🌿 How Joshua Elijah Forde Transformed Childhood Pain into a Cannabis Wellness Mission for JIRA Survivors & Young Healers 💚🧒🔥
🤖💧 From Tin Man Mornings to Plant-Powered Healing
By Joshua Elijah Forde
www.IndicaSativa.Health | www.JoshFordeShow.com | www.CoconutKingdomFamily.com
🧊 Waking Up Like the Tin Man…
Imagine waking up at six years old feeling as though your body has rusted overnight—stiff, locked, and aching. This was my everyday reality after being diagnosed with Juvenile Idiopathic Rheumatoid Arthritis (JIRA), a rare autoimmune condition where your immune system mistakenly attacks your joints, causing relentless inflammation and pain.
For me, childhood wasn’t about carefree play; it was battling stiffness, struggling to grip a pencil, brush my teeth, or simply walk. Life felt stuck—like the Tin Man without his oil can. 🤖💧
💊 Battling the Side Effects of Pharmaceuticals
Over the years, I was prescribed countless pharmaceutical drugs—some helped temporarily, others made things worse. 😣💉 From methotrexate to steroids, every medication came with its own side effects:
🤢 Nausea
🧠 Brain fog
😴 Fatigue
😔 Emotional ups and downs
💔 Long-term liver and immune system strain
I often felt like I was trading one problem for another. And as I got older, I knew I needed to explore other natural and supportive therapies that could work with my body, not against it.
That search led me to 🌱 cannabis—not as a cure, but as an ally.
⏳ Starting Cannabis Therapy Later in Life
Although I was diagnosed young, I didn’t begin using cannabis until later in life—after years of trial, error, and exhaustion with conventional treatments. As I matured, I began researching and listening more closely to my body. I explored how cannabinoids could help reduce inflammation, manage pain, and restore balance.
Now, cannabis has become a foundational part of my daily wellness plan, and the difference has been profound:
✨ More mobility
💪 Less pain and stiffness
😌 Calmer mood and improved sleep
🧠 Clearer focus and fewer side effects
I finally feel like I’m working with my body—not fighting it every step of the way.
🔍 Turning Pain into Purpose
Rather than surrendering to pain, I turned my diagnosis into a purposeful journey. Determined to find relief beyond traditional medications, I delved deep into global wellness, plant medicine, and medical cannabis research. My mission became clear: heal myself and pave the way for others.
🌱 Cannabis and JIRA: The Science
The Endocannabinoid System (ECS) is key to understanding how cannabis works therapeutically. ECS regulates inflammation, immune responses, sleep, and pain—crucial factors in managing JIRA symptoms.
✅ Cannabidiol (CBD)
🌿 Non-intoxicating, calming effects
🛡️ Reduces inflammation by interacting with CB2 receptors
☀️ Ideal for daytime relief and clarity
✅ Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)
💥 Powerful analgesic, relieves pain
😴 Helps improve sleep quality
🌌 Low doses effective for nighttime relief
Despite limited large-scale studies (due to federal restrictions) 🚫🧪, emerging research and clinical experiences highlight cannabis’s significant potential. A notable study showed combined CBD and THC treatments significantly reduced arthritis pain and improved sleep and mobility.
💧 Why Oils Became My Healing Anchor
Through experimentation, I discovered cannabis oils provided the most consistent and effective relief early in my journey. Oils allowed precise dosing, sustained effects (up to 6 hours), and avoided harmful side effects associated with smoking. 🌿💊
But as time went on, I faced the reality of high costs—premium oils can be expensive and hard to maintain consistently. 💸😓
That’s when I began learning more about vaping flower and using dry herb vaporizers. Not only did this shift help me save money, it also gave me more control over strain choice and terpene effects while still protecting my lungs. 🌬️🌺🔥
Now I blend both approaches:
🧪 I still use oils when I need precise or extended relief (especially during travel or flare-ups)
🌿 I rely on quality flower and vape methods for daily maintenance, improved mood, and affordability
This balance has helped me stay consistent and mindful with my wellness—without breaking the bank.
🌅 Morning: CBD-rich oils for reducing inflammation and morning stiffness
☀️ Midday: Low-dose CBD oil to maintain mobility
🌙 Night: Balanced CBD + THC blend for restorative sleep and pain relief
⚖️ Complement, Not Substitute
Cannabis wasn’t a replacement for traditional treatments but complemented them beautifully, enhancing my holistic wellness plan alongside:
💊 Prescription medications
🧘♂️ Physical therapy
🥗 Clean eating & hydration
🧠 Mindfulness practices
🧪 Quality and Personalization Matter
Cannabis therapy isn’t one-size-fits-all. The effectiveness of oils depends on:
🌺 Strain
🔬 Extraction method
🌿 Minor cannabinoids (CBG, CBC)
🍋 Terpenes
Personalized formulations and consistent monitoring are crucial. I advocate careful experimentation and guided tracking of symptoms to achieve optimal results.
👪 Safe Cannabis Use for Youth
For younger individuals dealing with JIRA, safety and supervision are paramount:
✅ Choose pediatric-safe formulations
🚭 Use non-smoking methods (oils, tinctures)
💧 Prioritize CBD-heavy daytime blends
🌙 Utilize THC microdoses for nighttime relief if age-appropriate and legally permitted
💡 From Pain to Empowerment
My personal journey and extensive research have revealed that consistent, personalized cannabis use can lead to significant improvements:
✨ Reduced inflammation and joint pain
😌 Enhanced sleep quality
💪 Improved daily mobility and overall quality of life
🧘 Greater emotional resilience
Now, through platforms like IndicaSativa.Health, JoshFordeShow.com, and CoconutKingdomFamily.com, I offer comprehensive support, education, and resources,
✅ TL;DR - Joshua’s JIRA + Cannabis Story
👶 Diagnosed at age 6 with JIRA
💊 Battled years of side effects from pharmaceuticals
🧠 Started cannabis therapy later in life and found real relief
💧 Built a custom CBD/THC oil routine that changed everything
🌍 Now empowers people who need to learn through research-backed cannabis education
“I didn’t choose this condition, but I chose to turn my fight into purpose. Cannabis gave me control—and now I help others find their path to healing.”
— Joshua Elijah Forde
📥 Need Support or Resources?
I now share tools and knowledge to help others build personalized wellness plans with confidence and clarity:
🌿 How to create your own daily cannabis routine—whether you're using oils, vapes, or flower 🌅🌙
🧠 Ways to track pain, stiffness, sleep quality, and emotional balance 📝📈
💡 Clear insights into CBD and THC ratios—and how to choose what works for your body 🌱💧
💬 Real-world experience, simplified for anyone exploring cannabis as an addition to their healing journey
Together, we keep discovering better ways to feel better—one step at a time. ✨💚
Together, let’s transform pain into possibility. 🌿💚
