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THE HEALTH+ WELLNESS ISSUE
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THE ENDOTRAINING CANNABINOID FOR 8 SYSTEM SECONDS OF GLORY Your Body is Made for Bliss
How Professional Bull Riders Stay Fit
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contents. ISSUE 4 // VOLUME 1 // 08.2017
FEATURES
EVERY ISSUE
12 Sativa the Superfood
7 Editor’s Note 8 SensiBuzz 20 AroundTown
We’re eating, drinking, and juicing cannabis. Given its purported health benefits, can we start calling it a superfood?
16 Crossroads: Healthy Choices
The renegade cannabis expert Ricardo Baca shares his thoughts on alcohol and pot.
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50 BackPage Sensi Magazine is published monthly in Denver, CO, by Sensi Media Group LLC. © 2017 SENSI MEDIA GROUP LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
S P ECI A L R E P O R T
28 Body Made for Bliss
Senior editor Leland Rucker investigates one of the oldest, most primal systems in the human body, and how it’s affected by cannabis.
30 The Buck Starts Here
One professional bull rider tells us how he combines his training with the cowboy lifestyle.
36 Highly Topical
Infused salves, balms, lotions, and patches are changing the way people use medicinal cannabis.
40 Hemptress
C.J. Jorgensen of Zen Cowgirl Studios shows us how she turns cannabis into stylish clothing.
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ISSUE 4 VOLUME 1 08.2017
A DV I SORY B OA R D 1906 New Highs // CHOCOLATES Craft // RECREATIONAL CONCENTRATES Compliant Packaging // PACKAGING Dabble Extracts // MEDICAL CONCENTRATES DC Investigations // SECURITY
DON’T JUST TREAT YOURSELF, TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF, TOO. I still remember the first time I ascended the Manitou Incline. Back then, I had no clue what I was getting into. From the bottom, it looks like a merry jaunt up a slightly steep hill. After the first thousand feet, I was
Doctors of Natural Medicine // MEDICAL CENTER
practically spent, as if I’d been climbing for hours. Then, just a short
Faragosi Farms // RECREATIONAL DISPENSARY
distance ahead of me, I could see what appeared to be the top. I mus-
Greenhouse Payment Solutions // PAYMENT
tered some up some reserves and charged.
PROCESSING
GRND Staffing Solutions // RECRUITMENT Happy-Kitchens // HOME EDIBLE MAKER
For those of you who’ve been to the Incline, you may recognize this moment: it’s the false peak, where the Incline dips downward at just the right angle so you can’t see past it. Once I got there, I realized I was only halfway up the thing. I still had another thousand feet to go. I’m proud to
Herbal Healing // COMPLIANCE
say I did it, even though I was, admittedly, out of shape. Once I reached
King’s Cannabiz // MEDICAL DISPENSARY
the top, I felt like a vagabond, scaling up an ancient temple’s steps to
Lux Leaf // EDUCATION
finally confront a meditating monk, only to have him tell me that the
Maceau Law // LEGAL Monte Fiore Farms // RECREATIONAL CULTIVATION Show Me Kindness // CAREGIVER Stained Glass // MEDICAL CULTIVATION Studio A64 // CANNABIS CLUB
wisdom I sought lay at the base of the mountain—where I began. Colorado is considered one of the fittest states in the country. Maybe it’s the elevation. Maybe it’s the mountains, and all the opportunities for hiking, climbing, and camping they offer. Or maybe it’s because Coloradans observe a culture of self-care. Who knows. In this issue, we’re focusing on health and wellness. Cannabis can heal
Taste Budz // CONFECTIONS
and soothe us in a number of ways, and inside these pages, you’ll discover
M E DI A PA RT N E RS
explores America’s fastest growing sport—bull riding—and how one of its
National Cannabis Industry Association
stars, Nevada Newman, trains to take on bucking bovines. And since
Women Grow
exercise works up the appetite, we got local food covered in here, too.
how. But cannabis is just one tool to promote our health. This issue also
Play hard. Eat smart. Savor life. You’re in Colorado, the coolest state in
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the US.
Randy Robinson
MANAGING EDITOR SENSI SOUTHERN COLORADO
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LELAND’S SENSIBILITIES
Sensi senior editor LELAND RUCKER weighs in on the attorney general’s “historic” views.
