The Canna Curious Podcast: Conversations on Cannabis, Wellness & Women’s Health

This week, I’m answering anonymous listener questions about cannabis, including:

• How do patients manage driving under Australia’s current presence-based laws?
• How far away is legalisation?
• What do you do when family members judge you for taking cannabis?
• Can cannabis become part of your identity?
• How can you reduce smoking without necessarily giving up the plant?
• Are you reaching for cannabis intentionally—or automatically?

We unpack the difference between medicine, habit and ritual, why stopping smoking can feel like losing part of yourself, and how curiosity can help us make changes without shame.

I also share details of the upcoming Brisbane rally for fair, evidence-based driving laws, an update from my latest questionable Wellness Field Note, some wonderful personal news and why “heyyy” is not a conversation starter.

Clarification: The reference to Fisherman’s Friends reflects personal anecdote only. There is no reliable evidence that mints prevent THC detection or alter roadside drug-test results. They should never be relied upon to avoid a positive test. Never drive while impaired.

Mentioned in this episode

Fair cannabis driving laws

The peaceful rally will be held outside Queensland Parliament House in Brisbane on 25 August 2026, from 12 pm to 2 pm.

If you cannot attend in Brisbane, organisers are encouraging supporters to stand peacefully outside their local MP’s electoral office.

• Rally/Facebook group
• Sign the Queensland medicinal-cannabis driving petition
• Queensland Driving law-reform resource 
• NSW driving law-reform resource

Free Canna Curious resources

Visit my resource library for practical cannabis guides, advocacy tools and educational downloads—including my 21-Day Tolerance Break Guide.

• Free resource library: Here

How Women Want to be Spoken to About Cannabis Survey

More than 540 women have now shared how they want to be spoken to about cannabis. If you haven’t taken part, there is still time to add your voice.

• Take the anonymous survey

This episode is supported by Azure Health

Learn more at Azure Health or follow @azurehealth.

www.azurehealth.com.au/cannacurious

Connect with Kyla

Instagram: @cannacuriousaus
TikTok: @cannacuriousau
YouTube: @cannacurious
Website: cannacurious.com.au

If you enjoyed this episode, please follow, share it with someone who needs to hear it, and leave a review.

This podcast shares personal experiences and general education only. It is not medical or legal advice. Speak with an appropriately qualified professional about your individual circumstances.

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Who Told Us Hairless Was Healthier?

What if one of the beauty standards we've accepted for decades wasn't based on health at all?

In this episode, I sit down with integrative physician Dr Erica Zelfand to unpack the surprising history of body hair, the myths surrounding hygiene, and how marketing has influenced the way many of us think about our bodies.

We explore why pubic hair exists in the first place, whether removing it has any health benefits, and how beauty standards have evolved over the past century.

Also in this episode:

Wellness Field Notes

• My latest wellness rabbit hole: washing with hydrogen peroxide and vinegar.

Dating Diaries

• One observation from my recent adventures back in the dating world...Are European lovers really different from Australian men?

In this episode we discuss:

• Why body hair exists.
• Does hairless really mean cleaner?
• The surprising history of women's shaving.
• Gillette's role in changing beauty standards.
• The function of pubic hair.
• Body hair and sexual health.
• Beauty, ageing and self-acceptance.
• Choosing for yourself rather than following expectations.

About Dr Erica Zelfand

Dr Erica Zelfand is an integrative physician, naturopathic doctor and educator who combines conventional medicine with nutrition, lifestyle medicine and whole-person care. Her work focuses on helping people reconnect with their health through evidence-informed and compassionate care.

Connect with Dr Erica Zelfand

@drericazelfand

Contact | Dr. Erica Zelfand | Functional Medicine & Integrative Psychiatry | Online Appointments | Counseling | Psychedelic Consultation

Azure Health

Azure Health is a healthcare clinic with specialist female doctors who are passionate about creating a safe, respectful healthcare experience for women.

Learn more at Azure Health 

The Survey

How Women Want to be Spoken to About Cannabis

If you enjoyed this episode, I'd love it if you subscribed, left a review, or shared it with someone who enjoys questioning the things we often take for granted.

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This week marks 13 years since I had my last drink.

In this deeply personal episode, I share the story I don't often tell - the night that changed everything, why I called AA the following morning, and what life has taught me about alcohol, recovery, identity and healing.

I talk about the shame that surrounded my drinking, the challenges of early sobriety, losing friendships, rebuilding my sense of self, and why giving up alcohol didn't magically solve all my problems. I also reflect on the striking contrast between the way society celebrates alcohol while continuing to stigmatise medicinal cannabis.

