The MCMA has come under fire for supporting legislation that would license and regulate medical marijuana caregivers by limiting the total number of plants a caregiver could grow.
The Michigan Cannabis Manufacturers Association (MCMA) is encouraging its members to provide free or low-cost cannabis products to patients with severe or terminal illnesses.
“Just like any other form of medicine, patients with cancer and other severe or terminal illnesses deserve to know their cannabis has met the highest standards for testing, tracking, licensing and safety — and our members’ products do just that,” said MCMA executive director Stephen Linder in a recent press release.
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Several words in the resolution — “testing, tracking, licensing” — have created a mini-war between the MCMA and Michigan’s medical marijuana patients and their caregivers.
Despite the MCMA resolution and its plea to encourage each of its members to develop their own program to offer low-cost or free medical marijuana products to those in need, storm clouds are brewing in the heart of Michigan’s highly lucrative legal cannabis program.
Caregiver Conflict: The MCMA has come under fire for supporting legislation that would license and regulate medical marijuana caregivers by limiting the total number of plants a caregiver could grow to 12 after scaling back the number of patients from five to one. As a result, some opponents are calling for a boycott of MCMA’s members, saying the legislation is intended to monopolize the industry.
A six-bill package introduced in September in Lansing seeks stricter state oversight of medical cannabis caregivers, which critics say is a veiled attempt by commercial growers to increase their retail market share.
Michigan’s MMJ Caregivers Until Now: State law allows licensed caregivers to cultivate up to 12 plants or purchase up to 2.5 ounces of cannabis product for up to five patients — enabling a harvest of up to 72 plants if the caregiver is also registered as a medical marijuana patient.
Unlike retailers, caregivers are not required to submit any lengthy business plans to state officials or pay as much in licensing fees. Their products also don’t have to be tested at one of the state’s 17 licensed laboratories.
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Hence, the proposals to clamp down on medical marijuana caregivers’ freedom to grow cannabis and work essentially unhampered have provoked fierce opposition from caregiver advocates as well as some vertically integrated cannabis companies, according to the City Pulse.
Critics say caregivers helped supply the state’s medical marijuana patients for nearly a decade before Michigan’s current regulatory structure was created in 2016, which was then followed by the 2018 law for recreational cannabis.
“Knowing all of the drafters of the 2018 legalization bill, I don’t know a single one of them who support any changes to the state’s caregiver law,” said Josh Hovey, vice president at a Lansing-based public relations firm who also served as spokesperson for the 2018 ballot initiative.
“That is a pretty good indication that the intent of legalization was to create a law where caregivers and the licensed industry could live side by side,” he added.
State records showed there are about 30,000 caregivers servicing more than 250,000 patients outside of the $1.47-billion licensed retail market in Michigan. State officials have reported that about 72,000 patients statewide are connected to a licensed caregiver.
Being someone who has been dealt mental health cards from day one — going through hell, and making it out while spending 11 years as a professional athlete — has given me the courage to stand up for others who are going through their own internal battles.
By Rodney Wallace, former pro soccer player and founder of CBD brand Rewind.
At first, I was skeptical about sharing my thoughts and giving my opinion on “the Simone Biles saga”. The word saga in itself makes it seem as if pulling out of a major Olympic event due to personal reasons has become not so personal. It is a draining process for the viewers to go through, some might think of it as exhausting. The world saga takes time away from viewers’ schedules and from their own personal agenda.
The word saga is appealing for networks and media outlets around the world to flip a brave and heroic action and be able to stand up for their own mental health. The word has negative connotations and it works against the athletes. It would be so nice to wake up to refreshing articles, leads about a young black olympian who is a human being and that she had the power to step up to her own podium. She was able to treat the mental aspect of existence like the gold that it is worth.
Photo by Buda Mendes/Getty Images
Real is putting yourself first, above anyone else’s beliefs. Real is knowing the true worth of self. At the end of the day, athletes are praised when it is convenient to the fanatic, not when it sparks up their own childhood trauma that they currently carry with them in the present moment. Being someone who has been dealt mental health cards from day one — going through hell, and making it out while spending 11 years as a professional athlete — has given me the courage to stand up for others who are going through their own internal battles.
Let’s talk about bravery. Bravery is a word that has become a term used to describe someone’s actions that lead them to hold on to something they feel they will eventually lose. Being brave is a term that has been thrown around in many different contexts, which leads to misuse or miss comprehension of what true bravery really is.