Have you no dignity, sir? The nation is ass-deep in serious problems, including a growing lack of trust in law enforcement and an opioid crisis tied to legal prescription drugs. And yet you, Attorney General Jeffrey Beauregard Sessions III, citing an “historic drug epidemic,” seem more concerned about the bad people who use cannabis than in emergency rooms and hospitals filling with overdose victims. You’re actually asking Congress to allow you to prosecute states that provide legal marijuana to patients. Have you ever actually spoken with anyone who uses cannabis for pain or stress relief? I’m ashamed to admit you’re only a couple of months older than me. Have you absorbed anything about cannabis beyond the last Cheech and Chong movie you saw? Is Reefer Madness on continual replay at the office? You should probably do some checking around. Have you ever used a search engine? Even the scholarly stuff is online. The National Academies of Sciences, not an advocacy organization, in January 2017 published a lengthy review of all scientific research since 1999 that neatly consolidates what’s out there. Do your handlers allow you to read Scientific American? It’s not exactly a bastion of pro-cannabis opinion, but it published a piece in June after one of your recent “bad people” tirades that quotes reputable Journal of Pain and Journal of American Medical Association studies that suggest cannabis be used for pain relief for some patients instead of opioids. Dude, even the Koch brothers have thrown in the towel on this one. “You are never going to win the war on drugs. Drugs won,” their spokesman told reporters in Colorado Springs in response to your maximum-sentence request. Research on the endocannabinoid system is providing insight into how cannabis interacts with the body (See page 26). Heck, you could even go back and read the Shafer Report, “Marihuana, A Signal of Misunderstanding,” commissioned by Richard Nixon in 1972 as part of the Controlled Substances Act, which concluded, to Nixon’s disgust, that the only thing wrong with marijuana was that it was illegal and that it should be treated as a public-health issue. Look at the way the US has dealt with hemp. The US literally gave away a valuable agricultural crop to the rest of the world simply because of its similarity to marijuana. This is not exceptionalism. You have the opportunity to change that. You can’t be all bad—Senator Al Franken calls you a personal friend. But please start listening to him. Have some actual patients come to your office and talk about what’s happening. Read something that challenges your beliefs. Make decisions based on science, research, and the wishes of the American people instead of your lobbying buddies. Act your age, for goodness’ sake. I won’t be holding my breath.
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By the Numbers It’s August—which means back to school. How do Colorado’s taxes on legal cannabis support the state’s students and educational institutions? Here’s a quick breakdown for the 2016– 2017 fiscal year:
1.8
$
MILLION
toward student retention and anti-bullying programs
2.4
$
MILLION
for university research grants
4.4
$
MILLION
for the Early Literacy Competitive Grant Program
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$
MILLION
to the Marijuana Education Campaign
40
$
MILLION
to repair and renovate public school buildings
LELAND PHOTO BY KIM SIDWELL, CANNABIS CAMERA
THE NEW NORMAL
The Secret to a Long Life? Having Friends. Your bestie may just be a genuine tonic. Last month, research from Michigan State University provided some new (but not surprising) insights into what makes us happy and keeps us spry. Compiling two studies, which looked at nearly 300,000 subjects from around the world, researchers concluded that deep social bonds outside family and workplace circles could do more to improve longevity than anything else: people with close friends tend to live 50 percent longer than those without. The takeaway? Keep your loyal buds close. Better yet, make them a workout buddy to double up on benefits.
Superfood Squared COCONUT OIL, hailed for its antioxidants and its anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties, doubles as a beauty-routine staple that makes skin smooth, hair shine, and makeup disappear. Hemp seed oil is also quickly gaining notoriety as a wonder ingredient. It has high levels of vitamins A, C, and E, it’s rich in amino acids, and it’s a powerful antioxidant to boot. Ojai Organics CBD Coconut Oil combines the two into one powerful product that can help you combat the damage done by Colorado’s dry summer air. Put it on after a shower, use it as a hair mask, massage it into your cuticles, or slather it on your face before bed and reap the moisturizing benefits. Tip: scoop some out into a compact to-go container (a contact case works wonders) and keep chapped lips at bay on the go. Bonus: you’ll smell like summer all year round. 5 OZ // $27.95 // OJAIENERGETICS.COM
Dragons Beget Dragons The Colorado Springs International Dragon Boat Festival returns on August 26. Following in the 2,500-year tradition of China’s momentous Dragon Boat Festival, Colorado Springs got its own counterpart for the first time last year. This year’s festival will take place at the same spot—Prospect Lake in Memorial Park—where teams of 20 must paddle as one to scull their serpentine vessel to the finish line. Admission is free, and if you’re reading this, there may still be time to register yourself or a team for the boat races. For the non-racers, kick back at the festival’s Beer Garden and watch the boats zip by while partaking in another Chinese tradition, one that predates the festival by 6,000 years: drinking beer.
