It may be time to shatter any illusions you have of yourself or others. Peel away these misconceptions about your life and see yourself for the amazing being that you are and how you were intended to be. There is nothing wrong with you. Break those illusions they are not true. You or someone you love may be suffering from something painful confusing or unpleasant. You must endure and push yourself through these moments in life. You should know that you are strong and it may be incredibly hard to know that in this moment you will move past this into better times. You are not alone. Think about what it is you sincerely want out of life and whether you’re showing people your true self. Align your different personas into one and doing so you will conserve your energy. Think about situations where various personas work together to support your authentic self. Release the excess baggage from those personas so that you can find a free pass for your spirit and soul. Plan your next steps with an eye to the long term. Have patience; there are more good things to come. This is a time to end those addictions or codependencies. The difficulties are lifting. Information is coming to help you. It may be a bit uncomfortable to hear, but be present in your emotions and speak your truths with kindness Letting go of the belief systems that no longer serve you. Important life changing events and situations that will lead to significant opportunities of assistance in the forms of money, advice, and career. The outlook is bright when lead with your passion. Take a breath and know the stability you have been seeking is near.New friends will arrive and romance will flow. Take a break from society and commit to your spiritualgrowth. You have the potential to make life great!
Category: Wellness
There is Hope – Steve Miller Essential Tremor
Essential Tremor is a neurological disorder characterized by involuntary shaking or trembling
movements, most commonly affecting the hands and arms but also sometimes affecting the head, voice, or legs. The tremors can range from mild to severe and can worsen with movement or stress. ET is the most common movement disorder, affecting up to 1% of the population, and it typically starts in mid to late adulthood, but for Steve it began as a kid.
While the exact cause of essential tremor is unknown, it is believed to be due to abnormal communication between certain areas of the brain, particularly those involved in controlling movement. There is a genetic component to the disorder too. This hereditary condition has led his father, sisters, son and daughter to all having different levels of progression. When speaking to Steve he described the feeling as if you were sitting in a massage chair turned on high, vibrating intensely 24/7 and that’s what his day looks like, centered behind his diaphragm.
There is no known cure for Essential Tremor, but there are several treatments that can help manage the symptoms. These include medications such as beta-blockers and anticonvulsants, which can help reduce the severity of tremors, as well as occupational therapy and physical therapy, which can help improve coordination and reduce the impact of tremors on daily activities. In some cases, deep brain stimulation (DBS) surgery may also be recommended, which involves implanting electrodes in the brain to help regulate abnormal movement signals.
According to Steve, he hasn’t had the best of luck with doctors being willing to hear him out and listen to him or even let him demonstrate how it’s effective, by putting a few drops of an RSO base oil, along with a combination of cannabis derived terpenes and cannabinoids. He doesn’t take any of the 43 different medications that he had previously been on for ET. Cannabis has been a major part of his healing journey for the last three years, when he started experimenting with this plant. There’s been multiple doctors who have lost Steve as a patient, simply because they wouldn’t listen to him. It also seems to be that they’re losing a Pharma patient because cannabis is healing him instead and it’s definitely a threat to the pharmaceutical industry.
Upon entering Steve’s home, he purposely didn’t want to medicate before we got there so we could see the severity of his shakes and then to see them subside. By using the RSO combo in the morning,(about 160-200 mgs) which is about 6 grains of rice, it takes quite a bit for him to help. He applies about six drops to his wrists. Eventually, he stops shaking and his symptoms are not as prevalent from the start. This is applied two times throughout the day, followed by a nice dose of RSO to help him sleep throughout the night. This formula is what he’s been experimenting with on his own, making his medicine with the help of other knowledgeable minds.
I got to sit down with Steve and chat with him about growing up, his experiences with Essential Tremors and figuring out what’s going on with it, and how he handles this disease on a daily basis. To get to know him a little better, I asked him how he grew up and what life was like dealing with ET.
Since third grade, Steve grew up in the house we were sitting in, that he currently lives in right now. I could only imagine the nostalgia and memories, being a 70 year old man living in the house you grew up in. 1962 is when they moved into the home and the main road was a dirt road at the time in the city; not anymore! Steve’s dad dealt with ET, and his mother had it too. Steve and both of his sisters also dealt with this disease, which I quickly learned can drive you absolutely mad, not being able to handle the symptoms. Steve has always had a gift of being a caretaker for other people and took care of his sister before she passed.
Drinking alcohol has been known to control the outer shakes and your cognitive function, but that can be a slippery slope. This disorder can cause people to create suicide by alcohol, and dealing with high anxiety symptoms. This method was always helpful, but not a good habit. Steve completely quit drinking though a few years ago and chooses to medicate with plant medicine only now.
Growing up was pretty tough for Steve and having Essential Tremors really affected him as a kid, even more so than being an adult. He started noticing the shakes whenever he was in first grade. His teachers even noticed it but didn’ know what to do with it, much like the doctors today he says. It wasn’t easy for him to make friends because no one wanted to talk to him, he was made fun of and always was alone, with horrible anxiety. He failed first grade and was happy taking an F, because he couldn’t get up in front of the class and talk at all. Even as an adult, he’s had trouble with finding work for the same reasons. No one wants to hire you if they see you shaking, while working on machines and working on cars often. Steve emphasizes on the fact that he’s had to reinvent himself so many times for this exact reason. The anxiety that ET brings you can come out of nowhere and makes you so anxious that you just have to keep going and allow yourself to stay busy.
Anything with purple Steve says he is attracted to and it helps him. Myrcene and Caryophyllene are terpenes that tend to help with anxiety. His first time trying RSO happened to be a full-spectrum White Widow strain that was a 1:1. It calmed his inner tremor down to 50% of what it is normally and he could actually sleep. He currently has a grower, nourishing a 1:1 strain for him now.
The disease itself changes and you have to know how to deal with it, so you can live a life to where you feel like you have some kind of healing control of your body, without it driving you mad and living a miserable life. Sounds intense, but that’s exactly what ET is, it’s intense and affects your life, your brain function, your heart, and really all areas of your life. Cannabis has been a huge tool and trauma healer for Steve.
Steve’s main goal is to help kids with this disease. To have a program and the tools in place to diagnose kids in school with it and be able to recognize this disease and what to do so they could help themselves and be better students and take care of their wellbeing, without feeling lost and alone.
During our time together we also touched on the power of other plant medicine that he hasn’t had the opportunity to dive into just yet, but plans on it to see how other plant medicines are also very beneficial to our cognitive and physical functions and could actually be surprisingly healing and powerful to a body that is experiencing Essential Tremors.
Essential Tremor Awareness, Mental Health & Cannabis Awareness are what Steve is passionate about. The power of cannabis as medicine and what it’s doing for people who experience ET is truly amazing and deeply healing in more ways than one. You can’t help but think what it would be like for everyone to be able to have access to this plant, including those who are incarcerated. This plant will eventually be healing to an entire Nation, once it goes Federally legal. In the meantime, people like Steve can share their stories and he even had the chance to medicate in front of the OMMA team and they were very moved after seeing the results right before their own eyes. He’s living out his childhood dreams and it’s touching to see. It’s one step at a time with like minded people helping others and gathering as a community to be heard.
A Toke of Wellness
Mushrooms are more closely related to animals than to plants! That’s a wild, but true, statement. Mushrooms breathe like we do. They take in oxygen and expel carbon dioxide. Similarly to plants, they are rooted and rely on their roots for nutrition! Over millions of years, plants and animals have evolved alongside our fungi friends, and we have developed a pretty intricate relationship with them.
Despite the lack of science, ancient cultures knew medicinal mushrooms worked. The fifth century alchemist Tao Hongjing described the appearance and e ffects of several medicinal mushrooms. Traditional Chinese Medicine and Ayurvedic Medicine practices have used mushrooms as medicine for centuries and still do today! Mushrooms are also mentioned in Hippocrates’ writings from 450 BC and in many ancient Greek and Roman writings.
In our modern world, spring has arrived! From immunity to allergies and a host of other benefits, it’s time to take a closer look at the role of functional mushrooms for our wellness routines.
FUNCTIONAL VS PSYCHEDELIC
Our Highest Intent tinctures contain two powerful mushrooms: Lion’s Mane and Reishi. Most people ask me, “Are these psychedelic mushrooms?” The answer is, no! Psychedelic mushrooms contain compounds called psilocybin and psilocin. These compounds act on serotonin receptors and lead to altered states of consciousness and other psychological e ects. Functional mushrooms contain other bioactive compounds such as beta-glucans, terpenoids, and sterols, as well as compounds specific to each type of mushroom. These compounds have exhibited various health benefits including immune-boosting, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties. Mushrooms are fat-free, cholesterol-free, gluten-free, and low in carbs, calories, and sodium. Additionally, they are abundant in vitamin and mineral content, along with antioxidants, which are essential to a strong immune system. Let’s take a closer look at Reishi and Lion’s Mane!
Buying Mushrooms? What to look for!
The benefits of functional mushrooms are incredible, but not all mushroom products are created equal. When buying mushroom products, here are some things to look for:
Mycelium on grain vs fruited body
Mycelium on grain is used in some mushroom products instead of fruited bodies. Mycelium has amazing benefits, but most “mycelium” products contain very little. Unfortunately, there is no way to separate mycelium from grain when it is grown on grain, resulting in an end product that is mainly grain starch.
high extraction ratios
The extraction ratio refers to the volume of mushrooms used to make the extract. In a 4:1 extract, four pounds of mushrooms make one pound of extract. Mushroom density and other physical characteristics determine that number more than extraction thoroughness. So if you see a big ratio like 100:1, then many mushrooms were wasted.
“Full-spectrum”
If you leave myceliated grain long enough, it will form tiny fruiting bodies on the grain. If you ground that into a powder, it would technically contain mycelium and fruited bodies, aka full-spectrum. However, the reality is that the final product will still be mostly grain starch.
Might not even contain mushrooms
In 2017, 19 reishi mushroom products were tested for compounds consistent with Reishi mushrooms. The study found that 74% of those productsdid NOT contain the proper compounds! Always research the source of the mushrooms you buy.
Extracts vs powders
Beta-glucans, triterpenes, sterols, these are the magical compounds our bodies crave and they’re locked up inside mushroom cell walls. Because our stomachs are not capable of breaking down these cell walls, these compounds must be extracted to be e ective in our bodies. A mushroom supplement that is not the result of a duel-extraction will not provide the most benefit.
Mushrooms are powerful, naturally medicinal allies that can improve the quality of our daily lives. It is imperative to do proper research before purchasing mushroom products. Herbal Academy, DoubleBlind, and Oklahoma Fungi are a couple brands trusted by many to learn about
mushrooms! You can also reach out to us on instragram to learn more.
Feminine Divine – Hannah Pearl
Embracing feminine divine energy is a personal and spiritual journey that involves acknowledging and honoring the qualities and aspects associated with the feminine, such as nurturing, intuition, empathy, creativity, and receptivity.
Hannah Pearl is an Intuitive Practitioner, an Herbalist, and an Astrologer. She enjoys re-
connecting people with the natural cycles. Hannah offers services like spirit plant drawing, which is a hand-drawn art piece that attunes our frequencies to the plant kingdom to draw wisdom. Within her expertise, she offers Reiki energy healing sessions, chakra alignment and aura cleansing, which is all helpful for mental/emotional blocks. She extends her gifts to clients by offering health consultations that incorporate astrology, principles from eastern philosophy to get a deeper insight to patterns of harmony and disharmony and ways we can rebalance these energies through our daily rituals and habits.
She can help you with activating and awakening your own inner healer, understanding how
plants and herbs can improve your health and well being, the cycles of nature and how to
incorporate them for a more fulfilling life.
“The land is always speaking, we just need to get quiet enough to listen”.
Hannah is a passionate plant lady that has a dream and vision of educating and inspiring others on their spiritual/herbal awakening. She has studied Western Herbalism as well as Eastern practices since 2014 and is currently working toward being a Doctor of Natural medicine.
Ultimately, embracing feminine divine energy is about connecting with our inner wisdom,
intuition, and power, and using these qualities to create a life that is fulfilling and aligned with our true selves.
“We are energetically connected to everything, like a thread woven into a
larger quilt, or the drops of water that make up the ocean”.
I personally have had the opportunity to spend time with Hannah, as she read me my natal chart and gave me a detailed explanation of my astrology reading. I’ve always admired Hannah for her herbal concoctions and her depth of knowledge with natural medicine and her passion for the entire Universe. You can find our conversation below.
1. Hannah, tell me about how you grew up and how you were raised and what initially
sparked a joy within yourself for the outdoors, Mother Nature, and tapping into herbs,
healing and astrology?
I don’t remember having much of a consistent home until I was about 9 years old. My mom
traveled across the states with my brother and I, where we spent a lot of time outdoors. I believe that really instilled a deeply rooted love and appreciation for nature early on. My mom has always taken an alternative perspective when it comes to health preferring a more natural approach. She has been doing reiki since before I was born and she taught me the practice of meditation by the time I was 5. I took a lot of it for granted and struggled to connect, until life took my hand, or more like shoved me. I was about 16-17 years old when I developed some health issues, had already had a few traumatic life experiences, and by 19 I got hit by a car which was really the culmination point that led me down the path of integrating and aligning my mind-body-soul. It spiraled me back to the natural path and into the world of herbs and constellations. I ended up completely pivoting from trying to pursue a career as an esthetician and focusing only on the surface to diving much deeper into understanding more about my inner workings. Herbalism, nutrition, energy work and astrology are all just vehicles that have helped and continue to help me to develop a stronger connection with myself.
2. One way to embrace Feminine Divine energy is to cultivate practices that promote self-
care, self-love, and self-acceptance. In what ways do you practice these?
I practice self-love, acceptance and care through consistent conscious awareness of my inner
monologue. For a long time, I shamed myself for not doing or being enough. I was always
striving for “perfection”. If I didn’t do X,Y,Z then I was a failure. It didn’t matter what I did or didn’t do, there was always a void. I realized that the void was just calling me to come home to myself. It’s not about all the things outside of us, but what’s on the inside that counts the most. I believe that the way we speak to and treat ourselves sets the stage for the type of experiences and choices we will make in this life. When I “should” or “shouldn’t” myself, staying consistent with my practices is near impossible. It inevitably ends with self loathing. When I speak to myself with love and compassion, when I accept and sit with all of the parts of myself, even the ones that don’t feel too great, I naturally want to care for and nourish myself through healthier choices, for example doing meditation, yoga, breathwork, eating + growing + preparing nourishing foods and herbs, and whatever else feels relevant in the moment.
3. You’ve mentioned before that Mother Nature is your religion. What does this mean to
you?
I believe that we are all a part of nature, and the idea that we are separate from our environment is an illusion. As above, so below. The macrocosm and the microcosm. Everything is so deeply interconnected, we can see this physically with the root systems and the mycelial networks underground that are constantly sharing nutrients and information bridging the seemingly separate environment. We are energetically connected to everything, like a thread woven into a larger quilt, or the drops of water that make up the ocean. I personally have found the most peace, acceptance and love for all of life when I am out in nature so it only feels right that my devotion is to my body and to this land that I inhabit.
4. What types of activities bring you joy and fulfillment?
I find so much joy in communing with nature in general, more specifically though foraging,
identifying and learning more about the flora and fauna in my area, holding sacred space for my community, holding space for my body, creating art, making herbal preparations and nourishing foods for myself and my community, and being able to share all of this with my son and loved ones.
5. How do you embrace your own Feminine Divine energy?
By fully trusting myself even when on the outside it doesn’t make sense. I believe deep down I have everything that I need within me and I don’t require external validation. And that to me is where my true power lies. Placing proper boundaries that protect my peace, I no longer take responsibility for others and their emotions. If someone doesn’t resonate with what I have to say then it wasn’t for them anyways. I do not shrink myself any longer, or reserve myself to make others feel comfortable, growth is uncomfortable and if it triggers someone that is an opportunity for them to look inside of themselves and gain new perspectives that could catalyze and shift their reality, it is not up to me. My feminine divine energy is the part of me that knows that I am not here for anyone else, I am not here to please anyone, I am here to surrender to the greater unknown that lies within and to embody my authentic self in all of its essence so that I may step forward with confidence into my divine masculine or action with a solid foundation of trust.
6. What is Ethnobotany and how do you use it to understand how our ancestors used
and honored herbal medicine?
Ethnobotany is the study of plants and their traditional uses by indigenous peoples, using this information can help us to understand the deeper relationships and importance of specific plants to the land and to our ancestors. Our ancestors had an intimate relationship with plants, without needing technology to validate their importance and I think we can all at least acknowledge that, if anything, we can use our scientific understandings of the medicinal properties of plants to validate what our ancestors already instinctively knew. We too can develop deeper relationships with plants around us by connecting with the environment. The land is always speaking, we just need to get quiet enough to listen.
7. You’re an herbalist. What’s your favorite herbal blend that you recommend to use on a
daily basis and why?
It’s hard to say, everyone is so vastly different and our needs are going to vary from person to person. I will say though that living in cycle with the seasons, using what is readily available to us in our immediate environments and paying attention to the plants that are coming up around us can make a world of difference for overall health and wellbeing. Plants release certain constituents that help them to survive as well as support the ecosystem as a whole, the types and amounts of constituents that are released are based on different environmental factors, such as the temperature, sun exposure, water, soil quality, etc. We are also exposed to these factors, so we can benefit from those specific protective and preventive constituents by utilizing the plants and herbs that are growing around us. Some examples of springtime herbs are dandelion (Taraxacum officinale), henbit (Lamium amplexicaule), deadnettle (Lamium purpureum) and wild violet (Viola odorata). As they start to blossom, they are supportive for our bodies in different ways such as strengthening our elimination pathways, alleviating allergies, boosting our immune system, and more, so that our bodies have an easier time transitioning into summer.
8. Can you tell me about your company, Eighth Chakra Healing and what your vision is?
Eighth Chakra is a company that my mother, Virginia Underwood and I started. We provide
various tools, services, classes as well as facilitate ceremonial circles for the community with the intention of providing a space for individuals to develop a deeper connection with
themselves so they can begin to tap into the innate divine wisdom that is available to us all. We have an ultimate goal of having a regenerative retreat center, where we will steward native species and provide a place for the community to gather and integrate their wholeness by connecting with the land, themselves, and one another.
9. Being a mother amongst all of the other things you do, how do you find balance in
your work and life?
It’s a practice, every day looks different. I focus on taking it moment by moment, breath by
breath. Tuning into and prioritizing my needs helps me to find harmony with all the moving parts. I find that if my cup is full, then I am able to pour into everything else more readily.
10. Do you have any books that you’re currently reading that you really enjoy or absolutely recommend? I love to know where minds are attracted to.
