‍This post written and contributed by Joan Baijnath, MD of Emde Cares.

Medical cannabis has been a wonder drug for my female patients, often providing the boost they need to “break the cycle” of stress.

—Joan Baijnath, MD

Some say women were created in the image of God, and it’s easy to see why. We create life, We sacrifice ourselves for others, We anchor our families emotionally & spiritually, and We offer unparalleled love & compassion to those we care about it…All in day’s work, right?

Being Superwoman isn’t as easy as it may appear

But from these worthy endeavors have grown many serious responsibilities, no doubt heightened in recent decades by the women’s liberation movement. I’m not alone among my fellow ladies in proclaiming that at least a few of us may have bitten off more than we can chew. In addition to all the traditional roles, women now find themselves working full-time (sometimes 2-3 jobs), while still juggling care for our children, husbands, pets, and in some cases our parents.

While a few of us may thrive in these “superwoman” roles, there’s little denying the toll such stress takes on women’s health. As a physician, I see it all the time, often doing its greatest damage to women who seemingly “have it all together”. Some publicly hide it better than others, but the symptoms are far from glamorous—anxiety, insomnia, chronic fatigue, inflammation, etc—often compounding on top of the usual standby’s (i.e. PMS and menopause).

Self-care? Who has the time or energy?

The main problem with elevated levels of stress over a prolonged period (i.e. “chronic stress) is that women become overwhelmed, leaving little time or energy for self-care. Whether it is emotional, physical, or environmental in nature, elevated stress hormones with no break in the cycle will put a woman’s health in an inflammatory state, often leading to a host of chronic metabolic diseases such as diabetes, high cholesterol, obesity, chronic fatigue, and fibromyalgia, to name a few.

In an ideal world, I’d tell my female patients to slow down and take better care of themselves through sustainable exercise, meditation, and nutrition, however, this path is not always easy to follow.

Cannabis offers a chance to refresh and recharge.

As an interim measure, medical cannabis has been a wonder drug for my female patients, often providing the boost they need to “break the cycle” of stress. It’s beautiful to watch the transformation in many female patients as cannabis works quickly to relieve their insomnia, chronic pain, and anxiety. Just a good night’s sleep (with the aid of cannabis) is critical to giving the body a chance to recover, self-heal, restore energy, and lower inflammation. As cannabis allows women to recharge, we often see the quality of life of their affected families improve as well.

It’s important to know that medical cannabis is not the same as the pot we experienced in college or from a friend down the street…

—Joan Baijnath, MD

For some women (and men) there remains some lingering stigmas and misconceptions about marijuana use. But with medical cannabis, we can select different ratios of CBD to THC, thereby uplifting or sedating strains to achieve appropriate symptom control with minimal psychoactive effect. It’s important to know that medical cannabis is not the same as the pot we experienced in college or from a friend down the street, where little was/is known about its origin, strain, potency, grow technique, pesticide/herbicide exposure, etc. With reputable dispensaries like Surterra Wellness, there is regulated product and an abundance of information about cannabis/CBD options as well as different application methods.

Break the cycle the Surterra Wellness way.

A favorite product of mine from Surterra Wellness is the Zen vape, which I affectionately refer to as “a glass of wine”, given its ability to relax, elevate mood, and/or boost energy after a long day’s work. Every day, patients tell me how this and other cannabis products have positively affected their health & lives, and for some even saved their marriages. And, yes, ladies, cannabis can increase libido as well!

While I strongly advocate a balanced holistic approach to health & wellness for all my patients, medical cannabis is an essential tool in navigating that path for many high stressed women. Among the plethora of medications, I’m licensed to recommend or prescribe, cannabis stands out as my drug of choice for treating a myriad of conditions with little or no side effects. Few pharmaceutical drugs can make that claim.

Joan Baijnath, MD

Emde Cares

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