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THE NEW NORMAL
sensi
buzz
Quotable “Even if you are on the right track, you’ll get run over if you just sit there.” —Will Rogers
Humorist, Cowboy, Philosopher
Go-Go Granola Packed with tasty clusters of satiating fiber, hearthealthy nuts and seeds, and natural sweetness, granola is a refueling snack-food staple of trailheads everywhere, helping hikers power uphill to higher elevations. The THC-infused Fresh Granola by Julie’s Natural Edibles takes that notion to a whole new level. It’s made with simple ingredients—gluten-free oats, sliced almonds, sunflower seeds, coconut, raisins, maple syrup, cranberries, kosher salt— mixed with a cannabutter infused with organically grown, strain-specific cannabis. The result: a healthy, nutritious all-star addition to a day on the trail. Pick some up at Bud Hut in Walsenburg and CannaCo in Trinidad.
Behold: The Great American Solar Eclipse It’s being called the Celestial Event of the Century, probably because the last time Americans experienced this was nearly 40 years ago when bellbottoms were chic and cassette tapes were a new thing. On Monday, August 21, the US will witness a total solar eclipse, where the moon passes in front of the sun. When this occurs, our lunar satellite will blot out our nearest star, blanketing the daytime hour in a brief bout of darkness. The sun’s corona may blaze around the moon’s perimeter, and stars might be visible in that inky near-noon sky, too.
In Colorado, we won’t see the eclipse in its “totality,” a term for when the moon completely covers the sun. Rather, we’ll get a glimpse of a “partial” eclipse, which still looks pretty gnarly, even if there’s a sliver of sunshine peeking from behind the moon. The eclipse should start around 10:20 a.m., reach its zenith by 11:50 a.m., and end around 1:15 p.m. If you want to catch the totality, better plan a trip to Wyoming or Nebraska now. If you miss this month’s solar eclipse, 2045 marks the next time we will see one in Colorado. Fortunately, that one should total out,
so no treks to the cornfields or pastures of our neighboring states. Caution! Staring at the sun is hazardous to the eyes. Avoid watching the eclipse with naked peepers. To gaze at the astronomical anomaly, get your hands on a pair of special solar eclipse glasses. Pairs of these stellar spectacles will be available—for free—at local libraries through a project cofounded by astronomer Douglas Duncan of the University of Colorado. However, these free glasses likely will go quickly, so act now.
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{newsfeed} by RANDY R O B IN S ON
SATIVA THE SUPERFOOD More than half of all US states—29 plus Washington, DC— recognize cannabis as medicine. But cannabis may be much more than a medicine. It could be considered a superfood, too. In recent years, Americans have veered away from drive-
diet. Raw is key here, since cooking buds or heating them in
throughs and gas station food. Today, many are steering
any way can “activate” the plant’s cannabinoids, potentially
toward healthier diets. As people prod the Internet, maga-
causing the elevating effects for which cannabis is known.
zines, and shows for new sources of nutritious-yet-tasty meals, the term “superfood” is popping up quite a bit. Which brings up the questions: What, exactly, is a superfood? And does cannabis fall under this category?
Nutritional Facts To view cannabis as a superfood, it helps to think about it as just another vegetable.
A superfood could be considered any food item that’s in-
Parts of the Cannabis sativa plant are already available
credibly dense with vitamins, proteins, amino acids, antioxi-
as a prepackaged superfood in nearly every grocery store.
dants, polyphenols, or any number of other molecules that
Hemp seeds, which are non-psychoactive, won’t give any-
provide health benefits. Examples of some superfoods include
one a buzz, and they’re packed with omega-3 fatty acids—
salmon, oatmeal, green tea, blueberries, and quinoa. Let’s see
the same heart-healthy oils found in avocados and fish.
how cannabis holds up to these superfood standards.
The seeds contain proteins, vitamins, and amino acids, too, which every person needs.