There are so many books that I love, the list could go on and on but one book in particular that very much changed my life and still holds relevance to this day is called, You Are the Placebo: Making Your Mind Matter by Dr. Joe Dispenza. This book is a great example of how powerful our minds are, that what we believe about ourselves and our capabilities can determine how external influences affect us. I finished this book the day before I was hit by a car, I sustained some severe injuries and I am lucky to be here now. When I woke up 3 days later, I had a completely different perspective on life. Whereas before I was overwhelmingly depressed, I had no motivation to keep going and I was praying for something to take me out so that I could escape myself, and all of my feelings. When I awoke, I was renewed and all I could express was gratitude for being alive another day. The hospital staff was shocked at how fast my burns and bones were mending and I truly believe that my outlook, and attitude towards the situation changed the outcome. For this reason I would without reservation recommend this book.
11. If you could go back and tell your younger self anything that you needed to hear
during a time when you didn’t receive it. What would you say?
You are not responsible for anyone else’s emotions, thoughts or actions, all of which are merely reflections of the way people feel and what they believe about themselves. Keep doing you, it is okay to be misunderstood. It is okay to stand out from the crowd, you were never meant to fit in. Your unique perspectives and expressions are a blessing. Keep cultivating respect for yourself, and don’t give your power away or play small for anyone else, you do not require anyone else’s validation in order to be worthy, you are innately worthy simply by being here, that’s the only validation that you need. The only thing you can control in this life is the way you perceive it and the responses you have to it, forcing your way will only create more resistance and suffering. Trust that you are making the right decisions, there are no mistakes. What is meant for you will never miss you! I love you.
12. As a woman and everything you embody, how are you creating a life you love on your
own terms?
I am following my heart, regardless of the external “noise”. If it doesn’t feel right, then it’s not for me even if everyone else is doing it. I believe that only we as individuals know what’s truly best for ourselves, and we have the power to tap into our inner knowing by developing a deeper relationship and understanding of ourselves. Continuing to be present with and creating space for all that comes up, for all that I ever was, will ever be and all that I am.
Hannah is such a beautiful and intelligent soul. I’m sure you agree after ending up right here. I love how she’s fully embracing her inner wisdom and Feminine Divine. Her passions and drive for life, community and listening to her inner wisdom really takes her the places she wants to go and is inspiring! Our thoughts and words are extremely powerful and Hannah is here to remind you of your own innate wisdom. Don’t ever forget, no one is you and that’s your power.
You can keep up with Hannah and services she offers at www.eighth-chakra.com
You can also get to know Hannah more and find her featured on The Cannabis Hangout
Podcast, Ep. #87.
A Toke of Wellness
Delta 9 thc, commonly known as just THC, is the primary psychoactive compound in cannabis. It is responsible for most, but not all, of the plant’s medicinal effects. When inhaled, ∆9 THC is absorbed directly into the bloodstream and swiftly distributed to cannabinoid receptors throughout the body. This rapid absorption means onset time is quick, but the effects aren’t as lasting as edibles. When ingested in oil form, ∆9 THC is metabolized by the liver and converted into a new compound, 11-hydroxy-THC.
11-Hydroxy-THC is more potent and longer lasting than ∆9 THC. However, in this case “more potent” and “longer lasting” don’t automatically mean “better” or “more reliable”. With 11-hydroxy-THC the onset and duration of its effects can be more unpredictable than ∆9 THC. This is because the time it takes for the liver to metabolize ∆9 THC can vary depending on the person’s metabolism, the dose consumed, and whether they ate shortly before or after.
Full-Spectrum Extract refers to extracts that contain all of the natural compounds found in cannabis plants, such as cannabinoids, terpenes, and flavonoids. Rather than a single compound on its own, this combination of compounds work together and rely on each other to produce a greater therapeutic effect.
BROAD-Spectrum Extract The CBD market, defines broad-spectrum cannabis extracts as a type of extract that contains a variety of terpenes, flavonoids, and cannabinoids (minus THC). However in the THC market, broad-spectrum refers to an extract that maintains a variety of cannabinoids, but no terpenes or flavonoids. While terpenes are medicinal compounds, they are volatile oils that often get destroyed in digestion and are better absorbed via inhalation.
ISOLATE Extract To obtain a single cannabinoid from the cannabis plant (like CBD or THC), an isolate extraction is utilized. In this process, all other components of the plant, such as terpenes, flavonoids, and other cannabinoids, are removed. Typically, harsh techniques, like solvents, are used to strip the targeted cannabinoid from the rest of the plant material. The end product is a highly concentrated, powdered form of the single cannabinoid. Most of the cannabis products on the market that are formulated with specific ratios of cannabinoids (1:1, 12:1, 1:1:1, etc.) typically rely on cannabis isolates to achieve these exact ratios.
CANNABIS OILS , whether they are full or broad spectrum, are highly concentrated extracts made through various extraction methods. However, when cannabis oil is consumed in an edible form, most of the therapeutic cannabis material is destroyed during digestion as oil and water do not mix, and the human body is mostly made up of water. As a result, only a small amount of the ∆9 THC in the oil can be absorbed by the body. Once absorbed, it is metabolized into 11-hydroxy-thc which is responsible for the “edible high” from oil-based edibles.
NANO EMULSIFIED / WATER SOLUBLE Cannabis oils can be made more bioavailable by emulsification. This process breaks down cannabinoids into small particles, increasing their surface area for better absorption. Nano cannabinoids can be up to 10x more bioavailable than traditional oil-based cannabinoids, thus improving their therapeutic effectiveness. Nanoemulsions keep THC from being converted to 11-hydroxy-THC, bypassing liver metabolism and entering the bloodstream directly. As a result, the effects are more predictable and consistent, reducing unexpected side effects.
NATURAL FLAVORS + COLORS Cannabis edibles can be flavored and colored with many natural ingredients. Most of them are made from essential oils, extracts, or distillates of natural ingredients: fruits, vegetables, herbs, spices, minerals, and animal products (unless they’re vegan!). Natural ingredients are often preferred over artificial because they do not contain synthetic chemicals or artificial
additives.
ARTIFICIAL FLAVORS + COLORS Synthetic and artificial ingredients can pose processing challenges for the body both in the short and long term. These components have the potential to disrupt the body’s metabolic and hormonal functions. Often, artificial ingredients are derived from natural sources and chemically modified to enhance flavor or color. In contrast, certain ingredients such as Yellow 5, Yellow 6, and Red 40 are entirely synthetic.
SUGARS + SWEETENERS Edibles can be sweetened with natural or artificial options. Fruit puree contains naturally occurring simple sugars, fructose and sucrose, making it a natural choice. Allulose, found in some fruits, is a rare sugar, but not necessarily environmentally sustainable when produced at scale. High fructose corn syrup is a cheaper, commonly used sweetener, but associated with health risks such as obesity, type 2 diabetes and heart disease. Sugar-Free can be beneficial for some patients’ particular needs, however artificial sweeteners are often substituted in place of natural sugar to achieve a sweet sugar-free edible.
MELATONIN Sleep and wake cycles are regulated by melatonin, an essential hormone produced by the body. Supplemental melatonin can disrupt the body’s natural production and can sometimes cause unwanted side effects such as daytime drowsiness, headaches, and nausea. Reishi mushroom, which encourages the body’s own melatonin production, is a more natural sleep aid.
GELATIN is derived from collagen found in the skin, bones, and connective tissues of animals, usually cows or pigs. It’s commonly used in the production of cannabis gummies to give them their shape and texture. Because gelatin is derived from animal collagen, it is high in certain amino acids that can be difficult for the gut to break down. Occasionally consuming gelatin is not harmful, but regular consumption can cause health issues such as irritating the lining of the gut, bloating, gas, and constipation.
Raise Your Highbration
Vibrational medicine is a wealth to add to anyone’s skill tree, be it a novice smoker, or a seasoned stoner! After all, just because someone’s proficient in an art doesn’t mean there’s nothing left to learn, and we all want the most holistic high we can create for ourselves, right?
Let’s begin by defining ‘vibrational medicine’.
Everything and everyone has a vibration. It’s a state of being that can be high or low depending on the stimulus on your everyday environment and how you choose to relate to it internally.
Cannabis has a vibration too, and that vibration changes the more the plant is tampered with, for example, with PGR’s (plant growth regulators) or even the disposition of the grower as its tending to budding plants.
Interestingly enough the plant, alongside carrying its own vibration acts like an enhancer for the overall current an individual carries with their vibration at the time of ingestion. So what does that mean exactly?
It could mean many things. It could mean that if you’re buzzed at a party you don’t even want to be at, but are because you’re actively people pleasing, have 89 problems on your plate and no solutions, only complaints – the weed that your deciding to ingest is going to shut you down and numb you out, or on the other end, make you panic.
Low situatons breed low results.
Alternatively, it could mean that you just took a big step for yourself in terms of self care and set a healthy boundary with a friend or family member, moreover you had a balances nourishing meal and took the time to meditate like you keep reminding yourself to do.
So when you sit back for the evening, and partake in some choice cannabis, it’s going to generally Inspire you and cradle that warmth you’ve shown yourself that day, because you matter! Great job!
Now those are two random situations, the point is if you’re surrounded and full of self love, the medicine is going to enhance that as long as you’re medicating smart for your body.
If your focus is chaotic and honed in on failure, stress, and the opinions of others before your own, your medicine will latch onto that state of ennancement and bring little benefit and more distraction.
Distraction may show auick results, but in the long term it’s not doing anyone any favors.
Now if you’re anything like me, step by step can really put it in perspective, so maybe treat it like a nightcap ritual, or a morning motivator if you have the ability! Dedicate some time just for you and your medicine.
Seed to Buds
Meet Randon. He’s the operator of Well Rooted Genetics here in Oklahoma and he’s a connoisseur of consumption, with food and cannabis! He’s a big time foodie and has a memory with smells that take him back. He has learned about curation and flow with the different experiences he has had, with the plant having more textures and smells than any other species we have. He enjoys a good salad mix and bringing people together, because we’re ALL artists.
I had the opportunity to attend the very first exploration dinner, “Seed to Buds”. Which was an experience where artisans of two separate crafts came together to create. This is where the Underground Ghost Kitchen comes in. It was an experience curated by Randon with Well Rooted Genetics and the UGK team. Roger curates the events and Jesse is the main chef for private dining events.
By providing experiences like this in Oklahoma, we’re essentially bridging the gap and blending the two worlds, by elevating the state and opening up new doors for the evolution of plant medicine. The goal of this dinner pairing was to utilize all of the plant in ways that compliment luxury ingredients.
Upon walking into Randon’s beautiful home, I was greeted with a cocktail and smiling faces. More people started rolling in, all faces of industry gems. Conversations and laughter flowed throughout the whole night. There was good hash rosin present, along with glass tip joints, that I have to say I need more of in my life! The glass tips are such a game changer when it comes to taste and flow, so take note. Everyone found a seat at the table, with a guided menu on what to expect for the evening and then it began.
There were many many intricate dishes that made this experience special, along with the option for mocktails for those that requested them. The UGK team also caters to those with food allergies and different preferences. The dinner menu was set up to complement strains like Zacio, Birkinz, Frosted Waffles, and Gelenade. Here are some descriptions on what I got to taste!
The snacks were a favorite of mine and consisted of Pani Puri, herbed boursin, greens and a lavender clover club cocktail to pair with Gelonade. There was also a cauliflower salad with asparagus, espuma and a Monstro Striga Cerasuolo d’ Abruzzo to pair with Zacio, and for the main course we had an herb crusted loin coated in East Side OG kief, with peas, potato, and a Maison Passot Fleurie wine paired with Birkinz. To cleanse our palates, we smoked Superboof that was rolled with a glass tip by Zenoa Cultivation, along with orange granita, mango sorbet and strawberry. (the mango sorbet was a favorite of mine). We then followed that with a dessert that was a creme fresh honeysuckle lemon cake with a Lambrusco drink, paired with Frosted Waffles. All of the signature craft cocktails were made by bartender Paul, with Thirst Wines.
We had Chef Jessie Gomez explaining every dish to us, down to each ingredient and herb used and why. As the dishes were presented at the table, it was something I appreciated so much! It brought an intimate experience for everyone there. The cocktails were all so delicious and I truly enjoyed every one, with every dish!
What an experience this seed to bud dinner pairing was! Such a beautiful thing to be a part of. From all of the yummy and refreshing drinks to pair with the food and different tasty strains from local growers, it was beautifully curated with so much intention and passion poured into it, from the creative minds that brought an experience like this to life!
Cheers to some really good company and really good cannabis. So cool to see it! This is what we need here in Oklahoma and I’m stoked to have been a part of this in Oklahoma City. It’s amazing what all we can do together when we combine the things we all love.
A Toke of Gratitude
The pace of life today is fast and stress is an inevitable part of that, but it doesn’t have to take over your daily experience. Stress can be turned into a helpful ally by cultivating a better relationship with it, thereby increasing resilience, and
improving your overall well-being. The article discusses the role of the endocannabinoid system and cannabis in addressing stress, as well as tips for reducing your stress levels and feeling more peaceful every day.
First, we need to understand how stress works in the body. When we perceive a threat, our bodies release stress hormones. This activates the Sympathetic Nervous System, preparing us to fight or flee. In order to protect us from danger, the Sympathetic Nervous System provides energy and strength to overcome the threat. When the threat subsides, the Parasympathetic Nervous System takes over. The system promotes relaxation, rejuvenation and repair. It also reduces the activity of the Sympathetic Nervous System and stimulates digestion and reproductive functions – bringing our bodies back into balance.
The key to building a resilient relationship with stress is to promote the Parasympathetic response so that it can work its magic! There are many tools that we can use to do this, including mindfulness, movement, and plant medicine.
Cannabis + Stress
Cannabis helps manage stress through its interaction with our internal endocannabinoid system (ECS). The ECS functions like a control center in our bodies that helps keep things balanced and working properly. It does this by using special molecules called endocannabinoids, which connect to receptors in our bodies to regulate things like our mood, hunger, sleep, and how our bodies feel pain.
Consuming cannabis is a great way to promote a Parasympathetic response, initiating our body’s healing state. Cannabis contains powerful compounds called cannabinoids (THC, CBD, CBN, etc.), which bind to our body’s endocannabinoid receptors and help calm down the nervous system, control inflammation, promote balance, and ultimately reduce stress.
Double Your Stress Support
Incorporate a gratitude practice into your cannabis consumption! By focusing on what you are grateful for, you can become more mindful and present. This shift in perspective can help to calm the mind and soothe the nervous system, reducing the effects of stress and promoting feelings of peace and contentment. We call this a “Gratitude Sesh” and here’s how you can try it for yourself
You’re Prepared to Sesh Intentionally!
At the end of the day we don’t have control over what’s happening around us, but we do have control over what happens within. By harnessing the benefits of plant medicine and promoting a positive mindset, you create a more balanced relationship to stress and can cultivate a happier, healthier, and more peaceful life.
Bridget is a practicing embodiment coach. She
holds certifications from AFPA in holistic
nutrition, as well as specializing in herbalism
from Herbal Academy. Bridget founded Inner
Calm Co., (@innercalmco) a wellness company,
with the desire to help her clients find balance
and confidence in their wellness journeys.
Feminine Divine: Bailee Bruce
Harnessing the Goddess energy that exists in all of us, through breath, movement, nature, and meditation.
Bailee is a guide, visionary, gatherer, mover, teacher, & a student of life. I’ve always admired what she’s created, the experiences she provides, through shining her light and turning inward, while listening to her own inner wisdom. Through her social media channels, she really gives you a visual insight with information on what she does through engaging Instagram captions, photos and videos that she puts her own divine touch on.
She’s a lightworker that’s all about connection. She’s paving the way for Reiki, Native Movement, natural health, and is so passionate about every aspect of it, here in Oklahoma.
Born and raised in the heart of Oklahoma, Bailee has devoted her life to studying the mind, body, spirit connection as well as the Traditional Medicine practices of her Cherokee + Choctaw ancestors. Throughout her career, she has gained professional experience in dance, yoga, energy medicine, somatic healing, natural health & more. She is a firm believer that the majority of our human suffering stems from the disconnect we have with our spiritual selves, with the land, with each other, and most importantly with the innate wisdom of our bodies.
Bailee offers regenerative healing, reiki sessions, somatic healing, native movement, private group sessions, ceremonies, trainings & retreats using these Four Pathways: Embodied Spirituality, The Fundamentals of Wholeness & Sustainability, The Sacred Language of Signs & Symbols, Connecting to the “Energy of Oneness” through the Heart for Holistic Healing and Nervous System Regulation.
Throughout her career, she has helped individuals reconnect to their own innate wisdom for healing, preventive health, vitality and well being for the mind, body and spirit.
“We are all just walking each other home” – Ram Dass
Her trauma informed approach is safe, open, gentle and nurturing. The philosophies and methodology she integrates into her offerings & teachings are rooted in & influenced by Zen & Tibetan Buddhism, Traditional Chinese Medicine, and Native American Spirituality.
She’s such a natural and beautiful, free moving soul. She enjoys plant and energy medicine and is always motivating, inspiring, and pouring into so many.
Whatever sparks community and connection with people, is what she lives for. While giving people tools and practices for their own well being, Bailee expressed that the exchange is so special. I got to chat with her while she shared her heart, passion, and expertise with me.
What is Native Movement and what does it embody?
Native Movement is a somatic practice centered around embodied spirituality. It is the creative force, innate and instinctual movement within each of us. It is an alchemizing, movement-based practice that helps one release or resolve stored emotions, stress, traumas & outdated beliefs in order to embody a desired state of being. One that feels like truth, safety, expansion and liberation. We use the pillars of: Somatic Experiencing, Somatic Storytelling, Somatic Resourcing, & Somatic Integration to help us connect to and embody the authentic expression of our spiritual “soul” selves. Native Movement integrates multiple techniques & therapies into one practice. (Breathwork, Meditation, Writing, Improvisational Movement, Yoga, Touch, Aroma Therapy, & Sound). These somatic tools support our efforts to realign with our wholeness, aliveness, intuition, wisdom, power, purpose, joy, unique individuality, & loving essence.
Where did your passion form? Where did it stem from?
My passion formed when I quickly realized I was a sensitive & empathetic being at a young age. I saw a need for empathy, sensitivity & healing just from the state of the world. Over the years my passion for helping others has grown the more I hav studied and learned about psycho-somatic illness and the healing modalities to support such imbalances. Now, I feel this passion has evolved into something greater than myself and I am just along for the ride, wherever it is meant to take me.
You pour into other people and show them different ways to heal. How do you fill your own cup up?
When I can intentionally spend quality time with just myself and my own energy doing the things that I love and that bring me joy & nourish me (i.e., meditation, writing, movement, plant medicine, getting out in nature, reading, eating good food, etc.,) that naturally fills up my cup and helps me stay energetically centered so I can engage with & support others without their energy influencing mine.
What is Reiki and what does this type of work look like? What are the benefits?
