Cannabis & Harm Reduction
Happy September, back to school, and national recovery month! As a Cannabis Clinician, people often ask me; “Is Cannabis a drug of abuse or a wonder drug? To answer your questions, let’s start by breaking down addiction and recovery. Addiction is defined as a chronic, relapsing disorder characterized by compulsive drug seeking and use despite […]
Happy July & Happy Pride to our friends in California
Happy July, and to our friends in California, Happy Pride month. Cannabis has been intertwined with the LGBTQ Community and culture for the past 40+ years. AIDS patients in the 1980s knew the inability to eat or wasting syndrome could be mitigated by cannabis, which soothed nausea and stimulated the appetite. Groups in San Francisco […]
Men’s Health & Cannabinoids
Men are notorious for not going to the doctor or getting screening tests, which is dangerous because men die at higher rates than women from every cause; heart disease, stroke, cancer, COPD, accidents, liver and kidney failure, diabetes, and suicide. Blood pressure, cholesterol, diabetes, and prostate concerns can be detected on annual screenings, so schedule […]
May is Arthritis Awareness Month
Hello May! Springtime feels official and it’s time to break free and explore the great outdoors. Many of us can’t run trails, and sometimes walking is hard for the 53 million adults in America with arthritis. , and there’s a reason it is our #1 cause of disability, creating 172 million missed workdays every year. […]
April is Irritable Bowel Awareness Month
Spring is blossoming and flowers are blooming. How about the flora, or microbiome of your gut? April is irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) awareness month and we’re going to explain what that is and how it can be treated. IBS is an intestinal condition where pain, bloating, constipation, and diarrhea affect quality of life and functional […]
Endometriosis & Cannabis
Happy March! Spring rain, spring training, and a note of awareness to an issue that women around the world struggle with; endometriosis. Approximately 10% of all women suffer from painful episodes as endometrial issues affect their daily life. Many lose out on work, social events, and overall quality of life because of unpredictable symptoms and […]
Heart health, Cannabinoids & Love
February is heart health month, so let’s review how to keep our cardiovascular system well. The heart beats over 100,000 times per day, sending rich oxygenated blood through our arteries to nourish our cells. Veins return the used blood, waste, and carbon dioxide to the heart and lungs to reload with oxygen and circulate again. […]
Happy 2022! New Year, New You!
Release the old and embrace the new! Do you ever wonder why it seems easier for others to change? Why are some successful and some not? Deep down we know we are capable of better health, but we lose hope, give up, and even sabotage our own efforts. Most of us lose our healthy resolutions […]
Cannabis Nursing = A Gift
7 years ago I found cannabis therapeutics and healed my own body from 3 orthopedic surgeries and the diagnosis of fibromyalgia I received when the operations were unsuccessful. CBD oils and micro doses of THC did more to heal me than decades of drugs or therapies. I am not alone. Many nurses and other healthcare […]
November is Diabetes Awareness Month
I hope you have a healthy kickoff to this holiday season. November is Diabetes Awareness Month, which is critical since most of us have gotten heavier since COVID. Pounds easily accumulate with aging, eating too much, and not moving enough. Type 2 diabetes rates are surging globally, and the CDC estimates that 1:3 Americans, or […]
Celebrate Women’s Health Month with 25% off ALL Programs!