Vulnerability is brave, being so open that you can sit calmly in a room full of reporters and speak to the world about what it means to put the team first. Not only did Simone Biles put team USA first by knowing the importance of a healthy mental state to compete, Biles also gave the viewers an in-depth play-by-play on what was going on inside the mind of a top human and competitor. We have been witnessing human greatness and we are blessed by young icons who are practicing mindfulness during 2021, Tokyo Olympics.
It didn’t come easy for Simone, she had to sit there and explain to young children and adults that idolize the craft of gymnastics that, “if you don’t take care of our mental health then you are not going to enjoy your sport, let alone succeed as much as you want to.”
When I look back at my career I don’t regret much; I look at all the highs and lows as the valleys that brought me to where I am now. There are moments when I daydream, what would it have been like to have had the resources that I use now to handle my depression, anxiety, suicidal thoughts, fears, and insecurities I have been coping with heavily since 2014. When I used to put on my cleats and compress all of my feelings, that was how I looked at it initially. Somehow I was able to hush 70,000 fans in my head while scoring a last-minute goal, representing my country in international matches. This led me to win an MLS Cup when I was going through the darkest times of my life.
This seems not only draining, but a recipe for disaster. Life gave me another chance, it opened up another window for me to climb in and realize that I was much more than a comment on Twitter, much more than a picture and an autograph.
With the help of professionals, I was able to see myself as more than just a soccer star. For the first time, I was able to see myself as a human being who was blessed and was given the chance to play the very same game I played on the streets in Costa Rica after school. I was making a living doing what I loved, playing soccer. This allowed me to build a family and share with them what it really means to be brave. Getting the help I so desperately needed and showing up for myself at rock bottom. This honesty gave me the opportunity to show that vulnerability can bring you face to face with your childhood dreams. The feeling of having my wife, Haley, and daughter, Ivy, support me at the 2018 FIFA World Cup was a complete turnaround and helped pave the way to get back to living again.
Photo by Tevarak Phanduang via Unsplash
My life seemed to be moving nowhere fast; I found shelter in the superficial world where I could put on a mask and pretend everything was alright. In 2015, I had a manic breakdown before a match. Our family tickets were placed in our lockers to be collected after training. It had been a difficult week filled with a combination of sleepless nights and self-medication to slow my negative thoughts: Percocet, tequila, and a few painkillers did the trick.
I remember being angry about not winning a practice match. I was always the one talking shit if I won, and ready to get into it when I lost. That day, I guess I wasn’t having it. When I came back from a shower ready to go home, I saw that two of my tickets were missing. I usually don’t take something like that seriously, but I could feel the rest of my teammates’ chatter and laugh about my confusion. My big ego was shattered and I felt exposed.
I reacted by going outside in my towel and grabbing a leaf blower. I yanked the chain three times, finally, the motor started, and walked into the locker room demanding to see my remaining two family tickets. As expected, no one said a word, just laughter from my ridiculous look of a towel, flip flops, and a leaf blower. I began walking, blowing everything off the first locker and it gave me a sense of control and power. I found more joy in seeing papers going everywhere, jewelry flying in the air, people climbing on chairs to protect their belongings. I can still recall that I knew something was not right.
One of my closest friends on the team asked me if I was feeling ok. The next day, I didn’t start the game, and it had been many weeks that I wasn’t in the starting eleven. This is probably what led to these shameless actions. After the game, as usual, I got wasted pretending that I was fine, hoping to hide my manic depression from others. I wish I had known then what I know now, but it took time to uncover the deep-seated truths and face my demons. Later that year, I lifted the most important cup of my career and scored the winning goal in the MLS Cup.
All of the mental anguish I suffered could have been avoided if I had realized that there was help out there. I want everyone to know that there is help for all of us, you just have to go after it! I feel that most of the time we act based on what has been recorded in our minds. The traumatic experiences stay with us and they manifest themselves in different ways at different times and then it quickly veers out of our control.
Photo by Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images
Simone Biles had the courage and knowledge to check herself during one of the most important events of her career. The act of checking yourself and realizing that being grounded and mentally healthy is heroic. Simone had so much self-awareness with the decision to drop out of the competition. To know yourself so well that you are able to not put your body in physical danger is remarkable. Growing up, I was brought up to think that I had to toughen up and just do it. However, in the later stages of my life, I learned how to cope.
