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How To Get The Most Out Of Cannabis For Chronic Pain

An estimated 20.9% of Canadian and US adults live in chronic pain – and constantly search for a little relief….here is how to maximize help

Over 20.9% of Canadian and Us adults (51.6 million persons) experience chronic pain with 6.9% (17.1 million persons) experienced high-impact chronic pain. When suffering, it becomes the focus of the day and consuming an incredible amount of time and focus.  Medical marijuana can help – here is how to get hte most out of cannabis for chronic pain.

Cancer patients, people living with nerve damage, back injuries and other types of chronic pain also run into this problem on the pharmaceutical side of things; the problem being that if you continue to increase your dosage of narcotic pain killers, they simply become killers. But this is not the case with cannabis.

Eat A Mango

The terpenes in mangoes seem to love to play with the terpenes in cannabis, prolonging the effects of marijuana and keeping them elevated for longer periods of time as well. The mango can be eaten before or after the sesh for the desired effects, but close in timing.

If You’re Ingesting Your Medicine, Eat Something Fatty

THC binds to fat cells and is fat soluble, which is why if you don’t have a hummingbird’s metabolism it’s harder to pass a drug test. But it’s also why if yo u have a slice of toast with butter in your stomach, you’re giving the cannabinoids more fat to cling to and spread throughout your system.

RELATED: How Greasy Foods Might Make CBD More Effective

Donald Trump
Photo by Flickr user ebruli

Combine Ingesting Cannabis With Using Topicals

Whether salve, cream or lotion, topicals provide excellent relief of surface area aches and pains, sore, tense muscles especially. Rub them in thoroughly with warm hands and feel parts of the pain melt away.

Breaking That Routine

If you are a consummate smoker, you may have a method laid out that does you just fine and that you may even swear by. Breaking that routine, using a different piece to smoke out of and even switching rooms can all result in more efficient smoking sessions.

RELATED: 5 Ways Medical Marijuana Can Help You Deal With Chronic Pain

smoking from pipe exposes you to more germs than a toilet seat
Photo by Bill Oxford/Getty Images

Remember To Inhale Deeply

Hold it in for those important few seconds whenever possible. Breathing it in to your lungs as much as you can will definitely give you a boost, especially if you’ve gotten a little lax on your smoking techniques.

Living in chronic pain is never going to be easy, but it can be improved greatly by cannabis and even cannabis can be improved for pain relieving effects. Enjoy your mango and let the cannabis ease your pain the natural way.

Study Reinforces Marijuana’s Power To Treat PTSD

Soldiers are required to go above and beyond, and sometimes it leaves a long term mark.  Medical marijuana is a clear benefit for PTSD

There seems to be bi-partisian support for medical marijuana to be an aide in treating PTSD. The VA Medicinal Cannabis Research Act was introduced during summer for Department of Veterans Affairs. In addition to pain and post-traumatic stress disorder, the legislation would require the VA to examine how the plant affects sleep, agitation, mortality and hospital readmissions.  It was is critical as it healthcare professionals, veterans and counselors give the nod it is a benefit for those in need.

Science is finally backing up these opinions. A study published in the Journal of Pharmacology looked at the patient history of 24,000 Canadians using 2012 Statistics Canada data. Researchers were interested in exploring how cannabis could affects those living with PTSD, specifically with regards to suicide and depression. Living with PTSD sharply increases the risk of depression and suicide in patients unless, researchers discovered, they consume marijuana.

RELATED: Science Says Medical Marijuana Improves Quality Of Life

“We know with limited effective treatment options for PTSD, many patients take to medicating with cannabis to alleviate their symptoms,” lead author Stephanie Lake told Global News. “However, until now, there has been no population-level data to suggest cannabis might have a possible therapeutic role in the course of PTSD. These findings offer those patients seeking treatment options some promise.”

cannabinoids
Photo by lalesh aldarwish via Pexels

In the more than 24,000 participants, researchers found 420 Canadians who’d been clinically diagnosed with PTSD. About 28% (106 individuals) of those living with PTSD reported using cannabis in the past year. Only 11% of respondents undiagnosed with PTSD reported cannabis usage. Non-users were seven times more likely to have experienced a recent major depressive episode and had a 4.7% higher chance of contemplating suicide, compared to non-cannabis users who didn’t suffer from PTSD. Among cannabis users, the study did not find a connection between PTSD and depression or suicide.