Reiki is an alternative relaxation therapy that uses hands-on-healing and works with the spiritually guided life-force energy within all living things. Reiki helps attune the mind, body, and emotional states of the individual to the frequency of “universal love, wholeness & oneness” or to the client’s desired intention. We are energetic beings who are alive and function because of this life-force energy. When this energy gets depleted, blocked, manipulated or imbalanced, dis-ease and illness can manifest in the body. Reiki does no harm and is a holistic therapy by nature because, in order to harmonize and align the energy of the individual, we have to work towards balancing the beliefs & thoughts in the mind, — that directly influences our emotional states and so forth. Everything is all connected! Reiki empowers the client to connect to their own inner healer within. It benefits the nervous system through regulation, strengthens one’s immunity, increases vitality, and enhances self-awareness & spiritual connection overall. It is a great therapy for preventative health & is complimentary to conventional medical treatments.
Tell me about the work you’re doing at The Integris Cancer Institute.
I am one of the Practitioners for the Mindfulness & Meditation Program that takes place at the Integris Cancer Institute in the James L. Hall Center for Mind, Body & Spirit. This new program is the very first in the state of Oklahoma to offer several alternative therapies such as reiki, yoga nidra, somatics, sound healing and more alongside the patient’s conventional cancer treatment. I just started working there in November, providing reiki to the patients undergoing cancer treatment as well as those who are in remission. The program is still very new as it just started in the fall of 2022. I look forward to seeing how this program can continue to grow and influence modern medicine. I am just beyond grateful to be a part of something so groundbreaking!
Do you have any mentors that you look up to, that have inspired you?
I have many inspirations, elders, mentors & teachers (in person, from books & online) Danielle Laporte, Bonnie Bainbridge Cohen, Anodea Judith, Debi Dunbar Mahoney, Sun Bear, Joe Dispenza, Clarissa Pinkola Estes, Sarah Blondin, and Stephanie Serafina to name a few..
Connecting to your own innate wisdom and coming home to yourself. What’s the simplest way to explain the concept of how to do this?
Anytime you can be fully present with yourself, taking some deep breaths with awareness of sensation, placing the hands gently on parts of the body that are carrying tension or moving your body in the way that it speaks to you, — are some of the simplest ways to come home to yourself & connect with one’s own inner wisdom.
Tell me about Origins of Spirit and what you have going on there & the exciting things for 2023.
Origins of Spirit is a Lifestyle Brand, Holistic Wellness Studio, Community Event Space, Eco Market & Apothecary located in Bethany, Oklahoma. Myself & my business partner, Deanna are Co-Owners & Lead Facilitators. We both offer wellness services, classes & collaborate events in the space. For 2023, we are working on building our retail space & creating the upcoming product lines for our seasonal wellness kits. These kits help to support & nourish you during the transitions of the seasons. Give us a follow to learn more! — @originsofspirit
How do you personally embody your own Divine Feminine?
I allow myself to soften more often. I allow myself to trust & surrender to the flow of life. I allow myself to be guided by my intuition vs. my analytical mind. I allow myself more opportunities for creativity & co-creation. I allow myself more time for play & rest without guilt. I allow myself to choose safety, beauty, & pleasure as my baseline over fear, comparison, & stress.
How have you created a life you love, on your own terms?
At a very young age, I was able to connect to my gifts of vision, creativity, curiosity, intuition & manifestation. I believe this life I have created thus far is because I was able to trust in and utilize those gifts early on. Sure, I also worked really hard for many years, did the corporate 9-5 thing with a side hustle while going to school part time and dancing professionally, accomplishing big dreams at a young age. I quickly became burnt out and felt disconnected from my true self & purpose. I was living my life to please others. I found myself often questioning who am I in this world and what do I want to do with this one precious life of mine? Since then, I have been on a journey to reframe the way I think of success, work, hustle culture & how I go about achieving what I desire. Creating my life will always be on my own terms and always has been. I think when we can recognize the true power we hold as humans to manifest our lives, everything shifts and we stop comparing & living for the validation of others, and we start living from the wisdom & intention of our hearts. I love my life, every aspect of it. The good, the bad, the ugly, the exceptional. I think I will forever be creating it & falling in love with it repeatedly until I take my last breath. I think the secret to truly enjoying & loving the life you are living is to feel worthy of it, slow down & be present with it, make it sacred & show gratitude for it. That keeps you in a place of receiving, divine trust and abundance no matter what life throws at you or blesses you with. I look forward to manifesting more of what speaks to my soul & makes this one fleeting life worthwhile.
If you’re a book reader, what are you currently reading and do you have any books that have been life changing that you recommend?
I’m currently reading a few books at once. The books I’ve listed below have been some of the most life changing and supportive for me over the years. I am usually always recommending them to friends, family, & clients.
1. “Heart Minded” by Sarah Blondin
2. “Eastern Body Western Mind” by Anodea Judith
3. “The Science of the Sacred” by Nicole Redvers, ND
4. “The Practice of Wholeness” by Lorena Monda
5. “Rise Sister Rise” by Rebecca Campbell
What does attending a retreat that you host look like?
My retreats can look like a lot of things, but what they feel like is connection & presence. No matter the type of retreat, what time of year it is held or where we are gathering, participants will have the opportunity to embody the energetic pillars of presence & connection. Retreat attendees get to connect to nature, to each other on a deeper level, to wellness techniques & spiritual practices that in turn connects one more fully to themselves. Retreats are a great place to “fast track” one’s innate ability to reset the mind & body, expand consciousness & self-awareness, and reconnect back to one’s wholeness.
What are some of your everyday rituals that are sacred to you?
I may not be able to do them EVERY day, (I am only human) but they are consistent enough in my life to be considered sacred rituals for daily support. Those rituals include: Breathwork, Drinking Plenty of Water, Eating Nutrient Dense Meals, Native Movement, My Skincare Regimen, Prayer or Gratitude Practice, Plant Medicine (Cannabis / Flower Essences), Self-touch (Reiki / EFT Tapping) and Aroma Therapy. Even the simplest or mundane things we do to survive & thrive here on earth can be considered sacred when done with intentionality of the heart & full presence of the mind.
What’s the most rewarding thing about getting to do what you do?
Getting to connect with others at the soul level, practicing empathy and humility, expressing my creativity & providing holistic resources to the community is so fulfilling that it goes way beyond just a job or what I “do”. I believe it is my calling, my purpose, my gift, and to be able to embody that in my own unique way that also supports my dream life is what’s most rewarding!
Always learning and evolving, Bailee finds her creativity when she’s moving and in her element, helping others find and utilize tools to heal, and tuning into her own creative expression that naturally flows throughout her body. I’m thankful for the work she’s doing in our community and how she’s changing peoples lives through different, healing approaches. This woman is a gem, making waves in Oklahoma!
To learn more and stay in the know, you can head over to her website:
Dict For V-Day
by James Bridges
I broke up with that disgusting and dreadful monster 4-years-ago and I think about her every day.
I couldn’t help the temptation. The blissful period when the thoughts stopped swirling in my head was my muse. She was, without a doubt, the one that would always be there to comfort me when I needed her. I told myself at a young age that one day we would part. In actuality, I counted on the fact that I would forget that promise to myself one day and my relationship would last forever.
I thought I loved her, but I realized, not as quickly as I would have liked, that I was under a spell. That spell that she cast had a hold of me and would not allow my thoughts to wander too far away.
Many other people have had “relations” with this overbearing and smothering polygamist. Though she is very committed to seeing that your side of the relationship is followed through, she could care less about the expectations that any of us have had of her.
She is the epitome of everything I know, love, and hate with a passion. “But it’s been 4 years!” you say, and I hear it. I just can’t wash it away. Sadly, I believe it may have been true love…
My thoughts have shifted over time. I’ve invested in the “new” me. I noticed early that I judged myself constantly. I started to think that this must have been the way I’ve acted toward myself for the majority of my entire life. Who was I to judge?… Then I started to wonder why I would do this to myself. With that, of course, came more self-judgment.
I’ve entered into a new space, now that it’s been 4 years. This space does nothing to take me away from the love that I still feel in my heart for her. I can’t seem to shake that. However, I am doing my best to play an active role in creating more changes for the betterment of my life. This new level of clarity is definitely becoming the most psychologically challenging aspect of my growth. It’s just so hard to get away from that cold hearted beast.
I struggle with calibrating my thoughts to align with my actions. I see it with my mindseye, yet I cannot fix it. It feels electric. The vibrations and emotions that are flowing as you watch yourself behave as if you are no longer in control. It’s a very unusual and strange experience. I’m sure many of you can relate.
I’m told it’s just a phase. Another stepping stone to get away from attachments, which may lead me back to her. Even though, a lot of the time, I struggle to have any desire to lift my foot, in hopes she may call again.
For now I will replace my old Valentine, called addiction, with something a little more pleasant. The thought of what is to come. This keeps me going. I know that someday my relationship with her won’t be so rocky. Maybe then everything will be aligned.
A Toke of Wellness
A TOKE OF WELLNESS BY ANNA WILDER
Over the past two decades, wellness and self-care have significantly evolved. It is astonishing how many products and practices are available to us in the modern era, including plant medicineslike psychedelics and Cannabis! It might also seem a little … overwhelming? Confusing? Dare we say, sometimes, suspect? Which ultimately begs the question: How do we approach our wellness journeys in an educated, confident and intentional way?
BUILDING TRUST
Our educational sources range from nutrition and wellness experts to social media influencers and more. Realistically, consumers don’t always have the time to research these products and practices the way we would want to. What we really want is a friend who knows and has done the research – an educated guide! Someone we trust; we’re here to help you with that!
HANNAH PEARL – Herbalist + Nutritionist
Hannah is a practicing herbalist, nutritionist and Reiki master, earning her certification from the Southwest Institute of Healing Arts in Arizona. Hannah works with patients through her own business, Sacred Nourishment. She also
co-owns and formulates the Highest Intent products.
ANNA WILDER – Wellness Education & patient advocate
Anna is a cannabis, psychedelic and wellness educator. She researches and analyzes wellness products and practices commonly available. She and her husband founded Highest Intent with the goal to help people proactively care for
themselves through the power of plant medicine.
BRIDGET FRANCIS – Herbalist + Nutritionist
Bridget is a practicing embodiment coach. She holds certifications from AFPA in holistic nutrition, as well as specializing in herbalism from Herbal Academy. Bridget founded Inner Calm Co., a wellness company, with the desireto help her clients find balance and confidence in their wellness journeys.
Together we make up the Highest Intent wellness education team
Highest Intent offers daily wellness tincture that combine three of nature’s most powerful medicinal plants: cannabis, functional mushrooms and ancient herbs. We wanted to make a product that we knew was 100% natural, delicious and trustworthy. With this brand, we hope to introduce others to the ongoing discourse surrounding the impact of nature’s medicines on our health. We’re thankful to Herbage that you’re reading these words, because that means we’re
achieving our goals!
Self Care vs. Wellness
Yes, wellness and self care can be different things. Self-care can exist as ensuring you’re drinking a proper amount of water each day to maintain good hydration, while wellness is knowing that purified water is devoid of the minerals our body needs to adequately process the water we are drinking. This knowledge translates to understanding that purified water will strip the body of mineral stores in order to process the water we are drinking, granting our bodies the tools to stay properly hydrated.
Wellness is educated self-care
Self care is recognizing that we need to take care of ourselves each day in order to maintain a good quality of life. Wellness is knowing that there is pivotal information to be learned andapplied in order to maximize the benefit of our self-care routines.
Our education team often discusses the fact that when we go to the doctor,we’re typically not asked about our diet, sleep habits, wellness routine, daily stressors or exercise. Meanwhile these are all of the things that are foundational to our daily health. Doctors have a wonderful intention to help their patients live healthy lives, howeverit can be hard to give singular attention and accurate proactive health advice to the 9th or 10th patient of the day! Over the coming months, we plan to introduce, educate and familiarize you with simple and accessible proactive wellness tips. We believe every person has a right to understand their bodies and feel confident in their wellness decisions and routines. We want to lend a helping hand as you cultivate your own journey!
Let’s Connect!
For regular wellness information and education from our team, make sure to follow @ highestintent2.0. We’ll see you next month with some juicy information
on cannabis, herbs and intimacy!
Universal Cannabis 101 – Endocannabinoid System
Universal Cannabis 101
Endocannabinoid System
by Jasmine Harvey
Have you ever wondered how cannabis works synergistically with your body? That is all thanks to your Endocannabinoid System or ECS for short.
The Endocannabinoid System (ECS) is what helps keep the Human body in Homeostasis as the Master Regulatory System. The ECS is composed of cannabinoid receptors, endogenous cannabinoids (endocannabinoids), and the enzymes responsible for the synthesis and degradation of the endocannabinoids.
The ECS is what drives the endogenous cannabinoids (the bodies naturally occurring cannabinoids), 2-arachidonoyl glycerol (2-AG) and arachidonoyl ethanolamide (anandamide) and the Exogenous cannabinoids (cannabinoids found outside of the body), such as THC, CBD, CBG, from the Cannabis Sativa plant into all the areas where we are not in homeostasis. 
For this to occur, the cannabinoids and phytocannabinoids have to pass through the Cannabinoid Receptors in our cell membrane. The CB1 and CB2 receptors synthesize the Exogenous cannabinoids and the Endogenous cannabinoids to help create a balanced environment. The CB1 receptors are located in the brain and throughout the body, while CB2 receptors are found mostly in the immune and gastrointestinal system. The CB2 receptors may also be found in the brain, however they are not as pronounced quite like the CB1 receptors.
The ECS is not just home to Humans it may be found in all animals, which includes all vertebrates as well as some invertebrates.
Let’s dive deeper into the vast universe of Cannabis with the continuation of the Endocannabinoid System (ECS), next!
Infused BBQ Pulled Jackfruit Sammies with Medicated Broccoli Slaw
by Anna Ervin & Dondi Cobb
It’s that time of year again, either a vegan’s worst nightmare or the season they’ve been most looking forward to. I personally fall into the second category, but not for a lack of many, many awkward backyard bar-b-que’s spent picking through a side salad and, if I was lucky, a few grilled veggies as everyone around me enjoyed their favorite summer flavors.
Eventually, I learned that if I wanted to enjoy the full cookout experience with my family and friends, I was going to have to come prepared. I have an entire arsenal of sides, entrees, and salads at my disposal, but today I wanted to share the one that grants me the most suspecting looks.
“Pulled” jackfruit looks a lot like pulled pork. The flavor and texture may not be spot on, but it’s more than enough to satisfy my craving for familiar comfort foods. Enter a cannasugar-infused BBQ sauce, as well as fresh, crunchy broccoli slaw with a touch of medicated olive oil, and this plant-based sandwich might just become the most popular item at your next outdoor gathering.
The best part? No grill required. Although, I wouldn’t blame you if you decided to smoke the jackfruit before you marinate!
Click here for the full recipe!
My First Equestrian Client
When they told us we could “have” their horse… we had no idea what to expect. My husband and I are novice farmers, I can confidently say that owning a farm is a whole new ballgame. When it comes to the farm animals, my Father In Law is the authority, and I’m the second in charge. I may be new to all of this, but I’m definitely a dirt-under-my-nails type (look at me, Mom!)
The first time we visited the farm was shortly after the Ice Storms in March. We had to walk past a dozen cows, acres of ticks, and a very antisocial horse… a horse that I nicknamed “Cranky.” The week we moved to the farm, my in-laws had to make a trip to the west coast… so second-in-command-Tab was cow-sitting. I was outside one day, about to take the girls for a walk, when the horse entered the small yard in front of our barn, and began bucking and neighing loudly! It was just so dang random that it had to be intentional. At this point we hadn’t even tried to approach the horse yet… it was just letting us know how it felt about all of this change. I totally understood how it must have been feeling. Animals may be messy, but they can be quite perceptive at times. We were new. So we gave her space.
After a few incidents where my kids’ screaming startled the horse, I began wondering if maybe it was dealing with pain or anxiety. If it were up to me, ’Cranky’ would have a home here regardless of her behavior, but as a mom, I know it just wouldn’t work out if she couldn’t calm down. In all of my cannabis training, I heard positive things about using CBD with horses. With talk of rehoming her, I really wanted to give her a chance to show me something different… but at that moment, she wouldn’t even share a pasture with us.
After 10 days of going for walks and casually standing closer and closer… On my birthday I was able to approach her and pet her for the first time. It was brief, she flinched constantly when I touched her. Was she in pain? Was she nervous? I don’t know… but I knew CBD could help either way. So the next day I brought out oats and full spectrum hemp CBD oil. After a little trial and error— she took a lot of convincing and a lot of oats… I was able to get a dropper of oil into her. I have repeated this daily, and we have already seen some major changes!
First, I noticed that she couldn’t hide her enthusiasm about the oats. I scored points.
Secondly, she didn’t mind the taste of the oil. She licked the bowl.
Third, now that she has a consistent amount of oil in her system, she seems to actually look at me, expects my touches, has hugged me and is otherwise pleasant.
With so much progress, we’re about to begin introducing a lead rope and halter and if she’s going to come around more, she needs a better name than “Cranky.” I’ve decided to call her Amelia, after Amelia Earhart.
I’m excited to share more stories about our newest patient as I continue to watch Amelia’s progress. Do you have questions about cannabis and animals? Feel free to reach out! And if you want to hear regular updates about how she’s doing, you can follow me @tabmoura on Instagram.
Romance and Strong Character
By Tab Moura
My memories that come to mind, when I reflect on my rougher chronic illness years, are often bitter sweet. Early in my marriage my husband and I endured incredibly painful seasons of debt, unemployment, the push-and-pull of checking out, and angry words shared… but these were years that truly taught us to love.
When it comes to chronic illness, sometimes we hear romantic stories about a dedicated spouse becoming a caregiver, and we imagine the indescribable strength it takes to support a spouse in that way. And as romantic and powerful as these stories are, I don’t believe that their romance is the point. Romanticizing sickness creates a perception that is not realistic- life is not a Nicholas Sparks movie.
The truth is, I once fell into this category, my husband was the strong one for me when I needed it most. It brought us closer together, but I confess it was much messier than it sounds. My husband would help lift me out of bed when my cervical instability was at its worst, he’s brought me my coffee in bed more days than I can count, and he’s helped me medicate when my arms were weak following seizures. My husband has also experienced burnout. He has worked a 9-5 and had to drop everything to come home and help me. He has listened to me yell and scream due to my brain inflammation overwhelming my body. He has helped me off the floor when I collapsed after accidentally breathing in a chemical (I am allergic to many chemicals). And he’s gone without intimacy and affection for long stents of time, due to how empty I felt from my seizures. Is he my hero? No. He’s something much cooler than that, he’s my husband.
Any decent human being would help someone when they were symptomatic like I was, but who would choose to live with it? I once read that a person with strong character is honest, resilient and dependable… that is exactly how I would describe my husband. People with strong character stick around— it’s not because it’s romantic.
