Aliza Sherman - Cannabis and CBD: An Essential Guide for Using Natures Medicine to Relieve Stress, Anxiety, Chronic Pain, Inflammation, and More

Were here to tell you that cannabis is medicine. The anecdotal evidence gathered about the therapeutic benefits of cannabis is overwhelmingly positive. Research on cannabisincluding cannabidiol, or CBD, which is contained within cannabisis being conducted in many countries, with some research even taking place in the United States. The results are promising and support claims that cannabis can be used to reduce inflammation, relieve pain, and help people suffering from conditions ranging from epilepsy and Tourettes syndrome to Crohns disease, multiple sclerosis, and rheumatoid arthritis.

And yet, in the United States, cannabis is still federally illegal, and many of us are nervous about looking into its health benefits. Did you look over your shoulder when you pulled this book from the shelf at your local bookstore or library? Or did you buy it online to avoid prying or disapproving eyes? If you did, youre not alone.

That first morning when I realized I had slept an uninterrupted eight hours without pain, I cried with relief. Then I thought: Why dont more people know about this?

ALIZA

Many of us were taught to believe that cannabis is bad, unsavory, and dangerous. We might associate pot with stoners, weed with hippies, and marijuana with criminals. Luckily, attitudes about cannabis, and CBD in particular, are changing. According to the Pew Research Center, 62 percent of Americans say the use of cannabis should be legalized. Youre probably seeing more human interest and news stories about cannabis and CBD in mainstream media about everything from cannabis-infused dinners to CBD beauty products. Depending on the legal status of cannabis and CBD in your city or state, you may be feeling more confident about exploring one or both for health and wellness. If youre living in a state that has not yet legalized cannabis, you can still do your homework and get ready for when your state does legalize or when you are visiting an adult-use (recreationally legal) state.

Cannabis can be used, with proper guidance from a medical professional, to replace pharmaceutical medications such as antianxiety drugs, SSRIs for depression, and opioids to address pain.

Cannabis changed the trajectory of my life. I would not have been able to finish medical school and become a doctor had it not been for cannabis treatment.

Dr. JUNELLA CHIN

If you live in a state where physicians are not allowed to recommend cannabis, look online for naturopathic physicians or holistic nurses who may be open to recommending more alternative forms of medicine, or herbalists who are well versed in plant medicine. Also check the internet for services such as cannabis counseling and review the credentials of the counselors. Some nutritionists and other wellness professionals now offer cannabis consulting services. Always be very careful before substituting any prescribed medications with cannabis or CBD.

We both came to cannabis as women who were experiencing debilitating pain but were still plagued with fear and doubt about using it. We both changed our minds about cannabis over time because it helped us.

Our goal with this book is to help remove the remaining stigma associated with cannabis so that other people, like you, can gain health and wellness benefits from this ancient medicinal plant. Well provide tips and guidelines so you can begin using cannabis and CBD on your own, although we recommend that you see a medical care provider or a cannabis consultant for the most up-to-date information tailored to your specific needs. First, let us explain what brought us to cannabis.

At fifteen years old, I was diagnosed with ankylosing spondylitis (AS), a progressive type of arthritis that affects the spine, pelvis, hips, and back and causes extreme stiffness and nerve pain.

I spent my younger years trying conventional treatmentsepidurals, narcotics, muscle relaxants, acupuncture, physical therapybut the pain was unrelenting. By the time I got to medical school in San Francisco, I was having difficulty standing for long periods in the operating room. One of the attending physicians saw this and asked me about it. I told him I had AS but that I couldnt take the meds I needed for relief while doing rounds or while attending a four-hour hip-replacement surgery because they made me drowsy and foggy.