Whether you're sober, sober-curious, supporting someone you love, or simply questioning your own relationship with alcohol, I hope this conversation gives you something to think about.

In this episode we discuss:

• The night I decided to stop drinking.
• My first experience attending AA.
• Why alcohol gave me confidence—and what happened when I removed it.
• The identity shift that comes with sobriety.
• The hardest part of giving up alcohol.
• Why I believe recovery looks different for everyone.
• Alcohol stigma versus cannabis stigma.
• What I don't miss about drinking.
• Questions to help you reflect on your own relationship with alcohol.

Resources

Survey

Thank you to the hundreds of women who have already contributed. If you haven't completed the anonymous survey yet, I'd love for you to add your voice. You'll find the link in the show notes.

https://cannacurious.com.au/survey/

Resources if You're Thinking About Changing Your Relationship with Alcohol

If this episode resonated with you, please know you're not alone.

Whether you're questioning your drinking, taking a break, cutting back or considering stopping altogether, support is available.

Hello Sunday Morning

Evidence-based tools, articles and support for anyone wanting to change their relationship with alcohol.

Hello Sunday Morning

Daybreak App (Free)

Created by Hello Sunday Morning, Daybreak is a free Australian app offering anonymous peer support, practical tools and behaviour-change programs whether your goal is to reduce your drinking or stop altogether.

Download Daybreak

SMART Recovery Australia

A science-based recovery program that focuses on practical skills and self-management rather than a 12-step model.

SMART Recovery Australia

 Alcoholics Anonymous Australia

AA meetings are available throughout Australia, both in person and online. While everyone's recovery journey is different, many people find community support invaluable.

Alcoholics Anonymous Australia

🩺 Speak with Your GP

Your GP can discuss treatment options, referrals, counselling and medications that may help reduce alcohol cravings and support recovery.

National Alcohol & Other Drug Support

Find alcohol and other drug services in your state or territory.

Australian Government Alcohol Support Services

Books I Recommend

• This Naked Mind — Annie Grace
• Quit Like a Woman — Holly Whitaker
• Alcohol Explained — William Porter
• The Unexpected Joy of Being Sober — Catherine Gray

If you're struggling, remember that asking for help is a sign of strength—not weakness. Every person's recovery journey looks different, and finding the support that works for you is what matters.

You don't have to identify as having an alcohol problem to explore your relationship with drinking.

Many people choose to take a break simply to see how they feel physically, mentally and emotionally.

Sometimes curiosity is enough to start a meaningful change.

This weeks episode of the podcast is supported by Azure Health.

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After 59 episodes, I finally invited a man onto the podcast.

But not just any man.

Paul O'Donoghue from Give n Toke has spent years creating space in the cannabis community, listening more than he talks, and challenging what it means to belong.

In this episode we chat about:

• Why neither of us fit the typical cannabis stereotype
• Bro culture, belonging and finding your place
• What women have taught Paul about cannabis
• Why listening matters more than talking
• My latest Wellness Field Notes: flotation tanks (spoiler... they weren't for me)
• A dating update and the unexpected lessons I'm learning from a professional dominatrix

If you've ever felt like you don't quite fit in, this conversation is for you.

You can find Paul on Socials @giventoke or go check out their amazing accessories here If you use code: cannacurious at checkout you get 20% off!!

🌿 This episode is proudly brought to you by Azure Health.

Azure Health is a healthcare clinic with specialist female doctors who are passionate about creating a safe, respectful healthcare experience for women.

Learn more at Azure Health 

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What if the biggest rules in your life… were never really yours?

This week I'm joined by celebrant, performer, DJ and cannabis advocate Renee to explore the stories we've inherited about love, marriage, cannabis, intimacy and identity—and what happens when we start questioning them.

From the Marriage Equality campaign to the stigma surrounding cannabis, we unpack why some conversations still make people uncomfortable, how love is changing, and why being truly seen might be what we're all searching for.

We also dive into cannabis and intimacy, the myths that refuse to die, why CBD deserves a place in every emergency room, my latest dating disaster involving a 60mg gummy, and this week's Wellness Field Notes on protein, creatine and feeling stronger through perimenopause.

In this episode we discuss:

• Renee's experience working on the Marriage Equality campaign
• The surprising similarities between cannabis stigma and LGBTQIA+ stigma
• What marrying hundreds of couples has taught Renee about intimacy
• Renee's personal journey with cannabis—from Ireland to Australia
• Cannabis, creativity and sexual wellbeing
• Why language matters: "using" cannabis versus "taking" cannabis
• The myths about cannabis that still persist today
• CBD as a tool for managing an uncomfortable cannabis experience
• This week's Wellness Field Notes: protein, creatine and women's health after 40
• My latest dating story... involving a very enthusiastic edible consumer

You can find the beautiful Renee @reneethecelebrant

This weeks episode is supported by Azure Health

www.azurehealth.com.au/cannacurious

@azurehealth

Help Shape the Future of Cannabis Conversations

One of the biggest themes in this episode is what it means to truly be seen and heard.

