There’s no doubt that chemotherapy is a punishing treatment, adding more stress to cancer patients and sometimes becoming just as harrowing as the cancer itself. As soon as patients begin chemo, they need a bevvy of prescriptions to cope with the treatment’s side effects. These medications also come with their own negative effects, like gastrointestinal problems and vomiting, that need another batch of pills to bring relief. Chemotherapy patients have to endure this process repeatedly, depending on the severity of their cancer and the amount of sessions it requires. The thing you need to know about marijuana and cancer? The plant helps.
While research on marijuana and its effect on cancer has been limited, it’s been discovered that the plant directly affects tumors. During animal trials cannabis inhibited the growth of tumors in rats for their different types of cancer, including breast cancer, lung cancer and leukemia, prolonging their lives by 36%. Cannabis is also an antioxidant, which has been found to decrease the incidence of cancer.
The plant’s positive input on the side effects of chemotherapy are well recorded. Cannabis offers a lot of benefits for cancer patients, aiding them in their depression, anxiety, loss of appetite and sleep deprivation. The plant also reduces the amount of drugs patient ingest, improving their quality of life and their overall health.
Marijuana is a complex plant that produces several effects that are difficult to quantify and document due to strange way in which it functions. The plant is not going to target a specific symptom or area of the body, it will instead provide several benefits that’ll improve the general health of the user. This effect happens when we consume cannabinoids that are present in the cannabis sativa plant – like THC and CBD – which in turn activate the cannabinoid receptors in our bodies. With the little research that has been conducted on medical cannabis, the plant has become amongst our best options for managing the symptoms of cancer patients and for improving their quality of life.
Here Are Three Helpful Stories On How Cannabis Can Help With Cancer:
CBS Sports found 35 percent of college football coaches believe marijuana should be legalized nationwide.
A new poll by CBS Sports indicates the college football coaches are approaching marijuana legalization with a more relaxed attitude than ever. They surveyed 130 active coaches who are currently leading FBS programs into the 2017 season, under the condition of anonymity and received candid answers in response.
CBS Sports found 35 percent of college football coaches believe marijuana should be legalized nationwide. In addition, 18 percent of coaches think players shouldn’t be tested or suspended for marijuana usage.
“I think it should be legal. Why? It’s legal all over our country. It’s legal for people who are sick. What we should do is make it legal, but there’s got to be a certain [threshold],” one coach said.
He also added, “I think we have it all reversed. I’m more [against] alcohol than I am marijuana. We drug test all these kids, so why don’t we breathalyze them? Nobody says, ‘You’re dying, grab some whiskey.’ You’ll die faster.”
Of course this isn’t a view held by all FBS coaches. There were 52 percent who stated marijuana should not be legalized while 13 percent said they had no opinion on the matter. Overall, 74 percent believe college athletes should be tested and suspended for marijuana usage.
Their reasoning? As multiple coaches said, they still view weed as a “gateway drug.”
“Right now, in [my team’s state], marijuana and opiates are a bad, bad killer,” one anonymous coach said.
Another coach expressed his view as such: “If I let you [smoke marijuana], I’m setting you up for failure. Right now, the two organizations that say you can’t [smoke] are the NFL and NCAA. You’re involved in one and want to be in the next one. … I really believe marijuana is a gateway drug.”
While the NCAA has been testing players on marijuana for decades, the organization softened its view in recent years. In 2014, it stated, “”Street drugs are not performance-enhancing in nature …” and also reduced the penalty for a positive marijuana drug test from the previous full-season suspension to a half-season.
The drug-testing process depends on which schooler the player attends. Generally speaking, Power Five schools drug-test their players, most conferences those schools belong to drug-test them, and the NCAA itself administers its own drug test. So most players face a three-screening process when it comes to marijuana.
But as CBS Sports notes: “The hit rate for NCAA drug positives remain in the 2-3 percent range. If you think only 2-3 percent of players have illicit substances in their systems then you’re as dumb as the testers themselves. To get caught you either have to be stupid or sloppy.”
