In this episode, we dive into the world of using cannabis for chronic illness with the Green Godmother, Angelina Rose. Breaking stigmas surrounding Crohn’s disease, Angelina shares her personal journey of finding healing through cannabis and herbalism. Join us and learn from Angelina’s expertise and gain new insights into the healing potential of cannabis.

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Angelina: Without cannabis, I would honestly be dead. I’ve almost starved to death with Crohn’s disease. I would not have been able to find an appetite or be able to eat and sustain life. My life wouldn’t look like anything.

Announcer: Welcome to the Well With Cannabis Podcast, a show dedicated to telling the life-changing stories of those who live well with cannabis all while teaching you how to do the same. Meet your host, Emily Kyle, a registered dietitian nutritionist turned certified holistic cannabis practitioner. Emily changed her life for the better with the help of the cannabis plant, and now she’s committed to helping others do the same.

Tune in each week to hear heartwarming stories and gain the knowledge you need to feel connected, inspired, and supported on your own cannabis journey. Whether you’re a new cannabis consumer or a lifetime lover, you’ll benefit from these uplifting tales of real-life journeys that will show you how you, too, can live your best life well with cannabis.

Disclaimer: Hi there. Before we jump into today’s episode, I wanted to share a note on potentially sensitive content. The episodes on the Well With Cannabis Podcast are created for adult audiences only. We will, at times, cover sensitive topics, including but not limited to suicide, abuse, mental illness, sex, drugs, alcohol, psychedelics, and the obvious use of plant medicine. Explicit language may be used occasionally. Please refrain from watching or listening to the show if you’re likely to be offended or adversely impacted by any of these topics.

The information on this show is for informational and educational purposes only. It does not constitute medical advice. If any of the content on this podcast has brought up anything for you, please reach out or speak to a professional or someone you trust.

Emily: Hello, and welcome back to another episode of the Well With Cannabis podcast. I’m so excited to have a semi-local new friend, Miss Angelina Rhodes, here with me today. Thank you so much for joining me. I’m super excited.

Angelina: Thank you so much for having me. Likewise. 

Emily: We have lots of things to talk about today, so we’re going to talk a little bit about chronic illness and Crohn’s disease and how that’s led you to where you’re at today. I want to talk about your podcast, The Chronically Ill Podcast, and then I want to talk about everything you’re doing now with Green, Godmother herbal wellness. I want to talk about herbalism, crystal healing, all the good stuff. Let’s start at the beginning: chronic illness, Crohn’s disease. How does this start for you?

Angelina: It started so long ago that sometimes I forget exactly how it started. It started with my eyes, believe it or not. I was experiencing what felt like when you look at the sun, and you get that glare feeling, and then it just exacerbated. I went to the eye doctor, of course, and it then turned into quickly going to a gastroenterologist and having my first of many colonoscopies, which, unless you have an IBD, you don’t necessarily need to have those until you’re of a certain age. So that was not exciting. And starting in 2008 just led me on a path of intensive bowel disease adventures. 

Emily: When you first were diagnosed, how were your doctors and your treatment team? Were they supportive? I’m sure that cannabis was probably not in the picture at this point. How old were you? 

Angelina: I was in my late 20s. I think I had just turned 28. I was always honest that I was a cannabis user as far as smoking cannabis and partaking. But yes, obviously here in New York, it wouldn’t have been a comfortable subject to broach with your doctor.

Angelina: But I felt like I had known enough about bowel diseases. I’ve always been a cannabis user and in the stoner pop culture world. This is probably the weirdest thing ever, but I remember there was a High Times educational video where they were interviewing people about cannabis. And I remember there was a girl in the video who said she had Crohn’s disease. I was between 18 and 21 when I watched this, and I remember her saying, “It feels like I’ve eaten glass, and I’ve digested glass. And if I didn’t smoke cannabis, I wouldn’t be able to eat. I wouldn’t be able to survive. I would starve to death.” And she took a big hit, so I was like, “Wow. That’s my kind of girl.” And I remember thinking that it would be weird to have an illness where you must smoke weed. 

Angelina: Maybe that was some weird mind manifesting, right? And then fast-forward years later; I remembered that video, that girl. That is where my healing journey with cannabis began because I knew what the doctors couldn’t do for me. They were on their own path of what they wanted to suggest in the Western medical world, which is maybe not the best for everybody with IBDs. Some of the treatments they wanted to recommend are probably great and worth trying out for some other inflammatory diseases, but maybe not Crohn’s or ulcerative colitis. Some of what they were recommending were scary, and after researching them, I decided that I didn’t want to do them. I went through their protocols as much as possible, but I always tried to find ways to incorporate herbs and cannabis.

Emily: Now, let’s talk about your healing journey. You said you’ve always used cannabis. At this point, do you transition from recreational to medical use? How does that unfold for you? And how does it ultimately help you feel better? 

