Letter from the Editor | Week of June 1, 2020…
“Strange days have found us, Strange days have tracked us down and They are going to destroy our casual joys…”
- Jim Morrison (The Doors)
“Strange times are these in which we live, When old and young are taught falsehoods, And the person that dares to tell the truth is called at once a lunatic and fool”
- Plato
These certainly have been bizarre and unprecedented times for human civilization. We have the first global health pandemic since 1918, happening at a time when the world already felt a little fractured and scary. There have been many scientists, doctors and community leaders telling us one thing about being healthy and surviving the pandemic; while at the same time many other scientists and political leaders are telling us another thing altogether. Some segments of the population are excelling and living a great life, while many others are literally dying and in great despair. What seems most confusing and challenging of all, is that this information is being fed to people 24/7 from unlimited sources, without any real filters or clarity.
Statistics are showing that the vast majority of people are currently feeling heightened levels of anxiety, stress, frustration, anger and confusion. This has been permeating for months, and the time has come to share and spread hope and positivity.
With that, we are officially launching the Healthy Swap Life, a lifestyle movement to make the world a healthier and happier place. For decades in the Unites States, Alcohol, Tobacco and Prescription drugs have been the only option for people looking to relax, deal with depression or anxiety, treat chronic pain, get a decent night of sleep and to have social fun with other adults. Not anymore!
Now that Cannabis has become so much more accessible, and so much more information is available about how impactful it can be to improve health and mindfulness, The Healthy Swap Family needed to spread the word.
Each week we will be sharing new and engaging information from the world of cannabis, in the hopes of making people feel more comfortable to incorporate into part of a healthy lifestyle. There is no time to waste either. According to a recent article published on Market Watch (https://www.marketwatch.com/story/anti-anxiety-medication-prescriptions-have-spiked-34-during-the-coronavirus-pandemic-2020-04-16?mod=nicole-lyn-pesce), prescriptions for anti-anxiety medication has spiked almost 34% since the Covid-19 Pandemic began. This is happening on top of already skyrocketing increases in the rates of people diagnosed with anxiety, depression and sleep disorders. This is incredibly scary when you consider that the overwhelming majority of these patients were never offered any information whatsoever on cannabis, or how it can treat anxiety, sleep and pain significantly better than prescription medications. Additionally, as outlined in another recent article by the New York times (https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/07/health/antidepressants-withdrawal-prozac-cymbalta.html) , it is very difficult to successfully stop taking ant-anxiety or anti-depressant medication without significant challenges and side effects.
These are incredibly important topics to discuss, and please take solace that Healthy Swap will work hard every day to share new and meaningful information about cannabis, healthy living, and positive lifestyle trends.
We look forward to taking this journey together.
To a Happier and Healthier Life,
Your Friends at Healthy Swap Life