I know this, because there were 6 months when my husband and I switched roles. It was me who was becoming healthy and fit, and his health hit a rough patch. I watched him lay in bed for days during a flair, and there were times that he was so miserable he would say ugly things to me. I watched as he would become emotionally closed off and hardly eat. Biological hormone imbalances are brutal, y’all; it’s not just mental health that is affected. He was in physical pain, suffering, and it splashed on all of us. When he was sick he didn’t want me around, but I stuck around anyway. Because he deserved it. He later told me that my actions saved our marriage… but I believe it’s simpler than that. When I consider our history, his hard work, his dedication to our family, the way he supports what I love- and yes, how he took care of me on my sickest days… The choice was simple: stick around.
I believe that the healthiest marriages aren’t the ones that have weekly date nights, or weekend getaways— These things can be great, but we haven’t done those things in years due to poor health. Specific activities don’t save taxed marriages like ours— character does.
Foraging in Tulsa with Justin Hope
by Anna Ervin
When I was younger, I used to think Oklahoma’s landscapes were so bland. My family traveled a lot through the years, and I remember visiting states with clear blue ocean waters, or mountains blanketed in aspens and evergreens. I would think, why can’t I live somewhere like this. Somewhere that flaunts such beautiful sceneries within an hour’s drive of my home.
Each time our family would return to Oklahoma, I found myself scowling at the red dirt, or rolling my eyes at the never-ending span of wheat fields and the vast horizons that boasted no oceans or mountains or even hills, really. I carried this mindset with me for years, but I recently had an experience that allowed me to see my sweet home state through a fresh pair of eyes.
Justin Hope is Oklahoma’s very own weed pimp, volunteer trail guide, and one of the most interesting people I’ve ever met. I was lucky enough to meet up with him for one of the most breathtaking hikes I’ve ever seen, through Keystone Ancient Forest.
Located in Northeastern Oklahoma, KAF is a small portion of the Crosstimbers area. With over 1,300 acres of forest containing oak and cedar that have been standing for at least up to 500 years, this virgin land might just be one of Oklahoma’s best kept secrets, and Justin was giving me the VIP tour.
As we started our journey down the Frank Trail, I could tell that this area meant a lot to Justin, and that he had a deep-seeded respect for the forest surrounding us. “I used to run these woods as a kid,” he boasted. “I grew up on the other side of the river, just a few miles away. I always knew this area as the Eagle Reserve. There’s definitely a lot of history trapped out here.”
Indeed, what makes Keystone Ancient Forest such a rare gem in our state is that the land has hardly been disturbed by developers, due to it’s rough terrain, proximity to the lake, and various other landscape-related roadblocks. Lucky for us, aside from a few oil wells that went up several years ago, this patch of raw Oklahoma beauty has been primarily untapped by the industrial world. This is what allows “history” to hold such strong roots in the area (literally).
“They call this a virgin forest,” Hope continued. “The environment here preserves itself, as long as man doesn’t destroy it. We try to encourage people to stay on the trail.” I noticed as we hiked, that one thing that really set this park apart from others I’ve seen was the cleanliness. Aside from the clearly marked trail, there didn’t seem to be any waste left by other hikers. And, in the off chance that we did stumble upon a cigarette butt, or granola bar wrapper, Justin would quietly pick it up and add it to a plastic bag that he kept in his backpack.
“City folk,” he chuckled at one point, “throwin’ trash down.” He collected the leftover item. “Thank goodness there’s more of us, who want to clean up. It’s easy to do, really. If people would just think about it.”
When we found ourselves halfway into the 2.8 mile trek, we decided to pause for a break. The trail had brought us to an overlook of Keystone lake. I think each of us had the same idea in mind as we returned from our backpacks bearing joints and edibles.
Justin has a long history with cannabis, and thoroughly believes in it’s medicinal qualities. Cannabis helped him get off of a sleuth of pharmaceuticals that had been prescribed to him. Pills that felt like they were killing him, rather than healing.
As the smoke began to settle and we geared up to head back onto the trail, I suddenly became hyper-aware of my surroundings. I had not medicated before the hike, and up until that point I had felt like I was simply an observer of the beauty that surrounded us. Now, was fully immersed in it. Had the trees been this alive and green the whole time? Were the birds just now waking up to sing the soundtrack of our hike, or had I just not noticed them before?
I began to feel so small, like a tiny molecule in this massive, living, breathing organism that surrounded us. Picking up on my quiet observations, Justin commented, “If you think about it, you’re just a grain of rice in this bowl. Just a pebble out here in this world.”
He would slow down every now and then to point out the peculiar way the trees seemed to grow. Some appeared to actually grow through the large stones on the ground, while a few of them had trunks that curved to form a near perfect right angle, as if they had been markers set up by travelers long before our time.
Two trees in particular had seemingly wrapped themselves around each other, winding their trunks around the other in a spiraling motion. I sensed that this was not the work of man, only the divine force of nature could create something so pure and beautiful. “They’re holding each other until the day they die,” Hope observed, before excitedly changing the topic. “Have you heard about Cornnabis? Or Cannacorn?”
I was intrigued. “One of my plants started showing half white-yellow, half green on the leaf,” he continued. “It showed signs of mutation. And a couple of weeks later, I find that there’s corn growing right next to it. The plants, kind of like the trees that were holding hands, they grew up together.”
I admired his unique perspective on nature, and the ways of the universe, and realized that they were not much different from my own. Everything on this floating rock we occupy is so divinely connected. Nature has a way of supporting itself for survival, but in a holistic way.
Certain species of trees that are considered invasive, might compete with the other plant species surrounding them. Occasionally, however, when you find something like those intertwined tree trunks, or Justin’s Cannacorn, you realize that two organisms supporting each other can result in something so pure and beautiful.
Imagine what the world would look like if humans supported each other, or the environment, in those ways, building stronger foundations, lifting each other up.
We approached the Wilson trailhead. “Are you allergic to any poison ivy or poison oak?” Justin asked. “This is a little different from the other trail. We have these tapes up so people don’t get lost.”
I knew things were about to get a little more intense, so I packed up my camera and set off to follow him down a slightly rougher and much narrower path. It was difficult to focus on anything other than the ground in front of me, and Justin seemed to move through these woods like he had done it a million times before, and had rehearsed every step. “I’ve got that Indian lightfoot,” he had told me earlier, referring to his Native blood.
I began to slide into a meditative state as we trekked forward, feeling my heart rate increase as the trail became increasingly more challenging. It had been cold that morning, but the sun was beginning to peak through the canopy of trees overhead, and before long I felt a small bead of sweat work it’s way down the back of my neck.
The Frank trail had felt like a walk in the park compared to this, and I was loving every step of our new path. This was the kind of hiking I had been missing in Oklahoma– slight changes in elevation, challenging routes that forced me to carefully plan every step, and that satisfying feeling of being deep in a forest, far away from society and all its noise.
We paused for a break as I caught my breath and took in the scene around us. It was unlike anything the forest had offered so far. Cliffs of oddly shaped rocks towered over us on one side, a waterfall blanketed in dead leaves trickled nearby, and trees upon trees upon trees were scattered around us in every direction.
I wanted to climb the rocks, hike into the trees, and dust the leaves off that waterfall and run my hands through the stream. Then I remembered Justin’s comment about staying on the trail, and I realized that the reason this park had been so well preserved, was that people like Justin had enough respect for the environment to protect and preserve it. So, I set my “Jungle Book” fantasies aside and inhaled another deep breath of crisp, cool air.
We rounded out the Wilson Trail and headed back to our starting point. On the way, we began to discuss our thoughts on the universe and spirituality. I had previously mentioned the recent new moon to my guide, and, bringing it back up, he asked me if I was sensitive to the moon. I dove a little bit into my views on divinity, and how this hike had shown me the way everything in the universe seems so interconnected, but I was more interested in hearing Justin’s ideals on the topic.
“It is all somehow related,” he told me. “I’ve got the red blood in me, the Indian ways, the ways of One. I’m a true flatliner, so I do believe there’s a reason I’m still here.”
I wanted to tell him that maybe this was that reason, helping people realize the healing power of cannabis and nature, that the earth provides us with every single thing we need to survive, but I had a gut feeling he already knew that.
Follow Justin Hope on Instagram (@skunktail_pharms) for a glimpse at the history and beauty encapsulated by Keystone Ancient Forest, or better yet, plan a visit to the park today. www.sandspringsok.org
Plant Medicine for Change
by Tab Moura
The house is quiet, babies are sleeping, and the sun is down for the day… it’s time to get to work. I am staring at a stack of moving boxes, child-art in crayon cover the sides. We’re moving. The time has come to graduate from this season into another. Unlike what we know about Earth’s general weather patterns, there’s only one thing I know for sure at the moment… this is all new.
We’re heading for a major transition, and that got me thinking: can we prepare for the unknown?
So I dug. I am passionate about plant medicine so my first stop was a google search for essential oils that support transition. If I could find the essential oils that work, it would be a short leap to understand what cannabis strains support transition as well. I wasn’t surprised by the oils that popped up in my search, I just haven’t tried these combinations before – always something new to learn!
Cedarwood, Pine, Sandalwood, etc
I’m a big fan of wood-fragrances at bedtime, paired with Lavender, but I hadn’t considered what role the wood scents played. These are great essential oils and terpenes for unwinding and releasing stress, but depending on what they are paired with, they can also support motivation, creativity, and focus. Woodsie terpenes include Cedrane, Pinene, Camphene, and Carene.
Lavender, Jasmine, Chamomile, Sage, etc
I’m an avid consumer of herbs, from whole leaf teas to essential oils. The benefits are broad, but did you know they can promote emotional stillness? Bringing you to the present, these fragrances and their terpenes are powerful during any stressful time- especially transition. As for finding these benefits in cannabis, look out for terps like Linalool, Bisabolol, Geraniol, Phytol, Caryophyllene, and Humulene.
Citrus: lemongrass, lime, lemon, etc
Great for an uplift when you need them, citrus oils are a valuable asset to navigating transitions and looking on the bright side while you’re at it. You can find citrus terpenes like Limonene, Valencene, Nerolidol, etc at your local dispo. If you aren’t sure what to smell for, you can always ask to see the lab results.
The truth is, any major life change is going to come with grief, which may be a source of many different emotions. It’s ok if it looks messy, it’s ok if you need to process it slowly… but I hope that whatever life throws your way, plant medicine can be of some comfort to you.
Sun-Kissed Wellness
by Tab Moura
As we transition into this life-giving season, I find myself pulled toward the sun like never before. There is so much in nature that we once only understood in spiritual terms until science began to explain some of the biomechanics. Not that science has succeeded in removing the spiritual component, but we as humans tend to eagerly invest in these methods with the addition of understanding how they help us. I don’t believe we have a crisis of faith on our hands, as much as we have learned to treat time as a currency. If sunshine was not beneficial, we would inevitably avoid it… because it can feel frivolous. But what if I told you that science has proven that the sun, and the nutrients we receive from it, play an enormous role in supporting our immune systems.
Now, I know this isn’t a great secret, it’s a vitamin after all, but after the year we’ve had, it feels like a very relevant conversation.
Sunlight? Sunlight.
Sunlight is crucial to things like your circadian rhythm, and other hormonal expressions in your body. Without sunlight, our bodies struggle to regulate appetite, sleep, and even the predictability of our menstrual cycles. We may be able to read a clock, but our brains and bodies need more information.
Little known fact about Vitamin D is that it’s actually a hormone that allows your body to absorb Calcium, and in safe amounts supports metabolism. It’s estimated that roughly 10% of your body’s calcium is converted with vitamin D you received from the sun, the other 90% is found in foods and supplements that we take. I don’t know about you, but I know I have room to grow in the whole vitamins department, thankfully many of these immune-boosting foods are quite tasty.
Outside of the most common cause of vitamin D deficiency (diet), another reason so many people have this deficiency is due to where we live. There are two ways this plays out, we either don’t get enough direct sun exposure due to lifestyle, or in winter when the earth has leaned away from the sun, this can lead to a deficiency. Either way, experts suggest that the average person needs to take a Vitamin D supplement in order to avoid deficiency.
But what levels are we supposed to be aiming for?
There are some general suggestions for how much Vitamin D to take, however, it’s encouraged to have your Vitamin D levels checked so you can create a supplement plan that gives you the best results. The average supplement recommendation is about 2,000ius per day, but when my vitamin D levels were in the red zone, my doctor recommended that I take 50,000ius of vitamin D a week. We monitored my rising levels from there. The recommendations can vary so much, depending on your individual health, it’s always best to check your levels if you believe you are deficient.
Some signs you may need Vitamin D:
Frequently sick/ illness flairs
Frequent infections
Slow healing
Chronic fatigue (not CFS/ME)
Achiness in bones
Depression or malaise
Low bone density
Hair loss
Muscle aches
Low metabolism
Some signs that you are retaining too much Vitamin D/Calcium include:
Hypercalcemia – excessive calcium in the blood
Impaired kidney function
Kidney stones
Brain fog
Nausea
Vomiting
Dizziness
Excessive thirst
Frequent urination
Headache
As we head deeper into Spring, I encourage you to find creative ways to take your Vitamin D levels into your own hands. Hands down, the benefits outweigh the risks, since true D deficiency is found in 40% of the population, and altogether 74% of the population has “insufficient” vitamin D levels. It is the most common deficiency found in chronic illness, making it the single most reliable supplement to recommend– period.
Weed Like to Talk About Dandelions
by Tab Moura
Spring is here! I’ve been watching the landscape closely over the last few weeks; the weeds are coming and the bees aren’t the only ones happy to see them.
One of the most common weeds that I come across locally is the dandelion. Far from being the only wildflower native to Oklahoma, it’s certainly one that everyone recognizes. Traditionally considered a nuisance to the token American lawn, for decades we have dumped weed killer on our lawns when the flowers at our feet are so useful. There are a few weeds I want to share with you, but today let’s discuss Dandelions.
1. Dandelion herb tea
Dry the flowers and stems, steep in hot water with local honey to support the kidneys and increase urine output.
2. Dandelion root coffee
Buy pre-prepared dandelion root coffee from a local store, or roast the roots yourself, before steeping them in hot water to make coffee.
3. Supports weight loss
By mimicking effects seen in a common weight loss drug, dandelion can inhibit pancreatic lipase, an enzyme released during digestion.
4. May help treat cancer
A Canadian study conducted a decade ago, noted that dandelion root causes cell death in melanoma and pancreatic cancer cells, without affecting the healthy cells around them.
5. Antioxidants
Able to help manage the effects of free-radicals, Dandelions are able to help protect cells from harm with beta carotene. Carotenoids and polyphenols are both noteworthy antioxidants in the Dandelion plant.
6. Various benefits
Too many to list! Dandelion has shown promising results with managing things like type 2 diabetic blood sugar levels, blood pressure, overall inflammation and also boosts the immune system.
7. Bees
This time of year, Dandelions are the primary food source for bees in most suburban areas! Dandelions have both pollen and nectar, making them important during early Spring, until more flowering plants and trees are available to feed them.
If you’re interested in learning more about the benefits of Dandelion, hop on Google to search Dandelion+benefits and see the studies yourself. I like to take time to appreciate the medicines that have been around the longest. No medicine is one size fits all, so if you are interested in giving any of these ideas a try, I recommend making sure you aren’t already taking medications that interact with your kidney or liver, to avoid interactions. More weeds coming soon!
Hot Flash!
by Dondi Cobb | Two Twisted Girls
Just a few months ago, the North American Menopause Society (NAMS) released exciting results from a new study of menopausal women and their treatment of choice for their worse symptoms. It seems women today are choosing, more often, to relieve the harsh symptoms of menopause with cannabis than other, more traditional ways, such as hormone replacement therapy. One in four, to be exact. But that wasn’t the biggest surprise I found while researching this story.
While testing as post-menopausal, I personally have never experienced any symptoms of menopause. I don’t know why. I consider some of the trauma that occurred in my life during those years. Maybe I just got a pass. I dealt with the death of my mother and husband. I suffered two heart attacks. I was not sitting around waiting for a hot flash.
When asked to write this story, considering this part of life had been a blur, I started scouring the web for the symptoms of menopause, figuring I would see potential uses for cannabis in these ailments.
The list was fairly well known to me, hot flashes, insomnia, mood swings, body aches, vaginal dryness, loss of sex drive and, well, pretty much the common signs of aging. I could definitely see how cannabis could help with all except the biggie, hot flashes. The most common complaint I’ve heard concerning menopause is hot flashes. How could cannabis possibly help here?
To understand how cannabis helps with hot flashes, we must first understand our endocannabinoid system, which I know very little about. However, I do know that each of us possess one. Apparently, estrogen is a part of our endocannabinoid system (ECS). Somewhere along the line, God must have thought, I’ll throw this one in for the ladies. Thank you!
We all have estrogen, and my understanding is, as we age and go through menopause, our estrogen levels lower. So, our ECS, that is scattered throughout our bodies and holds estrogen, has receptors that THC binds to, or seems to recharge. It’s complicated. So complicated, that we are just beginning to scratch the surface of the potential health benefits of this healing plant. But it’s certain, something is going on.
For over two years, I‘ve moonlighted at a medical marijuana doctor’s clinic, Skyping with doctors, meeting and uploading patients. I’ve met a fair representation of Oklahoma patients and the majority are aging, educated and looking for less harmful alternatives to their growing list of pharmaceuticals. When applying cannabis to the symptoms of menopause, it seems we have most covered and the majority of health experts agree that a combination of cannabis and hormone therapy may be even better. One thing is certain, every woman is different and the secret to discovering the magic mixture that works best for you is trial and error.
It’s very well known that the most common uses for cannabis are pain and insomnia. Therefore, it would be reasonable to believe cannabis would be beneficial for these menopausal symptoms. Cannabis is also commonly used for the treatment of depression and anxiety, mood swings. Topicals work in a different way but are a wonderful option to help with vaginal dryness. I make a secret potion that, when used correctly, will light your fire, ladies. It is seriously Viagra for women. And, now that I’ve learned the secret to unleashing natural estrogen in my body, hot flashes can be addressed. Whether you choose to smoke or use other forms, menopause symptoms are very easily and successfully treated with cannabis.
If your health care provider cannot see the benefits and recommend cannabis as a safe, alternative option, find someone who is educated on the wonderful benefits of this amazing plant.
Show the TV Who’s Boss
by Micah McKamie
During all of the time I had to meditate during quarantine, I had a huge realization about my fitness ideals. Before I became a runner, I had always wondered how people made time for staying in shape. How was it that people prioritized the gym over spending time with friends or making memories? What it came down to was that these people had prioritized themselves and not the act of working out.
A lot of people have this kind of dedication, and some people don’t like gyms or running, but still want to stay fit. Just like coming to cannabis, starting a new fitness journey can be a scary task. There are new clothes, equipment, diets, and lingo that come along with the territory and you may not always feel comfortable in a public fitness setting. Finding the time to implement this new lifestyle becomes a workout on its own. The truth is that without dedicating some sort of time to working out, it’s pretty hard to motivate yourself to do any of it.