Happy October and Happy Autumn! Each month I enjoy educating our audience on how to bring balance to the endocannabinoid system, and no one needs that more than women, especially those approaching menopause. Unlike many ailments, all women will experience changes to their bodies with aging, with some more affected than others. Menopause brings pros […]
Fall Events
Back in Business – stepping up in this new industry Happy September! We hope you’ve been staying healthy and well this summer and that you’re ready to learn more about plant-based medicine with Holistic Caring & The Green Nurse. We’ve been busy consolidating our teams, with Holistic Caring educational programs and consulting, and The Green […]
Migraines and Cannabinoids
Happy August, and where is the summer going? Time is going by like a flash of light – like the light that can trigger headaches for those who suffer from migraines. Chronic headaches plague about 40 million Americans, affecting mostly women. These reoccurring bouts of pulsing or throbbing pain are often accompanied by nausea, light […]
Autoimmune Conditions & Cannabinoids
This month we look at the complicated world of autoimmune (AI) disorders. A healthy immune system is critical at keeping us able to ward off bugs, viruses, and bacteria. Yet up to 50 million Americans, or 10% of us struggle with either an underactive – not enough immunity to fight infections or an over-active response […]
PTSD Awareness Month
Hello June! This month draws recognition and awareness to PTSD, or post-traumatic stress disorder – especially in Veterans. People with PTSD feel a heightened sense of danger or doom with an exaggerated response to stress, even when they’re safe. Our fight or flight response is necessary to keep us alive in the event of an […]
Happy May & Happy Nurses Month!
Nurse’s week is 5/6-12 and we’re celebrating with you! Once again, nurses rank as the most trusted profession in America and provide leadership throughout healthcare. I first became a nurse in 1987 and worked in hospitals until I received my MBA in Healthcare in 1996. The next 20 years I spent running operations and sales […]
Autism Awareness Month
Happy Spring! April is one of my favorite months to go outside to feel the warm sunshine, enjoy fragrant flowers, behold the beauty of nature, and listen to the birds. It’s a time to tune into others with laughter and connection and to revel in all of our senses, emotions, and the flavors of life. […]
Cannabinoids & Multiple Sclerosis
The March health calendar drives awareness of the condition of Multiple Sclerosis. Almost 3 million people suffer from MS around the globe. Symptoms vary but essentially the myelin sheath that encases the nerve cells begins to degrade, exposing the nerves to damage, resulting in loss of function, pain, and nervous system degeneration. There is no […]
Heart Health Month
“Love is the virtue that makes all of the rules purposeful”. This sermon note explains why keeping love in our reasoning makes following rules easier. Compassion is your best compass, and remember to consider others with love. Medical cannabis laws keep improving access so more people can love their medicine as stigma fades. NORML recently […]
Happy New Year And Welcome 2021!
2020 taught us that our #1 treasure is our health. Our sick-care system treats conditions once they’ve already caused dis-ease. Diabetes is a difficult and expensive disease on its own, but having it raises CVD or cardiovascular disease 21%. Even with good control of blood sugar, diabetes ravages the body. Prevention is so hard because […]
Marijuana Legalization Still Denies Veterans Access
On Veterans Day in 2015 veterans dropped hundreds of empty pill bottles in front of the White House calling for federal officials to make medical marijuana accessible to veterans. Where are we today since that dramatic request? In 2019 medical patients and advocates are finding that legalization in California leaves them less access. Medical collectives […]
Giving Thanks
I am grateful for the opportunity to grow and develop new skills and ways of thinking. In October I spent at the Academy of Integrative Health and Medicine conference www.AIHM.org where thought leaders from around the country confirmed healthcare is broken. We discussed strategies to help people reconnect with their innate healing potential. No one […]
Take Action!
It’s political season, and hope runs high for change. California NORML has published an election guide that I’d like to share with you: https://www.canorml.org/california-cannabis-voter-guide-to-november-3-2020-election/ National coverage is at: https://vote.norml.org/ Double check your registration! https://norml.org/act/register-to-vote Cannabis is on the ballot in many ways so please support access of this Sacred Plant to all Americans. Congress is poised […]
Growing Our Calendar & Vision
Greetings to You and Happy Fall! October is a wonderful time to reflect with our longer nights and cooler temperatures. I’m finding my next steps as I reflect on the mission of Holistic Caring, which is to bring health and wholeness by bridging the gaps between traditional and cannabis medicine. Over the past year our […]
Making Cannabis a Treat versus a Trick
Healing yourself with cannabis should be a treat. Ingesting some cannabis infused homemade brownies start you with the giggles…but sometime later you may feel like a hot lava cube is spreading through your nervous system causing pain and dysphoria. Your heart starts racing. You think you are having a heart attack. Finally, your cotton mouth […]
Welcome to Fall
Welcome to Fall. As we reflect on our times, we grieve how Covid-19 has stolen 2020, and fear what is yet to come. Wildfires, floods, and pandemic economics leave us vulnerable and shaken. Politics grow uglier by the day, and the options seem daunting – yet we must each cast a deeply considered vote; https://vote.norml.org/ […]
Seeking a better path
Maturity has taught me to use quiet reflection to process and create, knowing there would be a place to connect everything in time. Patience and perseverance temper my drive to solve complex problems as a big picture visionary. Time marches on as 33 states have legal programs, and cannabinoids become mainstream. CBD (NY Times) On […]
Industry Changes & Mind Your Dosing!