Wrestling champion and former two-division UFC titleholder, Henry Cejundo said that the media and fans played a role in building Biles up to a standard that she may have struggled to match. Cejudo wondered if this was something Biles could have overcome. Cejundo suggested the gymnast needs a kick in the arse, sprinkled with a little tough love.
An individual’s personal trauma does not need to become someone else’s burden to carry. If growing up you only got through because of kicks in the arse, maybe it’s time for Henry Cejundo to “check himself” and break free from whatever was mentally or physically instilled. By reacting to another Olympic champion’s actions of mindfulness in a negative way, he is not seeing the gymnast as a human. Instead of lifting each other up, we continue to use the old-school bravado method that is slowing down and hurting many athletes.
In 2020, after dealing with two hip replacements at the age of 31, I knew it was time for me to pay it forward to the game that gave me so much. Using my life experiences, my downfalls, my struggles I was able to turn Rewind into my own gold medal and created a CBD line based on the principle of taking a step back in order to move forward.
CBD changed my outlook on life from a mental and physical standpoint. From 2017 to 2019, I was hiding in the locker room trying to figure out how to consume CBD without my teammates understanding what I was doing. I didn’t want the trainers to know since it also contained a percentage of THC which is banned in Major League Soccer. I found myself hiding once again and I was not happy about it. I had done so much work over the years to get to the happiest place in my life, it was unfathomable to have to go back into hiding mode again.
My doctors told me that my injuries were career-ending and I was grateful because my heart felt full. I had created a product to give others a chance to feel the way I feel now. Physically, my aches and pains were immensely reduced and I could enjoy the park with my kids, mentally I became limitless. Staying active is still a part of my life and taking care of my body is important and that’s why I know I can depend on my own proven recipe. My family and I learn from each other now. We try to improve our lives and help others along the way.
Let’s lead the way for the next generation so that our present is just as beautiful as what lies ahead. I salute you Simone Biles and Naomi Osaka for taking the lead and giving mental health a face that will be part of a new and evolved culture for years to come. They are the brave billboards who stood up for themselves and for their own lives because inevitably no one else will. When Simone won the bronze on balance beam, she told USA Today, “It meant the world to be out there, I didn’t expect to walk away with a metal. I was doing it for me, and whatever happens, happens.”
Two heroic souls made the conscious decision to change the trajectory of what it means to be an open blueprint for the next generation to learn from; these are the paths Olympic champions should continue to strive toward; exposing their deepest and darkest experiences to their triumphant winning moments for the world to admire and understand. These are not easy tasks but Ms. Biles and Ms. Osaka took the responsibility head-on at the most pivotal time in their careers and for that, we are thankful for their bravery and their honesty.
For Naomi to showcase her life on a Netflix series and Simone expressing her beliefs to the world means that we are headed for change. There is no doubt that this generation is moving in the right direction and soon the rest of the world will catch up.
My outlet for change mentally and physically is CBD. I don’t need to rely on anybody else, let alone any other substance.
For the time being, COVID-19 cases are spiraling downwards. Here are the most common places where the disease is currently spreading.
There was a big surge of COVID-19 cases over the summer. Now, cases are spiraling downwards, although some trouble states remain, like Colorado, Alaska and Michigan. A variety of factors impact these trends, from vaccination rates to the surge of infections themselves, which ebb and flow.
As we all know by now, COVID-19 is a communicable disease, transmitted through contact with others. There’s a variety of activities that make the virus more likely to catch on, which makes certain places more dangerous than others.
All of this is dependent on where you live and your community’s current rate of infection, which can be easily found by googling your city and the phrase “COVID cases.” Here are some of the most common places for COVID-19 to spread right now.
Restaurants and bars
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Restaurants and bars have often been linked with COVID-19 clusters, although, again, where you’re eating is very important. While cities like New York ask for proof of vaccination in order to eat indoors, other places don’t, exposing people to more risk. When dining or drinking indoors, consider all of your options: Are you in a crowded spaces and are people wearing mask for the majority of the time? Are you seated near an open door or window?
While data from small get togethers is hard to track, it’s believed that the Delta variant makes it riskier to have gatherings with others, even if they’re small. Buildings like schools and offices have more strict COVID-19 guidelines, making it less likely for people to catch the disease there. It appears people are catching the disease during their off times, which is why it’s important to meet up with people who are vaccinated if choosing to spend time indoors and without masks.
