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Is It OK To Refer To The Queen As Your Royal Highness

Patricia Wallace
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Is It OK To Refer To The Queen As Your Royal Highness

You probably think you’re abiding by royal etiquette when you refer to the queen as Her Royal Highness. It’s also a nice way to write about her when you’ve used the term “the queen” too many times. Is it ok to refer to the queen as your royal highness? No, the proper term is Her Majesty.

The queen’s full title is (takes a deep breath) “Elizabeth II, by the Grace of God, of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and of her other realms and territories Queen, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith.”

She’s simply referred to as Her Majesty the Queen on the Royal Family’s official website.

RELATED: 5 Etiquette Tips In Case You Ever Meet A Royal

If you ever find yourself getting ready to meet the queen, here’s how it should go down. After being presented to the Queen (nobody is ever “introduced,” they are “presented”), tradition calls for you to address her as “Your Majesty.” For example, “I’m pleased to meet you, Your Majesty.”  After that, you want to use “Ma’am. ” So, if the Queen asks how you are, your reply should be something like:  “I’m good, Ma’am.” However, you can also use “Your Majesty.”

Your Royal Highness is reserved for royal women of lesser status, like Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle.

Similarly, the proper way to address a king is “Your Majesty,” and thereafter as “Sir.”

Science: How Marijuana Works To Help Those With Multiple Sclerosis

Richard Faulk
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Science: How Marijuana Works To Help Those With Multiple Sclerosis

Multiple sclerosis is a neurological disease in which the immune system attacks the fatty protein that protects our nerve cells. The exposed and damaged (i.e. “sclerotic”) nerves lose their ability to transmit signals, and this results in a wide array bad results, including numbness, dizziness, itching, and blurred vision. More than half of people who suffer from MS experience pain, muscle stiffness or spasticity, and cognitive impairment.

It’s those last three symptoms that have been most studied in relation to medical marijuana.

RELATED: Marijuana Can Help The 12 Million Patients Suffering From Spasticity

What’s the Good News? Cannabis eases spasticity and muscle stiffness.

In double-blind, placebo controlled trials, MS patients who use cannabis oil, synthetic THC, or an oral-spray blend of THC and CBD have reported feeling relief from muscle stiffness and spasms. At least one has shown a “highly significant” difference in spasticity between cannabis users and nonusers. Another quantified that difference as an almost twofold improvement.

What is felt, however, is not necessarily what can be proven. Despite patients reporting strong improvements, a European study from 2005 could only determine a “small treatment effect” by objective measures.

And there’s more:

The same studies found reduced pain and improved sleep.

RELATED: Here’s How Marijuana Helps A Father Of Two Living With Multiple Sclerosis

What’s the Bad News? Weed can addle your brains.

In the past five years, the first studies to specifically examine the effect of cannabis on the mental clarity of MS patients have emerged. And they confirm that cannabis can worsen the cognitive problems caused by the disease. A small study from 2011 concluded that patients who treated their MS with “street cannabis” (how charmingly lurid!) experienced “significantly worse” mental functions, such as processing speed, memory, and executive functions. They were also twice as likely as nonusers to be cognitively impaired. An even smaller study from 2014 found similar results.

What Do the Pros Say?

  • In a 2014 overview of the medical literature, the American Academy o>on”>f Neurology (AAN) concluded that cannabis oil, synthetic THC, and THC-CBD blend oral spray are all “probably effective” to treat the “patient-reported” spasticity and pain of MS.As for smoked pot, there’s not yet enough evidence for the AAN to decide.
  • The National Multiple Sclerosis Society supports access to medical marijuana and more research on potential benefits and harms of using the drug to treat MS.

Blockchain Technology Hopes To Keep CBD Honest

Alana Armstrong
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Olympic silver medal skier, Devin Logan, is wrapping up a three-month suspension for using a cannabis-based product she says contained higher-than-allowed levels of the banned substance, THC.

Logan expressed her disappointment on social media, saying that she made a serious mistake that she regrets completely. She explains that she was using a CBD product that she trusted did not contain more than trace amounts of THC, a cannabinoid banned by most sports organizations, only to find out by USADA that, in fact, the tests came back positive.