Beyond Edibles — Raw Cannabis When most people think about cannabis and food, they
more nutrition than the seeds. Raw juice and plant materi-
will probably imagine edibles: THC-infused gummies, suck-
al are packed with cannabinoids, terpenes, flavonoids, and
ers, and sodas. Raw cannabis and its juice, although grow-
other nerdy-sounding stuff that confer a ton of health ben-
ing in popularity, haven’t been heavily marketed by the bur-
efits. Those benefits include analgesic, anticancer, antitu-
geoning cannabis industry. Cannabis juicing is exactly what
mor, and possibly even antiaging properties.
it seems: dropping cannabis flowers and leaves into a juicer
Donna Shields, MS, RDN, founder of cannabis consulting
and separating its nutrition-dense juice from the solid plant
firm Holistic Cannabis Network, says making cannabis—
matter. Raw cannabis juice alone has no “recreational” po-
especially raw cannabis—part of a healthy diet might help
tential; it doesn’t get anyone high.
stave off illnesses. “Chronic disease is caused by inflam-
However, cannabis can be incredibly useful without any
mation,” she explains. “The reason we eat superfoods is to
psychoactive effect. The buds can be eaten raw as part of a
tame the fire of inflammation in the body. Cannabis is an
salad or as a side dish, but juicing is the quickest and easiest
antioxidant and has anti-inflammatory properties.”
way to prepare cannabis as a part of a healthy and balanced 12
The cannabis plant proper—its leaves and buds—offers
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But wait, there’s more: Raw cannabis offers fiber, folic
Where
do I get fresh cannabis? Your chances of finding fresh cannabis at most dispensaries or retail stores are slim. These businesses prefer to harvest and cure buds for smoking, not for juicing. If you’re a registered medical patient, you can ask a caregiver to grow your cannabis for you, and they can provide you fresh trimmings. Or, as allowed under Colorado law (if you’re 21+), you can grow your own cannabis.
How to Make Raw Cannabis Juice ° Start with fresh cannabis buds and leaves. These should be moist. Avoid dried or cured buds.
° Mix the buds and leaves with other fruits or vegetables to add flavor and more nutritional benefits. Run the mix through a juicer and enjoy. ° Experiment with fruits and vegetables—especially carrots—to mask the bitter flavors of the cannabis. Consider eating a slice of orange after drinking the juice to clear the palette.
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Where do I find
nutritional facts for pot?
If you’re looking for an official FDA chart, you won’t find it. The FDA won’t touch cannabis until the plant receives federal approval. We do, on the other hand, have some literature you can thumb through. Hemp for Health by Chris Conrad Marijuana and Medicine by Janet E. Joy, Stanley J. Watson, Jr., and John A. Benson, Jr. Cannabis and Cannabinoids by Franjo Grotenhermen and Ethan Russo The eCS Therapy Companion Guide by Regina Nelson
Common Herbs, Fruits, and Veggies with the Same Compounds as Cannabis Cannabinoids: Camellia sinensis tea, Echinacea, kava, black truffles, cacao Omega-3 fatty acids: walnuts, avocados, sage, flaxseed Beta-caryophyllene: cloves, hops, basil, lavender, black pepper, rosemary Pinene: pine nuts, makrut limes, sage Myrcene: mangoes, lemongrass, thyme, verbena, bay leaves Limonene: oranges, limes, lemons, and other citrus fruits Linalool: sweet orange, sweet basil, lavender, coriander Quercetin: cilantro, dill, blueberries, kale, red onions Kaempferol: grapes, green tea, broccoli, peaches, berries
Will Cannabis Juicing Show Up on a Drug Test? SHORT ANSWER : Yes, it can.
LONG ANSWER : Drug screenings look for THC and its metabolites (the smaller molecules created by THC’s breakdown in the body), so it’s entirely possible that you may come up hot if you’re drinking raw cannabis juice, even if it doesn’t get you high. The one way around this is to stick to high-CBD strains (i.e. hemp). Most drug screenings only look for THC and THC metabolites. However, consuming massive quantities of CBD buds/ products could trigger a positive result on a drug screening. Keep in mind high-CBD strains will contain trace amounts of THC-a and THC, so this is not a surefire way around a test. Commercially available hemp oil should be safe because it’s supposed to contain no THC. However, there’s still a risk that it could contain minuscule levels of THC, although it's rare and a positive test would require you to ingest unusually high amounts.
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acid, potassium, riboflavin, zinc, niacin, phosphorus, thiamine, beta-carotene, and beta-caryophyllene, and vitamins A, B12, D, and E. Woo! It’s practically like getting a full garden salad in one plant.
