Exercise + Osteopathic Care + Cannabis Literacy
What this guide addresses—plain languageVeterans Desk Many Veterans live with chronic pain, poor sleep, and limits on daily tasks like driving, lifting, standing, or carrying. Exercise is often recommended, but pain, fatigue, uncertainty, or even billing hassles can make it hard to stick with. This guide organizes three key elements—osteopathic medical care, exercise planning, and […]
Pediatric Medical-Cannabis Care Managers—and Where Child & Adolescent Psychiatry Fits
BLUF (Bottom Line Up Front) For a small number of pediatric seizure disorders, a purified cannabidiol (CBD) medicine—Epidiolex—has FDA approval (Dravet syndrome, Lennox-Gastaut syndrome, and tuberous sclerosis complex). Beyond these conditions, top pediatric organizations urge caution when it comes to cannabis use in children and adolescents. Because state rules vary and families often face mountains […]
Medical Cannabis & Chronic Pain: A 2025 Roadmap for Veterans
Understanding the Crucial Role of Your Osteopathic Doctor in Chronic Pain Management Remember: decisions about your diagnosis, treatment, or cannabis use are yours—made in partnership with your licensed clinicians. Your role isn’t just important; it’s empowering when it comes to managing chronic pain. The problem in front of us-chronic pain—and the practical hope beside it […]
Veterans, Surgery, and the Opioid Dilemma
A neutral guide to roles after surgery: Osteopathic physicians (DOs) and Surgical-Recovery Medical-Cannabis Care Managers (SR-MCCMs). Decisions about your diagnosis, treatment, medications, or cannabis use are always yours—made together with your licensed clinicians. Your active participation is central to recovery. Why recovery feels bigger than stitches The first weeks after surgery can bring sharp or […]
Autoimmune Disease, Veterans in Pain, and the Osteopathic Advantage
Remember: this is your journey. Decisions about diagnosis, treatment, medications, or cannabis use are yours, in consultation with your licensed clinicians. Your voice matters. The big picture (without the jargon) Autoimmune conditions—like rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, multiple sclerosis, inflammatory bowel disease, psoriasis, and thyroid disorders—rarely affect just one body part. They ripple outward, touching sleep, work, […]
Medical-Cannabis Care Managers & Mindfulness-Based Care
The big idea (in simple terms) Many Veterans live with a tough mix: chronic pain, stress that won’t turn off, poor sleep, and constant tension. There’s no single solution. But two tools—when used thoughtfully and with medical guidance—may help: Neither is a cure. Think of them as supports and skills that you and your care […]
Empowering Our Heroes Together
What Mendry Does Mendry’s initiative, Mendry Live, is more than just a podcast. It’s a space where veterans, families, and clinicians share real stories, practical insights, and plain-language resources. Beyond conversations, we organize dignity-forward supports that directly help veterans, active-duty families, and caregivers—making Mendry stand out in the veteran support community. Current initiatives include: Financial-assistance […]
Cannabis Access & Opioid Outcomes: An Evidence Brief for Veterans (2025)
Why this matters now Veterans have carried a heavy burden in the overdose crisis. In recent years, overdose deaths have continued to rise—driven mostly by powerful synthetic opioids like fentanyl. Against that reality, it’s natural to ask: Does access to regulated cannabis change opioid-related outcomes? Here’s the most important point up front: medications for opioid […]
Marijuana Testing at the Recruiting Gate (2025)
Bottom line up front (BLUF) THC testing is still required when entering military service. In 2024, the U.S. House pushed language to stop cannabis testing for recruits and officer candidates. But that provision didn’t survive conference, and the FY 2025 NDAA left current rules in place. DoD still requires urinalysis at entry. (Congress.gov, Marijuana Moment) […]
Veterans’ Restless Nights & Cannabis: What the Latest Research Says About Sleep and Dreams
Many veterans struggle with sleep—whether from chronic pain, being on constant alert, or intrusive memories that won’t fade. As interest in cannabis as a possible sleep aid grows, so do the questions: How much? When? What about side effects or interactions? This brand-neutral guide highlights what the latest research says—while reminding you that your healthcare […]