Medical or Recreational Marijuana?

I recently had the opportunity to attend a talk on medical marijuana and I would like to share a few points of awareness with you.

In January 2020, recreational marijuana becomes legal in Illinois and dispensaries will be popping up everywhere. What do you need to know to make an educated decision? Should you choose medical or recreational marijuana? It turns out there is a significant difference.

When recreational marijuana becomes legal this coming January, it could carry a tax of up to 35%. As well, the recreational marijuana dispensaries will have very long lines. If you opt to buy medical marijuana, you will also pay a tax, but only around 1%. The lines for medical marijuana will be much shorter too. Think of a going through airport security with TSA pre-check.

When you use medical marijuana, you know that you are getting quality medicinal products. Cultivating medicinal marijuana starts with organic plants, testing each batch and bottle for fungus, fungicides, pesticides, as well as residue from the extraction process and other contaminants. This is very important. If you are thinking, “How much can really be in there?” How much will it take to make you sick? Think of the cumulative effects.

I learned that of the hundreds of cannabinoids available in the Cannabis plant, CBD is the workhorse and THC is the psychotropic part; the substance that makes you high. CBD beats inflammation. If you go to a medical marijuana dispensary, they may use a combo of the two constituents to dial in the right dose for you, whether it is straight CBD or a combination of CBD to THC. There is always someone at the medical marijuana dispensary that will help you get the right ratio of CBD to THC, specifically for you.

When you take CBD or THC, you are turning on the endocannabinoid system, which has receptors called CB1 and CB2 receptors all over the body. The CB1 receptors are in the upper body and the CB2 receptors are in the mid to lower part of the body and the immune system. The doctor at the seminar, recommended aggressive amounts of CBD in some type of CBD dominant product 3x day, for issues arising from cancer or autoimmune diseases, such as Hashimotos Thyroiditis and Rheumatoid Arthritis.

One of the major differences between buying medicinal grade product and going to a gas station, for instance, is that medical dispensaries must produce a Certificate of Analysis (COA) for every batch and every product. The COA tests for the presence of cannabinoids and other constituents, pesticides, fungal growths, etc., and then it goes to an independent testing agency, which is very important. You don’t want the fox watching the hen house.

It is important to note that the CDC has done tests on a variety CBD brands and found that 44% of all the CBD brands tested, showed zero CBD. Buyer beware.

Transparency with whomever you choose to buy marijuana or even hemp from, is important. Choose a company that readily makes their COAs available. If you are using a product from a company that does not offer a Certificate of Analysis, choose a different company.

It is yet to be determined whether people carrying the medical marijuana (MM) card will have access to grow their own medicine. The speaker from the dispensary said that patients (people with MM card) may be able to grow up to 5 plants in their own home for medicinal use.

The doctor speaking at this conference recommended oral administration, which is very effective, and presently, vaping is controversial, and many would say, dangerous.

When asked what their best seller was for people who have trouble sleeping or have anxiety, it was a chocolate bar by a company called Gold Leaf, which has varying levels of THC per bar. Their 100mg bar comes scored into 20mg pieces and it is dark chocolate and sea salt! Need I say more?

Quote from NBC News

“NBC News commissioned one of the nation’s leading cannabis testing facilities to test a sampling of THC cartridges — 18 in all — obtained from legal dispensaries and unlicensed dealers.

The findings were deeply troubling. Of the three purchased from legal dispensaries in California, the CannaSafe testing company found no heavy metals, pesticides or residual solvents like Vitamin E. But 13 out of the other 15 samples from black market THC cartridges were found to contain Vitamin E, which may be the one of the causes of lung damage in young adults from vaping.

CannaSafe also tested 10 of the unregulated cartridges for pesticides. All 10 tested positive. The products all contained myclobutanil, a fungicide that can transform into hydrogen cyanide when burned.”

Excerpt: Conor Ferguson, Cynthia McFadden, Shanshan Dong & Rich Schapiro

https://www.nbcnews.com/health/vaping/tests-show-bootleg-marijuana-vapes-tainted-hydrogen-cyanide-n1059356

National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH): “Hydrogen cyanide (AC) is a systemic chemical asphyxiant. It interferes with the normal use of oxygen by nearly every organ of the body. Exposure to hydrogen cyanide (AC) can be rapidly fatal. It has whole-body (systemic) effects, particularly affecting those organ systems most sensitive to low oxygen levels: the central nervous system (brain), the cardiovascular system (heart and blood vessels), and the pulmonary system (lungs).” https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/ershdb/emergencyresponsecard_29750038.html

What is Keeping Health Out of Your Reach?

