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Does Dakota Johnson Smoke Weed

Dakota Johnson is in the news again about her relationship with Chris Martin, but what we want to know is does she consume.

Dakota Johnson is known for her role in the “50 Shades of Grey” movies, and for being the daughter of Melanie Griffith and Don Johnson. After her contract was up, Johnson made the decision to use her spotlight to work with great directors, resulting in some really great films (no offense to “50 Shades”).  In addition, she is the partner of Coldplay’s Chris Martin. She was seen with her mother Melanie Griffith at the Coldplay concert at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, CA earlier this week.

Extremely private, she appeared all over social media again in 2020 due to some comments she made in 2017 that made some people question her sexuality. Of course, Twitter ate it up, making fancams, memes, and all sorts of viral posts about the unearthed info.

RELATED: Study Shows Women Who Use Marijuana Have Better….

Okay, but what we really want to know is: Does she smoke marijuana?

Johnson is pretty outspoken. Despite her privacy regarding her personal relationships, she’s open with the media, and has been the subject of some pretty epic clap backs against famous hosts. During a 2019 interview, Jimmy Fallon kept interrupting Johnson until she told him to stop. As for Ellen, Johnson called her out for missing her birthday party.

While doing press for one of the “50 Shades” movies, Johnson said that CBD was her secret when it comes to getting sleep while traveling. “I try to knock myself out on planes; otherwise my whole world falls apart,” she told Elle Magazine

Everything You Need To Know About Cannabis And Hemorrhoids
Photo by Cappi Thompson/Getty Images

RELATED: Does Joss Whedon Smoke Weed?

But that doesn’t really tells us much about her stance on weed, especially since every celebrity uses CBD. More interestingly, last year, she was photographed holding a MedMen shopping bag.  Her partner Chris Martin shared this with Rolling Stone “Personally, weed really does nothing for me”.  So it seems the Medmen may be for personal use.

Factors Affecting Your Cannabis High

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A hit from a bong can be much harder to manage for inexperienced users than a hit from a joint. Get to know the different ways of consuming cannabis and tread carefully if it’s your first time.

Getting high is a simple process yet one that can be affected by many different factors. A lot has been said about cannabis and just how little is known about the plant. One of the most interesting parts of consuming it is how it can vary greatly depending on the user, with some people loving its effects and others claiming that it makes them feel paranoid and anxious.

Cannabis leads to very personal and introspective experiences, affecting users differently, but there are a few outside factors that can influence how your body responds to the drug. Here are 5 factors you can play with in order to have better control of your marijuana high.

Method  

How To Get Edibles To Affect You Faster
Photo by Tree of Life Seeds via Pexels

RELATED: COVID-19 Pandemic Is Increasing Global Demand For Marijuana

The most influencing factor on this list is the method in which you consume cannabis. Consuming an edible, smoking a joint or taking a hit from a bong result in very different highs. For example, edibles take longer to have an effect but produce much stronger and long lasting highs than joints or bongs. A hit from a bong can be much harder to manage for inexperienced users than a hit from a joint. Get to know the different ways of consuming cannabis and tread carefully if it’s your first time.

Dosage

do cannabis products over promise and under deliver
Photo by Jamie Grill/Getty Images

Dosages are also very important. A wrong one can either put you to sleep or prompt a really anxious state of mind. When trying out a new strain, consuming an edible or dabbing, the dose you choose can make or break your high. Do your research and always start off slow. Here’s an essential THC dosing guide for marijuana beginners.

Tolerance

How To Sniff Out Free Weed At A Party
Photo courtesy of Cannaclusive/Flickr

How experienced you are with the plant dictates how well you’ll adapt to it. Tolerance is personal, changing from user to user and making it likely for you and a friend to have different dosing levels even if you share similar body types and level of experience with the plant. The more you consume cannabis, the more you’ll get a feel for your tolerance level.

Location

Photo by Colton Duke via Unsplash

RELATED: Study Suggests Women Are More Sensitive To THC Than Men

Setting is vital when it comes to marijuana, dictating how the high will hit you. If you’re in a crowded or an empty space you might end up with different highs, having more of a party mood in the former scenario or a couch-like high in the latter. If you’re a beginner, the best way to consume marijuana would be to do so in a space that feels safe with friends you trust.