How much players are using might remain a mystery. But one thing’s for certain: college football coaches have softened their views on marijuana legalization, just like the rest of the country.
It was almost like any other hip dinner party. Individuals were deep in conversation while sipping cocktails as a DJ spun records everyone knew, songs that couldn’t help eliciting a smile from guests’ faces. Waitresses danced between patrons, displaying metallic trays high in the air with hor d’oeuvres like candied pork belly lettuce wraps and bang bang prawns.
While the fashion was Austin, Texas eclectic—included, but not limited to: Hawaiian floral shirts with shorts, backless blouses and harem pants, summer dresses, silver metallic hi-top sneakers, and vest-tie combinations—the company could only be considered refined. Workers from local start-ups, documentary video editors, writers, and local grocer general managers all were present.
Looking around, you wouldn’t assume this was an event hosted for the cannabis community. We were in Austin, deep in the heart of Texas, were we not? This is a state with the country’s most limited legalized marijuana program, medicinal or otherwise. Yet there everyone was at a CBD pop-up dinner party, hosted by the CBD lifestyle brand Bee Delightful that sells hemp-infused honey. Onlookers and passersby wouldn’t think otherwise, however, even if they ate the delicious soul food.
Photos courtesy of Bee Delightful
All of which was the explicit intention of Chef Preston Day, a member of the Bee Delightful team, who concocted the evening along with help of Chef Tiffani Janelle of Cannachef Magazine. While marijuana in Texas is medicinally legal through the Compassionate Use Act, the program only allows for use of low-THC cannabis oil by intractable epileptics as prescribed by their doctors when traditional medicines have failed. But hemp-derived CBD has emerged in Texas and across the country thanks to a loophole in the 2014 Farm Bill and in-state retailers have taken advantage, selling CBD-infused products under somewhat of a gray and unregulated area. That introduction of CBD into the marketplace has driven curiosity from those inexperienced and not with regard to marijuana.
For those people, these pop-up dinners aim to “introduce cannabis in the most friendly, elegant way possible,” as Day relayed.
The elevated, innovative menu items weren’t weighed down by that oily, weed-y flavor, unlike other edibles you may have previously experienced (THC- or CBD-infused). That’s because Day and his team utilize a CO2 super-critical extraction method that strips away the CBD isolate and produces a tasteless “powder in the crystalline form.”
Day, who attended culinary school in Florence, Italy, infused that isolate with sticky salmon ribs (the true star among the offerings) and Korean fried chicken, and you receive all the medicinal benefits of the cannabinoid. Earlier courses contained 5-8 mg of CBD while the final food items carried about 20-25 mg. It won’t get you high, but it will produce a relaxing, calming effect.
Though Day or the rest of the Bee Delightful team can’t—and won’t—make any medical claims, they are strong advocates to its positive health attributes.
“People take all different kinds of nutrients and vitamins for this and that. They take Advils and they take Tylenols. They take everything,” Day said. “This is just a good way to cut that out and be proactive throughout your entire day and throughout your life. No inflammation, being stress free, any little aches and pains, that feeling is very alleviated [when consuming CBD].”
This isn’t the first pop-up dinner Day has hosted. Two months ago, Bee Delightful invited around 40 guests to a 13-course sit-down tasting menu in Day’s backyard. It was a more elevated experience, “using the nicest fish flown in [along with] local meats.” He also did a private dinner at Cannacon in Boston last month, which included the event’s founder Bob Smart.
Photos courtesy of Bee Delightful
Moving forward Day and the Bee Delightful team intend to travel around the country and host more pop-up dinners at exclusive restaurants and private outings, along with artist lounges at music festivals. Because for organizers running those festivals, “Who wouldn’t want their musicians and their artists a little chilled out and not so turned up?” as Day said.
