As mainstream awareness of the importance of self-care has grown, so has public interest in holistic self-care — a philosophy that ties together all aspects of a person’s health and wellbeing. Though we often associate cannabis with relaxation, it can be useful in almost every area of a holistic self-care routine.
What Is Holistic Self-Care?
The term holistic refers to the philosophy that all parts of a whole are interconnected. Holistic self-care involves creating a routine that covers all aspects of your wellbeing, including physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health. It also covers improving interpersonal relationships and communication, as well as the development of both your personal and professional life. By practicing self-care in every aspect of our lives, this philosophy teaches that we can feel happier, healthier, and more fulfilled.
How To Make the Most of Marijuana In Your Self-Care Routine
Cannabis can benefit nearly every part of your self-care routine. It provides regulating or relaxing physical, mental, and emotional effects, and many products can also be used for pain relief. Cannabis can be used to deepen meditation during spiritual practice, and can be used to promote social and emotional wellbeing.
Here are just a few things you can do to optimize your cannabis use for self-care.
1. Know Your Tolerance
Every person has a unique tolerance for cannabis. While weed can have a great calming or relaxing effect on your mind and body, overconsumption can have some uncomfortable side effects that will do the opposite of what you want.
Exceeding your personal tolerance can lead to “greening out,” a collection of symptoms that may include anxiety, panic attacks, or paranoia, as well as heart palpitations, nausea, dizziness, and even hallucinations in rare cases. On the other hand, if your tolerance is naturally higher, you may not feel anything at too low a dose. Finding a dose that works for you is key to maximizing the self-care benefits of cannabis.
If you’re not sure where your limit is, start with small doses and work your way up until you feel good but not overwhelmed. Notice where that limit is, also noting factors such as the amount of THC in your product. Learning your tolerance for one product and then switching to one much stronger or weaker than the first will change how much you’ll need to achieve the same effect.
2. Choose the Right Strain
Different strains of marijuana will have different effects on the body and mind. Some, such as indicas, produce more of a body high that will have you physically relaxed, aiding in physical relief or recovery. Those in the sativa family may make you feel energized or spaced out mentally, known as a head high, contributing to higher productivity or deeper concentration. Hybrid strains may have a combination of these effects. Of course, how you respond to any strain will entirely depend on your own body’s chemistry.
To choose a strain, consider the effect or role you’d like it to have in your self-care routine. If you want it to fill more than one role, you may look for one product that fulfills all your needs, or you may choose multiple products to swap between.
For example, you may want one product to energize you while you work on the exercise part of your self-care routine, and another to help you sleep better at night. These probably won’t be found in the same strain, but something to energize your workout and also help you focus while completing tasks could come in a single product.
Budtenders are highly knowledgeable about the strains their dispensary carries. If you’re not sure what a strain will feel like or what effect it causes, don’t hesitate to ask. You can also explain what you’re seeking and ask for recommendations — they’ll be more than happy to share their experience.
3. Try Different Forms or Products
While smoking is probably the most common way to imbibe, there are a few ways you can consume cannabis that might work better for certain parts of your routine. Inhalants such as smoked flower or vaporizers activate very quickly, so they’re ideal if you want a fast-acting high, or don’t want it to last too long. However, there are some cases in which you might want something else. For example, when working out, you may find the smoke irritates your lungs, impacting your ability to breathe properly as you exercise. In that case, you may prefer an edible or tincture which doesn’t need to go through your lungs.
Likewise, after a hard day of work or an intense workout, you may want to relieve your pain with targeted THC. A topical solution might work well for this, as the active ingredients absorb through the skin directly where they’re applied. Topicals are also great if you incorporate massage into your self-care. Simply use a topical solution in place of your usual lotion or massage oil, or combine them for a lighter dose.
You may also sometimes want your high to last longer. Edibles take a while to activate, but once they do, they can last for hours — great for helping you sleep through the night. Transdermal patches also offer lengthy effects by providing a low but steady dose.
4. Schedule at Optimal Times
There is a time and place for all things, and cannabis is no exception. Although it can be very helpful in a lot of ways, there are some times you really want to be sober. Scheduling your consumption so that it doesn’t interrupt your personal or professional life is an important part of using cannabis for self-care.
Pay attention to how long the high lasts for each product you use and make sure you’ll be sober in time for activities such as work or social functions. You should also never drive while under the effects of cannabis. If you know you’ll need to go somewhere, arrange a ride or make sure your high has worn off long before you need to leave.
Notice, too, how long it takes products such as edibles to kick in. If you want them to be fully activated in time for a particular self-care activity such as exercise or meditation, you’ll need to take them in advance and make sure you haven’t scheduled anything else beforehand in case they start to hit early.
Start Your Holistic Self-Care Routine With Cannabis From VidaCann
For help formulating your holistic cannabis self-care routine, VidaCann has experienced budtenders and a variety of strains and products to choose from. Visit one of our many Florida dispensary locations to get started.