Strain

Blending Marijuana
Photo by MStudioImages/Getty Images

THC and CBD focused strains produce different effects — one contains psychedelics (THC) and the other will leave you relaxed and likely unable to do more than sit on the couch. Do your research and try out different types, sticking with the one that you like best and that works more with your body type. Here’s what to know about vaping CBD.

How CBD Works With Your Body’s Cannabinoid System

The endocannabinoid system plays a significant role by increasing the levels of endocannabinoids and receptors in areas of pain and stress, which helps to restore equilibrium.

Chronic or acute pain, stress, fatigue: CBD works in the body in all of these situations, because of the existing endocannabinoid system. Your body already has CB1 receptors located throughout the peripheral, central nervous system, and CB2 receptors located throughout the immune system, and also in the muscles, and skeleton.

Your body, when there’s episodes of pain, stress, or fatigue, develops a stress response. A system primarily mediated by the hypothalamic pituitary adrenal axis, cortisol, norepinephrine, epinephrine, serotonin, and dopamine. They all work in this fight or flight phenomenon which needs to be restored to equilibrium after the episode of stress, or pain.

This is where the endocannabinoid system comes in. It plays a significant role by increasing the levels of endocannabinoids and receptors in areas of pain and stress, which  helps to restore equilibrium and control the amount of inflammation or stress the body experiences in these settings. This system is already in place in your body. There’s CB1 and CB2 receptors, and the endocannabinoid (“endo” meaning coming from within and “cannabinoids” being the molecules). The cannabinoids — anandamide and 2-AG being the predominant ones — contribute to this termination of a stress response that is also reasonable and valuable in the setting of treating pain, stress, and symptoms of fatigue leading to problems with appetite, sleep disorders, chronic pain or inflammation.

The CB1 receptors are expressed throughout the peripheral and central nervous system in the GABA and glutaminergic nerve terminals, but there’s also effects of CB receptors in serotonin, norepinephrine and dopamine terminals in the central nervous system, the brain, the spinal cord, and in the peripheral nervous system.

RELATED: Everything You Need To Know About Your Endocannabinoid System

These nerves are found throughout the body and help us to feel our hands and feet, as well as to move our bodies, and be aware of sensation. The brain area where motor control lies is also where situations such as tremors or muscle spasm originate. These areas are also the source of memory and cognition impairment, which is impacted by anxiety, lack of sleep, stress or PTSD. This area is rich in CB1 receptors.

How Marijuana's THCV Can Positively Impact Your Life
Photo by Bacsica/Getty Images

CB2 receptors are located primarily in the immune system, the spleen, lymph nodes, and the bone marrow, but also in the musculoskeletal cells. These cells also respond to stimulation with CBD, so our endocannabinoids the body naturally produces (the anandamide and 2-AG) are found all over the body. But studies have shown in areas of chronic inflammation such as arthritic joints, there are higher concentrations of endocannabinoids suggesting the up regulation of those molecules, and an up regulation of the CB receptors similar to other body systems. When you need control of inflammation, the body brings additional receptors and additional endocannabinoids to the sites.

It makes sense CBD would be effective for stress management, the treatment of chronic non-cancer pain, insomnia, and anxiety, because it’s going to activate those same CB1 and CB2 receptors already exist over your entire body. This restores equilibrium and plays a significant role in terminating a stress response either due to chronic stress, inflammation, or pain.

Which Do You Need, CBD Extract Or CBD With THC

While CBD is a major player in treating an illness like severe seizures, it’s really an entourage effect makes the compound work.

Ever since the 2018 Farm Bill passed in the U.S., CBD has been a hot topic, to say the least. The legislation, which effectively legalizes industrial hemp, significantly opened the market for hemp-derived CBD. From cosmetics to salves to tinctures and more, it seems CBD is infused into everything these days.

In many ways, the CBD craze has gotten ahead of itself. Mainstream media and wellness experts praise cannabidiol as the swan of the cannabis plant, dismissing the rest of the cannabinoids as ugly ducklings. Consumers unfamiliar with cannabis may gravitate toward pure CBD extract, as CBD is often associated with many of marijuana’s health benefits.