Happy August, and it is hot! Please stay calm, cool and hydrated. Speaking of things getting hot, there is heat in the cannabis industry as state regulators continue to adjust the flow of this market. Beginning July 1st, all cannabis products must be tested for purity and potency. New packaging rules allow only 100 milligrams […]
Sleep Hygiene & CBD
Getting rest in today’s world Our world is always spinning, and with the uncertainty in the air between Covid and the future of work and school life, sleep may be harder to come by than ever. Many of us struggle to have enough rest, the American Sleep Association reports: “Sleep Disorder Statistics: 50-70 million US […]
Are there interactions with CBD?
Will cannabis affect your other medications? Every prescriber of medicines (your doctor or nurse practitioner) needs to check interactions between the RX you are given. Computers usually do this for them, and decisions are made to minimize risks. Cannabis is now included in RX software for clinicians; (Cannabis + RX). Drugs can interact with each […]
Value in Healthcare
Happy August – it’s the mid-point of Summer, and insurance carriers are calculating premium increases for Fall rate actions. Will COVID raise or lower premiums? Kaiser reporting released a preview showing 2.4% average increases, though carriers are saving millions on lower spending due to canceled elective procedures and shuttered doctor offices. 20 years in insurance […]
Let Freedom Ring
Hello Friends, I hope your independence holiday was filled with joy and relaxation! On this day, I am reminded about the many freedoms we have and also don’t have. As I think about freedoms, one really stands out to me; our freedom to choose medicinal cannabis versus pharmaceuticals. Every week at least one client tells […]
Happy July & Let Freedom Ring!
This July I treasure any sense of freedom I have. Liberty is challenged everywhere I look. As COVID-19 disrupts our sense of normalcy, self-care and self-direction become more important. Systems are stretched to capacity, and traditional thinking is questioned. Freedom over our body allows each of us to choose what kind of medicine we want, […]
Green Nurse Sherri Teaches College Course on Cannabis Nursing
Today I had an opportunity to teach a college course on cannabis nursing. Cannabis Nursing is much more than just cannabis because we have an endocannabinoid system that is affected by everything that we are doing or not doing in our lives. In my experience once we tap into the spiritual aspects of healing using […]
High Anxiety
Happy June, and I send my thoughts and prayers to our struggling world. Deep inequities, pain, anger, uncertainty, and trauma plague us all. Anxiety is high as we ache for our safety, health, security, and freedom. Unchecked anxiety leads to mental and physical changes that negatively alter our biology and reduce our quality of life. […]
The risks and benefits of cannabis for heart health
Do you know the risks and benefits of cannabis for heart health? Dr. Muthiah Vaduganathan, a cardiologist at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston authored a study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology last week. Medications used to treat cardiovascular disease, including statins and blood thinners are broken down by […]
The Science Behind Cannabis-Assisted Opioid Reduction
We would like to announce the addition of Ruth Hill, RN, BSN, CHPN to the Holistic Caring Team! Ruth is in Palm Springs / Coachella Valley and will contribute a career in oncology, palliative care, and psychiatric nursing. She also enjoys writing so we will all benefit from her insights in our regular column in […]
The Lesser Cannabinoids – there’s more than CBD & THC!