Angelina: It’s crazy because you think you need to smoke more. At that time, New York was still such a very… Even in the medical cannabis program, the information was vague. At that time, I didn’t even think there would have been many products available that were perhaps even useful to me. It was and is still cost-prohibitive here in New York as a medical patient. I also had to stop working full-time at that time, so it became even more cost prohibitive. 

Angelina: At the beginning of my healing journey, I figured since the problem was my gut, I should try different diets and supplements. I have tried every single diet, every single way of eating – or not eating, for that matter – herbs and supplements. I decided after so many years I just wanted to really solidify my knowledge for the things I was doing because, at that point, I was my own Guinea pig after probably 7 years. I started to realize that it was those things plus cannabis and not just smoking.

Angelina: Now we have more availability in New York for CBD products. Those became available, so, then I explored those. Obviously, tinctures were the easiest first thing, even before gummies you’d even see on the news. So, I’d order the cheap one first and I was figuring it out along the way. I knew that I could make my own butter and whatnot, but when you’re ill and disabled and you’re going through a lot of chronic illness issues, it’s hard to find a wherewithal to do a lot and add a lot more to your plate than what you’re already dealing with medically.

Emily: Absolutely. Now, what does your relationship today with cannabis look like, and what does your health look like? How are you feeling?

Angelina: My relationship with cannabis today is that I’m very thankful for my knowledge, but I must remind myself of it daily. I have chosen to utilize the cannabis products available to me in different ways, not just smoking. It’s all ingested. That was what the most important thing for me was to let myself find a different way. Let me put it in my, let me drink it, put it in my guts. Let me put it anywhere it can go on my skin, and so it wasn’t until I started exploring all the different ways and what that meant and learning about it that it really made me able to cope on a daily basis. Let’s say it changed my daily life. My lifestyle was able to not just be getting up and taking a couple of tokes and then maybe even just taking a couple of steps, taking my probiotics and my vitamins, and then not really getting through my day because smoking is great. Still, it’s not enough when you have illness and inflammatory issues. It’s helpful to add some more cannabinoids, is what I’ve learned. 

Emily: Absolutely. Now let’s talk about your Chronically Ill Podcast. I have a feeling that there are a lot of people listening with chronic illness, whether it is IBD related or not, who feel alone. I would love for you to talk a bit about your podcast and what it’s all about for listening to people. 

Angelina: It’s funny because it’s not unlike this, where we’re having a casual conversation and getting to know each other on that level of how we relate to cannabis and wellness. During the pandemic, obviously, everyone was so isolated, but I have a friend. We both had extreme medical situations, and we would have these daily chats, these crazy stories and adventures of our doctor’s appointments and dealing with things during the pandemic. 

Angelina: As someone who’s already chronically ill and dealing with some of the things that people were putting on their plate, you realize that you had dealt with these things, too. It was almost like a little bit of a gripe convo kind of thing that we would be doing every day during our wake and bake. 

Angelina: I just thought that it was so specific. We were waking and baking, and we were just like, griping and bitching about what’s going on in our health, and we would talk about what we were doing. We’d talk about what we were trying and then start recommending different products to one another. I started to want to know more about my friends and their relationships with cannabis. My friends knew that I had a chronic illness, so they would come to me because I’d post about it. At a certain point, you just must let it out because you’re living it, and then you realize there are so many other people that do relate.

Emily: Your listeners feel that sense of camaraderie and support regardless of the source of their chronic pain. I feel like that’s so important for our community. Do you find that many people with chronic pain, regardless of the source, are currently opting for cannabis and looking towards cannabis currently? Or is this still new for people? 

Angelina: I think some people use cannabis, have a chronic illness, and maybe don’t even realize that it’s helping them stabilize and sustain. So, they want to talk about both. And then maybe at the end of the conversation, they’re like, “Wow, okay, I didn’t even realize cannabis was helping me through this as much.” I like to talk to people on the medical side of the cannabis community, as well. These are people who have been certifying or teaching others how to medicate with cannabis and herbs and all of the knowledge that you can utilize there. 

Angelina: And that excites me, too. It shows that we are all on the path of learning and being better for ourselves, and we want to share it. I love that. That really makes me want to keep making more episodes of my podcast and meeting more different kinds of people. 

Angelina: I get to have people across the spectrum of what it means to medicate with cannabis for a chronically ill lifestyle. I get to hear the perspectives of patients, caregivers, and maybe even medical professionals. I’ve had some great guests, made connections, and networked with people through the podcast there that are on all sides of it, which is exciting. 

Emily: So nice. And I find so many people just like me and you, regular people. We’re just regular people, but we found this wellness through this plant and must now share it with people. We want other people to feel the same relief that we have felt. And so that brings us up to our next topic and what you are doing. I want to talk about Green Godmother Herbal Wellness. Can you give us a little bit of insight into your business and what you’re currently doing? 

