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Health Lifestyle

Things to Know Before Diving into Medical Cannabis

The world of medical cannabis is vast and getting larger. New studies are making new discoveries and buttressing ancient knowledge.

It’s an exciting time for researchers and even better for patients suffering from a range of physical and mental ailments. The diverse number of products and strains may surprise you.

However, before you get into this world, it’s helpful to know a few things first to ensure treatment is safe and effective as it can be.

Get the Dosage Level Right

Pills are easy to control the dosage of because the work is already pre-arranged. Medical cannabis comes in different forms, and whichever one you’re taking, getting the dosage level correct is essential.

Visit a medical cannabis dispensary and consult a cannabis-trained pharmacist to authorize the correct dosage level. They’ll also select the right strain and product for you based on your body and symptoms.

Not all Strains and Products Are the Same

There isn’t simply one product called “cannabis.” Each strain, or cultivar, has a different makeup that can impact medical treatment’s effectiveness. Plus, there are also different forms of cannabis.

For example, consuming a medical cannabis edible has a longer onset than dry leaf, concentrates, or oils. It also has a more potent and longer-lasting effect.

Your doctor or cannabis-trained pharmacist will proscribe the most suitable type of cannabis based on your body, lifestyle preferences, and medical needs. If you have an extremely high tolerance for cannabis, an edible may be best. However, this changes if you’re using cannabis to treat insomnia since edibles take a while to kick in.

Finally, medical cannabis also needs to factor in people’s dietary restrictions. Edible options today have expanded beyond the traditional cookie or brownie into things like beverages like teas and more.

Different Forms of Cannabis Like Edibles Have Unique Precautions

Getting the right cannabis strain and product also means specific precautions, especially concerning edibles. Because the effect of edibles is potent and onset takes longer to kick in, it’s best to limit consumption to one per day.

If you take a second edible before the first one has kicked in, the effects may become too strong, and you’ll feel uncomfortable. Should this happen, try to find somewhere calm to relax or even fall asleep. However, it’s better to avoid this situation by taking a single dose. If it turns out that that dose wasn’t large enough, you can always increase it the next day if your doctor or medical cannabis-trained pharmacist approves.

Also, just like with alcohol in the home, make sure you store any medical cannabis securely. The official, government-approved medical cannabis packaging has childproof features and won’t include any dangerous marketing designed to mislead kids into thinking there are candies.

Medical cannabis takes a surprising number of forms. As new products and strains hit the market, patients need to be well versed with the fundamentals so their medical journey is safe and effective. Keep the above tips in mind, but never take medical cannabis without strictly following the advice and authorizations of your healthcare practitioner or cannabis-trained pharmacist.

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Health

Tips for Staying Healthy and Avoiding Viruses Like Coronavirus

Tips for Staying Healthy and Avoiding Viruses Like Coronavirus

Coronavirus has taught us that the world is small and we are all connected. We have seen that illness can spread very quickly, and we need to know how to avoid Coronavirus.

It is up to all of us to look after our health, not just for ourselves, but for everyone else.

Here are tips for staying healthy and tips on how to avoid Coronavirus and other viruses:

1. Get Vaccinated

The CDC suggests getting vaccinated against seasonal flu. Vaccinations don’t guarantee total immunity, but the symptom severity can be reduced, lowering the risk of hospitalizations and even deaths.

Hopefully a vaccine will be created soon for Coronavirus.

2. Keep the Air as Clean as Possible

Viruses cause common colds and flu, which are respiratory infections. The viruses replicate in the mucus membranes, and when we cough or sneeze, they spread through the air in tiny droplets of mucus.

That is why you should stay at home when sick and sneeze or cough into your elbow.

Avoid cigarette smoke. It is a risk factor for diseases like cancer, asthma, and respiratory infections, even if only second-hand.

3. Disinfect Surfaces

Viruses can live on surfaces like metal, plastic, fabrics, paper and glass. How long they remain infectious depends on different factors like temperature and humidity, but it is best to assume that viruses are living and need to be disinfected.

Use products that contain alcohol or bleach, especially on frequently used places and objects like countertops, desks and keyboards. Make sure you disinfect properly by reading labels and following the instructions.

4. Practice Good Hygiene

Avoid touching your face, because viruses can enter the respiratory tract through the eyes, nose or mouth.

Wash your hands regularly and thoroughly with soap and water. It is simple but effective, and can result in a 16-21 percent decrease in respiratory illnesses like colds and flu.

Use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer if soap and water isn’t available.

5. Exercise

Exercise meaning regular physical activity. It can improve immune function, decreasing the risk of respiratory infection.

In addition, it improves general health and wellbeing and reduces the risk of stress and anxiety, high blood pressure and heart disease, among other things.

6. Social Distancing

All of these tips will help you stay healthy against viruses. Coronavirus is a virus as well, but with the coronavirus specifically, the best way to stay healthy is to avoid any large events or mass gatherings.

If someone is sick or has symptoms, avoid close contact – meaning about 6 feet away. This is particularly important if you are at higher risk of serious illness from a chronic medical condition.

Anyone with chronic medical conditions should check with their doctor to see how to protect themselves further for their particular condition.

7. Meat and Animals

The World Health Organization recommends avoiding eating raw or undercooked meat or animal organs. If you have been to live markets where there have been Coronavirus cases, avoid contact with live animals and any surfaces they may have touched.