Thinking of Trying Cannabis? A Cannabis Concierge is Ready to Answer Your Questions.
Interview by Jennifer Cooper
“Healing your body from the inside out with this medicinal and marvelous plant is the future”
Americans’ feelings about marijuana have changed. When I was growing up in the 80s, the population in favor of decriminalizing cannabis use hovered in the teens. Today, a record two-thirds of Americans say recreational usage should be legal, and that support is opening doors to new consumers. Specifically, women who want a more natural solution for dealing with hormone fluctuations, depression, anxiety, and sexual dissatisfaction around midlife.
But for many of those women who, like me, had it hammered into them throughout their childhood that cannabis turned you into a loser, the idea of using this plant as actual medicine is daunting. We don’t have the knowledge, nor experience, to know where to start. That’s where a concierge service like HiVi comes in. HiVi offers a place for those interested in learning more about cannabis to connect, learn, and discover.
I recently spoke with HiVi’s founder Eunice Kim to learn more about this personalized, cannabis-based approach to women’s wellness.
above: a collection of HiVi’s mini guides published on instagram.
You didn’t use cannabis until you were in your 30s, right? I remember you saying you bought into the stigma. What changed for you?
Honestly, cannabis was my last resort before exploring prescription meds for my anxiety and insomnia, but it should have been my first resort! I grew up learning the D.A.R.E curriculum and being told that a cannabis consumer was a “lazy stoner.” Cannabis was always painted as negative and harmful.
When my insomnia and anxiety were getting too intense to bear, I was desperate for help, but didn’t want to turn to prescription meds knowing what a slippery slope that could be. My desperation fueled my research on the internet where I was able to dig up some limited information about how cannabinoids and terpenes found in cannabis can support my wellness goals. I was willing to try anything and I am so glad I did.
Once I learned how to consume cannabis for my needs and started consuming the right products at the right doses, I felt myself healing from within instead of just masking symptoms with meds.
How can cannabis help peri-menopausal and menopausal women?
Cannabis can help ease some of the common symptoms that peri- and menopausal individuals experience, including insomnia, night sweats, mood swings/depression, physical changes such as hot flashes, or vaginal dryness and pain. While official research is still limited due to the fact that cannabis is still classified as a Schedule 1 drug, the anecdotal accounts of women utilizing cannabis for women’s health are escalating at a rapid pace.
Every body is different with varying degrees of severity and needs, so it’s tricky to make generalizations about “how to” support menopause with cannabis, but infused topicals, such as balms or suppositories can support targeted areas. Inhalants and edibles can provide full-body and overall support. Inhalants have instantaneous effects whereas topicals and edibles take a minimum of 30 minutes to kick in. Dosing levels range depending on your body’s tolerance and the severity of your issue.
There are definitely a lot of different factors to consider, but it can be done! And starting off on the right foot minimizes the trial and error that so many of us have already experienced, which can discourage us from trying cannabis again. We welcome you to email us at hello@hivi.life or check out our Concierge to get specific product and dosage recommendations.
One thing to note is to be open about your cannabis curiosity and consumption with your doctor, especially if you are taking medication. Cannabis can interact with certain medications.
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Women & Weed
Growing up in the D.A.R.E. era meant we were taught a bunch of harmful and dangerous things about cannabis and the people who consumed it. Were we sold a bunch of lies? [con’t…]
Can I get these good effects without getting high?
Definitely. Low or micro doses of THC don’t necessarily get you high, but you can still reap the benefits of THC, which can include pain, sleep, and anxiety support. If you are not open to even small doses of THC, there are other non-intoxicating cannabinoids within the cannabis plant that can help. Cannabinoids like CBD, CBG, CBC, and CBN all have their own set of benefits and you can consume hemp-derived CBD, which is federally legal and contain 0 to less than .03% THC (so negligible amounts).
Tell me about the cannabis concierge service with HiVi. What can I expect?
HiVi is reinventing the cannabis experience for the wellness-seeking customer with an end-to-end service that starts with a personalized recommendations onboarding flow to help customers find the right cannabis products for their unique needs and ends with a high quality delivery experience (starting with CA). HiVi leads with community, is anchored in education, and centers women and POC.
As a user, you can expect to visit our Cannabis Concierge and take the easy-to-follow quiz. After answering a few questions, you will be matched with the right product matches for your unique needs. We are launching our e-commerce and delivery service later this year and once we launch we will be able to ship or deliver those products to you directly!
What’s something you wished more people asked you about cannabis?
I wish more people asked about how to consume cannabis for goals other than just getting high and I can see that wish coming true, especially as of late. More and more users are realizing that cannabis can be used to support our wellbeing and now the fun part is figuring out how cannabis can help for various goals.
Sure, getting high with cannabis can be fun, but healing your body from the inside out with this medicinal and marvelous plant is the future.
You can sign up for HiVi’s Concierge service by visiting hivi.life. Fill out the questionnaire to get your personalized recommendations. In states where THC isn’t legal yet, HiVi will recommend hemp CBD options, which are available nationally. So HiVi has you covered no matter where you live.