RELATED: Exploring The Connection Between Marijuana And PTSD

Official VA statistics reports about 10-20% of veterans live with PTSD, depending on the service era in which they participated. But the organization’s National Suicide Report paints a starker picture — suicide rates are increasing for both veterans and non-veterans. About 20 veterans commit suicide each day, according to the report.

While more research is necessary, as Lake and her team said, this study points to how cannabis might assist those living with PTSD.

The Best Winter Ales To Usher In The Cold Weather

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The holiday season and winter weather is upon us. If you are a beer aficionado, now is the time  to consider to something more adapted to the dropping temperatures. Maybe something which warms you from the inside out. Belgian brewers have a long tradition of making stronger, darker and sweeter ales for drinking during the cold winter months. They are also often flavoured with spices and other seasonal ingredients such as ginger and cinnamon.

Fremont Brewing Bourbon Abominable Winter Ale and Winter Ales

Two for the price of one brewery! The Bonfire ale warms your belly with a dark mild hop recipe, while the Winter Ale (formerly known as Abominable Ale), a barrel-aged version of the brewery’s winter ale, is robust and rich, complimented with caramel and vanilla notes. Fremont is a northwest treasure

Deschutes Jubelale

A deep, dark winter ale with joyous imprints of toffee, cocoa and dried fruit, this seasonal pleases craft beer nerds and their unsuspecting families alike. Perfect for setting out on a big dining table for your big dining family.

Sierra Nevada Celebration

This Chico, CA brewery does things a little different when it comes to the winter season. Their holiday beer, first brewed in 1981 (everything from the 80’s is good, right?), is a hop-forward concoction with citrus and pine aromas stemming from the bright west coast hops the brewery is famous for utilizing.

RELATED: Easy Holiday Whiskey Cocktails

Anchor Brewing Christmas Ale

Anchor’s Christmas ale is spicy with a lovely malt spine.  Anchor is know for capturing the mood and this ale is good for those 4pm sunsets.

Ninkasi Sleigh’r

One of the Pacific Northwest’s most popular holiday beers, this brewery (named after the Sumerian goddess of beer) produces a hopped winter beer that pairs well with duck and candied yams. You can practically hear the jingling bells of Santa’s ride shaking away as you sip.

Athletic Brewing Co. Lodge Life Non-alcoholic Ale

A stout-inspired campfire brew crafted with cinnamon, vanilla and cacao nibs. It has a smoked malt undertone and light hint of s’mores that make it deliciously decadent yet easy to drink. With roasty aromatics and a full-bodied pour, it’s reminiscent of nights by the fire with hearty brews in hand.

RELATED: The Most Popular Marijuana Flavors

Sam Adams Holiday White Ale

This is perfect when you want to slip a bit of classic holiday cheer. It is crisp and zesty, with holiday flavors like cinnamon, nutmeg, and a dusting of orange peel.

Maui Coconut Hiwa Porter

Nothing says the holidays quite like a beer brewed in Hawaii. For some, the holidays means traveling to warm weather destinations. For others it just means drinking beers from them. And Maui Brewing’s dark porter uses the ingredient the island may be most famous for: coconuts! So, replace the chestnuts roasting on an open fire with the gift from the thriving island’s palm trees.

Mele Kalikimake with the best ales to usher in the cold weather and the holidays!

Hacks To Have More Energy

For many it is the go go go holidays – juggling work, family and a bundle of extra activities or chore…a bit of extra energy could be a big help

It is the go go go festive season. Between work, family, friends and the onslaught of holiday activities, it is easy to get a bit worn down. Add in extra eating and drinking and by the end of the month, a general fatigue can set in. Signs of Festive Burnout. It iis a state of physical, mental, and often emotional exhaustion triggered by prolonged exposure to stress. Sustained exposure to stress – like that of an extremely busy holiday – puts your body in fight or flight mode, and well… it gets stuck there. But here are some hacks to have more energy.