He believes these pop-up dinners can help initiate and connect the canna-curious into the larger community. Because of his team’s extraction methods and the mouth-watering flavors of the food, it helps make cannabis approachable to newcomers. Bee Delightful’s mission also extends beyond the cannabis community, as proceeds from the dinners are donated to saving bees. With their recent event, Day estimates they’ll save around 250,000 bees, which is about 10 hives. As much as these pop-up dinners are about welcoming and educating more people to cannabis, it’s also about the bees.
“The best part about these dinners is that it introduces to this cannabis lifestyle change and experience, and at the same time it’s for a good cause. We’re saving bees,” Day said at the conclusion of the evening. “That’s the beauty of it. I get to cook for people and do exactly what I want to be doing, working with cannabis and cooking, and I get to save bees at the same time.”
Though perspiration still glistens on his face from cooking and running around as host, he can’t help but smile at the thought. Then he adds, “It couldn’t get better than that.”
I know every time friends attend a concert or giant music festival, even though they never tell me about it. That’s because they posted a Snapchat of it. Likely, this is something you’ve experienced as well—whenever something cool or exciting happens in someone’s life they want to post online about it. All this is fine and good. But when viewing these Snapchat or Instagram posts from friends, it can leave a disjointed and disappointing experience as a viewer. You hear 10 seconds of one song then 10 seconds of the next, never allowing for a full video of an artist’s performance to form.
Now Snapchat is aiming to fix that with its newest feature Crowd Surf that will capture a show from multiple angles without disruption. The features will live in Our Stories, where users can tap the top right of their screen and switch views at will. To do this, Snapchat is utilizing an audio proprietary technology they developed in-house that will link those live videos into a seamless post.
Snapchat first showed the Crowd Surf technology this week with Lorde’s performance from Outside Lands. This video showcases how it could be a gamechanger for live events where synced audio is crucial.
Snapchat clearly hopes this will engage users to post more stories and submit those posts to Our Stories. This is something Snapchat desperately needs as its Q2 earnings report was another failure in the downward trajectory of the app. Growth and revenue have fallen short and its Crowd Surf feature is aimed at rising both.
According to a Snapchat spokesperson, the feature will be available for select event coverage moving forward.
If you haven’t heard by now, there’s a bakery in New York that makes cakes based on nasty internet comments by equally terrible people (aka trolls).
The bakery bakes these Troll Cakes, decorates them with a specific horrible comment found somewhere online, and then posts them to Instagram. But wait, it gets better. They also box up the cake and send it to the troll, along with their original burn. And it’s all done anonymously. Most recently, they’ve added a new service: they’ll send a Troll Cake of your preferred Trump tweet to the White House.
If you get pulled over and you’re concerned that you may have had too many drinks, you have a few good options: You can admit it right away, refuse to answer questions until you’ve spoken to a lawyer (which will almost certainly mean you’ll be taken to jail), or comply with the roadside tests and hope for the best. One thing you absolutely should NOT do is drink a ton of AXE body spray in view of the police officers walking up to your car.
Alas, this is what Rock, Hill South Carolina police say 45-year-old Patrick David Butler did last week after officers pulled him over. WBTV reports officers began following Butler after they saw him swerve unexpectedly; when he made several more erratic moves, officers pulled him over.
As they approached his vehicle, the officers reportedly saw Butler “actively spraying AXE body spray into this mouth.” When they asked him what he was doing, he claimed he was spraying himself with the cologne from “head to toe.”
Later, Butler admitted having “two beers and a shot of Jack Daniels while watching football,” according to the police report. Rock Hill police said he also subsequently failed three field sobriety tests and had a BAC of 0.13, which is 0.05 over the legal limit.
Butler was arrested and charged with driving under the influence.
Finding alternate cures for period cramps and related pain is not an easy thing to do. There’s not a lot of information out there and sometimes the pain is so great that drugs aren’t able to manage it, or our bodies develop a tolerance for them. There’s always something. Cannabis, although not as popular as other drugs, is a great option for women who want to find a different way to deal with their menstrual pain efficiently.
