Cannabis and Lyme Disease

I write this article from a dual standpoint. I am a Lyme parent (my daughter has been devastatingly effected by Lyme Disease) and I am a Cannabis Counselor and Dosing Specialist at Blue Sage Health Consulting at Bloom City Club in Ann Arbor, Mi. Cannabis has probably been the single most helpful thing that we have found to help treat my daughter’s symptoms of Lyme Disease. While my daughter was recommended cannabis by her doctor specifically for severe and chronic pain, she has also found a great deal of relief from nausea, lack of appetite, muscle spasms, fatigue, depression, and anxiety.

Let me first start with a bit of cannabis education. All of our bodies have an endocannabinoid system (ECS)….we didn’t learn about it in school, but we all have one. Our body’s endocannabinoid system uses its own endogenous cannabinoids. That means that we all create our own cannabinoids inside our bodies. Because of this we each have receptors all over our body that bind to cannabinoids. It is the role of the ECS to help provide balance within the other systems of the body; this is a very important system. If the ECS is out of balance, it is very likely that the other body systems are out of balance too. What’s amazing is that plant cannabinoids from the cannabis plant can bind to our body’s endocannabinoid receptors and help bring the ECS back into balance. If the ECS is in balance it helps to bring the other body systems back into balance too. This is why it is effective to use cannabis for healing. Cannabinoids from the cannabis plant are known to reduce inflammation, relieve nausea/vomiting, relieve pain, provide neuroprotection, reduce blood sugar levels, relieve anxiety and depression, suppress muscle spasms, reduce seizures & convulsions, aid in sleep, and more.

As those of you who have Lyme Disease know, many of those symptoms are Lyme symptoms. Because cannabis can help reduce so many of the symptoms of Lyme Disease, it seems obvious that someone with Lyme Disease may want to try it, but it’s not. There is a lot of confusion about the laws surrounding cannabis and a great deal of stigma is associated with it. A lot of patients and doctors alike are not well informed, and because of this I feel that cannabis is under used by Lyme patients. Cannabis is not for everyone, but I am writing this article in the hopes that it may provide some clear and concise information for those of you who may benefit from its use.

Contrary to what the American people have been told for the past 70 years, cannabis is very safe. The lethal dose is so high that no one has even been able to find it. Documentation shows that cannabis has been used therapeutically as far back as 2737 BC. One of the main advantages of using cannabis therapeutically is that it actually improves human health; it’s a neuroprotectant. Many of the prescription medicines available are actually damaging to our health. Cannabis also has very few contraindications with prescription medications.

So how can cannabis help? Most people are aware at this point that Lyme Disease is devastating to those who suffer from it. Lyme Disease effects a person’s entire life: relationships, work, school, social life, family life, etc. Symptoms like extreme fatigue, pain, neurological symptoms, depression, and anxiety can leave the person inactive a lot of the time. This leads to degeneration of their physical body as well as emotional reality. Cannabis can provide relief from many of these symptoms which has a double benefit. Not only could a person get MUCH needed relief from many of the symptoms like pain, anxiety, nausea, depression, fatigue, etc., but also then allows the person to push through the physical and emotional pain in order to be more active and get back to participating in life. This is one of the most important factors in using cannabis for Lyme Disease. With less pain, the person can potentially engage in school/work/fun. With less depression/anxiety the person can potentially participate in life. With less muscle spasms the person’s body can function properly. With less nausea and vomiting and a better appetite the person can eat again. With less fatigue the person can do activity, school and/or work again. We all know the saying “use it or lose it” and that is all too true in the world of Lyme Disease. There are pharmaceuticals that can address Lyme Disease symptoms, but they often have side effects…and then you get prescribed a medicine for those side effects…and so on. To have an incredibly safe medicinal plant that actually benefits health, lends to much symptom relief, and allows a person to be more active in their lives is just outstanding!

I wanted to address the idea that I hear from time to time about high-dose cannabis (specifically Rick Simpson Oil or RSO) can effectively kill Lyme bacteria. I do not know this to be true. I have heard and read reports of this, but they are not scientific/ research studies. I do know that there are many cannabinoids (active compounds in the cannabis plant) that are anti-bacterial, but I have no direct experience or knowledge of any research that show this anti-bacterial quality to be able to kill the Lyme spirochete. There is no question that there is lack a research in Lyme Disease in general, but there is an even bigger lack of research on Lyme Disease and cannabis. That is why I thought it important to write this article. I am not saying to use cannabis as a treatment for Lyme disease, but I am saying that it can be life-changing in its ability to relieve many of its worst symptoms. This has been true for our family and that is why I have passionately shared this information with all of you!

Julie Barron is a cannabis counselor and dosing specialist at Blue Sage Health Consulting in Ann Arbor, MI. Julie has a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from University of Michigan and Dual Master’s Degree in Counseling Psychology & Music Therapy from Naropa University. She worked as a Licensed Professional Counselor and Board Certified Music Therapist in Colorado for 15 years. Her professional career included work at the Boulder Valley School District, Children’s Hospital – Denver, Colorado Institute for Developmental Pediatrics, and many others. For over 20 years, Julie has done extensive research and training in the health benefits and use of cannabis. Julie has devoted her practice to helping clients incorporate natural alternatives to wellness and finding healing & relief from natural medicines.

Blue Sage Health at Bloom City Club helps patients navigate their way through the medical cannabis process. Blue Sage offers 1 on 1 consultations to help patients determine cannabis protocols, dosing and product matching. Blue Sage Health also does cannabis education classes (CBD 101, CBD 102, Cannabis 101, Natural Alternatives to Pain Relief With Cannabis, etc.) To find out more information, to book a consultation or to find out about a class go to BlueSageHealth.com, email us at bluesagehealth@gmail.com, or call (734) 585-7063.

Bloom City Club is a provisioning Center in Ann Arbor, MI. It is an organization of successful professional business women dedicated to providing the highest quality medical cannabis, outstanding customer service, and the most valuable information to our registered medical patients. You can find Bloom at 423 Miller Ave, Ann Arbor, MI 48103. Find them online at bloomcityclub.com or call (734) 585-0621.

Please look for my second article to come that will go into more detail which specific plant cannabinoids are helpful in relieving symptoms of Lyme Disease as well as different methods of delivery (ways to use cannabis) that are most effective.