The idea of time, though obscure, isn’t about the minutes – it’s about the mindset. Keep your fitness at the forefront of your mind and utilize those fleeting moments. It’s not a bad thing if you don’t think of this time as useful. Many people see “down” minutes as just time they have to get past to get to the thing they really want to do. However, these minutes can change your life.
It was hard at first to learn how to make these minutes a priority, but eventually, it became a passion. I started getting to appointments early so I could do some bodyweight exercises or a circuit in their parking lot or doing dips on a bike rack as I walked past it because I had a minute or two. It’s all about how you frame these moments in your mind. Are they trash or are they useful? If you are doing nothing else besides scrolling through social media consider doing some squats, wall sits, or something to enhance your self-esteem and well-being.
Now I know that this article is about Training Through Terpenes, so where is the cannabis, might you ask? Training Through Terps helped me conquer the obstacle of where and how to implement these workouts during down moments. If you’re high, you don’t care about what people are doing or thinking around you. Take a nice long drag off of your vape pen, eat an edible early, smoke a joint and do some burpees in the grassy yard of your real estate agent, or take a dab in your car and do yoga at the park. It’s all about being in the moment and prioritizing your fitness needs over the anxiety of being in public. We have been told our whole lives to not think selfishly but when it comes to your health and well-being, you should be selfish.
Fitness is about choices. It’s about taking the time to prioritize yourself over all of the little distractions in life, and that can be an issue even for athletes. How do you fit your workouts around your responsibilities? A lot of hardcore athletes finally get their name out there, start a business, and then their fitness falls off. It’s all about where you put your time and prioritizing the minutes you waste.
So I started timing everything! I probably looked like a crazy person, but I would time the seconds in a day where I was sitting still with nothing to do. Waiting in a grocery line, on the phone with customer service, and even at work, there were times where we got everything done and everyone else was on their phones that I was thinking to myself, “I could be doing pushups.”
The time added up quickly! The seconds turned to minutes and then hit an hour….. Finally at the end of the day, as I lay down to go to bed, I had accumulated one hour and fifteen minutes of exercise time that could be utilized. That’s enough time to improve your fitness levels! Now, we aren’t talking about exponential growth, but even on the low end of this amount of time (30 min), you can maintain your current fitness.
What if I don’t want to do your workouts in public? Well, during covid lockdown I moved all of the furniture out of my living room to have more clear space for fitness activities. This made me adjust how I was seated and positioned during my normal TV time. What I found as I laid on the floor watching Bob’s Burgers was that I could get some amazing workouts done during the commercials. Push-ups, sit-ups, flutter kicks, and burpees became my normal commercial activities.
The average American watches nearly 4 hours of TV every day!!!! If you watch 4 hours of TV every day, you get about 80 minutes worth of commercials. That’s nearly an hour and a half of fitness! The thing I loved about this and even after I moved my furniture back into the room, is that just putting yourself in a position to utilize these wasted minutes could really allow you to not just maintain but to exceed your fitness goals.
What if commercials weren’t just for bathroom breaks and social media?!? What if you could get your entire workout in during your usual downtime? We can all agree that commercials are uniquely awful and most of us spend our time trying to drown out the horrible thirty-second runs for prescription drugs and adult diapers and don’t really see the minutes that tick by.
Time a 20-minute run right before you watch your shows, stop upgrading to commercial-free streaming, and use those minutes to get you a badass HIIT workout in. Do something as simple as flutter kicks during that time, add in planks and squats, and you have yourself a pretty solid fat burner and core workout for an evening. Every time you hear the commercial, you should be thinking I want to do push-ups!
The next Gassed Up Fitness Event will be on April 17th at Medicann Dispensary off of 39th Street in Bethany! Come join us for the 420 festivities that include giveaways, live music, food trucks, vendors, and The Sesh, Oklahoma City’s first official cannabis hangout. It will be a day of cannabis, community, and breaking the stigma!
Trust the Process
by Anna Ervin
So often I find myself frustrated in the beginning phases of writing a story. I’ll throw my hands up and curse the laptop because the words on my screen aren’t painting the picture that I want them to. You can blame my Aries sun sign for this, patience has never been one of my strengths. In the past, I’ve picked up so many projects only to put them back down because I didn’t get it right the first time around.
But for the first time in my life, I have a job that makes me want to do whatever it takes, however many times it takes, to excel. Because of this, I have learned that when I push through the frustration and put in the real work (the inner work), the end result is so much more rewarding.
So, what does that inner work look like?
To start, it looks like facing your negative emotions head-on, asking yourself, “why do I feel this way and what can I do to work through those feelings?” But that’s a lot easier said than done, right? Changing your habits and the way you react to emotions doesn’t happen overnight. It requires intention, focus, and patience.
So, if a fiery, fast-paced Aries like me can learn to slow down and trust herself, I’m positive that you can too. I’ll leave you with few tips that have continuously helped me better understand my fears, angers, and frustrations, and ultimately work past them:
- Take a step back. If you’re stuck in a negative headspace and you can’t get out, don’t force it. Take a break, read a chapter in your favorite book, eat a meal, or do something nice for yourself. Sometimes we just need to take a little space from whatever is causing us to feel distressed, in order to gain a little perspective and clarity.
- Breathe. In through the nose, out through the mouth. Visualize your breath traveling down into your belly, doing a little somersault, then climbing back up your spine and out through your mouth. This is something I learned through yoga, but it helps me so much on a day-to-day basis. We hold all of this tension in our bodies, and sometimes that’s where a lot of our emotions stem from. Breathe into and through those areas to allow that energy to flow a little more freely.
- Smoke a bowl. Find a strain that uplifts your mood and calms your heart. I respond to a lot of strains differently than most, but Purple Punch seems to really do it for me. Find that strain for you, and have it handy for those moments when you’re feeling the weight of everything.
- Trust the process. Rome wasn’t built in a day, and your problems aren’t going to go away overnight. Trust that whatever you are feeling or going through right now is playing an important role in your journey. It doesn’t always make sense right away, but I promise that someday you’ll be able to look back and see a much bigger picture.
My Road To 40
by Tab Moura
I read once that 40 years old is when most women truly reach a point in their lives where they don’t care as much what other people think. It’s when they begin living more authentically and surround themselves with friendships that are more energizing.
In 2021 I will be turning 32, and I’ve decided that it’s never too early to stop giving a crap. This year I’ve begun to make some changes.
Enjoy BEING More
We’ve seen the world melt around us, 2020 helped me to acknowledge that the world really will get over if I cannot, or will not, sacrifice my sanity to make things happen. My memories of my children are just as important as my children’s memories of me… for all of our sakes, I will defend our special days from perfectionism and comparison, so we can all relax a little.
Eat Well
So this is a double edge sword. I believe it’s equally important that we eat nutritiously, and also that every woman deserves at least one treat that is never shared. I’m an early bloomer, so I’ve already been rehearsing this one. Right now it’s organic mint chip ice cream. However, I’m not actually 40 yet, so I have time to try a few more treats before I’ll ultimately do whatever I wanna do anyway.
Do it
By this point in your life, I’m sure there has been at least one big thing that you “just aren’t brave enough to try.” Or maybe it’s financial and you just don’t see how you can justify the expense… I’m here to tell you, it’s time to do it. If it’s a matter of bravery, then it’s time to smoke a bowl and ask your bestie to help you follow through. If it’s truly just about money, it’s time to make a budget. Write it down. Look those numbers in the eye, then call your bestie to brainstorm how to raise the money. I know it can wait… it always can— but this is the season we start living authentically, remember?
Hawt Stuff
If you don’t own a sexy outfit, now is the time. I don’t care if you never go anywhere. I don’t care if you’re single. I don’t care if your sexy outfit isn’t a dress… it’s a right of passage. If you don’t own an outfit that makes you feel attractive, don’t feel pressure to spend money on it. This is about authenticity after all. Perhaps the real goal is to reach a point where only your own voice is what determines your self-image— and that it’s important to surround yourself with loving people who appreciate your beauty.
I’m looking forward to adding to this list as I continue my journey to 40. Maybe you’d like to share some of the rights of passage you have come across as you’ve reached these milestones. You can find me on Insta @tabmoura feel free to tag me and tell me what wisdom you’ve gained while growing and shedding expectations.
Plant Medicine for Spring
by Tab Moura
This may not come as a surprise to you, but I’ve become known for my creativity with natural medicine. While I do enjoy making natural choices, my use of natural products is truly out of necessity due to my health disorders. The biggest lesson I’ve learned is that it’s not easy to cut things out—but it is easy to trade them out. Just like many of you, I get colds and seasonal allergies, and my allergy to corn has yet to prevent me from finding relief.
The plant medicine sphere is quite a marvel to me, we invest a lot of faith in this plant, and it doesn’t disappoint us. I feel this way toward all plant medicine. As an epileptic, I’ve utilized its benefits in ways that big pharma probably doesn’t want you to believe are possible, and I know dozens of cannabis patients who can say the same.
Plant medicines are powerful, but they work better paired with conscious food choices and active lifestyle choices. That said, even if you aren’t where you want to be yet, plant medicine can be an important first step to changing other habits. I love to study the relationship between terpenes and essential oils, this is perhaps the easiest plant medicine tool to adopt. Depending on your diet and pre-existing health issues, these may not replace serious daily prescriptions but can be a gentle addition to your self-care routine. (NOTE: not all essential oil brands are made for ingestion, always verify this when choosing an essential oil product.)
Essential Oil Blends for Spring:
My favorite daily go-to for Spring is my Lemon, Lavender, and Peppermint essential oil blend in a capsule with RSO. I’m familiar with getting yearly sinus infections around this time, so I began fighting back. If I do get sick, I like to add oregano and cinnamon to the blend. Your breath won’t be very flattering, but one of these bad boys will certainly help move the congestion around. Other good options are things like dandelion, milk thistle, and probiotics. There are many brands out there, so as a rule, I recommend consulting with someone more knowledgeable than yourself when you are trying something new.
If you want to experiment with the essential oils, but prefer to inhale your terpenes, I recommend finding a product or strain that contains terps like Linalool, Limonene, Caryophyllene, and Ocimene. I recently tried THC Bomb by LITS, and it tasted great with my allergy oil blend as well.
Natural medicine may be a bio-safe choice for health and wellness, but without a basic understanding and respect for these methods, you will likely struggle to see results. This is why I always recommend researching or finding a consultant/health advocate of some kind to meet with you. The journey into natural medicine is unlike any of my experiences with allopathic medicine up to this point, it requires us to respect and understand it— but it leaves us in charge of our results, and it’s that freedom that has healed my body.
Stoner
by Tab Moura
“So you’re saying, yes, Cannabis improves your overall symptoms?” I laughed, what a loaded question… and yet, the answer was so simple, “Absolutely.”
I scheduled this appointment a few weeks ago, I am a mom and epileptic, I don’t trust myself to “just remember” things anymore. As I waited in line, my mind wandered to 2 years ago, when I applied for my first medical card. I got to the clinic a little late, due to ice, and I was terrified I missed my chance. I always roll my eyes a little when people assume that being late, and using marijuana, walk hand in hand. I had some harsh self-judgements bouncing around my skull that day… “Shocker, the Stoner missed their appointment?” But that couldn’t be further from how I was treated.
Oh, I’m sure it happens; Cannabis can make us a little forgetful, but you wanna know a secret? Apparently we Stoners are pretty good at overcoming our attention challenges, because as of February 7th, 2021, over 370,570 Oklahoman’s have become medical cannabis patients. (I heard there would have been more, but they are driving 5mph in a parking lot somewhere *wink wink*.)
I wouldn’t be upright without this medicine. We aren’t talking minor leagues here, this is medical cannabis. This is our quality of life, and in many cases, life itself is in the balance. We have families; we are mothers, daughters, husbands and sons, grandparents, aunts and uncles. We are business owners, hard workers, students, friends and neighbors. We are fiercely protective of our lives and health freedoms, for ourselves and to honor those who made this possible.
Stoners? Sure, call us stoners. The people who would uproot their lives, crossing state borders, to save their kid’s life? Or do you mean the woman who has weaned herself off of 12 pharmaceutical drugs? Or the little boy who had 100 seizures a day, and now doesn’t? How about the speech delay that disappeared, or the insomnia that went away, or the diabetic who learned to manage their sugars without insulin? We’re pretty proud of those stoner stories.
And we haven’t even gotten to the science! Did you know that everyone has an endocannabinoid system? Did you know that human breastmilk produces anandamide, a naturally occurring supplement for the endocannabinoid system? Did you know that you produce anandamide when you exercise? Did you know that chronic illness is a sign that your endocannabinoid system is out of homeostasis? Did you know that the cannabis plant is the most potent source of supplemental cannabinoids? Did you know that cannabis is a vital food nutrient, as essential as other vitamins and minerals the body needs? Did you know that even if you use cannabis recreationally, it helps your body medicinally?
We want cannabis skeptics to ask their questions… the truth doesn’t need our protection. Even if you don’t choose to use this plant, can you say you considered it objectively?
As I wrapped up my renewal recommendation appointment, I sighed in relief. “Two more years of YES.” Sometimes it feels too good to be true, and sometimes I feel restless. So many out there have yet to get this chance. I pray that someday soon, anyone who wishes to use this medicine would be able to do so without threat of punishment. Now that I know what I know, I just don’t think that’s too much to ask.
What is Your Cannabis Routine?
by Amy Lee | Boho Health Consulting
As a Certified Cannabis Wellness Coach and owner of Boho Health Consulting, a cannabis coaching and education company, I have hosted well over one-hundred potential client wellness consultations since I opened my doors in 2019. Throughout these conversations I began to notice a pattern with my clients seeking cannabis coaching. The most common issue is proper dosing followed by proper medicating methods.
Many clients do not know what a proper cannabis dose is for their ailments or how to dose throughout the day for wellness. Because of this many cannabis patients are not achieving the level of wellness they desire through the current methods of cannabis medicating. When a client describes their cannabis struggles it’s important for me to understand their current medicating routine. The most common routine is to be medicated only as needed throughout the day when symptoms appear. This method of medicating is considered “on-demand”.
Medicating “on-demand” may be problematic for some clients who seek daily balanced wellness from their cannabis medicine. When symptoms are treated “on demand” the body may experience a dip in endocannabinoid support which can cause an episode or flare-up to become more frequent. When the endocannabinoid system is medicated at low doses daily the body is supported and has less potential for an episode or flare-up.
When coaching my clients to medicate for daily wellness, they tend to experience less “high-alert” episodes or flare-ups. This is due to simply supporting the endocannabinoid system with low doses of cannabinoids daily through multiple layering techniques. When a flare-up does occur it is usually not as severe or the client is well prepared with the knowledge of proper dosing and medicating methods.
Implementing a balanced cannabis routine can reduce the symptoms of disease for these common inflammatory ailments, endometriosis, irritable bowel syndrome, chrohns, sinusitis, asthma, rheumatoid arthritis, alzheimers, parkinsons, cancer, chronic pain more.
A daily cannabis routine helps the patient establish their personal wellness dose, provides consistent support of the endocannabinoid system for whole body wellness, supports the immune system on a cellular level, consistent dosing means proper dosing measurement, and as a client you begin to take accountability for your wellness journey.
To discover your best dosing routine I recommend beginning with a list of ailments you seek to treat and the symptoms you wish to relieve. Begin each day with a low dose of full spectrum cannabidiol tincture or capsule. This will activate and stimulate the endocannabinoid system, to support balance. Discovering your personal cannabinoid milligram requires journaling and charting your symptoms daily. Usually after three weeks of journaling and charting a routine can be developed that works well for the clients wellness.
To learn more visit www.TheBohoHealthCoach.com or on Facebook for free webinars, resources and coaching programs!
Amy Lee
Cannabis and Wellness Coach, Boho Health Consulting
833.264.6457
www.TheBohoHealthCoach.com
Cannabis: Crossing the Barrier
by Tab Moura
Imagine being in a large facility, you know that it contains a wealth of knowledge, riches, and untold technological advancements… but you don’t have electricity in all of the rooms. So, you know what’s there, you just cannot analyze it. This is my experience with Epilepsy. My seizures affect my ability to smoothly access various parts of my brain.
It’s difficult to talk about this with people who have known me the longest because there was no single moment where we noticed my seizures begin. But what we do know is that my personality, speech, and memory are affected when my seizures are close together. My EEG indicated that I have partial seizures in my right frontal and right temporal lobes, as well as secondary generalized seizures, where there’s a kind of ripple effect through my entire brain.
The brain is such a delicate organ, and as much as I have researched it, and have met with a handful of neurologists, I can confidently say that our day-to-day choices directly affect our brains more than we realize.
The brain and its cerebral spinal fluid are encased in three protective layers, made up of connective tissue. Unique to the brain, it has a beautiful system for nutrient delivery and toxin removal… You may know of this as the blood-brain barrier (BBB).
The word “barrier” makes it sound tougher than it really is… the truth is, more things get past that barrier than we like to admit. Fat-soluble vitamins pass easily into the brain, but so do many medications, caffeine, sugars, several chemicals, and virtually anything that can be nanotized.
Cannabis is fat-soluble, it passes easily into the brain and is received by the endocannabinoid system as God created it to. So not only does it pass through like so many other things, it has a welcoming committee that’s happy to see it. Cannabis is a vital food nutrient, and unlike other fat-soluble ingredients that can cross the BBB, there isn’t a toxic dose of cannabis.
I’ve had a handful of people ask me, “are you not worried about the long-term effects of cannabis on development, or aging?” My honest answer? ”I’m pretty excited about them actually.”
I lost the second and third languages that I worked for years to learn; they slipped away from me. I lost childhood memories. I lost my mental health. I lost my ability to create art and write poetry… and you wanna know what is helping me retrieve those parts of my brain again? Cannabis.
If you want my advice, I recommend being a lot more concerned with the ingredients that cross the BBB, but aren’t beneficial… don’t take my word for it, do the research. You won’t regret it.
All Gassed Up
by Micah McKamie
As I opened my door at Sunnyside Diner a blast of air hit me in the face. It was a little colder than I expected, however, it felt invigorating in a way. I was super excited to be there! Training Through Terps had been marketing this run for almost a month and I was curious to see how it all came together. The wind was coming off the lake in gusts, but as I walked up to the “Gassed Up Group Run” you could tell everyone was in “high” spirits! The gaggle of runners was about 25-30 people in various brightly colored workout attire and amazingly some people had just come to be supportive even though the weather hadn’t completely cooperated on the chosen Sunday. The group’s co-founders Kenny And Micah started this group to make a valiant effort at changing the perception of cannabis users in our society. “ Ultimately our goal is to help non-medicators see that just because you use cannabis, does not mean that the lazy stigma has to be how people see you,” said Kenny, “We are out here Breaking the Stigma and changing peoples mindset while promoting a healthy lifestyle!”
