The Sanctuary Wellness Institute: PA Medical Marijuana Card Services – PGH City Paper

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• The Role of Sanctuary in Life with Parkinson’s September 13, 2019 “The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation,” wrote Henry David Thoreau while sitting on the edge of Walden Pond. We live in a post-9/11 world where income disparity threatens the pillars of well-being in democratic nations. Kings of the oligarchy are viewed as pallbearers to the American dream.* Lost hope, anxiety, and absence of discernment fuel the flames…
• Embracing the Beauty and Serenity of My Sanctuary September 20, 2019 Sunlight bounces its way through the swaying birches, projecting a shadow picture show on the lawn and garden shed. A light wind causes the fluttering leaves to sing in unison like waves on the shore. A family of hummingbirds — we have given all of them names now — take turns to show off their aerial ballet at the feeder,…
• A Scientific Model of Sanctuary Helps Me to Overcome Resistance October 4, 2019 Each time I seek sanctuary, I face resistance. But fortunately, I’ve found a model of sanctuary that helps me to overcome that resistance. The other day, I watched a lecture by cognitive neuroscientist Indre Viskontas, which was part of the video series “Brain Myths Exploded.” She spoke about the brain as having a continuous level of background noise, and conscious…
• Medical Marijuana and Parkinson’s: It’s Complicated May 21, 2021 It is disappointing that medical marijuana is not among the first line of treatments a provider suggests for Parkinson’s disease, particularly when one is using federally sponsored medical services. But that is changing. It is a new world for medical marijuana, a treatment that both patients and providers are struggling to understand. Providers must understand and navigate state and federal…
• Marijuana and Parkinson’s: What Do We Really Know? May 29, 2018 1.What’s in Marijuana?2.Marijuana Research3.Warning: Synthetic Marijuana4.Clinical Studies5.Side Effects6.Guidelines for Medical Marijuana and Parkinson’s7.ConclusionPeople with Parkinson’s disease (PD) and their physicians are both looking to answer whether medical marijuana can help manage Parkinson’s symptoms. Researchers have barely scratched the surface when it comes to marijuana and PD and previous studies are inconclusive about its potential benefits, but many people with Parkinson’s…
• Part 1 of 2017 PWR! (Parkinson Wellness Recovery) Retreat: Pictures With Great Memories July 23, 2017 “Just put one foot in front of the other.”  Austin Peck “Coming together is a beginning; keeping together is progress; working together is success.”  Henry Ford Introduction to Part 1: From May 28-June 3, >100 people came to Scottsdale, Arizona for the PWR! Retreat. The final tally had >50 people-with-Parkinson’s, more than 30 care partners and ~20 physical therapists/fitness professionals,…
• Understanding the Relationship as Sanctuary November 22, 2019 The healing relationship holds a sacred place for people as they search for a path to well-being moments. This relationship offers every possibility for allowing those moments to occur. It is a safe place and a sanctuary that aims to facilitate and bear witness to the experience of well-being. The healing relationship starts with an agreement to enter the compassion…
• Ask the Experts: The Challenges of Using Marijuana as a Parkinson’s Treatment, Part 1 August 28, 2019 Medical marijuana, or cannabis, is one of the most popular topics among the Parkinson’s disease (PD) community ― for people with PD, health professionals and researchers, alike. Earlier this year, the Parkinson’s Foundation hosted its first-ever convening on marijuana and Parkinson’s. Among the 46 attendees, of which 17 gave presentations, there was a reoccurring theme: what are the biggest hurdles…
• Medical Marijuana ‘Can Help Everyone,’ Says Director at Maryland Cannabis Facility February 7, 2019 Warning the reporter accompanying him not to take any pictures, veteran horticulturalist Michael Castleman punches an electronic code and unlocks the door to Room 209, nicknamed the “Mother Room.” Photography is indeed forbidden inside this living vault, which contains 20 phenotypes of cannabis plants thriving under the glare of 25 ceramic metal halide lamps for 18 hours a day. The…
• Stress Can Result in Resisting Sanctuary September 27, 2019 BOOM! Abruptly out of bed, I’m disoriented by flashing lights reflecting on the bedroom walls. I sit on the edge of the bed and look out onto what should be morning sun, bringing to life the cheery reds of bee balm against a backdrop of white birches. Instead, the sky is black. I thought it was night, but the clock…
• Daily Inspiration (Mantra) from the 2018 PWR! (Parkinson Wellness Recovery) Retreat June 7, 2018 “One of the hardest things in life is having words in your heart that you can’t utter.” James Earl Jones “Good actions are a guard against the blows of adversity.” Abu Bakr Introduction:  A new part of the recently completed PWR! (Parkinson Wellness Recovery) retreat for 2018 in Scottsdale, AZ was something termed “Daily Inspiration or Daily Mantra”.  At the…