Cannabinoids are fatty acid proteins that affect your body in a myriad of ways. Our ECS or endocannabinoid systems keep us balanced at the cellular level without us even knowing it. Endocannabinoids that our body makes are mimicked and supported by phytocannabinoids –from the cannabis sativa plant. Yes, you are hard wired to supplement with […]
Here Comes the Sun
Happy June, and may we please have more sun than gloom this month in San Diego! Speaking of the sun – photophobia, or light sensitivity is often triggered from migraine headaches, and cannabinoids have been lifesavers to sufferers. Headaches are triggered from many different things like environmental allergens (Spring headaches?), foods, hormones, stress, hectic schedules, […]
May Flowers are Still Blooming!
Happy May, from a distance. It’s been quite the Spring, and my prayers go out for the health and safety of you and your loved ones. It’s also Nurses month and I send my heartfelt gratitude to all healthcare professionals. At this time of seismic shifts, when pulse oximetry, temperature scans, and toilet paper are […]
Project of Hope – A Bong For Mom
The Canna Nurse Show Our friends Joyce Gerber and Amie Searles from The Canna Mom Show wanted to share her thoughts about Project Hope: A Bong for Mom. We hope you enjoy! A Bong For Mom I am grateful I had the opportunity to be on these ladies podcast twice sharing information on our favorite […]
Hug a Nurse
May Day! It’s May 1st, and the month to recognize nurses for protecting, promoting and improving healthcare for all. May also brings awareness for blood pressure, stroke, arthritis, skin cancer, osteoporosis, and mental health. As we continue to integrate cannabinoids into every day health promotion, I appreciate the vasorelaxant and neuroprotective properties of CBD & […]
Telehealth Medical Cannabis Cards
Mass, Iowa, NY and VT Patients Coming Together to Help ALL Patients! Medical Cannabis Patients NEED and DESERVE to have access to cannabinoids AND not all medical cannabis patients have their medical cards. For those patients who have been using the adult use market for their medicine now do NOT have access to cannabinoids due […]
Spring fever on hold
Courage & Prayers this April I am sending my prayers to all of you in this time of crisis. Life is suddenly changed, and we must adapt to COVID-19 devastating our health and wellbeing. The news is frightening, and we will all suffer angst and worry. We will also gain resilience and be more grounded […]
Nikki Lawley – Cannabis Advocate & Educator
Nikki Lawley is a NY state resident and has has always been a proud and diligent worker. She’s served as an HVAC filtration salesperson, later starting her own company, then as a casino dealer, and most recently, as a pediatric nurse. She had suffered two traumatic brain injuries during her younger years, but it was […]
Telemedicine MMJ Card Certifications
Medical Cannabis Patients need to have access to cannabinoids. As we are being asked to consciously social distance it is essential that medical cannabis patients who have limited access to plant medicine have their medical cards for RMD delivery. The Green Nurse is here to help!! Many of our Cannabis Nurses are on the front […]
American Cannabis Nurses Association – COVID-19
Official Statement Issued from The American Cannabis Nurses Association (ACNA) The American Cannabis Nurses Association (ACNA) official statement about COVID19. Patients need access, but we need to be careful about any claims around cannabis and COVID19. President of the American Cannabis Nurses Association, Eloise Theisen speaks out on behalf of its members. “A message to […]
Marching into Spring 2020
Happy Springtime, and happy 3rd official Anniversary to Holistic Caring! Since inception (in 2016) we have been working hard to make a difference. Our nurse navigators have helped hundreds of clients manage the complicated path of using cannabis as medicine. DIY care is fine for recreational customers, but to our patients the dispensary experience is […]
Growing with Love & CBD
CBD is a wonder drug! CBD is a must have daily supplement! Have you heard the headlines? Have you seen CBD advertised in your local boutique? What is so special about those 3 magic letters that trigger so much hope? Or, is this all hype that you should ignore? Researchers found the cannabinoids CBD & […]
Educating Our Youth – Mom Gives Thanks
Sherri receives an email from a mom of two boys who interviewed her for a school project on Cannabis. The mom who arranged the interview at the GreenNurse Group is also a nurse. “I wanted to say thank you again for giving Jack and Kyle the opportunity to speak with you the other day. I […]
The canary in the coal mine
Veterans have long suffered physical and mental health conditions that impact quality of life. A recent study surveyed Veterans cannabis use and found they are using it to treat chronic pain, PTSD, and anxiety. Of those who pivot to medical cannabis, 78% report being able to actively reduce pharmaceuticals. Veterans have high RX rates of […]
Balancing autoimmune with cannabinoids
This month’s co-author is our Palm Desert RN, Ruth Hill, who breaks down the effects of cannabinoids on autoimmune disease (AD). Autoimmune disease occurs when the body’s hyperactive immune system mistakes its own cells for a foreign invader. A healthy immune system fights pathogens by creating special proteins called antibodies. Once a cell is tagged […]
Valentine Stocks
Want to give cannabis stocks to your Valentine? Ruth, our nurse in Palm Desert thought it might be fun to discuss Cannabis Investing as a fun, safe topic at your romantic dinner. You know when cannabis is safe for investment when “Varney and Company” on “Fox Business” puts up a screen with nine stocks. Varney […]
Cannabis Nurse Consultations – Do I need one?
