Today’s episode is raw, real, and deeply human. Kyla sits down with Sam Clohessy, a personal trainer from Western Australia, who shares her story of strength, survival, and self-discovery after being diagnosed with breast cancer at just 34 years old.

From her early days working on remote mine sites to building a fitness business and navigating the breakdown of her marriage, Sam opens up about how years of stress took a toll on her body and how she found resilience, healing, and hope through movement, mindset, and natural medicine.

Sam takes us through the moment she found a lump in the shower, her experience with chemotherapy and the “Red Devil,” and the turning point that led her to explore cannabis as part of her recovery journey. Together, Kyla and Sam unpack what it really takes to heal - body, mind, and spirit - and why curiosity, community, and self-care can make all the difference.

You’ll Learn:

• How chronic stress and emotional trauma can impact physical health
• What life on the mine sites taught Sam about fitness and discipline
• The reality of a young woman navigating breast cancer and single motherhood
• What to expect from chemotherapy and radiation (and the infamous Red Devil)
• How cannabis entered Sam’s healing journey and why it’s still a taboo topic in oncology
• The lifestyle practices that help her stay healthy today: movement, nutrition, grounding, and mindset

Highlights:

• “Cancer isn’t who you are - it’s a chapter in your life. Don’t let it consume you.”
• “Fitness was my anchor. It filled my cup and kept me sane.”
• “I asked my GP for a prescription for cannabis and she said, ‘You’d have to be terminal.’ Two years later, she started prescribing it.”
• “The more positive and hopeful you are, the more your body can heal.”

Resources Mentioned:

• Research on CBD, THCA, and CBDA in breast cancer cell studies (referenced by Kyla in-episode) Cannabidiol as a Novel Inhibitor of Id-1 Gene Expression in Aggressive Breast Cancer Cells - McAllister et al
• Cannabidiol Induces Programmed Cell Death in Breast Cancer Cells by Coordinating the Crosstalk between Apoptosis and Autophagy - Shrivastava et al
• Kyla’s Cancer Support Document — to request a copy DM kyla on IG @cannacuriousau

Connect:

Follow Sam Clohessy on Instagram @infinityboundlessfitness

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Support the show

Connect with Kyla de Clifford
Instagram: @cannacuriousaus
TikTok: @cannacuriousau
YouTube: @cannacurious

If you enjoyed this episode, please follow, share, and leave a review - it helps the podcast reach more curious minds just like you.

Disclaimer:
We are not doctors, and this is not medical advice. Everything shared here is based on our personal lived experiences and the stories of others. Always speak with a qualified healthcare professional before making any changes to your health or wellness routine.

In this conversation, nurse and educator Megan Mbengue walks us through her path from hospital wards to cannabinoid care.

We break down the endocannabinoid system in plain language, why CBG is her daytime go-to for anxiety and focus, and how to use THC without wrecking your nervous system.

We dig into cannabis hyperemesis syndrome (CHS), the problems with high-THC vapes, why flower still matters, and what her team is seeing in a suppository study for period pain. We also touch on microdosing psychedelics, integration, and doing the root-cause work so you actually need less over time.

You’ll Learn:

• What the endocannabinoid system does — in human words
• Why CBG can calm the fight-or-flight response without sedation
• How hormone shifts in peri/menopause can change your THC sensitivity
• The early signs of CHS and why vapes fast-track trouble
• When to choose flower, patches, teas, or suppositories
• A nurse’s harm-reduction approach to anxiety, sleep, and pain
• Where microdosing can bridge the gap when cannabis isn’t enough

Highlights:

• Dancer to nurse to plant medicine: the career pivot that started in hospice
• The seizure case that changed everything
• CBG vs CBD: different receptors, different outcomes
• “Start low, go slow” especially for women in peri/menopause
• CHS red flags: morning nausea, abdominal pain, alcohol intolerance
• Vapes vs flower: why potency and frequency matter
• Suppositories for pelvic pain and periods: real-world outcomes women report
• Microdosing + integration: working on the root, not just the symptom

Practical Takeaways:

• Anxiety (daytime): try whole-plant CBG; keep THC low and targeted at night for sleep
• New or returning users: start with flower or gentle oral routes; avoid high-THC distillate vapes
• Pelvic or period pain: consider vaginal or rectal suppositories many women report reduced cramps, headaches, and nausea
• Morning nausea with daily use: pause and assess for CHS signs; seek support early
• Cycle tracking: you may need less THC mid-cycle and a different method in the late luteal phase

Resources Mentioned

• Society of Cannabis Clinicians https://www.cannabisclinicians.org/
• EntheaCare — https://entheacare.com
• OnTracka —https://www.ontracka.com/

Connect with Megan

• Instagram/Threads: @enthea.care

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Support the show

Connect with Kyla de Clifford
Instagram: @cannacuriousaus
TikTok: @cannacuriousau
YouTube: @cannacurious

If you enjoyed this episode, please follow, share, and leave a review - it helps the podcast reach more curious minds just like you.

