Cannabis Patient Care - August 2021

CannabisPatientCareAugustIssue2021

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36 cannabis patient care | vol. 2 no. 2 cannapatientcare.com feature S TARTING AT THE age of 19, Pepper Hernandez was diagnosed with an epileptic disorder, but she wasn't familiar with seeking cannabis as a medical treatment option. It wasn't until a cancer scare years later that the idea of using medical cannabis was sparked. There was a grapefruit-sized tumor attached to her left ovary, affect- ing her hormones. As a naturopath, Hernandez began reach- ing out to organic cannabis farmers and other medical canna- bis experts to treat her seizure disorder, tumor, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Through their help and guidance, as well as her own research, she dove into it head- first by focusing on the profile of the plant and how it works with body systems. "I was looking at terpene-cannabinoid combination which create a profile and connected it with the body's system–not just the element or discomfort, but the body system which created those different discomforts. That's what I still do to- day. It's more well-known now, but quite a few years ago, it was absolutely unheard of," said Hernandez. "People just were not on that spectrum of thinking. I'm really into help- ing with craft cannabis, helping ar tisanal farmers create and protect their strains and cultivars, and matching them with physical ailments and discomfor ts." As a seizure and epileptic sur vivor, Pepper thrives on be- ing more in control over her body. She emphasized how hav- ing a seizure, panic attack, or anxiety, are out of control ex- periences. "I wasn't interested in ever using cannabis or even using any other kind of natural medicines that were psychedelic," said Hernandez. "But when I star ted really un- derstanding that only the THC, not THCA, was the one that gave the alteration, I was able to star t breaking down the different terpenes and recognizing CBD, CBG, and all of these other cannabinoids are actually good for the ner vous sys- tem. I can do this without feeling altered. It really was just about a decade ago when I star ted using cannabis—around 2012—in a medicinal way." Holistic Health Alternatives Offer Patients Other Treatment Plans B Y M A D E L I N E C O L L I AdobeStock.com/ j-mel Pepper Hernandez, a Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine (ND), PhD in transpersonal psychology, board-certified holistic health practitioner, and the CEO and founder of the Cannabis Holistic Institute, has suffered from an epileptic disorder since she was 19 years old. After a cancer scare, Hernandez turned to cannabis and it blossomed into a learning experience to treat her health conditions using the medicinal plant. The cannabis plant treated her epileptic disorder, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and other ailments. From her personal interest, Hernandez delved into researching the different cannabinoids, terpene profiles, and other cannabis benefits to not only help herself understand but to educate others as well. From those experiences as a medical cannabis patient, Hernandez set out to educate others in the healthcare field and general public to show that the stigma surrounding cannabis is unfounded.

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