Angelina: I really am just starting it. I had created the idea for Green Godmother after being a medical patient and having to find products for cannabis, herbal wellness, and all these supplements and vitamins and different diets that I’ve tried. I realized that I wanted to share it all with people in a creative way. I can see that they responded to certain different topics, but I wanted to be able to explore them in my own way.

Angelina: So, it (no pun intended) happened organically because I was a patient. I ended up helping people by sharing what I was finding that worked for me. I would share it with my friends and my family. And then I would start to learn more about it. All these different products, the topicals,, all the different kinds of gummies and all the different cannabinoids added, and the CBD that the THC blends, all these different things.

Angelina: Then people would ask me about this stuff, much like I would ask about my IBD and chronic illness and diet. So, I figured I should organize this a little bit. And so I started organizing it, and I came up with Green Godmother, Herbal Wellness and Mindful Wholeness, because I am also a creative person. I’m inspired by the things around me, but it was also created by my friends and their responses to me. Sometimes I wonder if it’s too much when I add things, but people know that this is what I’m about, so it’s not weird to them. I figure if Green Godmother is too much, then it’s okay. There are so many choices for everyone out there, which is great. I’ve incorporated cannabis, crystals, and my love of creativity and cats and crafts. As I said, it happened organically. I didn’t even mean it. It was me sharing my knowledge. 

Emily: That’s amazing. I’m so excited for you. I feel like being in the cannabis space right now is exciting because there’s unlimited potential. And when you really get to help somebody feel better, there’s just no feeling like it. So, for anybody listening, I will put links to your business so people can find you and learn more about what you’re doing.

Emily: I ask all my guests the same four questions. Are you ready for them?

Angelina: I think so. Yes. 

Emily: The first one: What are you most proud of to date?

Angelina: Someone recently said to me, “You should be proud of yourself for how far you’ve come.” I’m still not even able to say that out loud without getting emotional. There have been so many times since 2008 that I have been horizontal. I’ve been horizontal for so many hours of my life that I couldn’t do things. So, I’m proud that I can use my knowledge and sustain this much without giving up or giving in. I had to take my own journey that strayed a little from what the medical community was able to provide for me at the time. Let’s hope that we can provide something more well-rounded for people in my situation in the future.

Emily: Absolutely. Now this is everybody’s least favorite question. What do you think your life would look like without cannabis? 

Angelina: I would be a totally different person. Cannabis is totally part of my personality. People who have known me since I was a teenager are in no way surprised by the fact that I am Green Godmother, a cannabis concierge and creative. Without cannabis in my adult life, I honestly would be dead. I’ve almost starved to death with Crohn’s disease, and I know for a fact that if I couldn’t find different methods of cannabis that were not readily available to me, I would not have been able to find an appetite or be able to eat and sustain life. My life wouldn’t look like anything. 

Emily: I’m so happy you found cannabis. Now you said you’ve used cannabis for your whole life, so I don’t know how applicable this question will be. If you could go back 10, 20, or 30 years ago and give yourself a piece of cannabis advice, what would it be? 

Angelina: Definitely keep trying to find more. Back then, in New York, when I watched these High Times videos, I wondered what this crazy world I was seeing was. I didn’t think I lived in the same world where people were eating cannabis brownies and stuff, but I knew it existed somewhere. So, I think that’s what I would tell myself. I would say, “Don’t worry; that world does exist. It will.” 

Emily: This is exciting too, because we’ve come a long way in the last 10 years. A very last question. If you could be remembered for just one thing in the cannabis space, what would it be?

Angelina: I think for inspiring people creatively and to have them know that they can be as much and as well as they want to be. Because I don’t know how to even explain it, I love what I call ‘creative empowerment’ with people. 

Angelina: I would love to be remembered for being the one that helped people achieve things through cannabis. I’ve been told previously in my work with artists, models, and creative people, or the people that I would do readings with crystals and astrology, that I was like a fairy godmother to them. They told me that I helped them make their dreams come true. I have always been called a fairy godmother in a different way as well through some of the LGBTQIA community as well, so it has like five different meanings now.

Emily: Yeah, I love it. And you are the Green Godmother. It is amazing. And look at you. You just, you’re so vibrant. You look like you’re feeling so well. I hope you’re feeling so well. And thank you so much for coming here, sharing your experience, and hopefully giving a glimmer of hope to anybody who’s listening, who is dealing with chronic illness and maybe hasn’t tried cannabis or maybe is ready to explore it and can feel a little bit more confident with your wisdom. Thank you so much for sharing with us today.

Angelina: You’re so welcome. Thank you again so much for having me and listening to me. And I really appreciate what you’re doing, as well. I’ve followed you for so long that it’s just such an honor to be able to share this space in this conversation with you because I’ve learned so much from you, and I share your page with so many people. It’s the first page I share with people. I’m just so glad to share it with you. 

Emily: Thank you for telling me. That feels so full circle now; I can’t wait for this to go out and inspire and help more people. Thank you for sharing that with me. It’s special. 

Angelina: You’re welcome.

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