But while CBD is the major player in treating an illness like severe seizures, it’s really an entourage effect makes the CBD work. The entourage effect, for those unfamiliar, is individual cannabinoids, like CBD, increase their efficacy when working in conjunction with other cannabinoids, like THC or CBN. This is true even when the presence of those other cannabinoids is minimal. The whole in this equation is greater than the sum of its parts.

RELATED: Do I Really Need Both CBD And THC?

While CBD is a powerful extract, it’s important for consumers to understand they could be losing some potency when choosing hemp-derived pure CBD vs. cannabis-derived CBD, which may contain low doses of THC.

Photo by razerbird/Getty Images

In a study titled “Potential Clinical Benefits of CBD-Rich Cannabis Extracts Over Purified CBD in Treatment-Resistant Epilepsy,” the conclusion reads, “There was a higher number of patients reporting improvement after using CBD-rich Cannabis extracts (318/447, 71%) than those treated with purified CBD (81/223, 36%), with valid statistical significance.”

RELATED: What Is Marijuana’s Entourage Effect And Why Should You Care?

CBD-rich cannabis extract is a very different thing than CBD isolate. Cannabis has many components range from other beneficial cannabinoids, including the still stigmatized THC. We haven’t even mentioned terpenes, which you also lose when choosing a pure CBD extract. Terpenes not only contribute to the flavor and aroma of the plant, but significantly engage in how the cannabinoids interact with our endocannabinoid system.

Photo by Yuji Kotani/Getty Images

Some zero-percent THC oils do have other non-psychoactive cannabinoids in them and are still able to be sold. The combinations likely make them more effective medications for any ailment, including anxiety, inflammation and depression, but there’s something about having a percentage of THC in there, pretty much no matter how small, to activate the rest of the potion.

The real-deal CBD medicine is CBD-rich. Some CBD-rich medicine has a 1:1 ratio with THC, some has 30:1 CBD:THC, and though they work miracles, they aren’t without their side effects. CBD-rich marijuana can cause diarrhea in large medicinal doses and may make one very, very sleepy. But when it’s a matter of severe illness, you have to weigh the pros and cons. It’s worth noting cannabis medicine has far fewer side effects than the prescriptions they replace in states where at least a little THC is allowed.

Can Cannabis Help My Obsessive Thinking

We don’t have all the facts on using cannabis to treat anxiety, obsessive thoughts, and obsessive-compulsive disorders. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t give it a try, however.

If you deal with anxiety, you’ve probably already experienced a common symptom of this mental health disorder — obsessive thinking. Individuals with anxiety get stuck in thought patterns of worry. Sometimes anxiety is focused on everyday activities and events, other people might get caught up in fears of unlikely or extraordinary events.

Whatever the worry that plagues you, it can be very hard to get relief from obsessive thoughts. Common treatment methods include medication and therapy, but could cannabis help you make progress in this area?

Cannabis and Anxiety

The relationship between cannabis and anxiety is a complicated one. While 47% of cannabis users report they turn to marijuana to get a break from the anxiety and depression, there are plenty of anecdotal reports of users experiencing paranoia and intensified anxious thoughts.

So does cannabis make anxiety and obsessive thoughts better or worse? It depends. Research suggests that a lower dose of THC, the psychoactive property of marijuana, reduces anxiety but higher doses will make it worse. If you’re looking at a THC-free cannabidiol, however, a high dose will provide more relief.

RELATED: Medical Cannabis Combats Anorexia’s Obsessive Thoughts

In 2019, the journal Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research reported the important role the endocannabinoid system plays in obsessive-compulsive disorder. While more research needs to be done, they do believe that cannabis could be used to manipulate the ECS and offer relief from anxious thoughts and repetitive behaviors.  

the potential of cbd and cannabis within the anxiety and autism community
Photo by Fernando @dearferdo via Unsplash

Try Micro-Dosing for Relief From Obsessive Thoughts

We don’t have all the facts on using cannabis to treat anxiety, obsessive thoughts, and obsessive-compulsive disorders. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t give it a try, however. Users with anxiety have reported success by micro-dosing marijuana for an extended period of time. A writer for Cosmopolitan took 2-5mg of THC every few hours over the course reported being significantly more chill over the course of experience. 