Healthy Halloween candy? It’s a thing. Here’s what nutritionists think about giving this type of candy to kids.
Handing out Halloween candy that’s nutritious is a thing that many adults consider, especially considering that they are likely the ones who are going to be stuck with that candy once the festivities are over. But should you subject your children and your neighbor’s kids to your dark chocolate alternative or simply hand out M&M’s and Snickers?
Healthy sweet alternatives can be delicious, but you have to be prepared for this change. When offering a kid some popcorn or a snickers, although popcorn is usually healthier, they may understandably be upset, especially considering their expectations of Halloween and the fact that they’re kids and don’t regulate their emotions as well as adults do.
Making kiddos feel bad about wanting to have candy on a date that’s associated with candy could result in bigger problems later on, much more complicated than simply having a sugar rush when the day is over.
The Huffington Post spoke with some nutritionists on the matter, who were mostly pro-normal Halloween candy. “Sugar-free or buzzwords like ‘keto,’ ‘low-carb’ or ‘superfood’ don’t necessarily make sweets healthier,” said nutritionist Amanda Frankeny. “While these labels sound nutritious at face value, too much candy of any type can lead to cavities and poor nutrition.”
They also spoke about the importance of not pushing children to look for the good candy somewhere else and then developing a negative relationship with food, creating a problem that can have long term implications. “Overeating candy in secrecy can short-term lead to belly woes or worse, potentially create long term disordered eating issues with candy or sweet treats,” said Tracy Lockwood Beckerman, author of “Better Period Food Solution.”
While some kids with diabetes or blood sugar control issue can benefit from these type of low sugar sweets, the majority would be better off simply carrying on with their standard Halloween celebrations. When it comes to your kids and their everyday consumption of sweets, having healthier candy options around can diminish their long term damage. Still, it’s important to keep in mind that candy is still candy, no matter how it’s packaged, and other foods, like veggies and grains, should always be the priority.
The cannabis plant has literally come out of the closet and become acceptable to talk about. Combine that with something else people like to talk about (food!) and you can’t lose!
As a nutritionist and the co-founder of the Holistic Cannabis Academy, I get asked a lot of unsolicited questions about food and cannabis. After all, we imbue all of our social interactions with food. As a society, we have become intrigued with food and everything that pertains to it including cooking and, of course, my favorite topic — nutrition.
Cannabis is a great conversation starter for so many reasons. For one, it’s not federally legal, yet it’s legalized by individual states for medical or adult use (recreational) purposes in more than half the country. And, of course, the plant has literally come out of the closet, so cannaphobia is mitigated, and it’s become acceptable to talk about the plant. Combine talking about food with cannabis and you have a winning combination!
In that spirit, here are five winning combos for food and cannabis.
Avocado
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Though thought of as a vegetable and often categorized as a fat, avocado is actually a large berry with a single seed.That means that avocado is a fruit, according to botanists. And, an amazing and versatile fruit it is. Of course, there’s the ubiquitous avocado toast found in hipster neighborhoods beyond Brooklyn. Guacamole was, of course, the first introduction to avocado to Americans.
Though many add banana to smoothies, mostly to add sweetness, avocado is my #1 smoothie go-to because it’s an emulsifier. That means that it helps to blend the other ingredients together, creating a smooth smoothie. And, unlike banana, the avocado does not overtake the flavor of the smoothie. It’s a great match with cannabis oil because of its fat content and flavor profile.
Hemp Seed
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Combining two cannabis plant ingredients together is a no brainer. Hemp as a food is from the seed portion of the cannabis plant and contains little to no THC. Hemp foods include protein powder, milk, hearts, flour, butter (which can also be used for skin), and pressed juice. Hemp oil as food from the seed of the plant is completely different from hemp-derived CBD oil processed from the aerial parts of the plant.
Hemp seeds, which are marketed as hemp hearts, are an excellent source or protein, a vegan food, a wonderful source of fat (always good to pair with cannabis), and a great source of vitamin E and minerals, such as phosphorus, potassium, sodium, magnesium, sulfur, calcium, iron and zinc.Sprinkle on basically anything from avocado (see above) to salads to smoothies or have alone.
