In this episode of the Revital Health Podcast, Jodi is joined by Shannon McKendry, an Integrative Health Practitioner and educator in women’s health and medicinal cannabis.

With training in functional medicine, nutrition and fitness, and extensive experience supporting clinics, prescribers and patients around Australia, Shannon brings a deeply informed, evidence-based lens to women’s wellbeing and cannabinoid medicine.

Together, we explore how cannabinoids can be woven into an integrative toolkit for women, rather than positioned as a quick fix.

In this episode we cover:

• Shannon’s personal journey from young mum and law student to autoimmune patient, and ultimately to integrative practitioner and educator
• The endocannabinoid system as a master regulator for sleep, pain, mood, inflammation and stress responses
• Why women are often more sensitive to cannabinoids, and why “low and slow” dosing is crucial
• Clinical patterns across the lifespan:
• Teens and young women: anxiety, sleep, cycle symptoms and nervous-system load
• 30s–40s: chronic stress, autoimmune conditions and invisible illness
• Perimenopause and menopause: sleep dysregulation, pain, mood shifts, thermoregulation and cognitive changes
• Endometriosis, PCOS and gynaecological pain:
• Emerging research on cannabinoid creams and sublingual oils
• Real-world shifts in pain, function and quality of life
• How cannabinoids can act as a catalyst, helping women access enough nervous-system stability to actually implement foundations like nutrition, movement, light and sleep
• Common concerns and misconceptions among prescribers and clinics
• “THC is dangerous, CBD is the only safe option”
• Fears around psychoactivity, driving and safety
• Overwhelm with the number of products and delivery formats
• The importance of:
• Individualised assessment and careful titration
• Working within current Australian legal and regulatory frameworks
• Ongoing education for clinicians, and collaboration between prescribers, integrative practitioners and referrers
• Using cannabinoids not only in chronic disease, but as part of proactive health optimisation and longevity strategies

This conversation is for you if:

• You are a woman navigating anxiety, pain, sleep issues or hormonal transitions and want to understand where plant-based medicines may fit
• You are a practitioner or prescriber seeking a grounded, integrative view of cannabinoid medicine in women’s health
• You are a referrer wanting clearer, safer pathways for your patients

To learn more about Shannon’s work and clinical education in this space, you can explore MediCann - https://www.medicannclinics.com.au/