The answer may be that your inner and outer environments are toxic. It is a reality these days that the air you breathe is toxic, the water that you drink is contaminated and the food that you eat is poisoned; all necessities you need to survive. Unless you are taking specific measures to breathe clean air, drink pure water and eat clean food, ingesting toxic air, polluted water and poisoned/contaminated food keeps you dis-empowered and ill.

Do you know what is in the air that you breathe inside your home? The EPA states that air inside the home is far more toxic than what you breathe outside. Do you drink tap water? Do you know that most tap water has chlorine and fluoride in it? Chlorine and fluoride are dangerous chemicals by themselves, but there are disinfectant by-products from using chlorine that can have dangerous side-effects.

In 1989, I had what I referred to as PFD; Processed Food Disease. Do you know how many chemicals are in the food that you eat? Do you know that pesticides, preservatives, artificial sweeteners, texturizers, emulsifiers, dyes and more in your food affect your health? What you put in, is what you get out.

Think about pot luck dinners when everyone made something from scratch and shared in the bounty of healthy food and good company. While these celebrations still happen, the food served is quite different from the good old days. Food now is texturized to give it a good “mouth feel” or it is pumped full of artificial sweeteners to keep it “low in fat”, or it hits that sweet spot that has just the right combination of sugar, salt and fat to give it that addictive quality that keeps you coming back for more. You know what I mean. It is the stuff that makes you keep thinking about that cookie in the pantry, or that leftover piece of cake in the refrigerator. You see some of the food giants, not all; want to make sure that the food they create is great tasting, enticing and addictive, trading in compassion for the health and well-being of humanity for money.

They have food scientists that create the flavors that you crave in a lab with chemicals, derivatives, additives, fillers and more to make the food more abundant in supply, more shelf-stable and therefore more available to consumers. Is that really the reason or is it to use cheaper ingredients for the so called “bottom line?”

There are chemicals derived from petroleum in our food supply. One of the red colorings used in food comes from ground up beetles. Ground up beetles anyone? I guarantee you if I knew that, I would avoid that like the plague. When I found this out, it made me wonder where colorings and flavorings came from. There are also artificial sweeteners that are dangerous to your health abundant in food; aspartame or MSG (monosodium glutamate) for instance. It is time to wake up. It is time to and take a good look at what you are putting into your body and it is time to educate yourself so that you can make better choices.

ALL HEALING IS SELF HEALING – It all comes back to YOU.

You are the architect of your experiences.

What Is That Musty Smell?

By Pam Bown

Have you ever walked into a building and wondered, “What is that smell?”

Mold is one of many reasons that chemical sensitivities raise their ugly head. How do you know if you have mold in your house? Sometimes you do and sometimes you don’t. There are times that you can smell mold and there are times when mold dries and dies and has no smell. The dust of the dead mold and bacteria that feed on it, that you can’t smell contaminates everything; your clothes, your furniture, your body.

If mold is making you sick and you stay home from work, you are exacerbating the symptoms by staying in the home where the mold is, right? Ever wonder why you and your family, including your pets are not getting any better?

There are many places in your home where mold can hide. Here are just a few places to check, such as; Under all sinks · Shower · Tub · Behind the toilet · Window sills · Under carpeting · Basement- crawlspace · Laundry room.

Mold is in food that has spoiled, but also in food without you knowing it. Some of the moldiest foods are most people’s favorite foods. Foods like; peanuts, cheese, nuts, grains, coffee, wine and chocolate! Now, if you have hidden mold, or dead mold and you are eating any of the above foods, you are feeding the problem.

What might you experience if you are constantly exposed to mold? You might smell a musty odor all the time or from time to time. Have you ever walked into a room and forgot what you went there for? While there are many causes for such an experience, do not discount mold in your environment. I know people who live in a musty-smelling house that suffer with joint pains, weakness, fatigue, migraines and brain fog, which are just a few symptoms that can be associated with mold exposure. Bottom line is that mold can cause a cluster of symptoms that can make it very challenging for the person exposed. According to Dr Daniel Pompa; “so much of the toxins in our home and mouth end up in our nerves and brain tissue.”