“It’s just another ingredient,” adds Shields. “It’s like if I put kale in my drink. If we put cannabis in the context that this is just another nutritious ingredient placed in the juicer or the blender, then it becomes easier for people to wrap their heads around it.” As for how much cannabis you should include in your diet, that’s entirely up to you. If you’re drinking cannabis juice for medicinal purposes, you’ll need to gauge your intake based on your individual needs. If you’re drinking cannabis juice for general health purposes, adding as little or as much as you want according to your tastes should suffice.
About Those Cannabinoids The two prominent cannabinoids in cannabis are tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD). THC is the stuff that gets us lifted; CBD can make us feel chill, but it won’t get us spacey. In raw cannabis, these two compounds are in their natural, acidic forms, which we designate THC-A and CBD-A. When we heat the plant (such as by smoking), we knock off the acidic part of the molecule, which allows it to activate cannabinoid receptors on our cells. THC-A, which is an “inactive” form of THC, behaves more like CBD in our bodies than THC, ironically. “One of the upsides of using it in its raw state is that you’re not getting the high,” explains Shields. “Most people are able to consume a greater quantity of the plant matter, getting a greater quantity of cannabinoids than if they used it in some other form.”
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{ crossroads} by RIC ARDO BACA
HE ALTHY CHOICES Ricardo Baca reports on the intersection of cannabis and culture.
We’ve ultimately been familiar with the concept of
denly one of the medical world’s most discerning voic-
medical marijuana for centuries, and we’ve had med-
es was finally making a bold statement on the record,
ical cannabis laws on the books in this country since
reaffirming something already known anecdotally by
1996—thank you very much, Dennis Peron and Cal-
millions of medical marijuana patients across the globe: Marijuana is medicine.
ifornia voters. But it wasn’t until June of 2015 that medical marijuana truly attained its top-level bona fides from the
around medical cannabis, but now I’d like to
Journal of the American Medical Association, the 134-
take this idea one step further. Because while
year-old top-ranked peer-reviewed publication that
I’ve successfully used cannabis to treat my
is largely considered to be one of the most conscien-
physical health, I’ve also come to recognize
tious, vetted, and respected medical journals in the
that marijuana can also be medicine for our
world.
mental health.
JAMA’s groundbreaking analysis from June 2015,
Too often when discussing marijuana as a
which was based on 79 trials involving nearly 6,500
health and wellness tool we ignore that it’s also
participants, found that cannabis absolutely does help
a legitimate medicine for our mental health. A
with certain ailments and conditions, including severe
number of legitimate studies have shown
pain, nausea and vomiting related to chemotherapy,
marijuana’s positive effects on our mental
and spasticity from multiple sclerosis.
well-being, but a recent one in particular
(The analysis also found that marijuana’s efficacy
16
It really changed the worldwide conversation
stands out.
toward most conditions it is prescribed for is unprov-
Researchers in the Netherlands in
en, but that’s an entirely different story given the fed-
2016 conducted a random controlled
eral government’s many barriers to serious research
trial (a.k.a. the gold standard of scien-
on cannabis.)
tific research, per the Washington Post )
But that game-changing JAMA analysis represents
to investigate the link between hu-
a monolithic marker on the cannabis timeline. Sud-
man aggression and two of the most
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popular substances we’re known to consume: marijuana and alcohol. Of course cannabis has a reputation for chilling out those who use it, but what did the scientific research say? “The results in the present study support the hypothesis that acute alcohol intoxication increases feelings of aggression and that acute cannabis intoxication reduces feelings of aggression,” the researchers wrote in medical journal Psychopharmacology. Forget about the alcohol making us more aggro and focus on that last part. This study found that marijuana, separate from any other substance, reduces feelings of aggression.
“
T H E R E S U LTS I N T H E P R E S E N T S T U DY S U P P O RT T H E H Y P O T H E S I S T H AT AC U T E A LC O H O L I N T OX IC AT I O N I NC R E A S E S F E E L I NG S OF AG G R E S S I O N A N D T H AT AC U T E C A N NA B I S I N T O X IC AT I O N R E D UC E S F E E L I NG S O F AG G R E S S I O N. PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY // MEDIC AL JOURNAL
”
As WaPo reported: “This is in line with other research. A study in 2014, for instance, found that marijuana use among couples was linked to lower rates of domestic violence. In a fun study from the 1980s, researchers gave undergraduates varying doses of marijuana and then asked them to administer electric shocks to people in another room. The more stoned the undergrads were, the less interested they were in zapping other people.” I remember posting this Washington Post story on social media last year to a chorus of duuuhs from friends and acquaintances who are longtime cannabis consumers themselves. But going back to the JAMA example, anecdotal evidence is of course meaningful—but it won’t ever be as trusted or compelling as peer-reviewed analysis or, in this case, a random controlled trial. As I contemplated a less aggressive world with lower rates of domestic violence—heck, with lower rates of violence in general—it brought me back to a conversation I’d had with my girlfriend (and now wife) years before. I was a still-new marijuana aficionado trying to put my stoned experiences in perspective, and she was a knowledgeable, more-experienced sounding board with wise-beyond-her-years insight. 18
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“We’ve never argued all that much,” I told her one day in the car, “but I’m thinking we argue even less now
tal health, including my ability to cultivate meaningful personal relationships.