Out of the 28 people that showed up for this frigid frolic, fifteen ended up running the route while the others took advantage of Sunnyside Diner’s excellent hospitality!! “Overall, just having people out, being able to share in our passion for cannabis and fitness, as well as, being able to link up some pretty amazing people, has made us feel like this has been a huge success,” said Micah. “We have these planned out for the next six months and have located these events all over Oklahoma, including one in Tulsa for Armed Forces Day in conjunction with Sherweed Forrest, which is a group of cannabis advocates who are changing the industry through media and art,” he added. As I walked around and talked with each of the participants, before the run, I realized the eclectic group in which had been assembled. People from all walks of life and backgrounds had come to be a part of this community practice!!! As we moved up to the starting line the mood became more lively and pumped. Everyone was highly medicated by this point and as we started off on our route it became evident to me that this was going to be a big deal.
After the run, we all congregated on the porch at Sunnyside and ate brunch, and just talked about weed. As if just hanging out with other canna-centric fitness nuts wasn’t enough, they had at least 4 vendors there with merch for the participants, as well as, all sorts of deals from local dispensaries. As the day ended and we started to say our goodbyes, I realized that we had been there for a while. The group met at 9 and the last people didn’t leave until 1:30ish, which was surprising considering that this was a short cannabis fun run, but it flew by! With all the great people that showed up, the poignant conversation, excellent food, and amazing products, the “Gassed Up Group Run” was an awesome success and made for an amazing day!! As I got in my car to head out I thought to myself, I cannot wait for the next one!!!
Upcoming Gassed Up Group Run events:
-Saturday March 20th Western/Paseo District
-Tuesday April 20th Stillwater
-Saturday May 15th Tulsa
-Sunday June 6 OKC D-Day run
Dab Love
by Tab Moura
I have yet to find something that touches my nerve pain quite like dabs do, I think I’m in love. Have y’all dabbed recently? Oh my gosh, I am coming back from a dab sabbatical and it’s as reliable as ever.
My first dab is a fuzzy memory. I was with my best friend/business partner and our cannabis mentor, Dr. Nelson, and that’s pretty much all I remember. My first experience inhaling flower is also a blurry experience; and edibles, and oils, and topicals… it’s pretty much all a blur. And to be honest, I did it wrong. (I don’t even want to talk about how I messed up with the lotion…) The point is, medicating with cannabis is very hands-on, and there is no substitution for practice. Learning your comfort level, learning your tolerance level, learning the methods that will best support your complaints… it’s a lot.
I didn’t originally want to try Concentrates. My brain fog was already so bad, I needed every fragment of a brain cell I could muster. My body was suffering, if I was honest with myself, I didn’t want to function… functioning hurts. But I needed to lay better groundwork to be able to manage my pain, brain fog *and* my children. Smoking flower wasn’t affordable at that pain level. Edibles didn’t help with my acute pain. I could go on… I’ve tried so many methods.
What I need to do *with* my time is valuable, so medicating properly for my lifestyle is really the only way to truly help my body heal. If I had stopped at that first experience, I would have missed out on a lot of valuable experience learning how to medicate my body properly. Today I rely on dabs, exclusively, for my pain management. If I believed all of the pre-judgments, like “concentrates are too connnceeentrrratted, how could that be “medicinal?” Or my favorite, “Obviously they were just invented to help people get high faster.”
I get it. They are concentrated. They do flood your endocannabinoid system rather quickly— but these things make the delivery method quite medicinal. Some medical conditions have intense nerve pain, which can require an acute approach, like dabs, to manage. Some people have metabolism problems that prevent them from breaking down edible forms of cannabis. I could go on.
Whatever your reason is, even just to unwind, the plant is going to reach deep into your endocannabinoid system and support your body… because that’s just how cannabis works. But never underestimate the value of investing in better groundwork. Would a strategic cannabis plan help you save money? Would it help you reduce your uncomfortable experiences? Would it help you better manage your health? Are you ready to feel consistent relief? Herbage has a few cannabis educators and wellness mentors that we partner with, I highly recommend checking them out.
Ready to Regulate
by Tab Moura
I spend a lot of time modifying the world around my children, to better meet their needs. Between the autism, epilepsy, and anxiety, our problems rarely sort themselves out on their own. We have to be intentional, or we risk going past the point of regulation- and I don’t just mean the kids. I’m writing to you today, from underneath a pile of blankets, as my children fight over Minecraft in the other room. I surrender. Have all the screens you want. Mommy needs to regulate.
This is day 10 of no hot water in our house, and I’m tired. I’m tired of planning so many indoor activities. I’m tired of planning meals with random pantry items. I’m tired of explaining why it’s not ok to use all 12 plates in one day. I’m tired, and I want my solutions now. Now.
“Now” is a symptom of dysregulation. I am not regulated. I’m feeling all of my inconveniences at once and my head is spinning. I’m not in the moment, I’m not medicated and I’m not managing my stress well. I’m just here, trying to hide my ugly. How do I change this?
-Vent… like I did above.
Venting is the first thing I do. If you don’t like that word, consider this ‘taking inventory’ of your situation. I like to write down what’s not going well, and I may even throw in some whiney-words for good measure. Let. It. Out. I hate this part, but I’m not doing myself or others any favors by holding it in. If you’re feeling pressure to hold it all together, try to give yourself a little grace to release your feelings somewhere private. Don’t squish them. For some of you this will feel validating, for others it’s just fancy whining, but don’t write this off yet.
-Medicate.
Just do it. Pipes frozen? Medicate. Virtual assignments not going well? Medicate. Grocery delivery cancels your delivery again? Medicate. Your kid just peed in the bathwater that you spent 30 minutes boiling— medicate. For the record, I’ve found that stepping out of the stress to do something for myself always helps, even if it doesn’t contain THC… but THC certainly helps.
So you took inventory of your drama, you did a dab, and now you’re staring at the wall. Now what? It’s time to externally process.
-Manage.
Whether your people can get on board or not, it’s time to declare your intentions, 1. What are you releasing? 2. What are you making room for? 3. Who might need your help to coregulate once you are more regulated?
What will you do after the drama settles? Watch Die Hard? Paint your nails? Play Rocket League? Do you need to write it down? Do you need to tell a friend to hold you accountable? It sounds odd to say it, but people experiencing burnout actually struggle to make time for fun… even if the time is available to them. So look at your drama inventory and tell me which excuse is big enough to prevent you from doing ONE fun thing today? Which negative moment will you let take even more time from your life? Are you ready to regulate?
Strain of the Month: March 2021
by James Bridges | Herbage Magazine
SLYMER
Sativa Dominant Hybrid
2.79% Terp
20.98% THC
Effects:
Uplifted
Hyper Awareness
Appetite Suppressant
Bored. Sometimes I get that way with my meds. Just boring ole meh, yeah it works, medicine.
So it’s time to hunt.
Shuffling through the lists of strains to try can get a little overwhelming. Luckily I know just the remedy.
Eeny, meeny, miny, moe… Slymer is the way to go.
Someone told me once that if I can find a strain that shakes the dust off a tired brain as well as give you an uplifted euphoric high then they would bow down to me and say they were wrong.
Get those knees ready.
I was no longer bored. Once my decision was made Slymer organically became the perfect choice. I was able to no longer imagine myself cuddled in a bed and doing literally nothing to actually looking forward to my next tasks.. I was very hyper aware without being too uncomfortable. The haze between the eyes is such a pleasant feeling.
The only downside, if you want to call it one, is that I actually had to have several conversations with myself reminding me that I need to eat.
Want to get things done and still enjoy the most out of your meds? Try Slymer. Not to be confused with Slimer. Ask for it to be grown by
Miracle on 39th Street
by Micah McKamie
Part of my morning routine is to immediately get up when I open my eyes, wake and bake, and get a good outside workout in before the day begins. This had not happened in a few days due to the weather and I was starting to feel a little cooped up. That particular morning I had been smoking an amazing Sativa from Troy Buds called Pure Power Plant, which had zipped me up pretty well, I was starting to really get the pushy effects. I was pumped up!!! So, I decided to brave the temperatures, get some fresh air, and some relief from my inner turmoil that was developing. I fixed my sunglasses, took a puff from my pen, and stepped into the snowy streets.
My entire life had been spent in Oklahoma and Texas up until the Army, and I had never seen actual snow on the ground in the Pan-Handle state. We have always had dustings and ice storms, but this was fluffy arctic snow. I had encountered this type of snow before when I was stationed at Ft. Drum, NY and this reminded me of that soft, but compact snow, and is so cold it moved like sand. I knew that this was not going to be an easy run due to my experience in these types of elements, however, I knew how necessary it was to get outside for my mental health.
I zipped up my jacket, set Pandora to my “Runner’s High” playlist. I could feel my medication starting to kick in. Now, one of the strange things you have to get used to with Training Through Terps is the heavy effect of some of the cannabis products we use. These effects, though manageable, have the ability to completely derail your workout. You will need to be patient with the process and open to adjusting your focus for that day’s fitness routine. Go in knowing that tenacity and determination are key to the success of this program. You will have to show some drive to make this work.
There is nothing easy about changing your lifestyle. However, most things in life worth doing aren’t simple. While Sativa strains can enhance your workouts, the high THC found in these strains can sit you down quickly and make you lose track of your focus at that time. The key is not giving up. I have found that a heavy Sativa high will subside quickly thus leaving you with an outrageous amount of energy that can be harnessed for your workouts, it just takes a few minutes to get your head out of the clouds and back into the focus at hand.
As I headed north towards Downtown Bethany, I began utilizing a meditative state to keep my focus and to “drone” through my workout. I put my body on autopilot and really focused on the things going on in my life and how I could navigate them. Who and what are causing me to feel the way that I am and how can I go about navigating this issue? This kind of process is a key aspect in my mental health and allows me to process things in a healthy manner, one that PTSD and ADHD don’t always allow.
The biggest issue this morning was that although I was feeling better, the ball of gross energy that felt like a panic attack coming on was not going away. I started wondering why I was out there and if this was even worth the time. I am never one to quit so, I summoned my focus, regained my meditative state and kept going.
By the time I reached Southern Nazarene University, my beard and eyelashes are sufficiently crowned with icy accouterments. I could see myself in the shop windows. I looked like an insane person running in that much snow, when it was that cold. As I rounded the corner onto 39th, I let out a sigh of relief. The sidewalk was clear!!! Up until that point, I had kept about a 9-minute pace due to the lack of traction. Now, I had finally found an area I could really open up.
I grabbed my pen, took a few huge rips, and proceeded to do a series of sprints that destroyed the growing panic attack energy inside. As I finished my workout-within-a-workout, the snow really started to come down. I turned towards home. I had barely realized it, but pretty much everyone had retreated indoors and I was left with just the sounds of Crozet to keep me company. I have always loved the way the world gets so quiet when it snows, and now that I had gotten the nasty feelings out I really began to enjoy the entirety of my run. It was so quiet. The snowflakes and clouds created a blanket to muffle the bustling sounds of the city around me.
As I finished up my route and trotted into the driveway, I felt a sense of accomplishment. It wasn’t the 5 miles that felt so good, or the fact that I did it in a subzero winter wonderland, it was that I had actually had some major mental breakthroughs on my run. Things that had haunted me for years had come to the forefront on this dredge through snow and ice. After to my running introspection, I was mentally prepared for what the universe had in store for me and in no way doubted my abilities. I walked up to the doorand I looked back North, where I had come from, reveling in the feeling that I had set out dreading this run yet ended up grateful for the experience.
I unlocked my door, headed to the kitchen table for my normal post-workout smoke and shake. I had this overwhelming feeling of being grateful. The universe had provided the perfect elements for my healing. Even though I didn’t see it at first, the holy trinity of marijuana, music, and moxie took what could have been horribly emotional day and a lost workout, and turned it into one of the most healing experiences of my life. I only needed the aspects of cannabis and a strong will to capitalize on it.
Training Through Terps is not just about the physical aspects of your fitness. It is giving you a bulletproof mindset. You find your clean motivation to not only complete your workouts at a high level, but it allows for you to live a happy healthy life past the traumas and issues you have had in the past. It is High time that we stop accepting what society tells us about cannabis and start expecting more from our weed.
Asthma and Cannabis
by Tab Moura
Well, it’s that time of year again… The time of year where even if they weren’t asking everyone to wear masks, I would 100% be wearing a face-covering outside. It’s asthma season. I’ve been living with asthma for about 10 years. There are a lot of opinions about what improves, and what worsens, things like asthma… at the time of writing this, I’m watching snow fall, my joints are screaming, and I’m daydreaming of kids going to bed so I can curl up with my favorite concentrate. Like many of you, I have multiple health conditions that I treat with cannabis, and I’m all too familiar with the drama of finding what works.
This amazing plant is a natural anti-inflammatory, which helps in hundreds of conditions, including asthma. While there are definitely some benefits to using inhaled medical cannabis for asthma, there are some potential risks as well. Let’s unpack this…
1. Inhalation: not one size fits all.
Inhaled flower may irritate your throat more than smoother alternatives, like vapor or dabs. It’s not an exact science, but some believe the reason why lies in how the flower combusts; the particles from the plant can catch in your throat and lead to coughing. One option is to take small puffs to minimize bronchospasms, some say humming helps, others prefer to avoid inhaling altogether and stick to oils, tinctures, and edibles.
2. Quality, quality, quality!
The variety of price points in our cannabis industry does not solely reflect on the quality of said products, but it can sometimes give you an idea of the care that went into those products. While all legal products are tested for things like chemicals, molds, and metals, we’re still talking about a plant and every patient’s experience may vary. I have found that no matter what, I must look at, and smell, my medicine to be sure it won’t trigger my asthma. 9 times out of 10, I pick products that agree with my lungs.
3. Terpenes
The cannabis plant has roughly a zillion strains at this point, respectfully, and even the ones with identical names may hit you differently. Some terpenes are directly linked to better breathing and immune support, like Pinene, Ocimene, and Caryophyllene, but this doesn’t automatically mean your lungs will be happy to see them. If you are terpene sensitive, it is mostly because you’re high maintenance like me, but don’t fret. If you do find a strain that consistently irritates your lungs, ask your Dispo to show you the labs or terpene profiles, so you can narrow down what’s bothering you. If you take nothing else away from what I’m sharing today, I hope you feel hopeful that cannabis can help you, even if you have asthma. The sky is the limit with plant medicine; may your medicine clouds treat you well.
Immune System Love
by Amy Lee | Boho Health Consulting
Many medical cannabis patients begin their cannabis journey because they are immunocompromised and they are seeking a better way to live a healthy life. Being immunocompromised is different for each patient. For example, the common cold might not affect one patient as severely as another due to their individual immune system strength. Immunodeficiency, suppressed immunity, and immunocompromised all mean the patient is at a higher risk for infection, disease, and viruses. In the winter when the air is less humid indoors, viruses can live longer and increase the chances of a person becoming ill. This is a crucial time for members of the cannabis community to be making additional efforts to show their immune system some love with cannabis and nutrition.
What is the immune system?
The immune system is a complex organ system in the body composed of white blood cells, skin, mucus and bacteria. The purpose of the immune system is to seek out, recruit, attack and destroy foreign invaders within the body. There are two main levels of immunity defense within the body, innate immunity and adaptive. The innate immunity system provides a quick first line of defense against a wide range of pathogens. Pathogens are disease-causing antigens. The immune system is designed to protect against pathogens. The adaptive immune system is the second level of defense and is more intense and specific in its attack against antigens. Antigens are anything that cause an immune response, this includes a wide range of irritants like pollen or the flu virus.
How can you support your immune system better?
The immune system requires care balance and care. It is not a single step process. Researchers recommend focusing on building a healthy lifestyle with simple habit change. This includes diet, movement, stress, hydration and nutrients. Research has shown through the years that every system in the body begins to function better when these habits are focused on daily.
Showing your immune system some L O V E –
There is evidence that various micronutrient deficiencies alter the immune system responses. These most commonly show up as vitamin and mineral deficiencies and create a domino effect of illnesses and disease within the body. However, these vital vitamins and minerals can be easily implemented through a daily cannabis routine. The best way to support the immune system with cannabis is through raw cannabis consumption. By consuming raw cannabis the body activates the endocannabinoid system to begin the process of homeostasis, otherwise known as balance. William L. Courtney, MD, is considered one of the leading experts in raw cannabis, it is his belief that cannabis is one of the most nutrient-dense foods we can consume. The raw plant material contains all omega fatty acids, nine essential amino acids, dietary fiber, enzymes, vitamins, minerals, flavonoids, carotenoids, terpenes and phytocannabinoid acids, all of which have the potential to boost internal wellness by creating a healthy gut biome.
Eat it up!
Cannabis is easy to add to any diet! Some of the most popular consumption methods include, adding the leaves to salads, raw plant juicing, marinated in dressings, sauces and dips. One of my favorite consumption methods is to grind up the cannabis leaves and incorporate into homemade granola or mixed in with almond butter.
Simple Solution
by Tab Moura
Everybody has a story to tell when it comes to food and how they feel about their bodies. Whether eating healthy comes natural to you, or not, I want to share what has helped me. Since first learning
about my Ehler’s-Danlos syndrome, we discovered that most of my quirks are genetic (even my sarcasm, thanks Dad).
But even with a genetic diagnosis, I have managed to improve my own unique baseline, with the strategic use of foods. Due to my absorption issues, I struggle with stamina. Believe it or not, food and cannabis have helped me make a lot of progress, slowly building muscle and stamina. The process of strengthening my body has helped me find a few life hacks to improve my overall health, while keeping up with my busy kids. When setting daily goals, one question I ask myself is, “could I do this on a flair day?”
Learn how to make one BOMB veggie dish
I have multiple food allergies, the only thing that keeps me sane with all of the meal prepping is knowing that my food is really yummy. This is worth the time and research, I swear. If you can consistently make one brag-worthy vegetable dish, your brain will begin making new healthy associations, believing that the work is worth it. Set limits- if the recipes you like have too many ingredients or steps, skip‘em. They are not the droids you’re looking for.
Plan your snacks
You know you eat snacks. Did you know that snacks are the most common way that people “cheat” on their diets and fasts? I have a confession. I spend more on my snacks than I do my meals. My meals are usually whole foods, which is honestly quite affordable. When I’m bouncing between tasks, I try to make my snacks healthy and simple, so I don’t go for the quick-grab-junk-food.
Sprouts, Whole Foods and Natural Grocers are my favorite stores. With your top 3 favorite munchies in mind, go visit a health food store to browse their options for healthy alternatives. If it helps keep you on the wagon, It’s basically diet insurance.
Food math
In our family we have those who eat gluten-free, one who has an egg allergy, another who has multiple texture issues, and I am allergic to coconut, almond, and corn. With so many different needs, we made up a concept called food math so we each felt more in control of our own plates.
Eat a protein + eat a vegetable + eat a complex carb + drink a cup of water.