Disclaimer:
We are not doctors, and this is not medical advice. Everything shared here is based on our personal lived experiences and the stories of others. Always speak with a qualified healthcare professional before making any changes to your health or wellness routine.

Painful sex is common but not normal. Kyla and sexologist Lillie Brown unpack the fear–pain cycle, pelvic pain, arousal and lubrication, and practical steps to heal without pushing through pain. We also touch on how cannabis may help some women reduce pain and increase pleasure, plus when to bring in a pelvic floor physio or sexologist.

Key Takeaways

• Pain is information, not something to “push through.”
• The fear–pain cycle can be broken with slowness + safety + pleasure.
• Arousal matters: women need 20–40 minutes for full physiological arousal (engorgement, lengthening, “tenting”).
• Lube is protective and pleasurable. Add more than you think.
• Penetration can be taken off the table while you heal and sex can still be great.
• Consider a pelvic floor physio and/or sexologist for tailored support.
• Some women find cannabis (topical/systemic) helps with pain, arousal, and presence. Start low, go slow, and consult a clinician.

What We Cover

• Defining painful sex (dyspareunia) and common sensations (stinging/burning at the entrance, deep dull/throbbing pain).
• Pelvic pain 101 and common contributors (endo/adenomyosis, pelvic floor dysfunction, UTIs, thrush, IBS, hormonal shifts).
• Vaginismus (primary/secondary) and why “just relax” isn’t a plan.
• The fear–pain cycle: anticipation → bracing → pain → avoidance (and how to exit it).
• Arousal & anatomy: erectile tissue of the vulva, vaginal lengthening, and “tenting.”
• Practical tools: breathwork, pelvic floor release/relaxation, lube strategy, dilators with arousal, depth-limit tools (e.g., Ohnut), positions, and partner communication.
• Cannabis & sex: topical application, suppositories, systemic use, and why presence matters.

"Send us a message"

Support the show

Connect with Kyla de Clifford
Instagram: @cannacuriousaus
TikTok: @cannacuriousau
YouTube: @cannacurious

If you enjoyed this episode, please follow, share, and leave a review - it helps the podcast reach more curious minds just like you.

Disclaimer:
We are not doctors, and this is not medical advice. Everything shared here is based on our personal lived experiences and the stories of others. Always speak with a qualified healthcare professional before making any changes to your health or wellness routine.

In this week’s episode, Kyla sits down with Bee and Ray to explore one of the biggest questions that’s ever come through the Canna Curious community: Does cannabis bring you closer to God?

What started as a social media poll quickly turned into an avalanche of DMs, reflections, and debates. In this conversation, we unpack what “God” means to each of us from traditional religion to personal spirituality and how the plant has long played a role in deepening our connection to self, source, and the sacred.

In this episode, we explore:

• What “God” or “higher power” means across different backgrounds and beliefs
• The history of cannabis in spiritual practice from Ayurveda to Rastafarianism
• How cannabis quiets the noise and deepens meditation, prayer, and presence
• Grief, ego dissolution, and finding connection beyond religion
• Why slowing down and returning to nature is a radical spiritual act
• Simple ways to create your own spiritual ritual with or without the plant

Referenced:

• Ayurveda texts citing cannabis (“bhang”) as one of five sacred plants
• Modern Rastafarian practices using ganja as a sacrament
• Survey data showing 66% of people report a spiritual benefit from cannabis use

Extras:
Kyla’s added a simple ritual and mantra guide in the show notes for anyone wanting to begin or deepen their personal practice. You can download it here!

Ray would like to leave these here for anyone on this journey.

30 sec: https://youtube.com/shorts/toho4X4cmGg?si=2tqKF7dDSaI3boc-

30 min: https://youtu.be/W57nYOaQmIU?si=VVYqt-ZKGVoUL6ln

Longer: https://theeternalsong.org

If this episode resonates, let us know. Your feedback helps shape future episodes and we love hearing your stories.

