eating beans and smoking weed
When Crohn's rudely turned my life upside down, weirdly and disappointingly, it didn't even cross my mind that weed might be helpful for my tummy troubles.
The bites of food I needed to eat to help me heal hovered close to my lips, bile rising as it neared. I couldn't take the bite, and if it got into my mouth, I couldn't chew and swallow. Maybe the hideous pain made me so nauseous, perhaps the fact that I was in a constant state of fight or flight made my digestion shut down, or hell, maybe it was just the fact that I was inflamed from mouth to tale.
I knew only two things for sure, I had to sleep, and I had to eat if I wanted to heal. Otherwise, this ninety-pound patient was holding a one-way ticket to shits creek without a paddle. I booked an appointment to see my doctor. I did this often to make sure I wasn't entirely killing myself by trying to heal naturally. After my exam, we headed to his office to catch up. I told him I had found another diet I was trying and that I felt this one would benefit me if I could only get the food past my lips. He took notes, and after a while, he paused and said, "You can't eat, you're in constant pain, and you haven't slept more than 2 hours a night in 3 years. I'm about to suggest something I have never suggested in my 25 years of practice, cannabis". Nope, I shook my head. Nope, nope and nope. "I have kids, and..." before I could finish, he said, "you need to eat if you want to heal, and you will benefit greatly from sleeping and besides, you dont' have to smoke it if you are worried about your kids smelling it. I've never even prescribed cannabis, but I feel it will help in all areas you need help with." I walked out clutching a cannabis prescription but firmly committed NOT to fill it.
Cut to me months later walking into my first medicinal pharmacy. I grew up with it being illegal, hell most of us have, and yet here I was about to buy it like it was a normal thing. Sure I had to show the doctors note and sign away my life but pretty easy all in all. They asked me what I needed, and I said Crohn's. They rolled out a bunch of options for sleep, nausea, pain, etc. I left with what felt like an obscene amount of weed. I felt scared, and I felt hope as I hustled to my car with the bounty.
I still felt weird about smoking weed at home, but that night before my dinner of white rice, chicken breast, and black beans I stepped outside with my freshly rolled joint and took a puff. Within moments I was floating, the pain slowly drifting to the background, it was still there, just not in my face picking a fight. My stomach relaxed and the bile sitting just below my lips slipped back, and nausea faded. I walked inside hungrier than I can ever remember being in my life, my only challenge was not eating it all in one bite. Ok so maybe weed has a seat at my table. I might have laughed a lot that night too, something that seldom happened in those days. I soon found myself smoking before every meal and eating everything on my plate, and so began my healing. One step forward, sometimes two back but little by little I built back what reckless living had taken away. Yeah, I pulled the trigger on my inflammation story, but I'd be damned if I wasn't going to work my ass off to reverse it. I'm stubborn and when I set my mind to something the possibilities are endless. Crohn's was no different for me. I was going to heal naturally come hell or high water. Never underestimate the power of what you can do when you commit to it.
After getting better, I made a promise to honor my body for the rest of my days and to help others seeking natural relief honor theirs. Do I feel deprived? HELL NO. I feel blessed to get a second chance. I'm healthy now and thankful every day for the role weed played in my healing journey.
BTW. I lived on white rice, black beans, and lean chicken (sometimes eggs) for a while. I slowly worked in some baby food like green beans and squash and next up was nut butter, two tablespoons a day. I was patient and I built my intestines back as if I were a baby learning to eat.
Where are you on your health journey? Are you bumping up against belief systems that are holding you back? Do you need a knowledgeable cheerleader to help you along your path? Let's connect.