Do I need a Cannabis Nurse Consultation? As a registered nurses we feel that everyone would benefit having a consult with a nurse who is trained in cannabinoid therapeutics. Cannabis Nursing is much more than just cannabis because we have an endocannabinoid system that is influenced by other health and wellness activities. The endocannabinoid system […]
Cannabis Nurses Respond to FDA News Release
The FDA news release on November 25th, 2019 states “Based on the lack of scientific information supporting the safety of CBD in food, the FDA is also indicating today that it cannot conclude that CBD is generally recognized as safe (GRAS) among qualified experts for its use in human or animal food.” We must remember […]
Positively Processing Perception
A collaborative approach on healing perception through “Positively Processing Perception.” This can be any type of perception or language that you have been contemplating or questioning. Let’s have a conversation and manifest healthy thoughts. When we are growing in health and experiencing post traumatic growth it is equally important to keep processing emotions. Positively Processing […]
Energy Healing With Registered Nurses
Energy medicine, energy therapy, energy healing, vibrational medicine, psychic healing, spiritual medicine or spiritual healing are branches of alternative medicine based on a belief that healers can channel healing energy into a patient and effect positive results. This idea contains several methods: hands on, hands off, distant or remote where the patient and healer are […]
Chronic Pain, Lifestyle Changes, and You
If you’ve recently been diagnosed with a condition that causes chronic pain, you may be wondering how you can manage a new lifestyle without sacrificing everything you love. Take heart knowing that it is possible and that there are many ways you can manage discomfort naturally and without the (over)use of potentially dangerous drugs. It […]
A Call to Action for the Massachusetts Hemp Industry
Join the The Green Nurses at The Massachusetts Hemp Coalition In conjunction with the Massachusetts hemp farming community The Green Nurse and the Mass community of hemp farmers, manufacturers/processors, retailers, consumers, healthcare providers, patients, and citizens engaged in the hemp industry will hold a press conference June 24, 2019 2 PM at the MA State […]
Living Your Best Life
What does it mean to “Live Your Best Life?” What does that mean? It means that you are waking up everyday with determination to make the most of what you have in any given moment to be the best version of yourself. Healing is not always the absence of illness or disease but it is […]
Ward Off Your Troubles Through Self-Care
Why do so many people fall victim to mental illness these days? Over 16 million adults have suffered a major depressive episode in the past year, and there’s no telling how many others struggle through their days riddled with anxiety without seeking any help. Chances are, you’ve felt pressure get the best of you, and […]
Without the Smoke – A Case for Cannabis Flower Vaporization
For cannabis consumers, there is an ever-growing selection of cannabis administration methods available. Cannabis can be inhaled, ingested, applied topically and transdermally, taken as a sublingual, inserted rectally and vaginally. Out of all of these options, inhalation is the most popular route of administration with smoking reigning supreme as the number one consumption method of […]
Hemp Hearts for Health
Reap The Benefits of this Powerfully Sowed Seed Hemp hearts, hemp-seeds, hemp nuts. What’s the difference between these three products? Well, nothing. Hemp seeds are actually hemp nuts, and they’re often called hemp hearts. Now that we’ve cleared that up, let’s explore some of the reasons why everyone should be consuming these tiny superfood powerhouses […]
Keys and Locks: Understanding the endoCannabinoid System
Maybe you haven’t heard yet, but humans (and all other mammals) have a network of receptors found throughout the brain and body that respond to the chemical compounds found in the cannabis plant. Our bodies even make chemical compounds that are very similar to the compounds found in the cannabis plant. This system is called […]