Bee Mohamed has worked in health policy for over 10 years, both in the public and private sectors. Bee was the inaugural CEO of ScriptWise, a health promotion charity addressing prescription medication addiction and overdose in Australia.

Bee is passionate about patient advocacy and working towards better drug policy reforms in Australia. She is currently an Ambassador for Harm Reduction Australia and Founder of Mata, an online platform sharing stories from the plant medicine industry.

You can find her storytelling at @mata_gathering

Ray Steele Ray is a storyteller and connector working in spaces of regeneration.

After 15 years of severe migraines, a return to natural therapies offered her relief and awareness to the interconnectedness of our healing and living systems.

You can find her

"Send us a message"

Support the show

Connect with Kyla de Clifford
Instagram: @cannacuriousaus
TikTok: @cannacuriousau
YouTube: @cannacurious

If you enjoyed this episode, please follow, share, and leave a review - it helps the podcast reach more curious minds just like you.

Disclaimer:
We are not doctors, and this is not medical advice. Everything shared here is based on our personal lived experiences and the stories of others. Always speak with a qualified healthcare professional before making any changes to your health or wellness routine.

In this episode of the Canna Curious Podcast, Kyla sits down with Crystal White from Northern Rivers Hemp to unpack her inspiring journey from working in the disability sector to running a 75-acre hemp farm in Nimbin with her husband. Crystal shares how a hemp license unexpectedly arrived in the mail during the pandemic, sparking a complete career pivot and eventually leading to the creation of a hemp farming co-op.

Together we explore:

• What hemp really is, and the differences between hemp, CBD, and THC
• Crystal’s path into farming, leaving the disability sector, starting from scratch, and building community
• The Northern Rivers Hemp Co-op and how local farmers pooled skills to create products and opportunities
• Policy change and advocacy, including Crystal’s role in the NSW Hemp Task Force and her work with politicians
• Hemp-based wellness and beauty products, and why hemp can be used topically in Australia but not ingested
• Bee-friendly farming practices and the importance of protecting native stingless bees
• Hemp in building materials, from hempcrete houses to Jason’s new hemp building certification
• A rare cannabinoid, CBL, discovered in Northern Rivers crops and possibly unique to the region

Why listen
This is more than a farming story. It is about community, resilience, and the future of hemp in Australia. Whether you are curious about plant medicine, sustainability, or rural entrepreneurship, Crystal’s story shows what is possible when passion meets persistence.

Resources and Links

• Visit the Northern Rivers Hemp Shop in Nimbin’s main street
• Follow Northern Rivers Hemp on social media for updates on hemp farming, products, and advocacy. @northernrivershemp
• State Senator for LCP Jeremy Buckingham @cannabisjeremy
• Learn more about hemp building: Australian Hemp Masonry Company https://www.hempmasonry.com.au/
• Stingless Bee Buzz @stingless_bee_buzz

"Send us a message"

Support the show

Connect with Kyla de Clifford
Instagram: @cannacuriousaus
TikTok: @cannacuriousau
YouTube: @cannacurious

If you enjoyed this episode, please follow, share, and leave a review - it helps the podcast reach more curious minds just like you.

Disclaimer:
We are not doctors, and this is not medical advice. Everything shared here is based on our personal lived experiences and the stories of others. Always speak with a qualified healthcare professional before making any changes to your health or wellness routine.

When Christie's husband, Lei, was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, life as they knew it turned upside down. With two young boys, a global plandemic unfolding, and a devastating diagnosis, their family was thrust into a whirlwind of hospitals, misdiagnoses, and impossible decisions.

In this conversation, Christie shares openly about:

• The early symptoms that were missed and the persistence it took to finally get answers.
• The harsh realities of cancer care, from mis-prescribed chemo to navigating genetic testing.
• How faith and community anchored them through moments of crisis.
• The turning point when the plant became part of Lei’s care - improving appetite, easing pain, and helping him regain quality of life.
• What it meant to provide palliative care at home, and bringing Lei’s body home after his passing.
• The lessons she’s carried forward about advocacy, honesty with children, and finding strength you don’t know you have.
• Lei’s message for anyone walking through illness: Don’t stop living.

This is a tender, powerful episode about love, resilience, and redefining what care can look like. Whether you’re navigating illness, supporting a loved one, or simply seeking perspective, Christy’s story will leave you with both hope and grounding.

