Glass Half Full with Leslie Krongold, Ed.D.

Tag: cannabis

  • An R.N. Talks about Herbal Relief for Muscle Pain, Anxiety, Insomnia & GI Problems (at a support group meeting)

    An R.N. Talks about Herbal Relief for Muscle Pain, Anxiety, Insomnia & GI Problems (at a support group meeting)

    Registered Nurse and proud septuagenarian, Barbara Blaser, was the guest speaker at my Northern California myotonic dystrophy support group. With her healthcare background and deep knowledge of medicinal herbs, she spoke about the use of herbal tinctures, edibles, and lotions to help relieve muscle pain, anxiety, insomnia, gastrointestinal problems, and more.

    Barbara’s nursing career was predominantly in the mental health field. But at some point in her 60s she had an esophagectomy and due to complications, she developed septicemia. She turned to natural herbal healing to help her pain, anxiety, and GI problems.

    For other podcast episodes about medicinal herbs (medical cannabis), check out DIY Cannabis and Medical Cannabis.

    Handouts that Barbara provided at the support group meeting are culled from this website.

  • The Mushrooms are Coming!

    The Mushrooms are Coming!

    A brand spanking new podcast episode will appear…hopefully before the end of the week. It will be Food = Medicine: Mushrooms. But, for now…check out these Food = Medicine podcast episodes:

    An interview with Sandor Katz – the Fermentation King

    Food = Medicine (1) – featuring two mostly plant-based consuming friends, one with DM1, the other with DM2

    Food = Medicine (2) – an interview with Jill Nussinow, R.D., The Veggie Queen

    Food = Medicine: Cooking with Love – featuring a chef who prepared special foods for her father with Parkinson’s disease, an organic farmer, and a chef who prepares foods with cannabis

  • Do It Yourself: Cannabis

    Do It Yourself: Cannabis

    Need help with sleep? David — resident DIY expert — explains how to decarb, squish, and infuse cannabis. Unfamiliar with these terms? No worries. These terms, and more, are explained for the novice. Podcast episode, and complementary YouTube video, demonstrate the processes involved with creating cannabis tinctures and infusions for making edibles.

    An earlier podcast episode features six people sharing how cannabis helps with their physical and/or emotional challenges including cancer, depression, muscular dystrophy, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, bone fracture, and bipolar disorder.

    Once you’re familiar with the process known as decarbing, you may want to check out this podcast episode featuring a fine dining chef who prepares meals infused with cannabis.

  • Self-Care Challenge Month 7: Medication

    Are you ready to explore another area of Self-Care?

    Doctor hand holding dry medical cannabis on table close up

    According to Wikipedia, medication, “(also referred to as medicine, pharmaceutical drug, or simply drug) is a drug used to diagnose, cure, treat, or prevent disease.” With that general understanding, one’s medicine may be over-the-counter,  prescription, or a substance legal in some states but federally illegal.

    Whatever type of medication it may be, it’s important to monitor how much of the medication we take and how frequently we take it.

    It’s also important to be aware of any side effects from the medication or the medication’s interaction with another medication or food or beverage.

    Self-care seems a lot like project management; we’re managing our most-valuable project — ourselves.

    Using the Health Storylines app to monitor all of this management makes the project a little easier.

    If you haven’t downloaded the app for your smart phone or desktop computer, here are the steps:

    1. Register for the Health Storylines Tool. If you have questions about the registration process, send me a message via the Facebook group. You can use the Tool on a desktop computer, smart phone, or tablet. The data you enter will synch on all devices.
    2. Use the Symptom Tracker feature to list all of the symptoms associated with your chronic health condition.
    3. Use the Medication Tracker feature to identify all of the medications you take. You can also set up medication reminders. The tool has an extensive database of pharmaceuticals as well as the ability to identify marijuana (it’s not listed as cannabis).

    If you’ve missed the previous Self-Care Challenges, check this page. Join us in the Facebook group to further explore self-care.

  • Self-Care Challenge Month 6: Relaxation

    Welcome to the sixth month of Self-Care Challenges. If you’ve been reading since the beginning, that’s great! I encourage you to share your progress with a comment below. If you’re just joining us, take a look at the previous month’s challenges.

    Relaxation is an integral aspect of Self-Care…duh! But, what actually is relaxation? What happens physiologically? Can we be sure what we’re doing is truly relaxing both physically and emotionally? What I find relaxing may be incredibly annoying to you. In fact, years ago at a support group meeting there was a guest speaker leading us through a guided visualization. I was feeling blissful but one of the support group participants was having a panic attack. She couldn’t handle closing her eyes in a group setting.

    Leslie at the acupuncture clinic
    Leslie with acupuncture needles

    According to my friend, Wikipedia, relaxation is, “the emotional state of a living being, of low tension, in which there is an absence of arousal that could come from sources such as anger, anxiety, or fear.”

    Digging a little deeper, the Oxford dictionary describes relaxation as, “a form of mild ecstasy coming from the frontal lobe of the brain in which the backward cortex sends signals to the frontal cortex via a mild sedative. Relaxation can be achieved through meditation, autogenics, and progressive muscle relaxation.”

    Okay, I’ve never heard about autogenics. But whatever route you take to get to that relaxed state, you are eliminating stress. And stress, as you’re aware, exacerbates all chronic health conditions. An undue amount of stress even creates ill health. Check out the National Institute of Mental Health for more information about stress and its relation to both mental and physical health.