that we’re consuming marijuana more regularly than alcohol.” She understood the point, but she challenged me to go broader with the hypothesis. How was cannabis
It means better communication and fewer arguments. It means more patience and less aggression. It means more respectful conversations and fewer tirades on social media.
impacting all of my relationships—with family, with friends, with colleagues, with strangers?
For me at least, marijuana has made an already spectacular life even better. And I’m looking forward
After a couple weeks of deep and sometimes-un-
to more science-based research in the future to tell us
comfortable introspection, I arrived at my own per-
more about how our relationship with this plant can
sonal epiphany: Cannabis absolutely bolsters my men-
help our relationships with those who matter most.
“
I A R R I V E D AT M Y O W N P E R S O NA L E PI P H A N Y : C A N NA B I S A B S O LU T E LY B O L S T E R S M Y M E N TA L H E A LT H, I NC LU D I N G M Y A B I L I T Y T O C U LT I VAT E M E A N I N G F U L P E R S O NA L R E L AT I O N S H I P S .
”
RIC ARDO BACA is a veteran journalist and the founder and original editor in chief of The Cannabist. His content agency Grasslands works primarily with cannabis and hemp businesses on messaging and branding via thoughtful and personalized content campaigns.
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{ aroundtown } by R ANDY R O B IN S ON
VINE DINING Vegetarians may be onto something with this fitter, happier, healthier, more productive thing.
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A CULTURAL SHIFT RECENTLY SLID INTO SOUTHERN COLORADO: PEOPLE ARE INCORPORATING MORE FRUITS, VEGETABLES, NUTS, AND LEGUMES INTO THEIR EVERYDAY EATING HABITS, AND THIS PHENOMENON HAS LEAPT FROM PRIVATE KITCHEN COUNTERS TO THE CAREFULLY CRAFTED MENUS OF LOCAL FINE DINING ESTABLISHMENTS. IN YEARS PAST, “PROTEINS,” A CULINARY TERM FOR “MEATS,” WERE THE STARS OF EACH ENTREÉ. NOW, NEARLY EVERY EATERY OFFERS DISHES WHERE VEGETABLES TAKE CENTER STAGE, OR IN THIS CASE, THE CENTER PLATE. AT OUR HALF OF THE STATE, WE HAVE YET TO SEE DEDICATED VEGETARIAN OR VEGAN RESTAURANTS LIKE THOSE FOUND IN BOULDER AND DENVER. YET DEMAND FOR VEGETARIAN OPTIONS HAS SPIKED AS TASTES HAVE VEERED VEGGIE, AND LOCAL CHEFS ARE CHALLENGING BOTH THEMSELVES AND THEIR COMPETITION BY CREATING INNOVATIVE PRODUCE RECIPES TO SUPPLEMENT THEIR STANDARD FARE.
College of Nutrition found vegetarian
high amounts of fruits possess more
diets were twice as effective at reducing
physical stamina than those who
vegetarian, reducetarian, flexitarian,
weight compared to standard calo-
subside on meaty, carby, or other
fruitarian, and other low-to-no-meat
rie-restricted diets that included meat.
omnivorous diets. And if the brain is the
lifestyles is essentially rewriting
The reason: vegetarians lose fat from
most powerful sex organ, then a
Western bromography. According to
their muscles, which accelerates the
plant-based diet can certainly aid the
Harris Interactive polls, in 2006, 4.7
body’s metabolism, not only burning fat
libido. In 2012, Nutrition Journal
million American adults identified as
but keeping it off in the long run.