If you want to know more about mold exposure, where to find mold and how to take care of mold, there is a Toxic Mold Summit coming the first week in February. Here is my link if you want to check it out. It looks like it is going to be a doozy!

http://urltag.net/CaoE8

What IS that SMELL?

Imagine walking into your home from a long exhausting day at work, feeling tired and all you want to do is relax. However, your nose will not let you forget that smell! You know, the one that wasn’t there when you left?

When you leave your house, closing and latching tight all the windows, smells from flame retardants, perfumes & fragrances, cleaning supplies, cosmetics, hairsprays, building supplies and more are out gassing and saturating the air in your home. If it is just last night’s left over’s in the garbage, you can get rid of the smell by taking out the garbage. However, if it is a smell that irritates your eyes, makes your throat feel scratchy, gives you a headache, makes you feel dizzy or any other number of symptoms, it is time to put on your detective hat and follow your nose!

Anything that has a chemically created fragrance is polluting your indoor air…plain and simple! Here are some examples of hidden fragrances that you will want to be aware of:

Garbage bags (fresh scent)
Sponges
Dishwashing and Dishwasher soap
Hand soap
Air fresheners
Candles
Cat litter/litter box liners
Cat and Dog toys
Laundry detergent
Dryer sheets
Cleaning supplies
Furniture
New clothes
Drapes
Wrapping paper
Magazine inserts

According to Rebecca Sutton, PhD, EWG Senior Scientist, “air fresheners in aerosol, spray, solid, candle or plug-in form, don’t remove odors. They just mask them. It’s literally impossible to track down a full list of ingredients for most air fresheners sold in the U.S., because there is no requirement for companies to disclose ingredients.” Say What??? That is right. There is NO requirement for companies to reveal their ingredients. Buyer beware.

Fragrances are a major source of indoor pollution. Stick to natural or do-it-yourself cleaners and ditch the plug-ins!

To the chemically sensitive individual, chemicals are like Kryptonite is to Superman. You can be humming along feeling powerful, wonderful and amazing and then …BOOM… you encounter a small amount Kryptonite that does not affect anyone else, but it leaves you feeling disoriented, weak and powerless from any number of symptoms. With a little awareness and some forethought, that Kryptonite does not have to take your power. Check out Women’s Voices for the Earth at womensvoices.org and reclaim your power!

Reclaim Your Power

Circulation IS the Cornerstone TO Health Part 2 – Recognizing Poor Circulation

Many people experience symptoms of poor blood flow, day in and day out and think of these symptoms as their “new normal” thinking that everything is OK, but poor circulation creeps up on you.

Are you someone who experiences swelling, tingling, coldness or numbness in your hands and feet? Low blood flow can contribute to these symptoms.

If you experience digestive issues, low blood flow can be the culprit as a decrease in blood flow slows down digestion and your body’s ability to absorb nutrients. This can lead to stool retention, known as constipation, which can lead to feeling bloated and uncomfortable. Who wants that?

Poor circulation can weaken your immune system and may cause you to pick up illnesses faster than someone who has good circulation.

The brain relies heavily on blood flow to function properly. As you age, you might experience brain fog, feel less focused & get confused easily, but that is not normal. It may be a sign of poor circulation to the brain.

How many people wake up exhausted before the day begins? Do you find that you wake up with sore muscles or that you have less endurance during the day? When your circulation slows down, the amount of fuel delivered to your muscles becomes restricted causing less oxygen and nutrients to fuel your muscles and thus, you feel tired!

Without proper blood flow, two filters of elimination; the liver and kidneys cannot function properly causing damage to these vital organs. Since the kidneys regulate the fluids in the body, poor circulation in the kidneys can lead to swelling and other problems. I will discuss this in Part 3, where I will share how getting the proper circulation in my kidneys saved me from a world of hurt.

Wouldn’t you rather experience, abundant energy, better blood flow, efficient waste removal, clarity of mind, physical fitness and endurance? How would you like to reduce your stress levels, enhance your breathing and cardiac function, as well as experience great sleep?

Good circulation is the KEY to a healthy body.