RELATED: Science Says Medical Marijuana Improves Quality Of Life

Over the long term, proper sleep, exercise, and a healthy diet will help your body resume a normal amount of energy.  Sleep is critical and during the holidays, not having enough or having alcohol in your system causing disruptive sleep, hits the body hard. But during the holidays, you need a perk which doesn’t include caffeine.  Although it increases alertness, it has limited effects for higher cognitive processes, and it cannot mask underlying tiredness over time.

Photo by Ron Lach via Pexels

Consider a slight adjustment in your day and the Power Nap. “A power nap, between 15 and 45 minutes, can improve memory and reduce fatigue for the rest of the day,” said Dr. Michael Grandner, director of the Sleep and Health Research Program at the University of Arizona in Tucson. “If you’re otherwise well rested, that kind of nap can actually boost performance pretty well.”

Do not leave it to chance, set an alarm, so it doesn’t become a long nap which later disrupts your sleep.

During the holidays most people drink and eat more, for energy load up and drink more water. It helps to flush out excess toxins, maintains regularity, transports nutrients and oxygen, and best of all, increases energy and helps fight fatigue.

RELATED: Yacht Rock Pairs Perfectly With Cocktails

Here are more hacks to have more energy.

Take 10 square breaths.
Breathe in for a slow count of 5. Hold for 5. Breathe out on 5. Hold for 5. This type of breathwork can shift your energy.

Stand up.
Taking breaks to stand, especially if you’ve been sitting for a long time, can wake up your muscles and get the blood flowing.

Eat a handful of shelled pistachios.
Pistachios give you a boost of protein and cell-supporting antioxidants. Plus, the act of removing the shells may help keep you from overeating.

Drink green tea.
Tea has less caffeine than coffee for a boost without the jitters—and beneficial plant chemicals.

Check in with a friend/coworker.
Being social can provide a boost of energizing self-esteem, even if it’s virtual.

Watch a funny video.
Laughter releases endorphins, the “feel-good” neurochemical, which can reduce your stress and refresh your mood.

Breathe in a whiff of peppermint essential oil.
Peppermint is known to help improve memory and increase alertness. You can add a few drops to a diffuser or take a sniff straight from the bottle.

Hope the hacks to have more energy during the holiday season will help and make your time more merry.

Do CBD Gummies Actually Work

It seems like they are everyone – online and in stores…but do CBD gummies actually work.

CBD has been touted as a gentle health aide a way to reduce stress, a way to sleep better and way to relax.  Found everywhere from Amazon to Walmart, you can pick it up – especially when you feel the need for help. But do CBD gummies actually work?

CBD comes from cannabidiol, one of the two best-known active compounds derived from the marijuana plant. The other is tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, which is the substance that that produces the “high” from marijuana. It can also be derived from hemp.

CBD does not get you high, but it can your consciousness. You may feel mellow, experience less pain, and be more comfortable. Some CBD products do contain small amounts of THC.

RELATED: Are CBD Drinks Legal?

Epidiolex is the only FDA-approved prescription CBD medicine, which among many things, means that it has a safety and efficacy profile that has been thoroughly evaluated in clinical trials. The rest of the CBD industry is going through growing pains  there’s a mess going on with plenty of important guidelines, like dosage, purity and strength of the product. One of the many problems this disarray causes is the variability among CBD products. While some might provide noticeable effects, others might not even contain enough CBD to register in your system.

Can CBD Be Used To Treat ADHD Symptoms?
Photo by Pharma Hemp Complex via Unsplash

 

Yes, there is evidence CBD works for some conditions, but certainly not all the conditions it is being promoted for these days. According to different CBD gummy manufacturers, these products can provide relief for a wide range of ailments, including pain, anxiety, inflammation, insomnia and even depression. These statements have no scientific accuracy, however, since few tests have been conducted have been limited to CBD oil.