Cacao
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Cacao, also known botanically as Theobroma cacao, is one of the most popular trees on the planet. Cacao is the plant from which cocoa and chocolate is derived.Higher percentages on chocolate bars typically mean less sugar. Raw cacao boasts 300 different compounds including antioxidants, which are vital to wellness. Anandamide, the “bliss” molecule that our bodies produce is one of the compounds found in small quantities in cacao.
More significantly, cacao features two others chemicals in higher concentrations that inhibit the breakdown of anandamide, as well as phytocannabinoids in cannabis including THC and CBD, potentially intensifying their effects. On top of this is the is theobromine, which also amplifies the effects of anandamide. Talk about a match made in heaven!
Black Pepper
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Black pepper features a terpenoid called beta-caryophyllene,which is also a component of some cultivars (strains) of cannabis. Known as a dietary cannabinoid because its binds directly to CB2 receptors found in the peripheral endocannabinoid system, as opposed to THC which binds to CB1 receptors in the brain, beta-caryophyllene does not contribute to euphoria. In fact, this terpene does the opposite, modulating the effect of the cannabis “high.”
Black pepper is one of the solutions offered for mitigating overconsumption of THC. Chewing a few peppercorns or simply sniffing on ground black pepper can provide relief from THC-induced anxiety and paranoia. This is a good thing. To top it off (get it!), both black pepper and cannabis have anti-inflammatory properties. Clearly, the second most popular condiment after salt, pepper is a natural accompaniment for cannabis.
Mango
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On the opposite end of the spectrum from black pepper is mango. Both feature terpenes that react with THC in cannabis. While the terpene called beta-caryophyllene in black pepper mitigates its impact, the terpene myrcene in mango elevates the effect of THC. It does this by changing the blood-brain barrier to allow cannabinoids to enter the brain more quickly and effciently. The ultimate impact is to prolong and increase the intoxicating effects of THC.
This can be clinically advantageous for patients who require more immediate pain relief or mood modulation, for example. Cannabis and mango only do this together. As with all food, the impact of mango on the cannabis “high” depends on the individual’s metabolism. That’s called bioindividuality.So, it’s a good idea to know your sweet spot. Be mindful about the optimal amounts of mango and THC for your personalized portion.
When you have an industry paying billions of dollars to the government for legal favors, to ignore the possibility of conspiracy is actually detrimental to your wellbeing.
The FDA can “emergency approve” vaccines but have taken more than 50-years to admit that cannabis has medical properties.
If there’s one thing you can say about the avid cannabis smoker is that they do love their conspiracies. Now, let me get something straight about conspiracies — they do happen.
There’s this idea that if you’re a “conspiracy theorist”, you’re some kind of whack job, but I think it was Eric Weinstein who said it best on Lex Fridman’s podcast: “No, I don’t believe you…I don’t believe that after COINTELPRO, Operation Paperclip, Operation Mockingbird, uh…I don’t even know if I should bring up REX84. To NOT believe in conspiracies is an idiocy.”
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However, with all conspiracies, some are more difficult to prove and others might simply be works of fiction or counter-propaganda. After all, “the Russians are out to get ya!”
Cannabis users who know something about the origins of cannabis prohibition also know of the great Anslinger-Hearst-DuPont conspiracy to tarnish the good name of cannabis. This was reported recently in a 2020 study, published in the journal Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research, on the effect of racism on cannabis research:
“Even putting economic interests aside, Hearst and Mellon were at the center of a vicious anticannabis campaign based on racism, sensationalism, and social control of racial minorities. Racism and sensationalism are strong allegations, but consider the roles of Hearst, Mellon, and Harry Anslinger.”
And then again later commenting on the 1971 War on Drugs Conspiracy where Nixon placed cannabis on the CSA because he wanted to legally be able to harass anti-war protestors and African Americans under the guise of drugs:
“John Erlichman, a senior advisor to Nixon, was later quoted as saying “We knew we couldn’t make it illegal to be either against the war or black, but by getting the public to associate the hippies with marijuana and blacks with heroin, and then criminalizing both heavily, we could disrupt those communities. We could arrest their leaders, raid their homes, break up their meetings, and vilify them night after night on the evening news. Did we know we were lying about the drugs? Of course we did.”
The cannabis rabbit hole is deep and if you ever decide to truly uncover the truth behind the illegality of weed, you too will be open to the idea that “conspiracies exist!”
Which brings us to a Reddit Post I stumbled upon while doing some research on weed. The title read: “So the FDA Can Approve the Vaccine and not Cannabis”
It seemed that more than a thousand people agreed and soon the conversation started.