This equation helped me through the anxiety of eliminating foods and not knowing what to make next. It’s not fancy, and it doesn’t fit all diet types, so feel free to make your own equation and post it on your fridge. It can make a full fridge feel less overwhelming.
The truth is, I’m still in the thick of saving my own life. Many of you are as well. If there was one thing I could leave you with, it would be this: It is never a waste of money to support your health, the question is how much will it cost you if you don’t?
Light and Shadows
by Tab Moura
I have a confession to make, I am one of those plant ladies. I’m in the fan club, but I didn’t used to be. I guess that’s not that big of a surprise, considering my track record. These days my arms aren’t big enough to collect all of the pretty pinecones I find on a hike; and I may or may not buy plants from Walmart, knowing they need rehabilitation (because they don’t deserve to die like that!) I’m a late bloomer, but I’m definitely a hippy now.
When I first found my word to focus on this year, I was just scrolling Pinterest for blog inspiration. I am visual, so I tend to look for mood boards or unique words to help me stir up ideas. But when I saw the word “Komorebi,” I was not inspired, or stirred… I was annoyed.
Komorebi means ‘Sunlight, as it filters through trees.’ This is a kind of light show you may see when the sun sets behind the trees.
I first read this word in 2019, not long after I learned I was having seizures. I spent most of that year unable to drive— because of Komorebi. While driving, the light filtering through trees acted as a strobe light, too much too fast… it gave me migraines, and on one occasion it led to a partial seizure that caused me to forget where I was (that was the last time I drove for a while).
One could say that Komorebi derailed parts of my life. I say all of this to explain the depth of my relationship with this word so that you can appreciate how I came to choose this word as my focus for 2021.
Something I realized, when I began spending more time in nature, is that Komorebi was not actually too much; it was me who was moving too fast to tolerate it. Light and shadows; dance partners complementing each other as though they’ve done this since the beginning of time. Going for a stroll outside, watching the sunlight dance through the trees, is an incredibly spiritual and clarifying meditation.
Due to my disabilities, the only time I used to see the dang Komorebi was while driving, because back then I spent most days in bed. But I have similar experiences with socializing or trying to work… I had my foot on the gas and didn’t even realize how much I was missing, because it was hard to appreciate at that speed.
Obviously, I’m talking about more than driving. Even at my most disabled, I didn’t want to slow down enough to be present for the highs and lows of everyday life. Who knows, perhaps I just didn’t know how. Many things I tried to enjoy were wildly unsuccessful— because I was focused on arriving, not the journey.
So my first lesson from Komorebi is this: In a world that asks us to be bigger, better, faster, and smarter… I challenge you to have a big heart, be good, stay focused, and try to be wise.
Medicated Coleslaw
by Micah McKamie
With spring right around the corner and who knows we might actually get to have cookouts this year, I decided to share my medicated ColeSlaw recipe. Now there are a lot of ways to do this, but I really like the fun slaw methods. One of my favorites is a Hawaiian slaw that always is a hit, especially at a Pig Roast or Luau.
This slaw has got the traditional ingredients of cabbage and carrots, but it’s bumped up a notch into tropical nirvana with the addition of fresh pineapple chunks, black sesame seeds, and a ginger-soy lime vinaigrette. This Hawaiian-style coleslaw is super healthy too – which helps in the being bikini-ready department, as well as taking you to “Flavor Island.” My favorite part is that it goes well with so many different proteins; sausages, chicken, pork this might become your new go-to summer slaw!! So let’s cross our fingers and hope 2021 brings back spring and summer BBQs because we could use them!!
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 cups shredded green cabbage(packed)
- 1 cup shredded red cabbage (packed)
- 1/2 cup grated carrots (packed)
- 1 cup fresh pineapple (diced)
- 2 green onions (sliced)
- 1/4 cup cilantro (minced )
- 1 1/2 Tablespoons fresh ginger (grated)
- 3 Tablespoons rice wine vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 Tablespoon medicate honey
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon mediated olive oil
- 1 lime (juiced)
- Salt (to taste)
- 1 teaspoon black sesame seeds
Click here for the full recipe:
Training Through Terps pt. 3
Eliminate the Struggle
by Micah McKamie
When building your workouts, one of the things that I consistently see is a lack of focus towards routine and consistency. “Finding” a way to “Fit” your workouts in throughout the week is setting yourself up for failure.
Too many times we go into the planning and scheduling process of working out with the, “I will make time” mentality for your fitness and weight loss goals. We go through our daily routines determined to make time for our fitness, however, we constantly fall short. Why? I want to be fit? I have the desire!!! I have the knowledge!!! Unfortunately making time isn’t enough to sustain what it takes to become physically fit.
The main issue is how we categorize the need in our heads. By just making time for something you are already limiting your ability to work out to when it’s convenient. When everything else is done, you will get to that run, knocking out the workout of the day, or get a good Yoga session. Now, because we “make time” for our workouts in our head, we justify the lack of workouts that this causes. I am just too busy, there isn’t enough time, and I just don’t have the mental capacity or energy, become normalized statements when your brain passes over the “what’s next on the list” thought.
This is where I usually hit a wall with people, because the next part doesn’t make sense unless you practice it; the more you work out, the more energy you have. This is hard for most people to understand because the first few weeks of making physical fitness a priority are exhausting. The soreness, the mental anguish from making yourself keep going even though you are sore and achy. Waking up your muscles and endorphin system out of hibernation takes time and work and honestly, it’s the part people hate the most.
That is where cannabis products come into play. The abundance of products out there that are designed towards a medical or even a recreational standpoint can be highly beneficial to kick-starting your fitness journey. Strains can be used to get you going, tone you down, eliminate soreness, and just make working out fun. One group of products that I love is the pain-relieving capabilities of transdermals’ and there are quite a few on the market, but two have stood out. Mary’s Medicinals 1:1 transdermal patch is crazy good. The first use, you look at the little 2-inch pad and wonder how this could even work. However, less than 5 minutes after application this little guy will loosen you up, eliminate pain, and honestly put you in a good mood. The second is a new product from Sunday Extracts. They have not only made a 1:1 salve that works immediately, but it’s also made with hydrosol. If you are not aware of what hydrosols are, they are the moisture leftover when extracting essential oils, so it is medicinal and really good for your skin. The reason I bring these up is even at the ripe old age of 39 I am able to get immediate results from these products which have aided me in longer and more reoccurring workouts than without.
Not only processed products, but really good flower can also aid in the success of those just starting their fitness journey. I always suggest lower THC doses or more manageable THC:CBD doses so as to make you successful and not just get you ripped. I have gone over a few of my favorite strains in past articles that focused more on performance, than pain management, so I thought I would list a few pain strains that have worked for me!.
Gorilla Glue #4
Great flavor, Creative producing, great for pain relief and reducing inflammation. No Time, Fabulous Cannabis
Skunk Hero
Great pain reduction, good for relaxing muscles, a sativa that is not energy producing, however does not rob you of your energy. Sunday Extracts
Mac Stomper
Great for recovery, reduces stress and inflammation, helps to release lactic acid build up, mood elevator. Gray Matter Farms
Hulka Kola
2:1 ratio, great for body relaxation, clears your thoughts and aids in meditation, specifically hunted to reduce pain and inflammation, Does not have a CBD hemp taste Kola Organics
Now, go into this knowing that it also is a process. I have spent many a morning bombed out of mind sitting on the floor next to my weights and wondering if this would work. The key was knowing myself, my tolerance levels, and how terpenes affect me differently, as well as, figuring out what strains and products work best at what times. Eliminating the struggle through canna-centric workouts is what it is all about. Cannabis isn’t a shortcut, it’s an add on. It is a key to get to the other 90% of our potential.
I know l have said it before, but training through terpenes is as much about learning and knowing yourself as it is about Cannabis. It isn’t just about utilizing medical marijuana to make working out fun or tolerable, even though it is an amazing side effect, but it’s about learning what makes you tick. How best to use clean motivation internally to meet your goals? What will make this process go smoothly for you? Canna-centric isn’t about other peoples’ routines, its how to harness your already installed and dormant passion to fulfill your goals and let’s be honest getting a little baked.
If you are looking for a reason to start your canna-centric fitness journey, we will be coordinating a cannabis friendly group run on February 28th. If you are curious about what Training Through Terps does, or interested in shot-gunning and running with us contact us at Cannabiscommunity405@gmail.com or DM us at @trainingthroughterps on Instagram!!! Are You In?
Medicated Lip Balm
5 Medicated Lip Balms
+ DIY Lip Scrub Recipe
Note: This article originally stated that Simply Bare’s Feel This Lip Balm was 10mg, but has since been updated to reflect the correct dosage. Feel This Lip Balm contains 50mg of THC, and 50mg of Hemp Fat.
by Anna Ervin
Two years ago, I was doing my absolute best to get through my first winter living in Colorado. If I’m being completely honest, I had never really thought much about my skin, nevertheless my lips, or the products I used on them. But there I was, four months into what felt like the longest winter of my life, and feeling every last effect of Colorado’s cold, dry weather.
My lips burned, cracked, even bled that winter. I had never experienced anything like it. I ran to Pinterest for remedies and ended up learning a lot about what goes into the products we put on our lips in the process. While certain name brands in the cosmetics industry are beginning to look at their ingredients and make some long-overdue changes, there are still a lot of bad apples out there putting harmful products in storefronts.
Considering that your lips are right next to your mouth, I feel like it’s pretty important to pay attention to what goes on them. So what should you avoid? Parabens, synthetic fragrances and dyes, harsh chemicals, BHT, petroleum jelly, the list could honestly go on for ages.
Imagine trying to keep all of this in mind during your weekly trip to the grocery store. So, I thought I’d make things a little easier and share 5 clean, toxin-free, and for the most part, locally-sourced alternatives, as well as my own exfoliating lip scrub recipe. Oh, and did I mention these are medicated alternatives?
Feel This Lip Balm, by Simply Bare LLC – 50mg THC | 50mg hemp fat
I could not have dreamed of writing this article without mentioning Feel This. Utilizing as much of the plant as possible in order to provide maximum healing effects, Simply Bare is one of the first companies invested in independent research over the benefit of using Hemp Lipids in cosmetics. In addition to being full spectrum, Feel This products are leading the industry in sustainability with their FDA-approved, recyclable packaging and labeling printed with biodegradable ink. The focus of this company is to trigger a lifestyle change for their consumers, one that prompts them to pay closer attention to the beauty industry’s carbon footprint, as well as to the ingredients used in our skincare products.
Seven Wonders CBD Lip Balm, by Key to Nature’s Blessings – 25mg CBD
While most of our options are micro-dosed with THC, this particular lip balm is safe for those who simply prefer the power of CBD. Key to Nature’s Blessings makes their Lip Balm with ingredients like Mango Seed Butter and Tea Tree oil to not only hydrate, but also heal dry lips. Tea Tree oil is also great for relieving cold sores, acne, and bad breath. This balm makes a great gift for friends and family that don’t have an OMMA patient card.
Mint Oil Lip Balm by Mammoth Processing – 8.45mg THC
Another local option, Mammoth Processing produces a medicinal lip balm that boasts 1063MG of terpenes per tube. Terpenes add anti-inflammatory, anti-fungal, moisturizing, and mood-enhancing properties to topicals (to name a few). This medicated balm uses a base of coconut oil, beeswax, and organic shea butter for maximum hydration and protection from the elements.
CBD Lip Tint, by Key to Nature’s Blessings – 25mg CBD
In addition to their lip balm, Nature’s Blessings also offers a lip tint for those of us who like to add a little color to our palette. This has personally been my go-to lately. Despite wearing a mask that covers that part of my face, there is just something about wearing a little color on my lips that really boosts my confidence. Made with the same base as the Seven Wonders Lip Balm, the color of this tint is not overwhelmingly bold, instead, adding a subtle depth to the natural color of your lips while still providing moisture.
Lip Bong, by Mary Jane’s Medicinals – 9mg THC / 3mg CBD
This Colorado-born company focuses on a holistic approach by producing all-natural and organic topicals. The packaging on this one claims that no chemical solvents were used in production. With ingredients like cannabis-infused grape seed oil, jojoba oil, and essential oils of peppermint, this lip treatment reminds me of my favorite natural products used in my own homemade remedies.
DIY Exfoliating Lip Scrub
Ingredients:
2 Tbsp finely ground sugar
1 Tbsp MCT oil
1-2 drops sweet peppermint essential oil (or peppermint extract)
Instructions:
Mix sugar and MCT oil (can also use olive oil, grapeseed, or jojoba) and stir. Add more oil if the mixture is dry. Stir in essential oil or extract a little at a time, perform a patch test, and adjust accordingly. Try to avoid adding too much peppermint or opt to use a different type of essential oil to avoid irritating inflamed lips.
Vegetable Pad Thai with Infused Spicy Peanut Sauce
by Anna Ervin
I used to tell my husband that I loved him “to the moon and back infinity.” Today, you’re more likely to hear me say that I love him more than spicy peanut noodles, because I genuinely believe that’s more than a trip to the moon, multiplied by infinity.
I cannot remember the first time I tried peanut sauce, but I am thankful I did. Over the years I have adapted this recipe (the sauce part of it, at least) to make salads, slaw, stir fry, and even baked tempeh tenders. It honestly never gets old.
However, if I had to pick a go-to, it would be spicy peanut noodles. My favorite thing about this recipe is that it is so easy to switch up to accommodate the seasons. I love serving it with steamed broccoli or bell peppers during summer. This time around, I wanted to try something new.
Swiss Chard is probably one of the most overlooked items in the produce section, but its earthy leaves paired with crunchy stalks add both flavor and texture to this recipe. I also decided to use cabbage, why not? Swap these veggies out if you would like, I have tried sweet potatoes, kale, carrots, and even tofu.
Click here to get the full recipe!
Weed Wisdom
by Tab Moura
“Yesterday I was clever, so I chose my own weed. Today I am wise, I let the weed choose me.”
It’s catchy, right? This is a silly rhyme I say to myself while I’m shopping at my favorite dispo. When I’m browsing the shelves, and the sales, and the terps, I can get a little overwhelmed by my options. My budtenders greet me by name, as though we’re in an episode of Cheers, and I am Norm. I love cannabis because I deeply appreciate how flexible and strategic this plant can be. Cannabis has been the answer to many dilemmas with my health, but cannabis therapy isn’t always smooth sailing.
Interesting fact: when I began plant medicine, I discovered I was sensitive to CBD. The long story short is that my neck muscles would relax and could not properly support my head, due to my cervical instability; the CBD would relax my muscles and then I would drop— lights out. I know that this may seem alarming, but let me reassure you that this is directly linked to my diagnosed neck degeneration, not the safety of cannabis. My symptoms would stop when I used a neck brace, so we knew we found our culprit. Because of this, I discovered I could use THC dominant concentrates to avoid my neck issues. That’s right, dabbing to the rescue.
Once my physical therapy and muscle building had made enough progress, I was able to reintroduce CBD in moderation, I can now use it to treat my seizures.
*whew, this chick is a hot mess*
The truth is, my experience with CBD sensitivity taught me to truly appreciate the differences in strains and profiles. I love how some strains are just so great for pain relief, and some are great for focus, or sleep. I’ve discovered I have to be picky about some things. I like that we have the technology to medicate with things like resin and wax. I love that plant medicine was the answer even when plant medicine was the problem. Yesterday I was clever, so I chose my own weed. Today I am wise, I let the weed choose me.
Love Yourself with These Self Care Tips this Valentine’s Day
by Veronica Castillo
Self-care is usually seen as bubble baths, candles, and presents for self. These are great ways to offer thy self some “me time” and relaxation, but is love shallow- sitting right there at the surface? Love is deep and intentional, right? And so, this Valentine’s Day, practice loving self, with self-care that radiates from the deep layer of love. Learn to love yourself deeper with help from the self-care tips below.
1. Start the morning with positive affirmations.
Saying positive affirmations out loud, is self-speaking to self. Too many times, we look outward for love. Our love for self usually depends on others loving us. This stops now! Positive affirmations first thing in the morning sets the vibrations high, the positivity deep, and love radiating from the pores of the skin.
Examples of positive affirmations: I am grateful. I am powerful. I am kind. I am compassionate. I am open to growth. I am open to expansion. I am light. I am love.
Doing this in the mirror is the best way. This might feel weird at first, but that’s only because we are mostly taught to be kind to others, but not to self. As you practice this every day, you’ll feel it and believe it more. As you believe it more, your love for self will start growing and will become a standard self-care ritual.
2. Water in the morning.
Water is essential to life and should be the first thing the body receives for digestion. Self-love and self-care show up in the time we take to care for the bodies that carry us through life. Most of us run to caffeine, sugar, and carbs (I love them all and this was me so, I’m not judging). These things greeting the body first thing, make the body respond sluggish.
When love is radiating from the body- energy, happiness, and alertness are the responses. Sluggish is an indication that the vibration of the body is at a low point. How essential is water to life? Let’s take a look at what Healthline states:
- Nutrient transportation. Water allows blood circulation, which transports nutrients to your cells and removes waste from them.
- Thermoregulation. Due to water’s large heat capacity, it limits changes in body temperature in both warm and cold environments.
- Body lubrication. Water helps lubricate joints and is an essential element of your body’s lubricating fluids, including saliva and gastric, intestinal, respiratory, and urinary mucous.
- Shock absorbency. Water acts as a shock absorber, protecting organs and tissues by helping maintain cellular shape.
3. Eating fruits and vegetables.
The saying is true, we are what we eat. Many start the day with carbs and fatty meats on their plates. This may make the craving happy, but the deep part of the body, where the body’s vibration lives- isn’t happy. Humans need to eat foods that are electrifying and alive, and those foods are fruits and vegetables.
Colorful foods that nature provides, being digested by the body, is a sign of deep love. Giving our bodies what they need is a sign of so much love and so much care for self. We don’t give kids what they want if we know it’s not good for them. Our bodies deserve that same love, so this valentine’s day, let’s offer it.
4. Go where you are loved.
Some circles vibrate low and that creates low vibrations within the body. Self-love and care is also mindfulness and strength. It takes both to love yourself to the point of cutting out the negative and low, and going where the love and vibes are high.
Like positive affirmations, it may feel weird to be in circles where people pour love into you, but as you continue to allow it, it because normal and appreciated.
5. Sit with silence.
Self-love and self-care can mean silence. The human mind has been under so much stress with regular day to day shifts and changes in personal life. Throw a pandemic on top of it and well, it can be the ingredient that takes the mind into overload.
Love yourself this valentine’s day with a little silence. In this silence, focus on your breathing to stay in the moment and keep the mind quiet. A lot of the noise in life comes from within and so, offering quiet to self is also saying “I love you” to self.
Self-love and self-care require deepness, it happens from an inner vibration- vibing high. Sure, a bath can be the starting point, taking ourselves away and into relaxation but, we have to go deeper. Baths are moments, whereas self-love is a practice.