That's exactly why I've launched a survey asking one simple question:

How do women actually want to be spoken to about cannabis?

If you've ever felt judged, dismissed, confused, or simply unheard when it comes to cannabis, I'd love to hear from you.

📝Take the anonymous survey here

Together, I'm hoping to turn these insights into a white paper that helps shape better conversations, education and healthcare for women.

Connect with Kyla

Instagram: @cannacuriousaus

Website: www.cannacurious.com.au

Join the conversation and let me know:
 Which rule have you stopped following—and why?

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For decades, women have been expected to fit into healthcare systems that were never really designed with us in mind.

This week I'm sharing the story that made me realise the gap in women's health research isn't just a cannabis problem, it's a women's health problem.

From being prescribed Stilnox before anyone understood how differently women metabolised it, to the everyday conversations I have with women who apologise before asking a simple question, this episode explores what happens when we stop assuming and start listening.

I also share why I've launched an international survey asking women how they actually want to be spoken to about medicinal cannabis, what I hope to do with the results, and why I believe listening might be the most powerful form of advocacy we have.

Plus:

• Why women have historically been underrepresented in medical research
• The NSW driving law debate—and how not to get distracted from the bigger picture
• This week's Wellness Field Note on learning to truly listen
• Dating updates, gummies gone wrong, and why I might soon be answering to "Mistress Kyla."

Resources

📝 Help shape the future of cannabis education for women
Complete the How Women Want to Be Spoken To About Cannabis survey here: 

📣 Want to support cannabis law reform?
Download my guide with the next steps you can take to support cannabis legalisation and fair driving laws.

This weeks episode is supported by Azure Health

www.azurehealth.com.au

@azurehealth

If you enjoyed this episode, I'd love it if you left a review, shared it with a friend, or tagged me on social media. Every conversation helps break stigma and bring us one step closer to better education for women.

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Are you using cannabis intentionally, or just hoping for the best?

This week, I'm sharing five cannabis red flags I see every week from chasing higher THC percentages to forgetting that sometimes the body changes, not the medicine. Along the way, we explore curiosity, relationships, discipline, and why questioning assumptions might be one of the most important skills we can develop.

This week on Canna Curious, Kyla explores the power of curiosity, questioning assumptions, and why some of the biggest mistakes people make with medicinal cannabis have nothing to do with the plant itself. 

Kyla shares her thoughts on the proposed NSW medicinal cannabis driving law reforms and why understanding how political change happens may be more productive than simply getting angry online. She also reflects on a recent slide in discipline, a five-kilo weight gain, and her plan to get back to the habits that keep her feeling her best. 

The conversation then moves into a discussion sparked by last week's ethical non-monogamy episode and the bigger question it raised:

How many of our beliefs have we actually chosen for ourselves?

From relationships and marriage to medicine and wellness, Kyla explores the importance of questioning inherited ideas and staying curious enough to change your mind when the evidence asks you to. 

In This Episode

• NSW medicinal cannabis driving law changes
• How to influence political change
• Discipline, habits and getting back on track
• Ethical non-monogamy and inherited beliefs
• Curiosity as a tool for better decision-making
• Five common cannabis red flags
• THC, CBD and treatment goals
• Tracking patterns and symptom changes
• Why tolerance breaks matter
• Water scrying explained
• The value of stillness and reflection

Plus, in this week's Kyla's Wellness Field Notes, Kyla experiments with an ancient practice called water scrying—a reflective practice involving a bowl of water, a candle, and ten minutes of uninterrupted stillness.

No psychic powers were unlocked.

But a little clarity might have been.

Azure Health 

Feeling confused?

Wondering what “alternative healthcare” actually means? Or what kinds of treatments we offer to eligible patients? Or how pricing works after your first consult?

If things seem unclear, it’s largely due to the regulatory guidelines we must follow within our healthcare industry.

That’s why we encourage you to get in touch in whatever way suits you for an upfront and confidential conversation.

Azure Health https://azurehealth.com.au/cannacurious

How to effect Change in a Bill -  NSW driving.

https://cannacuriouscomau.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/nsw-medicinal-cannabis-driving-reform_-what-patients-should-do-right-now-3.pdf

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This week on Canna Curious, Kyla de Clifford explores the world of magnesium supplements, including Magnesium Glycinate, Magnesium Citrate and Magnesium L-Threonate, and whether they actually help with sleep, stress and brain fog.