Anecdotally, plenty of people believe in the effect of CBD gummies, although the dosage still causes some issues. While some claim to feel positive effects after consuming two gummies, others might have to up the dosage until they feel something. With all the hype surrounding CBD gummies, this “something” might also be imagined; a placebo effect could be at work making you feel like you should be experiencing some sort of sensation because you just ingested cannabis.

RELATED: These Are The 4 Biggest Problems With CBD Products

Although few scientific tests have been conducted, CBD oil has been associated with plenty of positive side effects, and all of these gummies, if purchased correctly, contain a good amount of oil. You can also expect some clarity in the near future, since the industry is growing and learning the nuance exists between the different cannabis products and plants.

As usual, if you’re interested in trying out a new cannabis product, go slow. Purchase a bottle of reviewed CBD gummies and start off with a slow dose, checking in with your body for any changes and/or improvements. The worst thing which could happen is you ingest a ton of sugar and start to feel a little drowsy.

What To Consider Before Giving Marijuana As a Gift

It is the time to play Santa to friends and family – but before you put a little special extra special under tree – you might want to consider these things

It is the most wonderful time of the year, unless you are stuck for what to give as a gift.  As marijuana legalization has spread with over 50% of the population having access to legal products, some are considering cannabis treats. It is natural as people can purchase and give weed, it would appear on the gift giving circuit. During the holidays 60.6% of people who purchased alcohol gave as a gift.

RELATED: Science Says Medical Marijuana Improves Quality Of Life

The mainstreaming of marijuana means it is joining in festival occasions. But what to consider before giving marijuana as a gift. You need to know the recipient and make sure they are going to enjoy the present or will it go the land of regifting or, worse, into the trash can.

cannabis gifts
Photo by megaflopp/Getty Images

Know if they indulge in anything. Do they drink, have the indicated they are open or are they already consumers? These are critical as you plan on a purchase.  If they drink and have shared they are open, maybe a couple of one time vapes or an edible would be perfect. Just like you wouldn’t give a casual friend Everclear, you wouldn’t want to give a strong joint or flower.

Read the room, especially if there are kids around.  If it is an intimate group, it might be better since you can explain and evaluate how the gift goes down.  Also, think about how you package it so it doesn’t have any sign or smell of what is in the box/bag/stocking.

RELATED: Yacht Rock Pairs Perfectly With Cocktails

Consider if they have any health issues medical marijuana can help.  Inflammation, back pain, trouble sleeping or light anxiety can all be helped the perfect present of an edible, oil, or ointment.

If they are not already consumers or very light consumers, consider gummies.  According to BDSA, gummies are the most popular product with almost 50% of people preferring this on-the-go treat.  Easy, flavorful and a great entry point, this could be a winner.

At most, make sure you give it in the right spirit to make it a merry season.

The Best Holiday Cannabis Cookies

Christmas cookies are acquired two ways by most Italian-Americans: someone painstakingly bakes them with love and some colorful language, or someone has to wait on line for 2+ hours at the local Italian Bakery. Unfortunately for people who like a little chill with their cheer, even “Nonna Marijuana” isn’t making these Brooklyn cookies with the good stuff, and they remain separate indulgences. Is is the recipe for the best holiday cannabis cookies.

Most Italian holiday cookies are heavily flavored with luscious almond, rich coconut, or dolloped with a dose of fruit jelly. This particular recipe is an allergy friendly and simple pleasure that doesn’t involve expensive and exotic ingredients, but still tastes like a cloud that some saint is chilling on. Thanks to the dose of weed-infused butter, you can climb up there yourself and take a look.

RELATED: Easy Holiday Whiskey Cocktails

The Lemon Italian Cloud Cookie has a perfect crumble, disintegrating into a tart, sugary, buttery (and now weed spiked) treasure. Try this recipe if you want a less complicated introduction into the delicious cookie culture of the paisanas who raised me. My Mom and aunts put so much lemon on food and drinks every Christmas Eve that we started a drinking game. Everyone yells “LEMON!” and takes a sip of their drink whenever one of them says the word lemon.