Booyatribe funk said, “The FDA have managed to lose whatever credibility they may have. It’s like going to IGN for an honest gaming review.”
However, it’s important to understand that the FDA is simply one component and that the vaccine approval process is completely different that working with schedule I drugs.
Photo by Larisa Shpineva/EyeEm/Getty Images
This isn’t to say the FDA isn’t a joke.
They have notoriously approved many drugs, which that were later recalled for numerous negative health outcomes. And let’s not forget where most of their money comes from — Big Pharma. Yet for some reason people still continue to put their trust in an organization that “may” have good intentions, but in most likeliness is catering to the whims of Big Pharma.
After all, the pharmaceutical industry spent $3.48 billion dollars on lobbying in 2020. Some interesting facts to note include:
There were 1,502 pharmaceutical lobbyists in 2020, 63.58% of whom were former government employees.
The Wellcome Trust is a top funder of health research globally and has been a major player in the COVID-19 pandemic, even though it’s invested heavily in companies making COVID-19 treatments.
So of course, when you have billions of dollars invested in Vaccine Revenue, you can ask your good ol; pals at the FDA to approve all kinds of drugs. However, while the cannabis industry has seen a rise in lobbying activities it paled in comparison to that of Pharma. The cannabis industry a few million dollars and may have had some endorsement from Big Tech, but it still doesn’t make a dent in the purchasing power of Big Pharma.
The main question remains, “Is this a conspiracy to take away your rights or is it to make an absurd amount of money?”
Some of the cannabis users are leaning more towards the idea of “taking away your rights” as was expressed by Reddit user DKinives:
“They are not just attacking rights though. They are attacking our jobs and livelihoods. Soon it will be highly difficult to provide for your family if you are unvaccinated in a world where workers are already short staffed. And they think its legal, logically, and perfectly okay. I fear for our country’s future, just like I did when Trump was in office… The joys of being a moderate. The country is going to hell and you can’t do shit about it.”
However, others were convinced that the reason why it’s still not “approved” is because Pharma and big corporations need to get their hands on it first;
Reddit user Princetacotuesday said this:
I’ve read about this. Basically a few scientists are trying to document different weed genomes and putting them in public domain so big business can’t patent them and own 100% rights to them. It’s a smart way to fight them and definitely playing a role in why it isn’t legal everywhere yet.
IDK why these a**HOLE companies don’t just give up already and just start growing w/e and selling it. Nope, they gotta own all rights to it 100% like lawsuits against other people/companies is apart of their money making plan.
Sticky Bottom Line
Money and power. These are the two root causes of all great conspiracies. In a day and age where the mere mention of the word “conspiracy” can make you feel ostracized and belittled, the truth of the matter is that “private interests” do meet in “private meetings” and make “private deals.” When you have an industry paying billions of dollars to the government for legal favors, to ignore the possibility of conspiracy is actually detrimental to your wellbeing.
Balancing your endocannabinoid tone by implementing intermittent fasting may help you achieve an optimal weight, improve longevity, and provide additional health benefits.
Keto, Paleo, and Whole-30 are a few of the most popular diets based on guidelines about what foods you can and cannot eat. Valter Longo, a cell biologist, has a different approach. As a pioneer of intermittent fasting, which focuses on when you eat, rather than what you eat, his research shows that shortening the “eating window” can have a profound impact on weight, longevity, immunity, and overall health.
Humans evolved to live for extended periods of time without food. Our physiological systems boastadaptations to both survive and thrive during periods of starvation. In our modern food system, we have plentiful access to processed, high-sugar foods. We are no longer hunting and foraging for our food and going long stretches of time with absolutely nothing. If we want the benefits of unintentional fasting that our primal ancestors reaped, induced intermittent fasting may be the answer.
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The endocannabinoid system (ECS) is intimately involved in hormone regulation and metabolism. It plays a crucial role in food intake and weight management. Endocannabinoids, which our bodies naturally produce, are altered during fasting and feeding.
According to neurologist Ethan Russo, we all have a clinical endocannabinoid tone, which is basically the overall state of your ECS. Individuals who are obese may have an elevated (or imbalanced) endocannabinoid tone, which impacts overeating. Intermittent fasting can break the cycle by theoretically reducing the expression of CB1 receptors along with endocannabinoid levels.