RELATED: Here’s What You Should Know About CBD & OCD

If this is something you want to try, we suggest starting slow and increasing over time. A tincture or edible will allow control over your THC consumption, allowing you to stick with a low dose when you need it. Remember to give yourself time to experience to full effects of THC to avoiding overdosing and experiencing a high, or increase anxiety that could be a side effect of a higher dose. If you do experience side effects, take a break and try again with a lower dose.

Do Edibles Hit You Harder Than Smoking Marijuana

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For the canna-newbie, it is hard to figure out the best way to reach your special place

Those new to marijuana, alcohol, grilling and other things have a period where they experiment to learn how to get the right groove.  Beer is less powerful than shots, you cook chicken a bit longer than beef, but there isn’t as much information about marijuana. Joints you might have more powerful THC, but you can instantly control intake.  Edibles, well, they are a bit different.  Do edibles hit you hard than smoking marijuana, depends on you.

Edibles are powerful and useful for all kinds of people, from those who are looking for a good time to those who want the medicinal benefits without the smoke. So, why do edibles produce such strong highs?

While edible highs are very strong and particular, what helps best in understanding the difference between these and the highs produced by smoking cannabis is the fact the body absorbs them differently. Two methods, two different highs, both with their pros and cons.

RELATED: Nobody Understands How High Edibles Will Make Them

Edibles are misunderstood, with beginners expecting a high similar to the one they’ve experienced with smoked marijuana; one could be anxious and stressful on occasion, but it fades away once an hour has passed. Edible highs are different in one key way: they take a while to kick in and they take even longer to fade away. Dosage is key, even if this remains something hard to control when you’re making the edible, purchasing it or eating it.

How Long Can Edibles Last?
Photo by Izabelle Acheson via Unsplash

When cannabis is ingested through the stomach, it is metabolized through the liver. This is a slower process, unlike smoked marijuana that’s absorbed through your blood stream and produces effects within less than 20 minutes. The fact that you have to wait for your stomach to break up the edible — for the compounds to be metabolized by the liver — until they’re finally absorbed in the bloodstream allows for people to assume the THC isn’t working (the phrase “I don’t feel anything” is common for edible newbies) promoting them to take another  dose.

RELATED: Why You Need To Be Careful Using Edibles The First Time

Once the edible is ingested, the THC is metabolized by the liver and transformed into 11-hydroxy-THC, a compound that’s four times faster in crossing the blood-brain barrier than THC. While many questions remain about cannabis compounds and the ways they interact with our endocannabinoid system, this process might shed a light on why edible highs are so much more vivid and surreal than flower highs.

Say Goodbye Grilling Season With The Ultimate Steak

Grilling is what we do from Memorial Day to Labor Day.  And who doesn’t love a great smoky steak hot off the grill? But fall has arrived, and a number of grill masters close the lid for the season and wait until spring. But here is a treat, say goodby grilling season with the ultimate steak!

I’m a Texan with rancher roots, who comes with a lot of experience in the grilling arena. But I have also learned tricks from the best chefs over the years. All experience combined, here is my favorite way to get my beef on.

Ingredients:

  • 1 Tbsp mustard
  • 2 Tbsp dried Herbs de Provence or Thyme
  • 2 tsp brown sugar
  • 2 Tbsp sea salt
  • 2 tsp fresh cracked black pepper
  • 4 fillet mignon steaks

Method:

  • Put the mustard, thyme, sugar, salt and pepper in a small bowl and mix to combine. Rub the mixture over the steaks and set aside for 30 minutes to marinate.
  • Preheat barbecue to medium heat.
  • Grilling time: For a 1-inch cut, grill 10 to 12 minutes for medium rare (145 degrees F) or 12 to 15 minutes for medium (160 degrees F).
  • Slice and serve with your favorite side. We like a bit of sauteed greens.  Top with extra salt and cannabutter if desired!  
  • Serves 4.

A few fun facts to chat about while you grill.  79 million Canadian and American grill or eat from a grill during the summer.  Over 5.5% grill every week.

