Month: March 2023

Cannabis and the Convergence of Neurodivergence with Miyabe Shields PhD | BTS 87

Disclaimer: In this episode, we discuss some heavy topics that touch on mental health struggles and suicidal ideation. None of the information in this episode or any other Curious About Cannabis episode should be considered medical advice. All of our content is for educational and entertainment purposes only.

In this raw behind-the-scenes episode I had the chance to catch up with endocannabinoid system researcher and science communicator Miyabe Shields, PhD. We spent much of our time together discussing the convergence of Cannabis, mental health, and neurodivergence – addressing many of the taboos and social stigmas associated with altering consciousness and treating the mind with Cannabis.

This is almost certainly just the beginning of a series of conversations that Miyabe and I will be having as we continue to unpack their fascination with the endocannabinoid system and natural products science – so stay tuned for more!

#Cannabis #CannabisResearch #Neurodiversity #Neurodivergent #Spectrum #Consciousness #CannabisEducation #MedicalCannabis #CannabisForMentalHealth #Psychology #NaturalProducts #CuriousAboutCannabis

CBD, Pain and Opioids: Bringing Translational Research to Cannabis with Maria T Rivera-Garcia PhD | BTS 86

In this behind-the-scenes interview we talk with Dr. Maria T Rivera-Garcia about her research investigating the effects of CBD-rich whole plant extract vapor on pain and opioid reward seeking behavior in female rats in a study titled, “High-CBD Cannabis Vapor Attenuates Opioid Reward and Partially Modulates Nociception in Female Rats”.

While on the surface this may seem like a simple study about how CBD influences opioid use – there is actually a lot more going on here. First of all this study utilized female rodents, which is very uncommon. The vast majority of preclinical rodent research uses male rodents almost exclusively due to reasons we unpack during the episode. This has led to a gross under-representation of sex differences in biomedical research.

Second, Maria and colleagues decided to utilize the vapor of whole plant CBD-rich Cannabis extract rather than using CBD isolate that is often diluted and injected, ultimately leading to results that do not accurately reflect real-world situations.

Together, these two decisions point to a common theme that is woven into this research study – scientists need to focus on doing research that better represents the real world. The results from this study are fascinating, so get your notebook ready and let’s dive in!

Link to the study: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2772392522000451

About Maria:

Maria Teresa Rivera-Garcia has a major in psychology and a minor in neuroscience from the National Autonomous University of Mexico, where she started defining her academic interests towards the study of neurobiological mechanisms of addiction. After undergrad, Maria did a Master and a PhD in Neuropharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, her research focused on the neurochemical effects of solvent inhalation and its relation with the development of psychosis. Maria moved to the US in 2016 to pursue her postdoctoral training in the Oregon and Health and Science University, studying sex and age differences in dopaminergic function and how this is related to psychiatric illnesses, including addiction. In 2020, Maria joined Legacy Research Institute to complete her second postdoctoral stay under the guidance of Dr. Adie R. Wilson-Poe, where she studied the pharmacological interaction between opioids and cannabinoids in pain-oriented models. Recently, Maria got accredited as Qualified Mental Health Provider and became a member of the Cascadia Health clinicians team, currently providing services within the Child and Family Program.

#CannabisEducation #CBD #CBDOil #WholePlantExtract #WholePlant #FullSpectrum #BroadSpectrum #Hemp #HempExtract #MedicalCannabis #Addiction #MentalHealth #Opioids #CuriousAboutCannabis

Living Authentically and Casually Baked with Johanna Nuding | BTS 85

Johanna Nuding left everything she knew in her home state of Texas behind to rediscover herself as she lived abroad in a foreign country. Normally equipped with the strong communication skills typical of a marketing professional – for this journey, Jo would have to lose her ability to communicate. After a powerful series of life lessons, Johanna moved from Italy to California to begin a new chapter of life committed to a promise of living authentically. And with that authenticity – came the Casually Baked podcast. In this behind-the-scenes conversation we meet up with Jo to talk about her personal journey with Cannabis and how, upon returning to the United States with a newfound appreciation for the ability to communicate effectively, Johanna set out on a mission to use her skills as a storyteller and media creative to help people navigate the confusing world of Cannabis.

Along with the Casually Baked podcast, Johanna, with the help of a PhD friend, also has a line of Cannabis topicals that are in development and designed to help people with sensitive skin, including eczema, that may have trouble using common Cannabis skincare products on the market.

To learn more about Casually Baked, visit: https://casuallybaked.com/

To learn more about MJ Skin Relief, visit: https://mjskinrelief.com/

Stay curious and take it easy!

Infusing Cannabis Education with Curated Interactive Events with Tamara Anderson of Culinary & Cannabis | BTS 84

In this behind-the-scenes conversation we meet Tamara Anderson, a nurse by day and Cannabis event curator by night. Through a series of seemingly divinely orchestrated life events, Tamara realized that their skills as a nurse and pastry chef were perfectly suited to help people understand the many different ways that Cannabis can be used and how those products can affect the body.

Through personalized curated events ranging from luxurious spa experiences to 5-star chef-cooked infused meals at home – Tamara goes out of their way to ensure that anyone can have the chance to experiment with Cannabis edibles, topicals and other products so that they can figure out what kind of relationship, if any, they want with Cannabis.

In our conversation we discuss the role of experiential learning in Cannabis education and why it is so important for people to gain hands-on experience with Cannabis and Cannabis derived products when trying to learn about them. We also discuss the ways in which Tamara’s curated events have impacted some of their attendees, how Cannabis education affects Cannabis stigma, and more!

Learn more about Culinary and Cannabis at: https://www.culinaryandcannabis.com/

#CannabisEducation #CuriousAboutCannabis #CannabisEdibles #Hemp #CannabisEvents #CannaSpa #CulinaryAndCannabis

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