published research that discovered
Treat Yourself The recent rise in popularity of vegan,
vegetarian. Ten years later, and that number almost doubled, with an estimated 8 million Americans identifying as vegetarian. What happened over that ten-year period? There are several reasons more people are making vegetables the staples of their diets, which include concerns for environmental sustainability, climate change, ethical treatment of animals, and religion. However, the top reason, from a Faunalytics 2017 survey, is health. Over the past two decades, research from around the world suggests vegetarians live longer than folks who regularly eat meat. Longevity among vegetarians could be due to their lower rates of chronic illnesses, such as cancer, diabetes, heart disease, and obesity. Regarding that last item, “going veggie” is also one of the best ways to lose weight. A study published last month in the Journal of the American
Veg Va Va Voom Prioritizing plants on our plates may
vegetarians reported being happier and more carefree than meat eaters—and happy lovers tend to be active lovers.
make us more sexually appealing, too. A 2006 study in Chemical Senses discovered that women were more attracted to body odors from men on
The Best Part: Everyone Can Win Here’s the real kicker to all these
vegetarian diets than from men who ate
research findings: although vegetarian-
red meat. Sorry, ladies, this experiment
ism has a lot of advantages over meaty
has yet to be repeated with female
diets, you can still get many of the
aromas.
benefits of a plant-based diet without
There’s more. Fair-skinned people
dropping steaks or chicken tenders
who eat a lot of plants with pigments
altogether. A Harvard study from last
called carotenoids (think: carrots) appear
month’s New England Journal of
more attractive due to slight yellowing
Medicine concluded that skipping a
of the skin. This yellowing effect is
serving of meat just once a day, and
similar to tanning, except subjects were
replacing it with nuts or legumes,
more enticed by faces with carotenoid
reduced the risk of an early death by 17
coloring than by faces with sun-induced
percent. That figure suggests eating a
melanin. And unlike baking under
purely vegetarian meal, just one time
UV-radiation, beet smoothies won’t—
every day, can significantly drop a
ahem—put a beating on the skin.
person’s chances of developing a
In terms of bedroom prowess, plant-based diets may help there as well. Vegetarians who chow down on
chronic illness. That Harvard study parallels the mission at Meatless Monday, a AU G U S T 2 01 7
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non-profit founded by the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Meatless Monday helps schools craft healthier, plant-laden menus for America’s students. For the general public, it advocates going vegetarian just one day a week—on Monday, obviously. Meat is permitted on any other day of the week, with similar results to the Harvard study’s suggestion. Meatless Mondays and other approaches to boosting plant intake have made major inroads to American dietary habits. Polls from the Vegetarian Resource Group estimate anywhere from 30 to 40 percent of Americans
Adam’s Mountain Café
MANITOU SPRINGS // 26 MANITOU AVENUE ADAMSMOUNTAIN.COM
regularly eat fully vegetarian meals “at
This eatery trains its cooks and
least some of the time.” That means at
servers with vegetarians in mind, to
least one-third of all adults are
better direct diners to the tastiest
following plans like Meatless Monday
dishes sans meat, whether breakfast,
and have been since 2000.
lunch, or dinner. One of the biggest hits
So What About SoCo? Making vegetarian meals at home is easy. Finding perfectly prepared and seasoned vegetarian meals while dining out can be a bit trickier, especially in any Colorado township south of Castle Rock. Where can diners in southern Colorado gratify their appetites, minus the meat? We may lack bona fide vegetarian and vegan eateries here, but several restaurants (and one brewery) in our area serve up enough plant-based options to sate the palate and the belly. The following list consists of just a few of our area’s favorite herbivorous hot spots.
is the ramen noodles in coconut curry, although the Buddha bowl—a spicy medley of potatoes, braised greens, mushrooms, quinoa, chick peas, and avocado—can be incredibly filling. For vegans, there’s a special creamy pasta
COLORADO SPRINGS // 4375 SINTON ROAD CASPIANCAFE.COM
Caspian Café serves two vegetarian dinner entreés. The first is the moussaka, a Greek pie filled with herbs, roasted bell peppers, zucchini, tomatoes, parmesan cheese, and eggplant. The second is the bougetiere, a bouquet of fresh veggies presented in fine-dining fashion. Where Caspian
Till Kitchen
African eggplant in spicy honey sauce
COLORADO SPRINGS // 9633 PROMINENT POINT TILLKITCHEN.COM
Till Kitchen, a New American eatery, could best be described as Euro-American fusion food with a contemporary twist. Appetizers include aged goat cheese spread, roasted cauliflower served with toasted almonds and a romesco sauce, and a wood-grilled artichoke that may make you think
and plain out of a jar. For a full AU G U S T 201 7
Caspian Café
truly excels is its appetizers, most of
plant most of us usually eat pickled
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pizza or wild mushroom risotto.
with pistachio pesto just for you.
twice about the possibilities of a
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stomach, check out the margarita
which are meat-free. Try their North or the spanakopita, a flaky pastry stuffed with feta cheese, red pepper coulis, and spinach.