    There are many relaxation methods. At night I wind down by taking a hot bath. It’s part of my sleep hygiene. But during the day it’s just as important to include time for relaxation and it doesn’t have to be a nap. Though I know a few adults that make a daily practice of this. In many yoga classes the final pose is savasana (corpse pose). The purpose of this pose is to relax. Not everyone can. If I have a good savasana at the end of a yoga class, I often sleep better at night.

    I’ve had very intense feelings of relaxation from an acupuncture treatment, sound bath, massage, or just sitting by an open body of water.

    If you don’t have the time or inclination for the above, there are tools to help you relax in the comfort of your own home. Possible tools include essential oils, listening to a guided visualization body scan, inhaling or ingesting certain strains of medical cannabis, or using a brass bowl.

    If you’re using the Health Storylines app, the best way to keep track of your relaxation time is to use the Health Routine Builder. First you’ll need to figure out what helps you relax. As I mentioned above, everyone has their unique experience with relaxation. You may not be inclined to do yoga or listen to glass bowls. I hope you’ll suggest some modes that won’t include a television or computer screen.

    Join our Facebook group to learn about other modes for relaxation and share your progress.

  • Food=Medicine: Cooking with Love

    In the continuing series, Food=Medicine, Cooking with Love explores different interpretations of how love can be a vital element in the food we eat. Whether it’s part of the mission of a local organic farm, a vegetarian chef preparing pureed, nutrient-dense food for her father with progressive Parkinson’s disease, or another chef infusing fine dining, multi-coursed meals with cannabis — each guest offers a fresh perspective for mindful eating.

    Lacey Sher, owner/Chef of the Encuentro pop-up restaurant in Oakland, CA shares two recipes for nutrient-dense smoothies. Aleta Pierce, farm manager for Alameda Point Collaborative’s farm2market program, welcomes farm volunteers and CSA subscribers. Michael Magallanes, San Francisco-based chef, prepares meals for private clients.

    Sweet and Green Protein Smoothie

    hemp milk, coconut water, or spring water

    handful organic fresh or frozen blueberries

    handful organic fresh or frozen raspberries

    4-5 leaves of lacinato kale or romaine

    handful of parsley

    2 scoops hemp protein

    3 pitted dates

    1/2 avocado

    – add ingredients into your Vitamix or blender
    – blend together until super smooth
    – pour into your favorite to go jar or mug
    – sip slow and enjoy!

    Berry Banana Antioxidant Booster   

    This smoothie is full of colorful foods, such as berries and cacao, which are loaded with a wealth of vitamins and antioxidants to help the body stay strong and vital. Plus with B-vitamin dense maca, omega rich hemp seeds, and beauty boosting coconut oil, this smoothie is filling yet completely whole and natural, assuring optimal function of body and mind. Enjoy!

    3 cups of water or herbal tea

    1 cup frozen organic blueberries

    1 cup frozen organic strawberries or raspberries

    1 frozen or fresh organic banana

    handful of cacao nibs

    2 tablespoons raw coconut oil

    1/3 cup hemp seeds

    2 tablespoons maca

    1/2 stick vanilla bean or ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

    optional: 2 tablespoons spirulina, your favorite green powder, or vanilla

    Sweetener of choice: 3 tablespoons honey or agave, 2-3 pitted dates, or 3 drops stevia (Stevia is very sweet and strong. Use the least amount to taste.)
    – add ingredients into your Vitamix or blender
    – blend together until super smooth
    – pour into your favorite to go jar or mug
    – sip slow and enjoy!

    These are simple and delicious and folks can use less fruit for less sweetness. I also like to add different ingredients such as chia, moringa powder, sometimes different vegetables like cooked or raw sweet potatoes, substitute spinach for kale if I have it. So many options. ~ Lacey Sher

    Resources for Dysphagia (Swallowing difficulties)

    If you truly want to understand the mechanics of dysphagia, check out this recorded webinar with the author of the textbook, Dysphagia: Clinical Management in Adults and Children, Michael E. Groher, Ph.D. It’s about an hour in duration but you’ll have a much better understanding of what this condition is.

    Here is a community-generated recipe guide for people with swallowing difficulties. Recipes were submitted by caregiving family members.

    Here is a recorded panel discussion about food preparation for people with dysphagia. Additional resources can be found here.

    More Food=Medicine Podcast Episodes

    The first Food=Medicine podcast episode included Retired Navy Lieutenant Laura Root and Edibell Stone, LPC & health coach talking about their respective diets. The second Food=Medicine podcast episode featured Jill Nussinow, The Veggie Queen, at the Farm to Fermentation Festival. Jill is a Registered Dietician and author of cookbooks and DVDs. If you want to go deeper into an understanding of fermented foods and their healing properties, check out this episode with fermentation guru, Sandor Katz. This episode explores the ancient tradition of Ayurveda through one woman’s health and diet journey.

  • Medical Cannabis

    Medical Cannabis

    This podcast episode explores the experiences of six people who have used medical cannabis for a variety of conditions including cancer, depression, muscular dystrophy, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, bone fracture, and bipolar disorder.

    There’s a lot of information about medical cannabis but I recommend watching this CNN documentary. Check this map to see where your U.S. state is in terms of medical cannabis legalization.