Hey dudes! Today we get to sit down with Magician and fellow disabled cannabis Influencer, Matthew Falk. Find out how he treats many of his Crohn's disaease symptoms with with a plethora of cannabis based treatments.
A&A: What's up, Matt?! Introduce yourself...
MN: My name is Matthew Noah Falk, I'm 34 years old and I'm a magician/entertainer in Los Angeles. In the past several years, I've also worked as a cannabis reviewer and on-screen personality for cannabis brands such as Nugg and Heaven. Recently I've decided to merge my two favorite things, cannabis and magic. Now, I help cannabis brands to stand out, gather interest, and make their message as memorable as possible at events and through creative content partnerships.
A&A: What's your disability, Matthew?
I suffer from Crohn's disease as well as generalized anxiety and panic disorders.
A&A: How does it affect you? MN: The list of symptoms almost feels inexhaustible! Some of the main symptoms I deal with often from the Crohn's are severe stomach and abdominal pains, diarrhea, constipation, lethargy, nausea and loss of appetite leading to malnutrition. The anxiety has me worrying about all sorts of minor and irrational stuff on a daily basis. It tends to trigger my "flight or fight" response, screwing with my heart rate and pumping me full of unnecessary adrenaline. Often, the Crohn's symptoms trigger my anxiety and my anxiety triggers my Crohn's symptoms.
A&A: We totally know what you mean. Amanda and I both have central conditions and they come with lots of different daily symptoms. It's important to talk about when it comes to genreal disability awareness. When did you first try cannabis? MN: I first discovered cannabis when I was around 14/15 years old. Originally, like most curious teens, I used it for recreational purposes with friends. I quickly realized how much I enjoyed consuming cannabis. Years later, when I got hit with the Crohn's at 18 years old, it was easy to recognize how much relief cannabis was providing me while dealing with the symptoms. In high school, during a winter vacation, I remember I bought a 1/4 and challenged myself to smoke once a day for the entire vacation. Thinking back on that makes me chuckle; now I find myself easily going through that much in a few days!
A&A: I hear that! Which makes an excellent point within itself if you have a disability and use it as medication chance are we medicate a lot and often. How does it help you?
MN: I've been through all of the pharmaceutical treatment options with my doctor; Nothing has worked or can come close to the relief I've found in cannabis. I sort of look at it as my savior. When I'm experiencing a lot of pain, a heavy, body focused strain that's rich in THC tends to be my go-to. When dealing with anxiety, nausea and spasticity in my belly, I'll go for something rich in CBD to calm it all down.
For morning maintenance, a good 1:1 balanced strain or a mix of something THC rich with something CBD rich has me starting off my day pretty comfortably.
A&A: Gotta love the antiinflammory properties of that CBD. How have you been the pandemic?
MN: Oddly, I think my experiences battling Crohn's and anxiety/panic disorders have prepared me for a lot of the struggles we are collectively facing in this crazy time. In our "normal" society, pre-covid19, the Crohn's often kept me stuck at home, dealing with symptoms... So, I'd already kind of adapted to the "safer at home" lifestyle before it was ever an official government order. As far as the anxiety issues go; I have spent a huge part of my life worrying and panicking over irrational stuff. Now that this perfectly rational thing to worry about comes around, it kind of feels like my normal levels of worry and I already have some coping mechanisms in place. So, I'm doing ok. I'm just really surprised that I'm doing ok!
A&A: The global health Crisis has been a roller coaster ride for sure. But, we totally get what you mean. We feel like in an odd way our disabilities prepared us for staying at home. Although, many people with disabilities are going without care from their care providers right now. Many of us are living alone too! So, it's very important that we all keep an eye out for each other during this time! Is there anything you want our viewers to know who also have similar struggles as you? MN: To trust what your body is telling you. It's ok to accept that you may have some limitations. Don't let others influence you into doing things that you know will trigger your symptoms. No matter how many times I've expressed to them how certain foods are bad for my digestive system, some members of my friends and family still think I just "don't like" the food and kind of get offended by it. I know it's hard not to give into that kind of pressure, but stay firm and just continue to try and educate them.
Amen to that. And we thank you everyday for your bravery and willingness to share your story! For more info on Matthew follow him on Instagram @thecannabisconjuror. You won't be sorry. Later, dudes!🤟🏼