Good circulation is KEY-1.jpg

Full Bucket

In 1992, when I experienced the onset of multiple chemical sensitivities, it was challenging to focus my attention on anything other than the reactions that I experienced in my body. Exposure to chemicals was everywhere!

I was subjected to various photographic chemicals at my jobs, cosmetics, toiletries, mildew, food additives, conditioners and preservatives, pesticides in our food supply, pesticides sprayed around the perimeter of our home, mosquito spraying, road construction, lawn chemicals, petrochemicals, chlorine and fluoride in our water, home remodeling, animal dander and so much more.

I refer to what I experienced as the Full Bucket Theory. Please allow me to explain. Most people do not think about all the chemicals that go on their body, and into their body, through touch/absorption, ingestion or inhalation. Nevertheless, these daily exposures add up and eventually your immune system begins to weaken.

Sooner or later, the bucket (your immune system) gets full, cannot hold anymore and begins to crack. Think of water filling a bucket. What happens when there is too much water for the bucket to hold? It begins to spill over or depending on its condition, it begins to crack, as the pressure is too great to keep its integrity. When it cracks, water begins seeping through the crack until it erodes and eventually breaks.

Think about what happens to the immune system if it begins to crack and lose its integrity. You get sick right? You go to the doctors, but they have no clue what is wrong with you. You have so many different symptoms that the doctors just scratch their head and run test after test after test with no answers, so it must be psychosomatic. Have you heard that one?

Your friends and family do not understand you and most of them think that it is all in your head. Your spouse or significant other is doing their best to understand you, but they too have a challenge wrapping their head around what is happening to you. I used to think, “how can I expect anyone to understand me when I did not understand what was going on myself?”

Reclaiming my health was an empowering journey that opened my eyes to healthier ways of living and being. You too can experience empowerment on any level that you choose. Where do you begin? You begin one step at a time. Remember, it takes many steps to build a ladder. Begin by exploring what is overloading your bucket and slowly relieve your bucket of its heavy load.

yellow ceramic mug with water droplets in time lapse photography — Photo by Ravi Kant on Pexels.com

You Are Limitless!

There was a time in my life when I experienced multiple chemical sensitivities and I became fearful of having a reaction to any numbers of triggers. I viewed my life through the lens of what I could not do. Ideally what I learned will aid in your own healing process.

By recognizing whatever fear haunts you, and owning that you feel this way, you give yourself the power to heal. Ask yourself, “How does choosing to feel this way serve me?” What is the pay off? What is it showing me? Is it showing me that I feel powerless? Is it showing me that I am giving my power away to an idea?

Fear can be a catalyst for change. Change can be releasing a habit that no longer serves you, or among other things, change can be releasing a relationship that is not in your best interest. Yes, change can be scary, but it can also be exhilarating and transforming. It all depends on how you perceive it.

You can use your fear to catapult yourself into the experience, explore it fully, let it go and experience the fullness of who you are! Once that happens, everything looks and feels different. You experience yourself in a whole new way. You recognize that you are more than what you see when you look in the mirror, and new doorways open for you. At first, it might be a window, but if you look through that window, you might see a doorway that was always there that you never saw before, because now you are looking with new eyes. With this new awareness, synchronicities begin to happen every day. New opportunities are suddenly present. You are always in the right place at the right time. You begin to meet people who think like you. The unseen is suddenly experienced. Something has changed. The word “can’t” is no longer in your vocabulary. You are no longer limited, YOU are LIMITLESS!

You Are Limitless -RGB PB 10-16-18

Awareness, Attitude, Action

Awareness, Attitude, Action

By Pam Bown

In this ever-changing world, the term chemically sensitive is becoming a household word and numerous people are experiencing mystery illnesses. This is due in part, to the pervasiveness of chemicals, poisons, invisible and potentially detrimental frequencies in our environment.

Have you ever wondered why you can smell the cleaners in the store if the bottles are sealed? “Sealed” bottles off-gas chemicals into the air. When you add that we live in an invisible sea of electromagnetic fields that continually affect us, it is easy to get overwhelmed.

Healing starts with mindfulness of what is around us, what we eat, what we drink and of course, what we breathe. Just those vital necessities, if not cleaned up, have the potential to prevent the ability to live clean, healthy and full lives.