Photo by Danielle Guercio

Italian Lemon Cloud Cookies

    • 3 eggs
    • 2 ½ cups flour
    • ½ cup butter (½ stick regular unsalted, ½ stick weed infused butter* or one stick of infused if you dare)
    • 1 cup powdered sugar
    • 1 Tbs and 2 tsp baking powder
    • ¼ tsp salt
    • ¼ tsp vanilla extract
    • 2-3 drops lemon essential oil

Lemon Glaze:

    • 1 cup powdered sugar
    • Juice of 1 lemon
    • ⅛ tsp vanilla extract
    • 2 drops lemon essential oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees prepare a workspace covered with wax paper for wire racks and icing station. Sift together dry ingredients in a bowl.

Photo by Danielle Guercio

In a separate bowl, beat eggs with hand mixer until well combined and frothy. Fold into dry ingredients gently

Photo by Danielle Guercio

Work in butter with mixer on low just until dough forms crumbs. On baking sheets with silicone mats or parchment paper, drop 1-inch balls of dough, leaving space as they will puff up significantly. Bake for 12 minutes, rotating once for even cooking. While cookies are in the oven, prepare the glaze mixing together all ingredients until incorporated. If icing is too thick, add a teaspoon of water.

RELATED: How To Be Discreet When Using Weed

Photo by Danielle Guercio

Remove cookies from oven and put on wire racks to cool When still warm but safe to handle, dip the top in icing and put on rack to dry. If you’re feeling extra fancy hit the cookies with fresh lemon zest while the icing is still warm. Allow to fully cool before storing, keep up to three weeks in a sealed container, a month in the fridge, or indefinitely in the freezer

Photo by Danielle Guercio

Cannabutter

Decarboxylate 3.5g of finely ground cannabis at 225 degrees for 20 minutes in a tightly sealed, oven safe container. Put in lidded mason jar or vacuum sealed bag with cannabis and 1 stick of butter. Heat in water bath just under boiling for at least 1 hour. Strain and chill butter to use in recipes.

These cookies are so delicious and perfect for taking you to another dimension when the kitchen gets too hot with political chat or drama. The light but real lemon flavor comes from using a good quality essential oil like Young Living’s Lemon instead of fake-tasting grocery store extracts. It compliments the subtle cannabis flavor and also helps prevent anxiety from overindulging in cannabis–or politics.

Photos: Danielle Guercio [Instagram @danizig]

Data Debunks Major Myth About Legal Marijuana

The swirl of myths around legal marijuana has been around since the 1920s and Reefer Madness, but now a new study ends one

In the 1930s the US went into a tizzy about cannabis. The government financed a movie named ‘Reefer Madness’ which laid the groundwork for a long term marijuana misconception.  Part of the plot showed evidence of how the lives of four high school students, lured to try marijuana by a drug pusher, spiraled out of control. The movie included a hit and run accident, suicide, homicide, rape, and the rapid descent of marijuana users into madness. The evidence in Reefer Madness was later proven to be utterly false. But a myth was born.

RELATED: Science Says Medical Marijuana Improves Quality Of Life

Anti-marijuana advocates have long said legal marijuana would cause underage use to soar. It is agreed until the age of 21, the brain is still developing. Marijuana, along with alcohol and other drug use, has an impact. Unlike the Camel cigarette campaign, the cannabis industry has been careful to avoid promoting to kids. Now, data debunks major myth about legal marijuana and youth consumption.

Photo by VICTOR HABBICK VISIONS/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY/Getty Images

The 2022 Monitoring the Future (MTF) survey, conducted by the University of Michigan with funding from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)—found that rates of past-year cannabis use “remained stable for all three grades surveyed,” remaining below pre-pandemic usage levels even as more state marijuana markets opened and expanded for adults.

“There have been no substantial increases at all,” Marsha Lopez, chief of NIDA’s epidemiological research branch. “In fact, they have not reported an increase in perceived availability either, which is kind of interesting.”

RELATED: Yacht Rock Pairs Perfectly With Cocktails

They reported use for almost all substances decreased dramatically between 2020 and 2021, after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and related changes like school closures and social distancing. In 2022, most reported substance use among adolescents held steady at these lowered levels, and these latest data show that this trend has continued this year. In 2023, 10.9% of eighth graders, 19.8% of 10th graders, and 31.2% of 12th graders reported any illicit drug use in the past year.