Named one of the 100 Most Creative People in the US by Entertainment Weekly , Frankie captures images for some of the best names in culinary.  Frankie has helped create: The Art of the Bar: Cocktails Based on the Classics;The Model Bakery Cookbook; Miette: Recipes from San Francisco’s Most Charming Pastry Shop; The Green Eggs and Ham Cookbook and The Star Wars Cookbook Series. Follow her on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.

Medical Marijuana Might Help Cancer Pain

Cannabis research powerhouse Israel produces more cancer and medical marijuana data

 

Cannabis can not cure cancer, but it can help in a variety of ways including pain, neuropathy, nausea, appetite and more.  But for day to day life, pain and appetite have an oversized influence. Over half of patients  in cancer treatment and two thirds of those with advanced or terminal disease experience pain. Now studies are starting to take a deeper look into our medical marijuana can help with cancer pain.

Medical marijuana may be helpful for the management of cancer-related pain when conventional therapies are ineffective or are causing adverse effects. For patients with severe cancer pain, opioids are still considered the standard of treatment, but simultaneous use of marijuana may decrease pain signals in the brain, with additional anti-inflammatory properties. This could lead to a decrease in opioid dependence.

Medical marijuana can help those suffering from cancer-associated pain, as per a Technion study published Friday in the journal Frontiers in Pain Research. Almost half of the patients enrolled in the research discontinued their other pain medication after six months of medical cannabis treatment.

“Traditionally, cancer-related pain is mainly treated by opioid analgesics, but most oncologists perceive opioid treatment as hazardous, so alternative therapies are required,” said author David Meiri, an assistant professor at the Technion Israel Institute of Technology.

breast cancer
Photo by fstop123/Getty Images

RELATED: Science Says Medical Marijuana Improves Quality Of Life

According to the peer-reviewed research, medical cannabis helps lower the pain in oncology patients while also alleviating other symptoms as well. Patients fighting cancer are known to also suffer from depression, anxiety and insomnia, which can also negatively impact the treatment and prognosis.

While opioids are effective in reducing pain, they have numerous negative side effects. For example, the synthetic opioid fentanyl is highly addictive and can cause death by overdose. The U.S. is in the midst of an opioid crisis with two-thirds of overdose deaths accredited to illegal opioid fentanyl use.

To address this, federal health officials signaled they are willing to try new approaches to stem the tragedy. Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) Xavier Becerra announced that the Biden administration’s strategy to deal with the epidemic could include allowing supervised consumption sites.

Research Offers Hope 

It seems that this new Israeli research also provides hope that medical marijuana can be utilized as an alternative to opioids.  The study included certified oncologists who prescribed medical marijuana to their patients and reported on their progress.

RELATED: Cannabis And Breast Cancer: What A New Study Reveals

“Patients completed anonymous questionnaires before starting treatment, and again at several time points during the following six months,” said study co-author Gil Bar-Sela, associate professor at the Ha’Emek Medical Center Afula. “We gathered data on a number of factors, including pain measures, analgesics consumption, cancer symptom burden, sexual problems and side effects.”

Medical Marijuana Is Booming Amid The Coronavirus Pandemic
Photo by Bill Oxford/Getty Images

After analyzing all gathered data, the results revealed patients notably improved, and more importantly, their opioid use was reduced.

“Although our study was very comprehensive and presented additional perspectives on medical cannabis, the sex, age, and ethnicity, as well as cancer types and the stage of cancer meant the variety of patients in our study was wide-ranging,” Meiri said. “Therefore, future studies should investigate the level of effectiveness of medicinal cannabis in specific subgroups of cancer patients with more shared characteristics.”

 

 

 

5 Fun Websites Where You Can Learn A New Skill

Nowadays, you don’t need to be in a classroom in order to learn a skill. Here are 5 of the best websites that can teach you something new in a way that’s fun.

Learning new skills requires motivation and persistence. While some people thrive in school-like settings, others do not. An in today’s

Despite the fact that we’ve been very exposed to all sorts of screens and online activities throughout the past months, at this point in the pandemic, it’s natural to feel the urge to do something new, something that feels productive and nourishing. Luckily, there’s tons of websites out there designed to cater to people’s different set of needs and interests.

