Hello wonderful people! Welcome back to my blog. 2 years ago, I had the privilege of offering my services to a wedding client. TamBo’s Kitchen was hired to coordinate the reception and provide comprehensive catering services for 400 guests.

The head chef of the reception location was also 4 years cancer free. Of course, we hit it off and began talking about life, careers and business while diagnosed with cancer. I shared my story, he shared his. He was a beacon of hope when I needed it and he recommended that I smoke some pot to help with the anxiety that comes with cancer treatment. It worked for him. He preferred it to Lorazepam, the standard anti-anxiety medication prescribed for cancer treatment, and he asked me to give it a try.

I was skeptical, I laughed it off and I did not have the liver to start pot smoking. Fast forward to 2018. A breast cancer survivor that I follow on Instragram (and share notes with) was touting the benefits of CBD oil.

“CBD is a phytocannabinoid, a naturally occurring compound found in the flower of cannabis species. CBD is different from the better-known phytocannabinoid delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in that it does not produce an intoxicating effect.

Like CBD, THC is found in both marijuana and hemp, but the trace amount in hemp is so negligible it renders the plant non-psychoactive. Both CBD and THC activate the body’s endocannabinoid system—a network of receptors in the human body that control mood, pain sensation and other life functions.”

Have I started CBD oil yet? No! Do I intend to start soon? No! Why? I have an underlying condition that will make using CBD oil risky. CBD oil can escalate the overproduction of liver enzymes. If you are wondering how this applies to me, I was born with deadly levels of bilirubin, extremely jaundiced as a baby and required photo-therapy and three blood transfusions.

During the initial testing prior to cancer treatment, a couple of benign cysts were found in my liver. My liver enzymes also went up a bit during Taxol treatment. Now that I am in remission, I watch my liver enzymes like a hawk!! I will continue to search for other homeopathic therapies that would improve my mood while trying to eat healthy, exercise and continue hormone therapy.

I am sharing this because if you know anyone undergoing cancer care, tell the person to do thorough research. It is critical!!! Every cancer journey is different. Our bodies are not the same. What might work for me, may not work for you. For more information on CBD, please read this article on the Dana Farber Cancer Center blog post here.

P.s: Image and Quoted Paragraph was taken from the DFCI blog-post highlighted above.