The product Logan took was listed as having only trace amounts of THC — which is banned above certain thresholds by the World Anti-Doping Agency — but clearly contained more. This isn’t the first time an athlete has taken a product that had wrong information on the ingredients label — plenty of athletes have been disqualified because the nutritional supplements they used were laced with anabolic steroids — but Logan’s case appears to be the first-of-its-kind in the United States involving cannabidiol (CBD) drops.

RELATED: Is CBD A Rising Star Or Just Popular Fad?

As marijuana and marijuana-based products become more widely legalized and accepted, supplements using CBD are becoming more prevalent.

While athletes are allowed to use CBD, most sports organizations have banned THC and other cannabinoids found in cannabis; anyone taking CBD to manage pain and other symptoms is at risk of making the same mistake as Logan if they aren’t careful.

Now, instead of getting any mention on social media, the maker of the CBD oil that caused Logan’s THC-positive test and the subsequent ban is getting no love from the slopestyle star. And that’s a big deal for a company that can’t use conventional advertising — as is the way with cannabis — yet deigns to carve out a piece of the multi-billion dollar CBD industry. When it comes to cannabis, murky and misleading labels are a leading cause of brand death.

One company keeping the industry honest is doing so using blockchain technology. BlockStrain is a user-generated immutable ledger that collects, validates and stores all of the information about a product on a stable digital platform. Once entered, the data can’t be altered, only built upon, effectively eliminating the need for third-party trust organizations. BlockStrain CEO, Robert Galarza, says that while blockchain technology carries a bad rap as a cryptocurrency when it comes to protecting the integrity of data, it’s the best. BlockStrain registers and tracks data from the plant to the finished product so that customers have uncompromised information about what is in their cannabis-dosed product.

For instance, if you want to know the origins of a bottle of BlockStrain’s newest partner, AKESO CBD water, you just open the camera on your smartphone, scan the code and see for yourself. The data include real-time test results, certificates of authenticity, and any additional product information the producer would like to showcase.

RELATED: Despite CBD’s Popularity, Americans Still Don’t Understand Its Effects And Capabilities

In the cannabis market, Galarza is seeing labs being shopped for, not based on pricing but based on the results they can promise clients. With AKESO, they are combining high-end water with full-spectrum hemp-derived CBD and want to offer full disclosure of the contents of each bottle.

Galarza says that this is a great way for the “good players” of the industry to educate consumers about what’s in their product, or, what’s not in the product and why. Had Logan been afforded this level of honesty, she wouldn’t have been sidelined over the winter, but she takes full responsibility and hopes this will be the last case of accidental THC doping in sports.

Old Marijuana Edibles: To Eat or Not To Eat?

Mary Schumacher
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Old Marijuana Edibles: To Eat or Not To Eat?

It’s always exciting to find something you love and thought lost. Such is the case with edibles. But at what point do they become something you wish you never found in the first place? When stumbling upon a delicious, yet old AF cannabis-infused treat, you need to ask yourself one question: Is this still okay to eat?

Edibles differ from smoking in many ways, from when you get high to the duration of the high to the quality of the high. To simplify: it takes around an hour for an edible to kick in, it can last anywhere from four to 12 hours depending on potency, and the high itself is intense in its own way. Some people see minor tracers with edibles or feel utterly euphoric. Pay attention though — overdoing it on edibles can be a miserable, bedridden mess. 

RELATED: 8 Things You Need To Know About Eating Marijuana Edibles

The basic rule is to treat edibles like any other food items. If it has dairy in it and has been left out for more than a few days, you’ll want to smell it before taking a chance and even that’s not foolproof.

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If it’s vegan and made with a stable oil like coconut, it’s more likely to still be good, though it may have gone a little stale.

The best thing to do with edibles when you get them is to put them in the refrigerator or freezer, depending on how many you have and how long you want them to keep. Generally, a dairy filled goodie will last around a week in the fridge, while you can keep many edibles for up to six months in the freezer.

Maybe even more than spoilage, however, you’re wondering about the potency of the edible and if it’s going to hold its mettle. The answer is a resounding yes. Some people even claim on social threads that the edibles they have get more potent the longer they go without being eaten.

RELATED: Are Marijuana Edibles Better For Your Brain Than Smoking?

Hard candies and gummies likely last the longest without refrigeration or freezing. The gummies might lose their chewiness over time, but they’re not likely to spoil. Hard candies are the edible to stock up on if you’re going on a trip where you can’t be smoking, but still want to be elevated.

