Jennifer

WholesomeCo patient shares her passion for education, wellness, and cannabis.

Due to long-lasting health complications, Jennifer has dedicated most of her adult life to learning about natural medicine. The patient made a personal decision early in her wellness journey that she would not surrender to traditional medical treatment. She has discovered a passion for using cannabis to heal while helping others do the same. 

Although she was raised in a religious household, holistic medicine was always preferred over traditional medications. She is grateful that her mother instilled this mindset at a young age and worries about where her health would be without using natural remedies. Jennifer still incorporates these values into her own home as she raises her four children in northern Utah. 

Persistence

“I'm kind of a science experiment when it comes to health issues,” Jennifer says. From a very young age, she has experienced health complications that have intensified over her lifetime, including weak kidneys and a faulty digestive tract. She also struggles with autoimmune diseases and chronic pain.

Aside from her physical health, Jennifer experienced an event that triggered intense PTSD and a brain condition called functional neurological disorder. Basically, her mental health was so impacted it caused brain damage. Today, Jennifer expresses the importance of mental health illnesses and the substantial effects they may have on the body when left untreated.

Medications Jennifer was initially prescribed caused an overwhelming amount of inflammation in her body, which increased her motivation to find alternative treatment methods. Even while facing a combination of both physical and mental illnesses, she was determined to do what was best for her wellbeing.

Experimenting as a young adult

After graduating high school, Jennifer spent time attending college and traveling outside of Utah.

She was interested in learning more about the medicinal benefits of cannabis and had the opportunity to speak with medical professionals out of state. Safely experimenting with cannabis as a medicine allowed her to observe how specific ailments could be treated. “If you are going to experiment with something, cannabis is one of the safer and less scary things to experiment with” she says.

Jennifer found that medical cannabis worked extremely well with her body and relieved symptoms of multiple conditions she was facing at the time. After nearly 20 years of education and research, she has become a strong advocate for a highly controversial plant. “I am super passionate about all things cannabis,” Jennifer says. “It’s not going to agree with everybody, but ibuprofen isn't going to agree with everybody either.”

Spreading the wealth

Jennifer has been able to help others using the knowledge she has acquired through her own healing journey. Although her family has an open mind towards natural healing methods, an LDS background prevented them from accepting the entirety of cannabis, especially the THC compound. Jennifer convinced her loved ones that cannabis is not as harmful as religion may portray, and there is a big difference between ‘getting high’ and medicating.

She provided her family with the confidence they needed to use cannabis for their own individual purposes. Her relatives noticing improvements after trying cannabis for various reasons has been a huge validation point for her and something she is very proud of.

Education beyond medicine

Jennifer’s love for education does not stop there. Her patient, caring, and crafty personality makes her the ideal preschool teacher. Jennifer has fun creating personalized lesson plans for students who attend at-home daycare programs. She has always enjoyed studying children’s behavior and strives to serve as an advocate for youth who lack stable support systems. She believes there is enough negativity in the world and a good place to start spreading peace and happiness is through tiny humans just learning fundamentals.

Despite constant medical obstacles and raising a family, Jennifer continues to learn. She is currently enrolled in college studying the legal resources available to children in need of extra help. She hopes that one day her degree will contribute to her goals of creating kind, successful, and happy members of society.

Medical cannabis in Utah

By sticking with her personalized cannabis routine, Jennifer has found a way to look past her chronic illnesses and be a successful mom, teacher, and health resource for others. “I can medicate with cannabis, and it doesn't make me feel any different than myself,” she says. “It's not that you are suddenly pain-free, but the pain is bearable.” 

After nearly two decades of experimenting with a variety of cannabis products, Jennifer can now legally medicate in her home state. As someone who values education, she appreciates the knowledge she receives at Utah pharmacies and the personal experiences she has had at WholsomeCo. Jennifer believes the Utah cannabis program will continue to evolve over time as negative stereotypes are addressed.

Her favorite consumption methods today include gummies, vape cartridges for immediate relief, and tincture doses to maintain function in the body. She uses cannabis in a mindful way that allows her to remain in a positive state of mind throughout her everyday life.

Jennifer’s advice for new cannabis users would be to notice how it makes you feel and don't get discouraged if it doesn't solve all your problems right away, trial and error is a big part of using cannabis. She emphasizes the importance of learning about the things that interest you and sharing that knowledge with others. There are many great books and educational resources on medical cannabis and its effects on the body. “Do your homework,” Jennifer says.