Pam Dyer grew up in British Columbia.Like lots of people, she tried marijuana in her youth. She used marijuana recreationally for a couple of years in her early twenties. She managed a fitness club in Vancouver and used cannabis throughout the day. It helped her relax, and she enjoyed it.
In 2000, while living in the US, she began to have a hard time getting up and down from the floor and even having difficulty rolling over in bed. As a fitness instructor, this was not something she was used to and not something she was willing to tolerate if it was in her control.
Dyer has had a scoliotic spine since childhood. With that came muscle spasms, chronic pain, fatigue, anxiety, depression and sleeping problems. She had suffered from migraines since age eight. Health concerns were nothing new to her, but this lack of mobility was and it was very troubling.
Pharmaceuticals had always been a temporary fix to combat her pain and discomfort, providing for a good night sleep or temporary relief. The latest round of prescriptions she describes simply as “horrible.” Something had to change. A friend suggested that she try cannabis.
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Dyer had only tried smoking the herb before. Topicals and edibles made her take notice but it was raw cannabis that changed her thinking about its potential.
“It completely changed the way I viewed the plant because it no longer just was a band-aid, like took away my pain or helped me sleep a few hours. It was like I’m a whole new person. I have different energy. I feel good.. What pain? I’m a totally different person when I can consume it as a vegetable.”
Because of this personal awakening, she started a blog and began learning more as she also taught others. Dyer began socializing with and learning from other people who use cannabis as medicine. Raw cannabis consumption became her go-to method of consumption.
Juicing cannabis provides minerals, fiber and all of the cannabinoids present in the plant without the intoxication. In Dyer’s case, cannabis smoothies and other juiced treats are “used as a preventative, as an elixir.” She notes that it takes 1-2 weeks for her system to begin to fully benefit, but the results are life-changing for her.
Those familiar with existing research on cannabis will not be surprised. Cannabis has been shown to be an effective analgesic with anti-inflammatory, neuroprotective and anticonvulsant properties.
“The power of cannabis is that this non-toxic, natural plant is able to address all of those issues for me and I don’t have to take a whole bunch of pills to help me, stated Dyer. “I also don’t have to go and get my liver tested and that sort of thing because of the medicines I am taking.”
Dyer is a true believer now and continues her personal quest for knowledge and sharing what she knows with the public. Readers interested in reading more about Pam and her educational pursuits can find her at Butterflysessions.com and also on the LeBlanc CNE Podcast
“It is difficult to share about your personal physical conditions but it’s amazing how everybody has some physical or mental wellness need. Once you are able to talk about that it opens doors so that you can help other people. That the important part about sharing your story is that it can help people become aware of options they never knew before.”