For the most part, you’re just going to be using common sense with the aging edibles. If you see any mold? Toss it and get or make some more. If it’s stale? That’s you and your palate’s call.

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Remember to do the smell test if they’ve been sitting out and keep others preserved with the cold. Bon appetit!

Kentucky’s Medical Marijuana Would Be Tightly Regulated

Mike Adams
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Kentucky’s Medical Marijuana Would Be Tightly Regulated

Although the question of whether to legalize medical marijuana in Kentucky has not been given much consideration over the past several years, the issue, which is supported by Governor Matt Bevin, appears to be gaining some traction in the 2019 legislative process.

However, while bill would allow tens of thousands of patients to use marijuana for a variety of health conditions, the proposed program design might not be exactly what most patients were hoping for.

It was just last week that the House Judiciary Committee put its seal of approval on a bill (HB136) intended to legalize medical marijuana in Kentucky. The measure, which was pushed through in a vote of 16-to-1, would give patients dealing with conditions ranging from chronic pain to Multiple Sclerosis the ability to purchase and use certain forms of herb from a dispensary for therapeutic use.

RELATED: Opioid Deaths Abound, But Kentucky Gov. Refuses To Legalize Marijuana

The only catch is the bill is designed to get the most medicinal benefits out of the drug as possible without paving the way for abuse.

For starters, smoking medical marijuana would not be permitted under the law. Lawmakers believe that if the plant is going to be used as medicine than it should look that way. Only cannabis products like pills and oils would be allowed under the bill. And those products would be restricted to 70 percent THC.

So, even though someone with a pain condition could qualify for participation in the state’s medical marijuana program, their use would be tightly regulated. Any registered patient that continues to use flower, smokable forms, would still be subject to arrest and prosecution.

Of course, it goes without saying that the program would not allow home cultivation of any kind. All of the cannabis would be grown and distributed by state-licensed cannabis companies.

To complicate matters further, the program would not be workforce friendly. It would give employers the right to discriminate against patients. The lawmakers responsible for the measure say it is only fair.

“If an employer chooses to have a drug free work zone, that is their privilege to do so,” said Representative Diane St. Onge. “Now, if they have not indicated that in their policy, and someone is hired and they’re an employee, and then there’s an incident that happens, the employee has recourse, in the sense that this was not something they were aware of from the beginning.”

RELATED: Kentucky GOP Lawmaker Chose Marijuana Over Opiates To Battle Cancer

Kentucky’s medical marijuana program would be set up very similar to how states like New York and Minnesota started out in the beginning. The only difference is Kentucky’s would allow patients with chronic pain to gain access right out of the gate. Statistics have shown that pain conditions are the real money makers in the medical marijuana business. So that might be the only aspect of the program that actually saves it from utter failure. Still, limiting medical marijuana products to only pills and oils has historically jacked up the cost of patient participation, and these types of program are not covered under any kind of health insurance. It is conceivable that some of the projected 60,000 patients would spend thousands of dollars per month to have this medicine.

The bill is now set to go before the full House for a vote.

Governor Bevin has indicated that he would sign the bill if it crosses his desk.

Gwyneth Paltrow Says Jeff Bezos Ghosted Her; J-Lo Not Bothered By Cheating Rumors

Naughty Gossip
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Jennifer Lopez ‘heard the cheating rumors in the past & has never let it bother her’

Jennifer Lopez is turning the other cheek after Jose Canseco accused her new fiancé, Alex Rodriguez, of being unfaithful.

“She’s heard the cheating rumors in the past and has never let it bother her,” a source tells Us Weekly exclusively. “She trusts him and his love. They are inseparable and together almost all of the time. Jose Canseco has an ax to grind, but she doesn’t hear the noise.”

Gwyneth Paltrow says Jeff Bezos ghosted her

While in conversation with CNN anchor Poppy Harlow at SXSW on Monday morning, the Goop creator revealed that the Amazon founder got in touch with her following a December Wall Street Journal article, only to leave her hanging.

“In the Wall Street Journal, they asked me about my mentors, like you have, and I said, ‘Oh sometimes I, like, cold call people,’ and they said, ‘Well has anyone not called you back?’ And I said, ‘Yes, Jeff Bezos,’” she told an audience at the Austin Convention Center.