“I have my life back, this transformed me”
Scribed with permission from one of our GNG patients. “I want to share my story with you so that you can share it with others in hope that what I have experienced with Cannabis can benefit others. I am a 65 year old female who has a history of chronic pain disease, RSD or Reflexive […]
Bridging the Gap: A Green Nurse’s Story of Managing Colitis with Cannabis
An Overview of Irritable Bowel Disease Crohn’s disease and colitis are chronic inflammatory conditions of the gastrointestinal tract. These diseases can be lumped into the category of irritable bowel disease (IBD). It is estimated that 1.6 million Americans struggle with IBD. Symptoms related to inflammation in the GI tract include abdominal cramps, pain, constipation, diarrhea, […]
Hospice Patient – Cannabis
He answered the door in his bathrobe, hunched over and looking down. He was unable to speak because he had a tracheostomy. He was on hospice care dying of esophageal cancer. When we sat down I was able to see how this disease had wreaked havoc with his body. He was emaciated, in pain, withdrawn […]
Cannabis Patent
Cannabinoids have been found to have antioxidant properties, unrelated to NMDA receptor antagonism. This new found property makes cannabinoids useful in the treatment and prophylaxis of wide variety of oxidation associated diseases, such as ischemic, age-related, inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. The cannabinoids are found to have particular application as neuroprotectants, for example in limiting neurological […]
Canna Nurses Speak Out
American Cannabis Nurses Association Supports New Cannabis Schedule For immediate release September 12, 2017 – Wheat Ridge, CO – A survey of nurses conducted by the American Cannabis Nurses Association (ACNA), has led to a call for Congress to amend the 1970 Controlled Substances Act (CSA) and create a new schedule specific and restricted to […]
Plant Power
REWARDED with a smile, a hug and a whole lot of love for assisting a new medical cannabis patient. Our GreenNurse™ shares about her patient who doesn’t know what it means to be high, but NOW knows what it feels like to feel good again. “I witnessed with my own two eyes the transformative effects […]
It’s Personal
It’s been an awesome journey of self discovery and healing to step into my passion of helping others utilize cannabis as a medicine. As one of the GreenNurses I have had the opportunity to empower patients by teaching how to utilize various tools, including cannabis, for optimal health and wellness specific to each patients medical […]
Get Your Card & Keep Your Job
Firing somebody with a medical-marijuana prescription is illegal discrimination, court rules By adamg on Mon, 07/17/2017 – 10:49am The Supreme Judicial Court ruled today that voter approval of medicinal marijuana means employers can no longer simply fire workers who test positive for THC on a drug test if they can prove they were using the […]
The Green Nurse 4 U
The Green Nurse is on your side!! Nurses are healthcare providers who strive to promote health, prevent illness and alleviate suffering. The fundamental principles of nursing are compassion and respect for the individual patient. A key role of the nurse is to act as a patient advocate. The nursing profession holds that health is a […]
Doctor Green
Growth in Health is EMPOWERING people to make choices to support optimal health while managing symptoms of chronic illness. Please take a peek at the history of the American Medical Association (AMA) and their stance on Medical Cannabis. Doctors have supported the utilization of cannabis as medicine for a long time. CURRENT American Medical Association […]
Seeker of Green Knowledge
I have experimented with marijuana throughout my life enjoying the social aspects of getting high. It wasn’t until I got sick in 2012 that I could fully appreciate what this glorious plant could do for me and continues to do for my health. From registered nurse to patient, I was an un-employed mother of three. I […]