Facts are important when it comes to marijuana legalization. Especially considering the benefits it has for anxiety, PTSD and more.

Science Shows Us How To Pick The Perfect Present

It is the time of year to think about others – and what will excite them when they open a gift

We have been trained you want to give the perfect Christmas gift, and nothing is worse than seeing disappointment on someone’s face when they open your gift.  The wallet opens and the heart opens as people pick something special for those in their life. Not only can it be fiscally stressful, but it can be emotion al make sure they LOVE what you give.  Well, science shows up how to pick the perfect present. Gift giving is an art.  And there is a study looking at the about it. For real, here is some data around gift giving.


via GIPHY

The research, led by Jeff Galak of Carnegie Mellon University, says gift-givers tend to look for presents offering the recipient a moment of awe or surprise, one which will put a big smile from them during the moment of  the exchange. These are good and valid reasons to give a gift, but people tend to forget about a few things when we buy presents; is the person really going to use this? Will the present be of value over time? Is the giver looking for instant gratification? 

It’s tough, but the study recommends to pull ourselves out of the equation, to be a little less selfish – we know it’s hard – and to try to give a gift that will be long lasting and that will truly matter. Several people think use gift giving as a way to change a person, not celebrating who they are.


via GIPHY

The research demonstrates giving presents is complicated because gift givers and recipients are thinking about totally different things. Gift recipients want something that they’ll actually use or enjoy and will stand the test of time, It may be something not be so cool while unwrapping at a Christmas party.

Bottom line is, during Christmas when you really want to buy your friend a tree ornament that looks amazing and they’ve been eyeing for a while, it will definitely pay off to hold back on those eggnog induced feelings and buy them something that you know they’ll need in the future. 


via GIPHY

When To Drink Coffee For The Biggest Effect

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On average, the energy that coffee provides lasts for a good six hours, but it can be influenced by a variety of factors.

Coffee is a must have for the well being of a large percentage of people. Whether you need it to function in the morning, midday or both, coffee helps us concentrate and get work done. But it also has some negative side effects, especially if you overdo it.

Caffeine is present in a lot of beverages, piling on throughout the day if you’re not careful. Having too much of it could result in a brain that’s overexerted, anxiety, muscle twitches and that insomnia that strikes if you have a coffee past 6 p.m.

RELATED: 9 Things That Happen To Your Body When You Drink Too Much Coffee

These Are The Worst Things You Can Add To Your Coffee
Photo by Fahmi Fakhrudin via Unsplash

On average, the energy that coffee provides lasts for a good six hours, but it can be influenced by a variety of factors. According to The Huffington Post, your age, biology and relationship with coffee could explain why coffee didn’t have as strong of an effect when you were a kid as it does now.

RELATED: Science Does Not Support Your Coffee Addiction—Here’s How To Choose The Healthiest Cup

“What we’re learning is every cell of our body has its own biological clock. If you use caffeine… to wake your brain up, it doesn’t necessarily mean the rest of your body is on the same time zone. You may be up, but you may feel sluggish,” said Zhaoping Li, professor of medicine at the University of California, to The Huffington Post. “How our body responds to food, nutrients, including caffeine, it is highly variable. Each individual may have their own sweet spot.”

this is how much coffee is safe to drink each day
Photo by Sara Johnston via Unsplash

As much as coffee’s effectiveness varies, according to The Healthy, for a large percentage of people the best time to have coffee is in the afternoon. This is due to the fact that the minute you wake up, your body is high on cortisol, the stress hormone. This element makes you feel alert, but also a little rough, which is why the world is not full of morning people.

RELATED: What Too Much Coffee Can Do To Your Endocannabinoid System

Drinking your coffee mid-morning will provide you with that much needed energy. Says Sherry Ross, MD: “The studies are inconsistent, but it’s thought that waiting until mid-morning—when cortisol levels are lower—is better since caffeine increases this feel-good hormone later in the day.”

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