Know that there are multiple ways to consume marijuana, you can eat or drink it, rub it into your skin, vape, smoke and much more. Ask the budtenders at your local dispensary which products have the strains listed and then pick how you want to put it into your body.
This strain’s name comes from its strawberry-ish smell and the fact that it can make you want to cough like crazy. It produces a euphoric high that’ll have you smiling and happy in no time. It’s also great for managing social anxiety and finding balance and focus in times of mental stress.
XJ-13
This type of marijuana is popular because it combines a great and fun high with stress and anxiety management; it also provides an easy and paranoia-free experience, which is great for newbies.
Jillybean
This fun strain will leave you feeling creative and social, perfect for consuming when you’re feeling down and tense.
Lamb’s Bread
While providing a lot of positive introspection, this strain is also popular for helping out with depression and just making you feel better about yourself. We all need that when we’re on our periods, right?
This strain was awarded the High Times Cannabis Cup in 2001 because of its cool effects that include relieving headaches and stress while providing a fun and euphoric high.
Blackberry
This dutch type of marijuana is popular for the active buzz it induces and how much it relaxes and de-stresses you.
Pineapple
With contrasting tastes of pineapple and diesel, this type of marijuana will have you feeling happy and relaxed in no time. It’s also a great source for stress relief.
Super Skunk
This indica hybrid is very smelly and sweet, and produces a relaxing effect that’s great for managing stress and physical pain.
Herijuana
This strain will cure all physical ailments and will also slow you down when you’re feeling too tense or stressed out. Get ready for the best night of sleep ever.
The Medical Marijuana Research Act would go in and adjust federal law so that clinical investigations into the plant, its different forms including concentrates, and marijuana infused products like edibles and topicals may happen.
It is a Bill that states its purpose as, “To amend the Controlled Substances Act to make marijuana accessible for use by qualified marijuana researchers for medical purposes, and for other purposes.”
It also reads in Paragraph (4): “NO LIMIT ON NUMBER OF MANUFACTURERS AND DISTRIBUTORS. —Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Attorney General shall not impose or implement any limit on the number of persons eligible to be registered to manufacture or distribute marijuana…”
Representatives Andy Harris, M.D. (R-MD), Earl Blumenauer (D-OR), H. Morgan Griffith (R-VA), and Zoe Lofgren (D-CA) introduced the Act, a.k.a. H.R. 3391. It’s a bold move, but one that reflects the views of the nation.
Clinical investigations into cannabis are of great importance as they help to hone in on which strains, what dosages and what forms ease which ailments. This is especially important when one is dealing with such serious conditions as childhood epilepsy, different forms of cancer or HIV/AIDS.
The medical benefits of cannabis are also present for those who are experiencing a wide range of ailments and discomforts. From menstruation cramps and mood swings to insomnia, Tourette’s to Parkinson’s, autism to anxiety disorder, the list of things to be researched and hopefully healed goes on and on.
However, even though well over half of Americans have voted to legalize medical cannabis, the current regulations and marijuana’s classification as a Schedule I drug keep it from most testing labs. Being a Schedule I drug, in theory, means having no medicinal value, and therein lies the current rub.
Passing this Act would hurry along the process of federal reviews of clinical protocols, give much better access of the plant to scientists and make it a mandate that the FDA review the studies and their relevant science.
NORML, the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws, is asking that you please click HERE to contact your Representative and urge him or her to support this important measure. As do we.
Sometimes when we realize our breath isn’t the freshest, it’s too late: we’re not in a position to brush our teeth, rinse with mouthwash, or pop a piece of gum. Sometimes, even if only rarely, we need to MacGyver our situation and reach for the nearest food item that can do the job temporarily. (Preferably, you’re in the produce aisle of a grocery store when the realization happens). Here are 7 foods that naturally fight bad breath. Eat up! For everyone’s sake.
Yogurt
Researchers from Tsurumi University found “the levels of volatile sulfide compounds, namely, hydrogen sulfide, decreased in 80% of the volunteers after six weeks. Further, the plaque and gingival indices in the yoghurt-eating volunteers were significantly lower than in the non-yoghurt eating group with bad breath.”
