throw a large portion of it out.

Throwing away food is unfortunately the current norm in our society. About 40% of all food that is ever produced is never eaten, it is thrown away and wasted. Think on that for a moment. All of the energy that is spent to create food and almost half of it is destined for the landfill rather than the tables of people who it was grown for. On a personal level, the average individual is also throwing away about 40% of the food they purchase at the grocery store.

Since I have learned how to stop throwing out my fair share of food, I can tell you that using all of the food you buy without waste is a skill. It requires you to become food conscious from the time you are at the store to the time you are forced to deal with the leftovers.

Here are 5 ways that I keep food waste to a minimum:

  1. Plan your meals. Make a menu of what you’re going to eat for breakfasts, lunches, and dinners this week and then fill your pantry and fridge. Keeping a regular theme (i.e. Taco Tuesday) is a great way to keep your favorites on the menu and your fridge stocked.
  2. Keep a whiteboard note of what is available or possible to eat in the fridge right on the door. This is also a good place for family members to make requests and write down food items you will need for your next grocery shopping trip.
  3. Store your food properly. Veggies that are stuck in a plastic bag on the bottom of that drawer in the fridge often get forgotten. Instead, place them into a reusable airtight container and that will preserve their flavors and nutrients better. Most vegetables will only store for a few days so have a plan to use them or freeze them.
  4. Plan to eat leftovers. Cook once, eat twice. Put aside a few servings for later that week or in the freezer for anytime. It can be really helpful to make a few things in one cooking session so overall you end up spending way less time over the stove.
  5. Pick one day a week to clean out the fridge. This can also be when you challenge yourself to make a meal with only what you have in the fridge and pantry. Get rid of the stuff before it goes bad.

Reducing your food waste is a simple and smart way to save money. Imagine how different your food budget might feel if you were eating all of it.

Surviving The Holidays With Food Sensitivities

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21 Days of Blogging- Day 2.

Few things seem to bring out people’s food issues like sharing a meal at the holidays.

During this time of year you’ll hear about people gaining 10 pounds of ‘holiday weight’ as they gorge themselves on the lovely indulgence of traditional dishes that don’t always serve a healthy or healing body.

During these festive get togethers my sensitivity and avoidance to foods that contain gluten, dairy, sugar, some nightshades, and corn frequently feels like an issue or an inconvenience if I’m the only one eating that way.

If you would have known me several years ago I was the first one to the table as I sampled through everything the table had to offer and then go back for seconds. Family dinners were awesome.

Those awesome eating experiences changed when I quit eating gluten and dairy. People generally don’t have any idea how to modify their recipes (nor do I ever expect them to do so only for me) so unless I expose my digestive system to gluten and dairy I am left out from enjoying everything on the menu. My experience has often been that I will be able to eat the meat (when I’m eating meat) if it doesn’t have any weird spices or sauces and I can eat the veggies if they are not dressed with butter or cheese. It is a very limiting experience and if not planned for a major let down while everybody else is drooling over their decadent food and you are left with plain food.

  1. When possible, talk with the host beforehand about what is being planned for the menu and ask if you can bring anything and/or if they can set aside your portions without dairy and sauces containing gluten.
  2. Bring your own dishes or sauces and make enough to share. Your dish might be the one thing on the table you will eat.
  3. Be grateful. No matter if you can only eat one thing on the table, you can eat one thing. Enjoy every healthy bite while you share time with loved ones.
  4. Prepare to have other people feel bad for you because you are so fragile and limited and can’t indulge like they can. Ugh.
  5. Try to keep your manners and not be judgemental when people tell you how they know they would be much healthier if they gave up certain foods and then proceed to pile said foods on their plate, eat them up in front of you then complain about their indigestion and bloated bellies after dinner. Its an odd experience for me to watch and an exercise in holding my tongue.
  6. Prepare to not be able to have dessert. This one hurts. As a foodie, this one hurts. Bring your own, if possible.
  7. Remember why you are skipping the foods that cause angst in your body. Honoring your body with the best food possible will leave you feeling better in the morning.

When you face food limitations because of your health, you also get to witness how limited other people are in the same old food habits they don’t feel are necessary to upgrade.

Good luck keeping your food healthy this holiday season! We got this.

See you tomorrow.

Pam Dyer is a Holistic Health Coach who trains people with scoliosis and chronic illness how they can improve sleep, gut health, immunity, and brain function to live full and hurt less.  To book a consult with Pam please email:  butterflysessions@gmail.com  

Becoming An American Immigrant In 2017

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File Oct 19, 11 32 46 AM

This week I proudly became an American citizen. They told me at my oath ceremony that it is my right to pursue happiness and that is what I plan to do. Up until now I haven’t talked much about the fact that I am an immigrant. I’ve lived in the US for twelve years and while I may have only moved across the Canadian border it has been a major shift in my world.

When I first moved here George Bush was president and performing shock and awe in the middle east. Moving to a place where you see a military presence everywhere including overhead from a place where you rarely see military is a really crazy feeling. Mildly unnerving at first, but you do somewhat get used to it. Same with the number of guns that people have either in their house or on them at all times, they take the right to bear arms very seriously here and that was a major culture shock for a Canadian farm girl that had never held a gun until she moved to America.

