Managing The Munchies

Getting high for the first time is different for everyone. In my case, I expected to feel like I went to outer space or something. My guide to cannabis was a grad student several years older than me who lived in the building, and listening to him set my expectations sky high. He kept Cali bud stashed in his closet and warned me that it was too much for me. He spent his days studying education and teaching second grade, and his nights getting high as a kite. I knew he was a cannabis aficionado, so when I finally decided I was good to try weed, I went to him. I thought that I’d feel like I was transported to another world That didn’t exactly happen. I felt normal, albeit slightly giggly, which went away quickly. However, what I did feel, more than anything, was hungry enough to eat a bear. I’d always been a little bit skinny, and not that hungry. You know the type. Someone who doesn’t eat much and gets made fun of for it.

While that first pull didn’t take me to the moon, I instantly knew smoking was for me. It took a few months and lessons on how to inhale to improve my high, but the hunger was really what sold me. Before long, I was hotboxing with the teacher a couple of times a week, and tearing through the leftovers. No pot of spaghetti or chicken breast was safe. I picked up going to the gym after a while and was pumped to see that my body suddenly could hold on to some muscle mass. I’m the first to admit I didn’t achieve this in the healthiest way possible. I ate chips, chicken sandwiches, and on one occasion, a whole pizza. Whatever was around. 

Then one night I went to Teach’s house, and he had laid out an entire spread that looked like a salad bar. Cucumbers, carrots, broccoli, and mangoes were everywhere, instead of the usual chicken wings and pizza. He had put on a few pounds and had decided to modify the way he ate to tame the munchies. After a couple of pulls on the vape, the hunger predictably set in. Instead of calling to order something else, we reached for what was in front of us. Once again, a new day had dawned for me.

From then on I made sure to have something already prepared before I sat down to smoke. It turns out that the body doesn’t care what you eat when you’re high, it just cares that there is food. Strategizing your munchies is the easiest way to stay on top of your diet and make sure you’re not lethargic or sluggish as you come down from your high. It’s not so off the wall, since there are foods that are known to boost THC absorption in the bloodstream. There are several foods that are thought to improve your high, including nuts, sweet potatoes, tea, mangoes, and broccoli. With a little bit of planning and forethought, eating healthy foods and managing the munchies doesn’t have to be mutually exclusive.

These days I operate using a hybrid model for my munchies. Some days I put out a healthy spread so that when the moment hits me, it’s right in front of my face. Other days, I put in an order with my closest delivery app and enjoy the feeling that comes when it arrives just in the nick of time. As I’ve gotten more familiar with how my favorite strains affect my body, I learned to steer clear of mangoes when I try a high-THC strain, since that tends to set my nerves on edge. When I want an indica to take the edge off and lull me to sleep, I load up on the broccoli, because it triggers a deep sense of relaxation. Whatever strategy you choose to employ, if you choose to do so, should rely on your body’s own natural rhythms and reactions. If you haven’t created a strategy, try it. Worst case scenario, you control your diet a little bit more, and still get the enjoyment of your favorite strains. Now, eat up!