How muscle testing can help determine which medical cannabis variety is right for you
Whenever I see a client the end goal is always the same: to optimize and align their body in a fashion that sets the individual up for the best opportunity to both heal, and become their best possible ‘self’. Despite starting with the same objectives,the journey to reaching those goals can be quite different depending on the person. Some individuals are in exceptional health and athletic ability, and they are looking to maximize their ability to perform at a peak level. On the opposite end of the spectrum, I have individuals that are looking to heal or reduce pain due to aging, disease, injury, or illness. Some simply want to enjoy the best quality of life with the time they have remaining on this planet. The majority of my clients comprise a wide spectrum of individuals that fall in-between, seeking to both heal and move towards improving their level of overall health and fitness.
So let us bring up the ever-shrinking elephant in the room, medical cannabis. As our laws shift towards becoming more accepting of alternative forms of medicine, and research continues to show case studies for their benefits, more and more individuals are exploring these options. They certainly are by no means new options.In fact, tribal healers, medicine men & women, and shamans have been using many of these plants, herbs, and fungi, as medicine for years. So is medical cannabis right for you?
This is the question many of my clients are beginning to ask. I am not a Medical Doctor, Naturopath, Herbalist, Chemist, Pharmacist, or licensed Psychiatrist. Therefore, I do not prescribe drugs or medicine to patients or clients. Just like everyone else in most Western countries, I need to make an appointment, consult with one of these individuals, obtain a prescription, and then pick up my product, should I choose.
I am a Kinesiologist, so what I do with my clients is muscle test substances they are currently taking, or may be considering taking. This can be anything from prescription medication, vitamins, supplements, herbs, food products, body care products, lotions and oils, drugs, alcohol, cigarettes, as well as controlled medicinal products such as cannabis. Essentially, through a series of systematic muscle tests, I can determine substances you may want to avoid or seek alternative replacements for (after consulting with your doctor or physician), substances that are beneficial, and substances that are neither weakening nor beneficial and hence may simply be expensive urine. In fact, even the words you say to yourself and the input you deposit into your brain can cause your muscles to either strengthen or weaken. A simple affirmation such as ‘I am strong’ will result in a strong test, or one such as ‘I am weak’ will result in a weak test. So remember this as you talk to yourself throughout the day.
But let us get back to the question at hand: is medical cannabisbeneficial for me? Maybe yes, maybe no, and maybe it depends on the ‘type’ of medical cannabis since there are hundreds of different varieties available. These plants fall in three main species:Cannabis sativa, Cannabis indica, and Cannabis ruderalis, although, like many other things in science, there is some debate over whether the latter two are actually different species.
As an example, one of my recent clients that I will refer to as Client X, came to see me with a variety of vitamin supplements, along with two varieties of buds – one Cannabis sativa, one Cannabis indica, as well as a cannabis oil blend. Without disclosing the specific results, one product produced a weak test, one product produced a strong or beneficial test, and the third product produced a so-so, neither strong nor weak test. One more thing to note is that just because a cannabisproduct is the most expensive, that does not mean that the product is the most beneficial for the individual.
Wes Paterson B.Mgmt/DBA is a Practical Kinesiologist and co-owner of Redcliff Kinesiology with his wife Jennifer Paterson BSc (NutrRD) in Medicine Hat, AB. He has a Certificate in Cannabis Medicine for Herbalists through Lodgepole School of Wholistic Studies. Wes works Medicine Hat College as a Corporate Training Officer, and he and Jennifer provide workshops and training courses on health, nutrition, and Kinesiology throughout Southern Alberta, Canada. Visit www.redcliffkinesiology.com for more information.