Apples & Lettuce
In their raw form, both of these foods “decreased the concentration of volatiles in breath by 50 percent or more” after eating garlic, compared to the control (water) for the first 30 minutes, according to researchers from the Ohio State University. Plus, apples naturally reduce plaque, which can lead to bad breath.
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Cloves
Chewing on cloves can be just as effective as chewing on a stick of gum. And it will last a lot longer.
Parsley
Did you ever wonder why parsley is often the garnish du jour of certain foods? Especially garlic-laden ones like pasta? It’s because it can temporarily freshen your breath. When you chew on parsley sprigs, the freshening oils are released and your breath becomes magical. Fresh basil, rosemary, and cilantro work, too.
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Lemon
That strong citrus flavor that makes most people pucker is the same thing that jumpstarts saliva flow, which destroys odor-causing bacteria in the mouth.
Berries
Berries and other fruits high in antioxidants help ward off bacteria that causes bad breath.
Cinnamon
According to a study from the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Dentistry, “…an essential oil from this spice can kill oral bacteria, including germs responsible for a chemical that imparts the rotten-egg smell to the breath. But one doesn’t have to suck on a cinnamon stick to knock out the offending microbes. Chewing a stick of gum will do.”
Muddling brings out the soft and tender elements of fruit and vegetables by crushing the firmer flesh and revealing the sweet and aromatic inner flavors. Muddling is the hidden secret to blending together flavors without pureeing them, changing their texture. A mint julep is the perfect example of muddling, in this case mint with raw sugar to bring out the flavors instead of pulverizing them.
I like to use wood for my muddling, but high volume bartenders will use a plastic one or one made of stainless steel. Wood is just too difficult to clean on the fly and it cannot be sterilized in the commercial chemicals without deteriorating. You can muddle roasted fruits with syrups and fragile herbs before adding liquor and soda water. That’s what makes for a wonderfully ‘muddled’ cocktail — you’d muddle for only a few presses so you don’t turn the herbs to chlorophyll, making them unpalatable and ruining your cocktail.
There are several different kinds of muddling tools. I’ll cover the ones I use most often here. The first is similar to a child’s sized baseball bat, although the handle, instead of being carved with curves, is straight up and down. The surface that does the muddling is slightly rounded and is curved on the edges. It’s what I use most often.
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Another common tool is the weighted, flat side of a bartender’s spoon. This can be used to crack ice and to muddle mint in a pinch. I use this tool often as well.
I’ve seen glass muddlers- stay away from these. Weighted stainless steel or sealed wood, it’s up to you really. Just make sure that the tool is comfortable in your hand. You want to have this implement as your old friend. A utensil that is a part of what you do for a living, or with great passion for the craft of cocktails at home.
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A good way to get a feel for muddling is by taking a brown sugar cube and wetting it with ample amounts of Angostura Bitters, then smashing it down with your muddler. You don’t have to use much force; the downward motion is probably going to do a fine job. The same holds true for mint. Do not over muddle your mint. Whatever cocktail you make will have the flavor of vegetal chlorophyll running through it. It will be gross. Don’t do it!
Fruit… I love to muddle fruit. The bright flavors and fresh characteristics of the sweet juicy product just shine through when you muddle fruit, be it freshly picked or even oven roasted. I tend to prefer to roast the fruit first, muddle, add some spearmint, muddle a tad bit more and build your cocktail from this point on. Oranges that have been roasted first seem to resonate to me, as do pineapples and Texas grapefruits. Often times I treat the fruit to a funky variety of sugar, such as Demerara, or Turbanado for a funky and tangy finish. Angostura Bitters add nice depth and when you go to muddle the roasted or grilled fruit- the addition of of the bitters go a long way towards hitting that cocktail sweet spot.
Use very little force and you should be ok. Never over mash mint and always wash your fruit or herbs carefully before adding to any cocktails!
