Reefer MEDness Podcast - Discussing Dementia & Autism Spectrum Disorder

It’s always such a privilege to be invited onto any podcast to share my experience...but I have to say this was a uniquely awesome experience to be welcomed onto one founded by a nurse and pharmacist, that is dedicated to furthering the conversation around medical cannabis, AND is grounded in science. 

In this episode we talked about the challenges of managing dementia in long-term care, as well as managing behaviours associated with autism, where other treatments have failed. We don’t have a lot of good options in our standard medicine toolbox for either of these - but I’m seeing results with cannabinoid-based medicine.

Thanks so much to Trevor and Kirk at Reefer MEDness for such a great conversation. 

Full episode available here.

World Kindness Day

Today is World Kindness Day and a great opportunity to not only talk about kindness towards others but also kindness towards yourself.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, I’ve been talking a lot about the importance of self-care during these curious times. 

It may seem counterintuitive at first, but the truth is, the more love and compassion we can direct to ourselves, the more we have within us to offer others. So, begin with yourself and then share it with others and watch it multiply.

For more inspiration on how you can celebrate World Kindness Day, visit https://inspirekindness.com/world-kindness-day 

Remembrance Day

On this Remembrance Day, we honour all those who have served, and are serving. Thank you. 

Many of these brave men and women have been physically and/or emotionally injured in combat, and suffer from chronic pain and PTSD. In response to feedback from our veterans, their advocates, and medical experts, Canada was one of the first countries to develop a medical cannabis reimbursement policy for our military veterans. 

For more information, visit the Veterans Affairs Canada website (link) and talk to your doctor about the process: https://bit.ly/3pdvT93

Patient Testimonial - Kathy | Chronic Pain

“I was experiencing hip pain for almost a year. My quality of life was greatly compromised. No amount of chiropractic was working. Massage therapy would last an hour and then I would be right back where I started. I was taking narcotics which upset my stomach and caused constipation. Anti-inflammatories were of no benefit. The pain during the day would prevent me from taking walks and riding my bike. I would toss and turn all night, never getting a restful sleep. I started cannabinoid therapy and within one month I was feeling substantially better! I am returning to all the activities I love. I am so grateful for this relief. I just regret I didn’t see Dr. Pearson sooner.” -- Kathy 

Chronic pain is one of the most common diagnoses I see in my practice. It can make life unbearable and impact people’s ability to carry out every day activities. It can also impact sleep and lead to depression over time. 

This is a real challenge for physicians, as there aren’t a lot of quality, evidence-based pain management options at our disposal. Cannabinoid-based medicine offers an evidence-based, multimodal treatment option with a lower risk of harm than most other pain management options.