• Daily Inspiration (Mantra) from the 2018 PWR! (Parkinson Wellness Recovery) Retreat June 7, 2018 “One of the hardest things in life is having words in your heart that you can’t utter.” James Earl Jones “Good actions are a guard against the blows of adversity.” Abu Bakr Introduction:  A new part of the recently completed PWR! (Parkinson Wellness Recovery) retreat for 2018 in Scottsdale, AZ was something termed “Daily Inspiration or Daily Mantra”.  At the…
• Daily Inspiration (Mantra) from the 2018 PWR! (Parkinson Wellness Recovery) Retreat June 7, 2018 “One of the hardest things in life is having words in your heart that you can’t utter.” James Earl Jones “Good actions are a guard against the blows of adversity.” Abu Bakr Introduction:  A new part of the recently completed PWR! (Parkinson Wellness Recovery) retreat for 2018 in Scottsdale, AZ was something termed “Daily Inspiration or Daily Mantra”.  At the…
• The Resilience of Spring, My Garden, and Life With Parkinson’s June 24, 2022 Resilience is the single best predictor of success in life and in building sanctuary. When you live in a tornado-prone area, building a garden sanctuary can be risky. Spring is the time to revitalize from winter. My garden sanctuary uplifts my soul with vibrant blooms. It was built one brick at a time, one flower at a time. But in…
• Wellness: Finding the Way to Well-being June 28, 2019 Wellness is the map of actions and thoughts that we use to guide us toward a higher quality of life — one with more well-being moments. Our wellness map is tailored to meet our individual needs and must be flexible and adaptable. Life throws out frequent curveballs, and human resilience depends on how well we can adapt our wellness map.…
• Medical Marijuana and Its Use Focus of March Meeting Set by Parkinson’s Foundation December 7, 2018 With the goal of establishing a consensus on medical marijuana use by Parkinson’s patients — which a recent survey co-sponsored by the Parkinson’s Foundation put at 80 percent — the group will host its first conference focused on this compound and the disease. Set for March 6-7 in Denver, the invitation-only meeting will include a mix of experts from academia, healthcare, government, and the private…
• Letting Go Is Not ‘Forever Gone’ October 11, 2019 “Letting go” is a constant theme with Parkinson’s disease. What used to be easy is now challenging. Gone are my days of hiking for miles or spending hours in the gardens digging, hauling, lifting. Those times when 24 hours of project immersion got me through complex problem-solving and four college diplomas are over. I can’t do it the same way…
• Ask the Experts: The Challenges of Using Marijuana as a Parkinson’s Treatment, Part 2 August 28, 2019 Medical marijuana, or cannabis, is one of the most popular topics among the Parkinson’s disease (PD) community ― for people with PD, health professionals and researchers, alike. Earlier this year, the Parkinson’s Foundation hosted its first-ever convening on marijuana and Parkinson’s. Among the 46 attendees, of which 17 gave presentations, there was a reoccurring theme: what are the biggest hurdles…
• Senior Citizens, Marijuana and Parkinson’s: What I’ve Learned August 27, 2018 Written by Tom Sheppard Prompted by years of  insomnia related to Parkinson’s  and intriguing stories of marijuana as a solution, I decided to research the subject to see if it was something I should try. At age 75, and with no experience, I had a lot to learn.   It seems to me that people with Parkinson’s  should be very cautious about…
• Alaska, Marijuana and Parkinson's October 18, 2015 Yesterday we had a potentially controversial topic as a meeting subject: Marijuana as treatment for PD.  This post is based on comments I made to frame the issue and ease in the speaker. We people with Parkinson's Disease are fond of noting that every person's case of Parkinson's is unique. What works for one person may result in dramatic and…
• Cannabis and Parkinson’s: What to Know About Medical Marijuana, CBD, and more March 25, 2021 Although there is insufficient evidence that recommends using cannabis to treat Parkinson’s motor symptoms, a growing number of people with Parkinson’s are experimenting with it to help ease their symptoms. Others who have not experimented with cannabis products, such as medical marijuana and CBD, are expressing more interest in the subject. Yet, many people do not fully understand the chemical and biological makeup of cannabis plants, the different types of cannabis products, and what the research says about the effects on Parkinson’s symptoms.   A February 2021 study, published in the Journal of Parkinson’s Disease, reported that while…
• Dealing with Major Life Changes February 14, 2020 “What? You’re moving again? Are you insane?” Neo exclaims. (Neo is my brain’s neocortex, which I’ve mentioned in previous columns.) “I’ve been called many things, yet still retain my sanity. I hope to do so through this very stressful process of moving,” I respond. “How do you plan to do that? You’re giving up your sanctuary!” Neo continues. “The beauty of…