Knowledge is power when applied appropriately. You have control over the air in your home, what comes into your home, what goes on your skin, what you breathe, what you drink and what goes on the end of your fork. There are also steps that you can take to mitigate electromagnetic fields (EMFs) in your home.

The first step is awareness. Would you let someone in your home if you knew they were going to steal from you? Of course not. Do you know what chemicals and EMFs are stealing from you? Your health. Countless people have no clue about EMFs or what is in the cleaning products that they use every day in their home, and that there are natural solutions for a toxic-free home.

The second step is attitude. You choose how to respond to this information. Ideally it will empower you to make healthful changes.

The third step is action, which all depends on how you respond to the first two steps.

I have been living non-toxic since 1994, therefore I understand the reluctance to make changes in routine. Yet change can be exciting, if you choose to perceive it that way.

May I suggest that you take the time to understand the toxins that are in your home. When you are aware of this information, you can make informed choices. Ideally, you will be inspired to make healthy changes that allow your home to be your sanctuary where you can thrive!

Open A Window

The Solution to pollution is Dilution

I Know How You Feel

I KNOW HOW YOU FEEL – YOU CAN HEAL MULTIPLE CHEMICAL SENSITIVITIES

By Pam Bown

I understand feeling disempowered, to feel as if the entire world is out to get you, one smell, one chemical, one reaction at a time. Your loved ones think that you are crazy, and the doctors cannot find a reason for the mysterious symptoms that you are experiencing. Of course, what others say does not make it less real.

If you walk into a mall and get a whiff of some of the “wonderful smells” and you suddenly feel disoriented and cannot breathe, then it is all in your head. If you walk into a building that has new smells; new furniture, new paint, new carpeting and you get sick, you are faking it. If you are suddenly headachy, confused and have breathing challenges from tar fumes or car exhaust, well… that is just ridiculous. If you are inside a building frantically looking for a way out to catch a breath of fresh air, trust me, I know how you feel.

I know what it is like to be afraid of going to a party due to any number of embarrassing reactions. I know how it feels when people are staring at you because you look anxious, bewildered and lost. I know the anxiety you feel when you walk into a friend’s home, and not wanting to make a fool of yourself, but needing to get out ASAP. I know the panic in your body when you sit in someone’s car who uses an air freshener and you must get out!

YOU can tame this tiger and experience a quality of life that you never thought was possible. You can reclaim your health. Learn about chemicals and electromagnetic radiation in your home and work environment.

Empower yourself with the knowledge of how your body responds to certain triggers. Your body has innate wisdom that if you listen, will guide you through your healing process. Learn to love your body so that it can love you back with good health, a clear mind and a compassionate heart.

Bryce Canyon UT 3-30-07 - I know how you feel (26)

Circulation IS the Cornerstone To Health

The circulatory system is the most important system in the body. For this system to function properly, the body continually circulates approximately 5 liters of blood to deliver oxygen, nutrients, hormones and regulate pH to support every cell, organ and process in the body. Poor circulation affects everyone, at every age. If not addressed, it can lead to serious health challenges.

The circulatory system is the river of life! The veins make up 14.5% of the circulatory system and the arteries make up 11.5% of the circulatory system. That is only 26%. What about the rest? Microvessels called capillaries make up 74% of the circulatory system! The capillaries are where microcirculation occurs. Approximately 100 trillion cells in the body are nourished and cleansed via microcirculation.

When microcirculation is disturbed, the expansion and contraction of blood vessels slows, and the body begins to break down. Many factors hinder microcirculation such as: stress, (both environmental and psychological), some pharmaceuticals, and a sedentary lifestyle, just to name a few. Stress can cause constricted blood vessels, which is like a dam in a river. Keeping this analogy in mind, if your blood vessels are not expanding and contracting to move the blood along, the cells slowly become starved of oxygen and nutrition. A lack of oxygen and nutrients to the cells leads to acidity. Acidity destroys cell metabolism which can set the stage for chronic conditions.

Here is the bottom line. When you have healthy microcirculation, you have healthy cells. When you have healthy cells, you have healthy tissues. When you have healthy tissues, you have healthy organs. When you have healthy organs, you have a healthy body!

The path to wellness begins and ends everyday with great circulation. Invest in yourself and your future health because you are worth it!

For more information on how you can experience enhanced circulation, please contact

Pam Bown at pamelabown@gmail.com