RELATED: Is Alex Rodriguez Cheating On J-Lo?; Gwyneth Paltrow Spoofs Herself On ‘SNL’

“So after that came out, I got an email and the subject was ‘Jeff Bezos.’ And the sender was Jeff Bezos! The body of the email said, ‘Hi there Gwyneth, the Wall Street Journal told me you wanna talk to me.’ So, I wrote him back and then he wrote me and then I said, ‘I would die for the opportunity to sit down and ask you a bunch of questions’ … and he never wrote me back,” she explained.

The actress-turned-wellness guru continued, “He’s got a lot going on.”

“He’s, like, the only guy who never wrote you back,” Harlow, 36, said with a laugh.

Kim Kardashian to cover released prisoner rent

Thanks to Kim Kardashian West, one of the first inmates released after federal sentencing reforms won’t have to worry about rent for five years.

Matthew Charles told The Tennessean last week that he couldn’t find permanent housing since his Jan. 3 release, in part due to his criminal history.

RELATED: Kim Kardashian Advocates For More Nonviolent Drug Offenders

But on Sunday, Charles announced that Kardashian West, an advocate for criminal justice reform, will be helping him out. He said she’s not doing it to get attention, but he just had to share it.

Convicted of a nonviolent drug offense in 1996, Charles received national attention because he was ordered back to prison in 2018, two years after his sentence was ruled unfair.

5 Ways You Can Play Matchmaker To Your Friends Without Being Annoying

Maria Loreto
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Taking on the role of matchmaker can be fun and empowering, because who could bring two amazing friends together if not someone who rules the world?

Dates devised by friends and acquaintances have an added layer of seriousness to them that can’t be obtained from Tinder or Bumble, potentially putting you in an awkward position. What if the two people you introduce hate each other? What if they date and then one person ghosts the other? Is it all your fault? Probably.

Although taking on the mantle of matchmaker demands some kid gloves, the most important factor is that you keep a certain amount of distance. Here are five things you can to do make this process smoother and easier for everyone involved.

Get permission

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RELATED: 8 Tips That Make For Super-Successful First Dates

Don’t set up people who don’t want to be set up, no matter how charming and awesome they are or how cute you think they’d be as a couple. It’s important to respect your friends’ boundaries when it comes to dating, never being that pushy person who constantly asks single people why they’re single.

Make sure that they are similar people

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Similar lifestyles are important. This includes their age, interests, behaviors, and more. If two people enjoy regular workouts and are always looking to travel, then there’s two things right from the get go that they can talk about on their first date. Try to picture your friends together and imagine if they’d have fun together and if they’d laugh about the same things.

Figure out how you’re going to introduce them 

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Talk to each friend individually and gauge their interest in meeting the “other” person. If you get a “thumbs up,” then give them each other’s contact information or make an intro via Facebook — whatever they prefer — and let them do their thing. If one party is interested and the other one isn’t, it could be a little awkward, but it’s also not the end of the world. Lie or be honest to them, you know your friend better we do.

Control your excitement

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RELATED: 5 First Date Rules You Should Forget About

The prospect of two of your close friends dating can be an exciting one, but it’s important for you to control yourself and not build things up too much; dating is hard enough already and you hyping things up will only add more pressure to the situation. Let your friends communicate on their own and get to know each other in their own way…and on their own time.

Support your friends no matter the outcome

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Your friends will still be your friends no matter the outcome, even if their date was the worst thing ever or if they fell madly in love. Offer support and laugh along with them, letting  them know that it’s okay to have bad dates and that sometimes people aren’t a good fit for each other. If your matchmaking is successful then celebrate! And don’t let it get to your head.

Eating The Same Lunch Every Day Might Help You Cope With Stress

Maria Loreto
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An abundance of options contributes to anxiety and overthinking, which can lead to different behaviors in some people. And that’s exactly why some people avoid being put in this position at all. While some choose to dress the same every day for the office, others willfully choose to eat the same meals for their days in the office.

The Atlantic interviewed some of these people, with one guy reporting that he’s had PB & J sandwiches for the majority of his lunches over a 25 year period. When asked why, he says that he really loves the sandwich and that it’s perfect ot eat at his desk because it’s not particularly messy.