You can find Christie @christie_ahfa

✨ Resources & Mentions:

• Genomics genetic testing for chemo/medicine compatibility https://www.genomicdiagnostics.com.au/tests/pharmacogenomics#order
• Information on pancreatic cancer: PanKind Foundation – The Australian Pancreatic Cancer Foundation.https://pankind.org.au

"Send us a message"

Support the show

Connect with Kyla de Clifford
Instagram: @cannacuriousaus
TikTok: @cannacuriousau
YouTube: @cannacurious

If you enjoyed this episode, please follow, share, and leave a review - it helps the podcast reach more curious minds just like you.

Disclaimer:
We are not doctors, and this is not medical advice. Everything shared here is based on our personal lived experiences and the stories of others. Always speak with a qualified healthcare professional before making any changes to your health or wellness routine.

In this episode, I take you on a journey through the history of cannabis prohibition, from the powerful industries and political figures who drove it, to the propaganda and international treaties that locked it in place.

This is not a deep academic lecture, but a story about how we got here and why a plant that was once widely used for pain, sleep, women’s health, and everyday ailments became criminalised across much of the world.

We’ll look at:

• The early uses of cannabis in medicine and daily life
• Harry Anslinger’s role in pushing prohibition, and why he was not acting alone
• The influence of industry, media, and racism in shaping public fear
• Australia’s own prohibition history, from Smith’s Weekly headlines to Hunter Valley “weed raiders” and beyond
• Why prohibition was never about health or safety, but about profit, power, and control

By the end of this episode, you’ll see why I believe it is time to give the plant back to the people.

Resources and Further Reading

The Joke Dr John Jiggens - couldn't find a link to this but I got mine at The Hemp Embassy in Nimbin.

Owen Smith Legalising Cannabis Extracts, Edibles in the Supreme Court of Canada

1961 Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs and later UN treaties

Le Dain Commission

Legalise Cannabis Party - Bill

OWL Conference

https://owlconference.com.au/owl-speakers/

TGA Public Consultation

https://consultations.tga.gov.au/medicines-regulation-division/test-soms/

If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with someone who still believes the old myths about cannabis. And do not forget to rate and review the podcast, it helps the algorithm put this conversation in front of more people.

"Send us a message"

Support the show

Connect with Kyla de Clifford
Instagram: @cannacuriousaus
TikTok: @cannacuriousau
YouTube: @cannacurious

If you enjoyed this episode, please follow, share, and leave a review - it helps the podcast reach more curious minds just like you.

Disclaimer:
We are not doctors, and this is not medical advice. Everything shared here is based on our personal lived experiences and the stories of others. Always speak with a qualified healthcare professional before making any changes to your health or wellness routine.

In this episode, we pull back the curtain and share some our own stories of how the plant called us into this space.

From harm reduction and patient advocacy, to chronic pain, migraines, and the quiet frustration of being dismissed in the doctor’s office each of us followed a different road. But the common thread is connection. The plant didn’t just relieve symptoms; she shifted our perspectives, revealed truths we couldn’t ignore, and opened the possibility of healing on deeper levels.

This episode isn’t about giving you a one-size-fits-all answer. It’s about reminding you that there are choices, and that healing isn’t just about quick fixesit’s about slowing down, listening, and reconnecting with yourself.

What We Talk About in This Episode

• The harm reduction frontline and what it taught us about preventable loss
• Living through migraines, chronic pain, and the opioid treadmill
• Gentle first encounters with the plant and what shifted afterward
• How stigma silences women and patients, and why that has to change
• The role of meditation, mindfulness, and holistic care alongside cannabis
• Why respect, patience, and “starting low, going slow” matter more than ever
• The bigger medicine: connection to self, to others, and to possibility

Why This Matters
Too often, women’s pain is dismissed, masked with pills, or met with silence. By sharing our stories, we want to open doors for conversations, for new pathways, and for anyone who has ever wondered if there’s another way forward.

Resources & Mentions

• Harm reduction and patient advocacy in Australia https://www.harmreductionaustralia.org.au/
• Research around CBD and beta-caryophyllene in addiction and recovery
• https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8173061/
• https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8026612/

"Send us a message"

Support the show

Connect with Kyla de Clifford
Instagram: @cannacuriousaus
TikTok: @cannacuriousau
YouTube: @cannacurious

If you enjoyed this episode, please follow, share, and leave a review - it helps the podcast reach more curious minds just like you.

Disclaimer:
We are not doctors, and this is not medical advice. Everything shared here is based on our personal lived experiences and the stories of others. Always speak with a qualified healthcare professional before making any changes to your health or wellness routine.