Moving from a country that provides health care to everybody to a country where people regularly go bankrupt and lose everything because they get sick and cannot afford the costs of their medical bills- that makes me uncomfortable on every level. I don’t dare get sick here even if I have insurance and am certainly proactive in making healthy choices to prevent anything worse than the chronic conditions I already have that they can’t cure.

I started reading food labels here and noticed that the ingredient lists are different. There seems to be a lot more ingredients and additives in the food.  Since moving here I either become acutely aware of or actually developed sensitivities to gluten and dairy. I don’t dare eat things with gluten and dairy anymore. On the bonus side, food is way less expensive than in Canada.

Obesity is a real thing here. One of my first times going to a county fair, I experienced my own kind of shock and awe witnessing the excessive amount and size of the food they were serving and the size of the people eating that food. Before moving here I had been working in a health bubble of sorts as the Fitness Manager of two women’s only clubs in Vancouver, BC personal training, teaching classes, and running boot camps on the beaches. Seeing such blatant obesity and obvious imbalance was a major culture shock to me. I adjusted by personal training outdoors, out of my garage studio, and improving my home cooking skills to avoid the ridiculous portions of low quality or low nutrient food served everywhere.

What is next for me now that I am a citizen of the country I’m living in? Why not start with free speech? I have a lot to say and this blog is one of the ways that I plan to practice that right. I want to spread wellness, self-health awareness, and positivity on a much larger scale.

I want to share the holistic options available to other people like myself who are seeking natural ways to manage long term health issues. One of these options that I have been using for my chronic pain, muscle spasms, and migraines is medical cannabis. Instead of taking multiple pharmaceutical pills I have one  non-toxic medicine I have a pain reliever, anti-inflammatory, sleep aid, anti-anxiety and antidepressant. One unique way that I use this plant is eating it like a vegetable. I juice the fresh leaves or put them in my smoothies. I can’t wait to share this stuff with you!

I also am a huge fan of hemp. When I was learning about the nutritional and medicinal benefits of cannabis leaves I learned about eating hemp that doesn’t contain THC. This plant has the perfect ratio of omega 3, 6, and 9 for the human body. Plus it provides easily digestible protein and fiber. I have a lot of healthy recipes and ideas to share with you. You may have already noticed that every recipe I post has hemp in it, that is intentional. Check out this Blueberry Hemp Cake

I am a healthy food advocate. I started volunteering for a local food organization that feeds those in need with the less perfect but perfectly edible food that doesn’t end up in the grocery stores. They have a number of programs that help feed hungry children in the community, and that is really important to me. I would love to make it possible for every child in this country to have access to healthy food even if their parents cannot provide. That is my American dream.

Oh, and one more thing. When I told people that I had applied for my citizenship most of them asked me why. The simple answer…President Donald Trump. Not being able to vote in the last election really bothered me and I vowed to be a voter in the next one. I feel connected to this country and although it is certainly not perfect, its optimistic ideals move me.

Thank you for sharing this journey with me.

 

 

CBD Turmeric Bone Broth

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I spend a lot of energy promoting and consuming a plant based way of eating but that conversation shifts when we start talking about bone broths.

I swear by taking bone broth for improving immunity, moods, brain function, digestion, and reducing inflammation in my body. A good bone broth is full of beneficial minerals, gelatin, collagen, glutathione, glucosamine and packaged in a form that is easy to swallow and absorb.

I make my own because it is way less expensive than store bought, I can make it in bulk, and mine is always better.

About once a month I will cook a whole organic chicken, debone it, and put the carcass and any parts that won’t be eaten into the crockpot and brew a big batch of bone broth.

Once made it can be used in all sorts of recipes or easily frozen for later use. One of my favorite ways to take it is simply to sip it plain with a little hot water, salt, and pepper.

During this month’s batch I decided to try infusing it with a high CBD (cannabidiol) cannabis kief and powdered turmeric. The results were great. I’ve had it first thing in the morning, in the middle of the day, and for dinner and no matter what it feels like I have done something good for myself.

CBD Turmeric Bone Broth

-bones and scraps from 1 organic chicken

-1T apple cider vinegar

-1 gram kief

-2T turmeric, or more

  1. Put the chicken parts in a crock pot and fill to about an inch from the top.
  2. Add apple cider vinegar and let sit over night on low. (This helps to bring nutrients out of the bones.)
  3. Remove all chicken parts and separate the liquid through a strainer.
  4. Return the liquid broth to the crockpot, add kief and turmeric, and let sit on low overnight.
  5. Use immediately or freeze individual portions for later use.

Notice that I did not decarboxylate my cannabis, which is something you may want to do before you add it to the broth. I didn’t feel the need to do so with this recipe or this particular strain of CBD (cannabidiol) rich kief.

If you are new to taking turmeric, feel good about adding generous amounts as it is beneficial for reducing inflammation, improving digestion, lowering blood sugar, and increasing bile production. It is mild in flavor and a bright yellow color that brings extra life to food.

Good health and peace to you.

Pam Dyer is a Holistic Health Coach who trains people with scoliosis and chronic illness how they can improve sleep, gut health, immunity, and brain function to live full and hurt less.  To book a consult with Pam please email:  butterflysessions@gmail.com