Basics with Babish

COVID introduced people to their kitchen and inspired people to expand cooking skills. But generally, everyone can still use a little help in terms of learning cooking skills and in finding some new recipes to keep our lives a little less boring. This website has a bunch of delicious recipes on hand that are simple and that will teach you to be a better home cook. There’s also videos, which are a great tool for visual learners.

Sporcle

5 Fun Websites Where You Can Learn A New Skill
Photo by Etienne Boulanger via Unsplash

RELATED: Here’s How You Can Learn A New Language By Watching Netflix

Sporcle is a trivia website, one of the most comprehensive in the world, containing quizzes for basically anything that’s of interest to you. While you won’t learn through the use of Sporcle alone, the site is a fun and engaging way of supporting whatever it is you’re studying, no matter how specific.

Edx

Edx provides access to thousands of online courses and degrees belonging to renowned schools and colleges like MIT, Harvard, Berkeley and more. While the courses are paid for, they’re much cheaper than the ones you’d find in other websites and institutions.

Khan Academy

Here's What Meghan Markle's High School Teacher Has To Say About Her
Photo by ProSmile via Pixabay

RELATED: Bored? Here Are 5 Hobbies You Can Learn Online

Khan Academy is also another popular website for students and teachers alike. All content on their site is free and it also allows you to customize your experience as you go, whether you’re teaching your kid or are looking to learn a new skill.

Code Academy

Code Academy is one of the cheapest tools people can use when trying to learn how to code. You can have access to some basics for free but can pay $20 a month and gain access to a full roster of lessons. There’s different courses and programs that allow you to learn specifics and not get overwhelmed by too much information, whether you’re trying to get better at web design or are looking to learn the basics of computer programming.

At the very least, you will have a better understand what it takes to code.

Have a great time expanding your skills and your mind!

Time To Ditch Monday Morning Meetings

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It’s the beginning of a new week and you’re still reeling from the weekend. Maybe you have a hangover, maybe its fond memories of sleeping in and watching Netflix in bed for two days straight that has you a little fuzzy first thing on a Monday morning. Either way, you are likely not equipped to shift into “work mode” as soon as you log into your computer. You’re not a robot.

“Monday morning meetings tend to start my week off on the wrong foot,” one New York native, 27, told Moneyish, adding that it slows down his workflow and is ineffective, saying he’d much rather use the time to catch up on emails and unfinished projects. Plus, he says, “it is impossible to productively contribute to any conversation [that early].”

Related: Rethinking Your Work Emails

If the feeling of dread creeps up on you on Sunday night, you’re not alone. According to Moneyish, studies have shown that as many as 81 percent of workers get the “Sunday Scaries” — a severe anxiety that bleeds into the beginning of their work week. And according to data, one in three employees is likely not to show up to a meeting that’s scheduled for early Monday morning.

Experts say it’s much more productive for everyone to delay meetings until later in the day, when people’s brains are a little less foggy.

“When the weekend rolls around we really need it, and we may not be ready to jump back into Monday,” Deb Lee, a digital productivity coach, tells Moneyish. “Heavier, and more intense meetings should be saved for later in the day, or even on Tuesday when you’ve gotten into the swing of things and feel settled.”

Moneyish points to a study from 2017 that found the highest percentage of tasks are completed on Monday (20.4%), compared to on Friday, when only 16.7% of work assignments are done.

But it’s important to specify that people complete the most tasks at around 11 a.m., just before lunch time, suggesting that the 9 a.m. Monday meeting your boss has planned won’t be the most effective, the study also found.

If you have an understanding boss, Lee suggests asking your boss if they’d be okay with moving the meeting.

“You can say to this person, ‘how would you feel about doing a lunch instead?’ or ‘Would you mind if we met later, there are some projects I’d like to work on earlier in the day.’

RELATED: 14 Productive Things You Can Do After Smoking Marijuana

“I wouldn’t approach it with, ‘I’m not a morning person and I don’t want to do it.’ It’s more like, ‘here’s my schedule, and here are some things I’m working on. Now you’re telling your boss that you’re invested in your work and in your schedule.”

Good luck to you.

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