We also answer a listener question about medicinal cannabis suppositories, discuss the role of the endocannabinoid system in women's health, endometriosis and pelvic pain, and unpack why language matters when we talk about taking versus using medicinal cannabis.

Plus, a personal reflection on dating, ethical non-monogamy (ENM) and relationships in midlife.

In This Episode

• Magnesium for sleep, anxiety and brain fog
• Magnesium Glycinate vs Citrate vs L-Threonate
• Medicinal cannabis suppositories explained
• The endocannabinoid system and women's health
• Endometriosis, pelvic pain and cannabinoids
• Taking vs using medicinal cannabis
• Dating and ethical non-monogamy after 50

Resources

• Endocannabinoid System & Women's Health
• Magnesium Supplement Guide
• Women's Health & Pelvic Pain Resources

Connect

Got a question for the show? Send it through and it may feature in a future episode of Canna Curious.

Resources & Links

Azure Health (Sponsor)

• https://azurehealth.com.au/cannacurious

Endocannabinoid System & Women's Health

• Endocannabinoid receptors in the reproductive system
• Endocannabinoid 
• Endocannabinoids in Endometriosis
• podcast episode explaining the ECS

Suppositories

• My CBD suppository recipe
• Cannabis and Perimenopause

Magnesium
Useful resource explaining:

• Magnesium Glycinate (may be best for sleep)
• Magnesium Citrate (Constipation)
• Magnesium L-Threonate (Brain Fog)

Connect With Kyla

• Instagram: @cannacuriousau

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What if one of the earliest signs of perimenopause isn't missing periods… but simply feeling like you don't quite feel like yourself anymore?

This week on Canna Curious, Kyla sits down with Dr. Shabnam Sarshar — researcher, scientist and passionate advocate for better conversations around women's health and cannabinoid science.

From growing up in Iran and unexpectedly moving to Germany for her PhD, through to becoming deeply immersed in women's health research, Dr. Shabnam shares her story and unpacks the fascinating relationship between hormones, the endocannabinoid system and why so many women spend years feeling dismissed, confused or wondering what is happening to their bodies.

Plus, Kyla returns with another instalment of Kyla's Wellness Field Notes, where she volunteers herself as tribute and investigates magnesium... with mixed success.

In this episode:

• Dr. Shabnam's journey from Iran to Germany
 • Traditional herbal medicine and modern science
 • Why women’s health research has historically been overlooked
 • The impact of stigma in cannabinoid science
 • Perimenopause and the "I don't feel like myself anymore" feeling
 • The relationship between hormones and the endocannabinoid system
 • Why mood, pain and sleep suddenly shift
 • Omega-3s, inflammation and nutrition
 • Exercise as medicine
 • Learning to advocate for yourself in healthcare
 • Female sexual health and cannabinoid research

Find Dr. Shabnam Sarshar

LinkedIn

Substack: The Recalibration

Also mentioned

Claude from Satinca

Rachel Payne MP

Connect with Canna Curious

Instagram: @cannacuriousaus
TikTok: @cannacuriousau

This episode is supported by Azure Health. 

www.azurehealth.com/cannacurious

If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe, leave a review and share it with someone who needs to hear it.

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Everyone talks about THC and CBD… but what about the rest of the plant family?

In this episode of Canna Curious, Kyla dives into the world of minor cannabinoids — the tiny compounds quietly hanging around in the background that researchers are becoming increasingly interested in.

From CBG (the organised mum of the family) to CBN (the sleep celebrity) and THCV ("diet weed"), we unpack what we know, what we don't know yet, and why these compounds may matter especially for things like inflammation, mood, sleep, metabolism and brain fog.

Plus: Kyla launches a brand-new segment — Wellness Field Notes — where she volunteers herself as tribute and tries the wellness trends the internet keeps throwing at us.

Also included:

• A podcast recording disaster (yes... forgetting to press record)
• Thoughts on navigating perimenopause with cannabinoids
• Dating app adventures and Bumble chaos
• Why sometimes being single actually feels pretty great

In this episode:

What minor cannabinoids actually are
 CBG and brain fog
 CBN and sleep: hype vs reality
 THCV and metabolism research
 CBC and the entourage effect
 THCA + CBDA explained
 Wellness Field Notes
 Dating app updates nobody asked for

Link to cannabinoid descriptions 

Connect with me

Instagram: @cannacuriousaus
 TikTok: @cannacuriousau

Questions, stories or topic ideas? Send me a message — I love hearing from you.

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