Something to Help in F*cked Up Times!

As we grow, we're partnering with companies that aren't corporate sleazeballs and we like so...meet The CBD Gurus and enjoy a 20% discount! Also read my personal story to know WHY we chose them.

Hey folks, it’s Jordan.

In Status Coup’s 8-year existence, we’ve resisted sponsorship offers for all the obvious reasons: not wanting to hawk products or companies we don’t actually use—or believe in—and not wanting to serve as robots reading scripts on air.

But as we grow, and our reporting costs pile up, we’re making an exception with The CBD Gurus: a product I actually use and has helped me a great deal—and I believe can help you too for a variety of ailments and issues.

***Here’s how you get a 20% discount on all products. Shop at TheCBDGurus.com a variety of CBD products including gummies, oils, lotions, and capsules that can help you for physical pain as well as anxiety, depression, stress, sleep, and more***

• Click on SHOP

• When you complete your order, click on view your shopping cart

• Enter discount code Status20 to get your 20% discount

Before I tell you why I chose to partner with The CBD Gurus for this sponsorship, I wanted to share with you my own personal struggle.

In 2012, I hurt my lower back while doing, of all things, yoga. Essentially, the instructor coming around to “assist” people with their poses stretched me too far and I pulled my lower back. I was still young, in my 20s, and after a little physical therapy, I was able to resume normal activity with no lasting effect…

Until 2016.

Back a decade ago, I was zigzagging across the county in 2016 and 2017—from the 2016 presidential campaign trail (caucuses, primaries, debates, and more); to many trips to Flint; to several months at Standing Rock; to many other states and cities.

During that period, my cameraman and I chose NOT TO TRAVEL with the Trump or Bernie campaigns—and follow the campaigns independently. The perks of that: we weren’t at the mercy of the candidates’ schedule—meaning we could arrive at rallies and events to talk to voters hours ahead of time (and stay after as long as we wanted). The downside: we drove HUNDREDS OF HOURS in 2016 all over the country—some days 4-5 hours on the road plus covering rallies and doing dozens of interviews.

Needless to say, this was not great for my body and I began experiencing back pain…

Then came Standing Rock.

There, a “short” work day was 13-14 hours a day. Most days were 16-18 hours—often having to jog or sprint away from rubber bullets, tear gas, and more (on rough terrain in The Great Plains). And, if any of you were there, you likely tripped on ice at some point or had some type of wear and tear on your body.

At one point in November 2016 at Standing Rock, I fell down a medium-sized hill right on my lower back. At that point, I was in severe pain and probably should have stopped working for a week or two but—the story was too important and my adrenaline, and some medicinal assistance, took over.

By mid-2017, at 30 years old, I was struggling bending and walking. I tried a chiropractor and, stupidly, listened to him when he said I didn’t need an MRI…

Then came February 2018.

I started suffering excruciating muscle spasms down my left side—my hamstring and calf. My left foot went completely numb. The MRI showed my L5 disc was bulging into the S1 sciatic nerve. See MRI below.

When the doctor did a reflex test on my achilles, there was no reflex at all. Based on the muscle spasms, foot numbness, and loss of reflex—my doctor said it was very likely there was a piece of my L5 disc that had broken off and was stuck in my spinal cavity . The doctor said if I didn’t get surgery immediately, I’d most likely loose feeling in my left foot permanently.

At this point I could not walk without excruciating pain and laid in bed on my stomach for 2 days before surgery.

**GRAPHIC WARNING DON’T LOOK BELOW IF YOU GET QUEASY EASILY**

Here is the chunk of disc that was stuck in my spinal cavity & removed during surgery:

Knock on wood, since that 2018 surgery—and a follow-up 2019 procedure to clean out some smaller pieces that were still lodged in there—I have never had that level of severe pain again.

Unfortunately, at 39 years young now, my L5 disc between my vertebrae are very narrow, with most of the actual disc “jelly”…

Gone.

See 2023 XRAY:

That was three years ago; I just got an MRI the other day for which I haven’t seen the results yet. Based on how I feel now—particularly after falling backward on my lower back after New Jersey state police launched a flash bang grenade at my feel— I am assuming the already diminishing space between my vertebrae is even smaller.

Essentially, due to that degenerative L5 disc, I have a lot of compression on my lower spine and back, resulting in my lower back occasionally pulling, chronic stiffness, and tightness and muscle spasms in my lower body: hips, quads, hamstrings, calfs, and foot. Add in residual nerve damage—I have a chronic dance party of irritation and, in many cases, pain in my body.

While trying to avoid spinal fusion surgery at such a young age—and having multiple doctors advising me to shift to a different, less laborious (and stressful) line of work, I have tried a VARIETY of remedies.

• Daily stretching

• Acupuncture (not cheap)

• Physical therapy (not cheap)

• Professional stretching sessions (not cheap)

• Swimming

Some of the above have worked better than others but, for me, what has REALLY helped is…

CBD.

Every morning, after a hot shower, I lather up my lower back with The CBD Gurus X freeze roll on (1500mg).

Within a few minutes, the stiffness in my lower back goes away and I am walking without pain. It typically lasts me most of the day—and allows me to go even deeper in my hamstring and calf stretches. I have also been using the mushroom and energy gummies (which both taste great and help me feel great).

Beyond back and physical pain, research has shown that CBD can be effective in reducing stress, anxiety, depression, and helping to improve sleep.

So…what are you waiting for?

By shopping at The CBD Gurus, you are not only helping support Status Coup—who benefits financially the more products purchased at The CBD Gurus—but you are also getting a great discount on awesome products that can help you feel good in these stressful, fucked up, and dystopian times.

**Here’s how you get a 20% discount on all products. Shop at TheCBDGurus.com a variety of CBD products including gummies, oils, lotions, and capsules that can help you for physical pain as well as anxiety, depression, stress, sleep, and more***

• Click on SHOP

• When you complete your order, click on view your shopping cart

• Enter discount code Status20 to get your 20% discount

Thank you for your support—let’s keep waking up the masses!

Jordan