Using cannabis for wellness, or therapeutically, is an important topic. Some retail shops have even based their entire strategy on catering to the wellness industry. Personally, I have used cannabis as a powerful tool for self-healing, and I have seen it work miracles in the lives of people close to me. So I feel that its truest power lies in its ability to open people’s minds, hearts, and lives.
In this upcoming series, we’ll explore cannabis for wellness applications. We’ll first get into the multi-faceted aspects of wellness and how cannabis can address each. Then, we’ll identify various minor cannabinoids and wellness-based cannabis products and their applications for specific outcomes. And finally, we’ll wrap it up by learning how budtenders can make accurate and informed recommendations to cater to customers’ wellness needs.
DeMystifying Wellness
Wellness is the holistic and active process of becoming aware of and making choices towards a more successful existence. Whatever that looks like for you! It’s a unique path that we each walk, as different as our experiences. It’s a dynamic growth process that helps you become more aware of yourself and what will make you truly happy, and then make choices that lead towards that more satisfying, healthy, and fulfilling life.
Wellness isn’t just about not being sick. It’s about having vitality! About being truly alive! For most of us, our personal wellness is holistic, encompassing every aspect of our life, including physical, mental, and social wellbeing. Wellness is about finding balance in the various dimensions of our lives. And because we are unique beings, that balance point will look different for each of us.
The Cornerstone of Wellness: Self-Awareness
Like many things, wellness starts with self-awareness. Self-awareness comes from our innermost being, and it’s got to be in a state of balance in order for us to find a sense of wellness. That’s because self-awareness is the place where we first make decisions about how we’re going to live. “Am I going to eat that third slice of chocolate cake?” “Am I going to go to that party tonight?” “Am I going to cancel my therapy appointment this week?”
Self-awareness is our most valuable tool in wellness because it is what helps us understand our individual needs and desires. Our experiences, personal values, and emotions are all different, and so is what each of us needs to find wellness. Engaging in self-reflective exercises like journaling, meditation, or counselling can go a long way in this dimension, helping us explore who we are and come to a deeper understanding of what makes us tick.
Cannabis can help with self-awareness in a few ways.
Mindful Consumption
You can try using cannabis to enhance your mindfulness practice. For some people, it can be an effective in encouraging introspection and self-reflection. Regardless, you can practice mindful consumption no matter how, when, or what you consume. Simply maintain a state of awareness about how you’re feeling and the effect cannabis is having on you.
Exploring Emotions
Cannabis can help you tap into your emotions, especially through a structured approach, like guided therapy or self-guided journaling. Specific strains work better for this than others; the effects of a cannabis product will always be unique to you and your consumption experience, so it’s best to approach this with an open mind and a willingness to experiment until you find the right products for you.
Enhancing Meditation
For some people, cannabis can deepen meditation practices and foster a deeper connection to yourself. Others find that cannabis can actually make them feel more distracted during meditation, so your mileage may vary.
Physical Wellness and Cannabis
One of the most well-known applications of cannabis is on our physical bodies. Cannabis affects us physiologically, which makes it a great tool to improve our physical wellness, especially when used with intention. Physical wellness encompasses many aspects, including our nutrition, exercise habits, and the quality of rest we get. Cannabis is known for the outcomes it creates in these areas and it can be a powerful support in our quest for physical wellness.
Here are some ways cannabis can help with physical wellness:
Pain Management
Despite it not being a one-size-fits-all solution, many people seek out cannabis to help them with the pain they experience. Many practitioners steer away from cannabis because, unlike pharmaceuticals, it is difficult to prescribe a dosage and product that will act with precision. That’s because cannabis works individually with each of us and with our unique bodies. No two consumers and no two experiences are alike. But with that being said, cannabis can be a useful tool for pain management for many people. In addition to helping deal with chronic pain, it can also help with exercise recovery or physical therapy. Several minor cannabinoids are powerful anti-inflammatories, and can help reduce inflammation in the body.
Sleep Improvement
When we get good sleep, we feel rejuvenated and rested upon waking, and are ready to take on the day! Some strains and products are perfect for supporting a healthy sleep routine. Look for dried bud with a relaxing terpene profile. If it has the term “Indica” in the name, it is being marketed for relaxation and might be a good product to try. Other products containing CBN (a minor cannabinoid that seems to induce sleepiness in some consumers) might be good to try as well. And don’t be afraid to experiment with the THC to CBD ratio! Different products work well for different people, and the best way to find what works best for you is to experiment.
Appetite Regulation
Cannabis can be used to support healthy nutritional choices, to stimulate appetite, and even to regulate appetite for some consumers. When cannabis increases our self-awareness, we start to notice what we’re fueling our bodies with, and our nutritional choices can become healthier and more balanced. Famously, cannabis also stimulates appetites, making it a good tool for people who are experiencing a loss of appetite. And more recently appearing on the scene is the minor cannabinoid THC-V, or THV, which actually seems to suppress appetite! While research on this is still incredibly limited, it does seem to be a point of interest and cannabis consumers can be open to trying it to see how it affects them.