Intermittent fasting works to calibrate your body’s sensitivity to hormones such as insulin. During fasting, your body is burning through glucose stored in the liver for 10-12 hours. After that, a process called metabolic switching happens, where fat is used for energy
Though the term “fasting” may conjure up negative thoughts and emotions for many, this type of intermittent fasting can be manageable. Thinking about “dieting” is generally more stressful than the doing. Like everything wellness-related, it requires planning. That means that you need to schedule your mealtimes. Here are few choices for intermittent fasting:
16/8: eat all your food within an 8-hour daily window and fast the remaining 16 hours.
5/2: consume your typical calories for 5 days and 600 calories or fewer for 2 days.
Eat Stop Eat: fast for a full 24-hours 1-2 times weekly.
Balancing your endocannabinoid tone by implementing intermittent fasting may help you achieve an optimal weight, improve longevity, and provide additional health benefits.
A study suggests putting strict limits on calorie intake might be harmful to our immune systems.
Due to the world we currently live in, keeping our immune systems in top shape is one of our main concerns right now. Our immune systems help us stay healthy and prevent all kinds of illnesses, from the flu to COVID-19.
And now, a new study shows that aggressive weight-loss diets can be damaging to our immune systems, making it more likely to contract diseases.
While weight loss is still a charged topic and there’s a lot of fat phobia to contend with, we’ve started to associate weight loss with a more active lifestyle, made up of healthy eating and lots of activity over simply eating restrictive diets. The general approach towards this topic is that healthy living is more about being happy, rather than looking thin.
The study, conducted in Iran and published in the American Journal of Translation Research, explored the degree to which weight restriction would affect people’s immune systems. Researchers found that aggressive food restrictions lowered people’s immune systems, thus promoting that all sorts of diets should be conducted in a careful manner, preferably with the advice of experts.
The study tracked 29 overweight women, dividing them into two groups. One was the control group, advised to eat freely, while the other took medications to lose weight and followed a restrictive diet that asked them to consume 600 or fewer calories per day. For comparison purposes, women consume an average of 1,600 to 2,000 calories on a daily basis.
Both groups lost weight. The group of women that followed these restrictive guidelines lost 10% of their body fat, while also losing some of their “natural killer cells,” which are pivotal for the body’s immune system.
While the study was small and doesn’t contain a very representative sample of participants, it does suggest the importance of gradual weight loss, especially when it comes to people’s immune systems. It also highlights how a combined approach to weight loss, made up of a more active lifestyle and some caloric restriction, might be best to keep your entire system running smoothly, especially during the times when you need it most.
Cannabis brands and fans alike often run into having their account deleted, banned or suppressed in some fashion. With cannabis-specific platforms still not earning substantial memberships, the industry is left to scramble from platform to platform in an attempt to connect with enthusiasts, buyers, investors, media and other crucial members.
Most sources say one option appears to be the best for cannabis today. Still, alternative platforms and methods may be beneficial to building lasting connections.
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Is LinkedIn The Top Social Media Platform For Cannabis Today?
Though metrics or methods to determine the most cannabis-friendly platform aren’t readily available, it appears LinkedIn is the most cannabis-friendly platform at the moment, according to anecdotal feedback from various sources.
Cannabis PR and social media professional Alice Moon said LinkedIn is great for connecting industry professionals. “It’s more so for people and not brands, but it is a great place for brands to share their latest press coverage and news,” she said.
She also highlighted Twitter Inc. for tolerating cannabis content but said its search feature connects the term cannabis with substance abuses messages.
Others agreed. Karina Karassev, co-founder and COO of cannabis packaging brand Stori, said LinkedIn does a good job recognizing cannabis industry professionals.
“Linkedin does an excellent job removing negative stigmas surrounding the cannabis industry,” Karassev added.
Brooke Benavides, director of marketing for CMW Media, said the cannabis conversation is growing on LinkedIn. She reported that clients tell her that the platform is still taboo to non-industry members–with those connections rarely interacting with posts.
Despite its shortcomings, she believes the professional-focused platform is the best today.
“LinkedIn remains one of the only platforms that allows for organic reach as it relates to cannabis content and groups, and industry pros and businesses don’t have to worry about potentially being penalized or ‘shadow banned’ from their networks,” Benavides said.