RELATED: The Good News: Check Out These 5 Health Benefits Of Stress

People interviewed argue that the practice keeps them healthy, saves them money, time and stress. “I would be perfectly happy to eat the same Caesar salad or peanut-butter-and-jelly sandwich every day,” says Chloe Cota, a computer engineer from New York City.  She explains that keeping this routine reduces her “cognitive overhead,” freeing space in her mind for things that are more important to her than a varied diet. Cota got the idea from notorious tech geniuses Steve Jobs and Mark Zuckerberg, who wear the same clothes every day in order to get rid of the fatigue that comes with decision making.

Other people who repeat meals claim that this practice is especially useful when they have stressful and time consuming jobs, giving them complete control over one task.

RELATED: Science Tells Us Why Being Stressed Out Make Us Sick

Eating the same thing five times a week sounds particular and maybe a little boring, but there’s nothing wrong with it. Nutritionists said that it’s okay as long as the chosen meal is healthy and provides the necessary nutrients for a balanced diet.

If a varied diet isn’t a priority for you, you might give this idea a shot and spend your newly acquired time stressing about other things. Like dinner and snacks.

Here’s What The New Royal Baby Will (And Won’t) Be Eating

Amy Hansen
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Here’s What The New Royal Baby Will (And Won’t) Be Eating

The blessed child is almost here! Meghan Markle and Prince Harry are expecting their first baby this spring. And while many have speculated that the Duchess is going to pop in late April or early May, last week she was overheard saying  “We’re nearly there!” so, really, it could be any day.

So, what will this little bundle be eating? Certainly not French fries and mac and cheese, which are some of Markle’s favorite foods. Nope. This kid is going to be eating much better, actually. Like, farm-to-table cuisine.

PureWow did some royal research to find out what, exactly, royal babies are allowed to eat. And it’s kinda boring, unless you grew up eating baby food out of a jar and formula like a plebeian. If so, this list will make you wish your parents had watched “Baby Boom” a few times so they could at least make some homemade applesauce for special occasions. Here are 3 interesting food facts when it comes to the diets of babies born into royalty.

Breastfeeding is okay now

That’s right. New moms were always told they couldn’t breast feed until Princess Diana came along. Up until then, a wet nurse was in charge of the feeding schedule, so it wasn’t really an option. Kate Middleton also breastfed George, according to The Mirror.  It’s been reported that Markle will also breastfeed (in public!) in an attempt to “normalize” the natural behavior.

RELATED: Kate Middleton And Prince William’s Go-To Takeout Food Revealed

Store-bought baby food is not okay

According to PureWow, the royal family’s longtime chef, Darren McGrady, who was responsible for both William and Harry’s baby food, told TODAY he’s never seen any of the royal babies with packaged food because there are enough personal chefs to cater to everyone in the palace. Include babies.

Homemade fruit purees are preferred

McGrady also told TODAY that William and Harry feasted on pureed steamed apples and pears from the queen’s own country house in Sandringham.

“As they got older, you’d have one chef in the kitchen doing the chicken, one doing the veg, and then it would all be blended together; it was a major operation cooking for them,” he said.

RELATED: Prince William And His Bodyguard Can’t Get Enough Of This Fast Food Chain

The royal family prefers to eat the food produced from their estates, like dairy from their own cows, chickens from their own coops, and vegetables from their own gardens. Yeah, this impending royal baby is going to have it pretty good.

Some Of Claire’s Make-Up Products May Have Asbestos In Them

Maria Loreto
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Some Of Claire’s Make-Up Products May Have Asbestos In Them

Claire’s, the place of your childhood dreams, is also a place infected with a potentially cancerogenous toxin. Aside from the fact that the company is at the brink of bankruptcy, the Food and Drug Administration has recently accused Claire’s of selling asbestos-laced products, including eye shadow, contour palettes and compact powder.

RELATED: Urban Decay Will Release A Make-Up Line Inspired By ‘Game Of Thrones’

The FDA reports that it’s not uncommon for asbestos to end up in beauty products, “often found near talc, an ingredient in many cosmetic products.” Talc used for cosmetics can easily get contaminated with asbestos when mining sites are not selected carefully and when the necessary steps for purification are not followed closely.

For their part, Claire’s issued a statement through their Twitter and is removing the three make-up items from their stores. They argue that their products are safe and that the FDA mischaracterized their fibers as asbestos in their testing.

Since the 90S are long gone and you can find glittery makeup in plenty of other places, we’d advice you to take your children to other stores, at least until Claire’s is cleared from the FDA’s accusations.

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