Practicing being good to ourselves beyond the surface, takes a love that we have to dig for. We have it, we just aren’t taught what to do with it. I hope these self-care tips from love, are a starting point to you loving thy self this valentine’s day and beyond.
Training Through Terps pt. 2
The Journey
by Micah McKamie
One of the interesting things that I found over the last year and through my training through terps journey was how crucial mental health is to the process. This is not an article telling you to move away from your meds or to go cold turkey into this process, because don’t let me kid you, I had some dark days myself.
Healing and processing past traumas and experiences are not the easiest tasks. When we think about healing we think about moving on, forgetting it happened, or worse, ignoring the lesson. Lucky for me, Covid provided me with ample time to dig into old wounds.
As the pain and emotions came out in a variety of manifestations including; angry crying while sprinting on the treadmill, an hour-long session with the punching bag leaving my hands bloody, and 3 hours of mediation after a particularly heavy smoke and yoga session. Giving myself the ability to heal through fitness was really what began the training through terps idea.
I would get high with a solid wake and bake session and get all amped up, something would hit my emotional trigger weird that day and it would just come out – go run!!! Go throw big rocks in the back yard. Do pull-ups and pushups until you can’t move. These emotionally and physically exhausting workouts fueled this athlete that I had never known had existed.
I spent so many years killing myself, dieting, and doing crazy workouts and only to always be just right there. In my mind and in my soul I could feel that there was an untapped resource. That idea that you only use 10% of your abilities. I could honestly feel that power there.
It wasn’t until I opened up, changed the way I thought about working out, introduced Cannabis and emotions, and allowed music to drive the tempo, that I started to see that untapped potential. At 39 years old I am still running 8-mile intervals and training for longer competitions. The best thing about it all has been the interesting people I have met in the process.
Kenny is a long time cannabis advocate who does Ultra-Marathons while doing dabs at each rest station and is hands down one of the coolest guys. He cares about the community, is a part of a running group called Wahoo Runs, and is dedicated to removing the stigma of cannabis just like myself. The first time we hung out we smoked in his car, did some dabs, and then ran 6 miles while talking about random high things.
Now, I told this story to point out a cool effect of cannabis on your workouts. We ran 6 miles and didn’t feel a thing, almost didn’t know we ran that far, then went to City Bites and demolished some sandies, and got to have some very cool conversations.
I could throw a lot of medical details at you as reasons to utilize cannabis in your workouts or give you anecdotes of people that make it seem like cannabis is the fountain of youth, but stories like this one highlight the real reason. It’s all about expanding our horizons. Meeting interesting new people that will aid in our growth and you in theirs.
Cannabis not only spurs emotions and energies, but it brings people together, and in this case to run a crapload. I hope as this journey continues and people become more open about their canna-centric fitness regimes, that you will see that we have been hiding in plain sight.
Healing from the Inside Out
by Tab Moura
I think it was the sound of my daughters laughing that brought my drifting thoughts back to earth. I was sitting with my back facing the window, watching as my shadow was cast on the far wall. I probably looked like I felt self-conscious, did I look like Pinocchio demonstrating how he has “no strings?”
“I’m doing yoga.”
They giggled a lot that day, but it didn’t take long for them to begin mirroring me. When you find yourself as your own personal science experiment, because you haven’t found relief in the mainstream health system, It’s at that point that even the “weirdest” things really start to make sense. What is “weird” anymore? I’m writing to you as a former skeptic, I believed pharmaceuticals were the only answer— and I believed this until a doctor told me to stop taking them for my own HEALTH. I’m stubborn, so I don’t take “you’re out of options” as an answer.
With my history of migraines, dislocations, and Endometriosis, I was definitely swearing in my head while trying to imagine my quality of life without things like ibuprofen or the good cold medicines. He told me about steroid shots, Physical Therapy, and surgeries… he told me I could see a nutritionist, but he didn’t believe diet would eliminate my issue. He was right, I wasn’t looking at a simple process, but I refused to give up without trying.
Yoga, cannabis, and other foods and plants are the most consistent tools I use from day to day to manage pain and neurological symptoms. It turns out natural stuff can be quite effective when you invest in understanding it; you accept that functional medicine feels slower because it addresses the root cause, but in reality, it’s lifting the entire body’s baseline as it works.
There isn’t an OTC “12hr-slow-release-make-you-feel-like-you-don’t-really-have-the-flu” pill in natural medicine… but as I’ve explored my options, accounting for my allergies, I’ve learned how to truly listen to my body when it whispers, instead of waiting until it’s shouting. I’m not where I would like to be, but I’m finally dancing, exercising, and playing for the first time in years; and I don’t care if it looks silly anymore, I’m living.
Malaysian Chicken Soup
by Amy Lee
What You Need:
- 1 tsp. coconut oil
- 1 tbsp. red curry paste
- 17.5 oz (500g) potatoes, peeled, chopped
- 4 cups (1l) chicken stock
- 3/4 cup (180ml) coconut milk, can
- 17.5 oz (500g) sweet potatoes, peeled, chopped
- 2 chicken thighs (8oz/230g), skinless, boneless, chopped
- 2 tbsp. fish sauce
- 1 lime, juiced
- chili flakes, to serve
- 4 tbsp. coriander, chopped, to serve
Click here for the full recipe
Insomnia
by Tab Moura
“2 am isn’t so bad,” I said to myself as I scrolled Pinterest. I am not going to sugar coat this, insomnia is definitely my least favorite neurological symptom. It’s the one I’ve lived with the longest, and even now with so many lifestyle adjustments… here I am. Writing a blog, because I cannot sleep.
Oooo check out that recipe!
That quote is definitely going on my grid.
Would this design style look good in my future tiny home?
In the days of “school nights” and therapy appointments, being awake at 2 am isn’t really the best use of my time… I keep myself busy because I can’t sleep… why can’t I sleep? Oh, I don’t wanna talk about that. I’ll just turn on a show while I scroll Pinterest… because my brain clearly needs more stimulation.
I can’t believe the Bachelor is still on the air
OMG people must watch this new docuseries!
This true-crime show is so old. No no no, no way that man murdered her!
But it never lasts…
Why did she look at me that way? Did I do something wrong?
This pain hasn’t gone away, maybe I should call my doctor.
They have how much homework?
That deadline is coming up, I just never get a break!
Did I rotate the laundry?
Do I have —
The cycle doesn’t break on its own… without crashing. I don’t know about you, I dread the crash… it always comes too late, and life always resumes on schedule whether I am rested or not.
Due to my Epilepsy, I cannot go for walks or bike rides alone, but from my research, I’ve learned how important exercise can be for those with insomnia. Because of this, one of my favorite resources is to hop on my stationary bike before bed and peddle away! Usually, I bike 5 mins on, rest, 5 mins on, etc, and try to breathe through my nose as long as I can. I wear a sweater, I use resistance, and I intentionally bike to warm up my body and (if possible) break a sweat.
As a person with chronic illness, let me be the first to say how cliche it feels to recommend that exercise may help. I know the face you’re making, just know I made the same face. The truth is, exercise alone isn’t the answer… otherwise, I would be asleep. This part is important, but it’s also not a magic wand. The human body is magnificent and complex. I mean, a brain— the organ we are experiencing reality with— can have disorders… it intrigues me. The brain and body have an intimate (some may say symbiotic) relationship. How you treat your body will affect your brain. What makes your body healthy will make your brain happy (like vegetables).
Research is saying that exercise can help you make new connections in your brain, improving memory and mental health outcomes. I challenge you to incorporate exercise of some kind into your daily routine for a week… grab your electrolytes, your headphones, and an open mind, and see where it takes you.
Electrolytes for Balanced Health
by Tab Moura
These cold weeks always make me pensive… perhaps the cold weather atmosphere makes time feel slower, perhaps it’s all in my imagination. What I know for sure is winter puts things in perspective for me like no other time of the year.
As a mother, I have experienced such a rollercoaster of feelings this past year. If ever there was a year to become self-conscious about one’s strengths and weaknesses, 2020 was quite an eye-opener. 2020 was a year where a few of my chronic illnesses flared at the same time, and my health was largely in my own hands. I tried several new things over the last 12 months, and given the overwhelming amount of health advice that sick people receive, I’m going to let you know upfront that I am not a distributor of any of the tools I’m going to share with you. Over my next few posts, I want to explain the health conditions I’ve been formally diagnosed with, and why I am using the tools I’ve chosen.
Electrolytes
Before I was diagnosed with my neurological conditions, POTS, and Epilepsy, I thought that only athletes needed electrolytes. It’s so much deeper than that. Your body is a complex network of electrical signals, and electrolytes help make strong connections. Hydration is just as much about the nervous system as it’s about your circulation and stamina. When I feel light-headed or get an aura, the first thing I reach for is my LMNT drink. LMNT is what I use because of the high sodium content, it has helped my symptoms more than any other brand I have tried.
Often people with POTS are encouraged to get more sodium and potassium to help with their low blood pressure that leads to fainting, but these can also help with brain fog, confusion, headaches, and more. I have noticed that drinking electrolytes while using cannabis has also helped alleviate any sluggishness or brain fog caused by the strain I am using.
Again, this all depends on your individual health. If you have high blood pressure, you may want to avoid an electrolyte with significant amounts of sodium, unless otherwise indicated by your doctor.
Electrolyte balancing has been a game-changer in my health. When I talk about wellness, I make a point to encourage everyone to read the labels themselves. There are so many brands out there, but many of them are marketed for athletes and kids, they are not for people with chronic illness (look out for dyes and sugars) and find one that helps meet your daily needs.
Remember, dyes and sugars can exasperate poor blood pressure and blood sugar, along with increasing or prolonging headaches and moodiness. Whatever brand you choose, keep an eye out for companies that have a history of wellness in mind for their customers.
Welcome to 2021!
by Amy Lee
Congratulations! You made it through one of the craziest, toughest years in history, thus far. Whether you felt it physically, mentally, emotionally, financially, or spiritually, you’re still here and for that I am grateful.
While 2020 may not have been your year, 2021 is your response. How will you bounce back from the beating that is commonly known as 2020? Currently, do you find yourself struggling with the weight of home life? Are you burnt out? Do you feel like you are merely surviving day in and day out? Or maybe you have that feeling that something is off but can’t figure it out or don’t know how to change it? You are not alone. Millions of Americans are feeling the same way but there is hope. You can choose to create change in your life through intentional living and goal setting.
Intentional living is the practice of living the life you desire most each day by responding to each scenario intentionally. By choosing to live intentionally, you can conquer anything! Creating intentional daily habits and goals assist in combating the auto-pilot mode many of us are stuck in currently. One aspect of my job that I love is helping my clients clear their minds to create a vision for their future. With this vision in place, simple daily steps are created to reach that goal. Setting intentions paired with a simple goal-focused plan is key to living a more meaningful, balanced life.
Setting intentions for your life does not mean you are creating a grandiose plan to implement immediate massive change. Instead, intentional living creates a massive change slowly with each baby step in your wellness journey.
Four Tips on Creating an Intentional Life
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Get clear on a positive focus or goal (must be something you desire)
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Example: Make bed every morning
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Commit to a period where you are intentionally working towards this focus, I recommend 3 to 4 weeks
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Recommit to your intention every day by stating it aloud, I recommend writing it on your mirror and repeating it daily
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Example: I make the bed daily because I am neat and tidy.
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Let your intention be your teacher, are your thoughts and actions in line with your intention
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Example: When tempted to avoid making the bed, what am I really saying?
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These four basic steps for intentional living can help in creating a better way of life in 2021, imagine the life you desire most. Start small, like the example above, with attainable focuses and goals, basic needs, small cleaning chores, or focused mindfulness on positive thoughts. Whatever it is you desire most in 2021, pick a focus and work towards it, I am cheering you on!
Let the Light In
by Tab Moura
I have been pacing my bedroom for an hour trying to come up with the words to write a post I never expected to write. I am writing this on January 7th, I don’t need to remind you what has taken place over the last 24 hours, or the last 10 months for that matter. We have all been through a lot. My thoughts are swirling, but the light from my window is breaking through, silently taunting me with the truth. There is so much light in the world, even here.
Those of us who found our way to cannabis therapy did so from many different paths. There is no one right way to use cannabis, nor is there one type of person who uses cannabis. However, there is something that we all have in common, it is a shared appreciation for this plant. We may call this many different things, some people like the high (ok, many of us do), some people like the relief, some people think it’s a ‘good time’, some people like to escape, some people feel it grounds them. The truth is, we all have vastly different experiences, and yet it still somehow brings us together. My right to have access to plant medicine will always require me to support your right to have access to plant medicine. We cannot have one without the other.
I believe that the path to building stronger communities is nestled somewhere in diversity, and I believe it’s wrapped up in small moments, or as Brené Brown talks about, ‘marble jar’ moments. There was a reward system created by her daughter’s teacher, where you put a marble in a friend’s jar as your trust for them grows, slowly filling the jar. “Trust is built one marble at a time,” she says. I believe that right now, more than ever, we need to invest in our marble jar connections. Who around you has earned the most marbles?
One of the defining characteristics that makes the cannabis community such a unique, diverse, courageous community… Is the small acts of kindness and generosity that seem to be given almost compulsively.
Families, growers, processors, legislators and lawyers, dispensaries and budtenders, and don’t forget our allies who support us even if they don’t use this medicine personally. Every day I witness gestures of kindness, burdens shared, help given freely, because cannabis doesn’t just make us a community, it makes us family— complete with crazy aunts and uncles.
It’s never been more important to find connection and community because we find purpose and internal strength when we choose community. It’s never been more important to intentionally look for the light in those around us and in ourselves. Being different can have many challenges, which feels like such an understatement, but I hope we never forget the benefits of building marble jar communities; I pray that light finds you even here.
Training Through Terps pt. 1
by Micah McKamie
Over the last 20 years, workout supplements have come and gone. Companies produced products like Creatin, Plasma Jet, Hydroxycut, etc. without regard for the safety of the consumer. Within the FDA it is known that a product could stay on the shelves for years before it can legally be taken down, regardless of known safety issues, due to needing substantial evidence to spur the recall.
During those 20 years, I managed to navigate the proverbial minefield of fitness supplements and came out unscathed. However, I do not discount the need for energy, sustainment, and recovery aids, especially as I get older. What I have come here to share with you, is that you do not have to conform to unhealthy diets, expensive workout supplements, or even buy a gym membership. I have found that you can still see the healthy results that you desire just from using the right strains, products, and regimes. Let me show you.
In 2016 a buddy of mine approached me concerned for my safety with the amount of, as well as the types of medications that the VA had prescribed me. That day, he handed me a syringe of RSO hoping that it would at least get me off Ambien. The next morning, I threw away the prescription “sleep aid” and ultimately eliminated all my prescriptions within six months.
Once I decided to go on this terpene journey, I realized that this wonderful little plant is capable of so much more than just getting me stoned or assisting with anxiety. This plant had the ability to control my energy and in turn, to turn it off and on as needed! I was pumped. Finally, a pre-workout that I want to buy, a sleep aid that I am not worried about making me sleep-walk, and a recovery aid that I did not have to worry about shutting down my kidneys. The idea changed the game for me.
Just like ‘wake and bake’ can send you into your day creatively locked in and full of energy, a noon-er joint can get you past the after-lunch lull, or a 4:20 pm smoke will make easing into your evening a little easier, cannabis could unlock pre-workout energy, help sustain pain management during a run or workout, and assist in your body’s ability to recover quickly and efficiently. Over the last year there have been some major players as far as strains that have maximum effects when training with terps:
Jack Herer
Jack Herer has quickly become one of my favorite pre-workouts on my days off. The reason I say “my days off” is because anytime I take it, it is not wise for me to be constrained. I need space to run, jump, do push-ups, throw medicine balls, lug atlas stones around, or whatever other physical activity I can come up with. It creates a massive amount of energy that will allow you to finish any, maybe even all the workouts.
Most workouts that I look forward to with Jack are HIIT or CrossFit workouts. Due to your high energy and intense focus, you will need to be attached to something that has some detail and speed to it. Sprints, box jumps, battle ropes, as well as anyone of “The Girls” would do nicely, but let’s be honest, if you are using Jack Herer, you will do them all. In the end, you are looking for something that is really going to push you to your max.
Cali-O
Cali – O has taken over my weekday workouts due to its ability to supply energy and a clear-headed, upbeat high. This strain can keep you focused on your workout, so you don’t skip anything in the short amount of time you have, as well as help you concentrate on your form. Once the workout is over, I tend to go a little deeper into this strain for a relaxed body high that will allow for proper recovery, but still have energy for the day.
On these days I try to focus on just getting a quick, decisive workout in before work. I like to get my resistance band training or TRX in on these days. This will allow you to activate several major muscle groups at once and maximize your workout for the time. Standing on the band to do curls, doing overhead pulldowns, tricep extensions, or using them to create resistance for my push-ups are just a few of the thousands of workout options with these bands.
Harlequin
Harlequin, when you can find it, is amazing for the more amateur weed workout enthusiasts. Due to its tendency to lean more towards 1:1 or 3:1 THC to CBD, this strain leaves you feeling weightless and pain-free. This cross between Thai and Swiss Landraces with Colombian Gold offers an analgesic effect, as well as relief from muscle spasms, pain, soreness, and inflammation. The energizing effects and potent body high will turn any boring workout routine into a race against yourself. Due to the higher CBD found in this strain, the psychoactive effects are limited, and you won’t get the confusing high that early users might find with higher THC strains.
I love to have a nice, slow run with Harlequin. Something about the uplifting body high, coupled with running on a trail or next to Lake Hefner that really makes the entire process exquisite. The wind blowing through my hair, the mist from the water cooling me down. I always take a “camelback” with me on my runs, so I have a place to keep my stash. Sometimes I will find a place to enjoy a moment and smoke a little before I continue you on my way.
Rick Simpson Oil
Finally, I finish my days with RSO. Rick Simpson oil has been known for years as a possible cure for skin cancer and tons of other ailments, however, I have found the benefits to be more substantial to ingest it as a sleep and recovery aid. RSO is a full spectrum solvent derived full-plant compound that has an array of amazing effects. When purchasing RSO I always check the labs for levels of Ocimene, Humulene, and Camphene. This trinity of terpenes, I have found, works best for me and my body. Ocimene is a wonderful antidepressant that will keep you feeling uplifted, Humulene a solid appetite suppressant, and Camphene has been known to lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels as well as reduce pain and inflammation. Ocimene has also been known to treat symptoms of diabetes by inhibiting the proliferation of key enzymes, thus controlling blood glucose levels that can cause binge eating.
I know this seems like a lot of information. However, what it all comes down to is what makes you feel good. These are just suggestions on where to start. As we all know, each strain affects each person a little differently, so take all of this as a guideline, a spark for you to light your fire. So, get out there!!! Find a Sativa strain, get to moving, and start “Training Through Terps.”