Other Social Media Options Worth Considering
Liz Gottbrecht, director of delivery brand Lantern, said Reddit helps connect with fans by hosting AMA (Ask Me Anything) sessions on specific subreddits. She added that the audio-based platform Clubhouse appeared to be another viable option, though its popularity has not expanded beyond industry leaders and movers. “It hasn’t really found the mainstream appeal needed to scale and maintain relevance long term.”
Lantern also focuses on platforms like the Alphabet Inc. Class C, YouTube, Twitch and Pinterest.
“They have strong cannabis-adjacent communities where we can explore and share relevant content within the guidelines – food, how-tos, gaming,” Gottbrecht noted.
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Rather than focus on the mainstream, some are targeting smaller audiences and cannabis-specific platforms. Both Gab and Mastodon came up as viable options.
While social media giants like YouTube seem to have lessened restrictions on cannabis as of late, plant-dedicated platforms like TheWeedTube, Leafwire and MJLink are just a few startups aiming to provide a solution to the cannabis community and its businesses.
Brand Success Without Social Media
Branding leaders say that community building is essential, regardless of the methods utilized.
Companies with advertising budgets may want to dedicate a portion to a public relations campaign. CMW’s Benavides said releasing press releases and offering quotes to the media helps build credibility.
“Releasing company news and providing quotes on trending stories is a way for brands to build editorial credibility while remaining top of mind — and top of a Google search,” she noted, speaking to the power of search engine optimization (SEO).
However, in this writer’s experience, companies need to exercise caution or risk de-valuing their credibility to analyze every news story. Rather than being perceived as a trusted expert, the brand can appear media-hungry and be deemed an unreliable source.
Moon said merch giveaways are worth consideration, with winners often receiving branded merchandise that serves as word-of-mouth marketing.
“If the cannabis brand is able to do DTC sales, they can offer referral commissions, which would encourage people to tell their friends about the brand,” Moon added.
Gottbrecht also spoke about word-of-mouth marketing, namely through employees, referral programs and local community building. Most methods can be conducted online or in person.
She elaborated, “For us, the focus on social is community building — through partnerships with local businesses, creators, cannabis brands and dispensaries, as well as growing our own audience as much as possible through email.”
Applying CBD directly to the skin allows cannabinoids to attack problem areas directly at the source, which is why the majority of users treat CBD topicals as medicine.
By now, most people are probably familiar with CBD gummies and vapes, but topicals are slowly beginning to gain popularity, too. They’re easy to find and come in a variety of different forms, from lip balms to lotions. But what are CBD topicals and why the hype?
Although the CBD market is currently unregulated by the FDA, CBD products became federally legalized following the passage of the 2018 Farm Bill, which legalized the growing of hemp nationwide.
Since then, the market for CBD topicals has been hot and shows no signs of slowing down. The question is whether or not they’re worthy of all the buzz.
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What Are The Ingredients?
CBD topicals typically contain a base of essential oils along with a mix of CBD extract and other plant extracts. There are two types of CBD topicals consumers should be aware of: full-spectrum and broad-spectrum. While full-spectrum products consist of the full plant, and all its natural chemicals, broad-spectrum CBD products contain everything except the THC contents present in full-spectrum products.
When it comes to CBD lotions, it’s not uncommon to find that many of them are similar to every other type of lotion that’s already on the market. They feature ingredients such as aloe vera, shea butter, and almond oil to provide a soothing experience that also possesses qualities that complements a skincare routine.
How Does It Make You Feel?
As is the case with most cannabis-related products, images of CBD topicals may lead the mind to consider them simply as nothing more than skincare products for stoners, but the reality is that they have no psychoactive effects whatsoever. While the case is likely different for THC topicals, applying CBD topicals won’t lead to a consumer getting high. Even full-spectrum CBD topicals contain less than 0.3% THC content.
The reality is that many people use CBD topicals for medicinal purposes (research pegs that number at 62%). CBD balms are effective when it comes to treating a number of medicinal conditions like chronic pain because applying it directly to the skin allows cannabinoids to attack problem areas directly at the source.
Who Should Use CBD Topicals?
CBD topicals can come in handy for numerous people, such as those who are suffering from arthritis or anyone on the lookout for a new moisturizer. CBD topicals solve a wide range of problems for people, which is one of the contributing factors in their rise in popularity in recent years. Additionally, they’ve even shown evidence of helping people who suffer from serious skin conditions like eczema and psoriasis.