Little Nepal
COLORADO SPRINGS // 1747 S. 8TH STREET OR 4820 FLINTRIDGE DRIVE LNEPAL.COM
Indian food, the original vegetarian delicacy. Little Nepal has two locations, and both offer over a dozen vegetarian dishes. The veggie kormas, makhanis, masalas, and curries are just as rich—
THANK YOU to our
Summer hosts!
Subscribe to our newsletter for information about future Mason Jar events at MASONJAREVENTGROUP.COM
BUZZ ON THE STREET Dear Sir or Madam, Let me begin by telling you a little bit about myself before I disclose my personal sexual details. I am 38 years old. For the past five months, my lover and I have had the worst sex of our lives. Honestly, we don’t know what happened. We consistently execute our routine to prepare for a spontaneous night of passion, which I will list for you now: 1. I trim all the candlewicks to the exact same height because I cannot get horny if even one candle flame is off. 2. I replace my regular bedsheets with my family’s antique ones because you can’t go wrong with 250-year-old lovemaking bedsheets. 3. I wear my lucky headband which keeps my bangs out of my eyes. After completing these pre-sex steps, we then proceed to one of our three timehonored, quality-tested sex routines. Unfortunately, none of our usual go-to’s were working. While researching possible solutions, I stumbled upon High Love chocolate in a recent Penthouse Magazine which impressed me. I purchased a dozen. On Friday the 18th of April at 0700 hours, my lover and I indulged in a High Love and in a matter of minutes the candles were out, the sheets were wet and my headband was flying off. It is now safe to say that we have a new go-to routine. Kindest regards, Lieutenant Sandra Ortiz, Canadian Army
It took more than a century for the world to return to its senses. 1906NEWHIGHS.COM
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if not richer—than the lamb versions. If
items, which are served throughout
dining. The Broadmoor’s Natural
you’re new to Indian or Nepalese
the day. The restaurant offers
Epicurean restaurant complements
cuisine, do some sampling at the lunch
vegetarian or vegan breakfast burritos
the 5-star Penrose Room, where
buffets, open seven days a week, or
and breakfast sandwiches packed
world-class chefs offer fine diners
the dinner buffets on Thursdays and
with portabello mushrooms. For those
ecologically friendly dishes all made
Sundays.
hankering for Mesoamerican, their
from locally sourced, organic farms.
tamales come in a vegetarian style,
Many of the ingredients come straight
covered in vegan green chile.
from The Broadmoor’s very own
Rooster’s House of Ramen
COLORADO SPRINGS // 323 N. TEJON STREET MAKEAMERICASLURPAGAIN.COM
Rooster’s whips up a lot more than just ramen. The teriyaki tofu bahn mi, a type of Vietnamese sandwich,
Rabbit Hole
COLORADO SPRINGS // 101 N. TEJON STREET RABBITHOLEDINNER.COM
For late-night munchies, drop by
contains wakame seaweed with tangy
the Rabbit Hole. The “Rabbit Food”
Bulldog Sauce. But if you would just
menu contains some rather inventive
like a loaded bowl of ramen, try the
salad mixes, such as the gold and
coconut miso stewed with tofu,
purple beet salad or the arugula salad
bamboo shoots, and bean sprouts, all
with apples, hazelnuts, and hay stack
topped with a soft boiled egg.
goat cheese.
Hanging Tree Café
Natural Epicurean at The Broadmoor
PUEBLO // 209 S. UNION AVENUE THEHANGINGTREECAFE.COM
Coffees and teas are typically vegan, but Hanging Tree’s most surprising delights are their breakfast
COLORADO SPRINGS // 1 LAKE AVENUE BROADMOOR.COM
The Broadmoor is one of the crown jewels of America’s luxury hotel
garden. Try the mushroom ramen noodles containing wild shrooms and bok choy, slicked with a fiery jalapeño oil for extra kick. The grilled soya steamed buns are also made with mushrooms—the hearty shiitake variety—spiced with a pungent hoisin sauce.
Trinity Brewing Company
COLORADO SPRINGS 1466 W. GARDEN OF THE GODS ROAD TRINITYBREW.COM
Did you know that most booze is vegan? Trinity Brewing specializes in vegan beers (though they occasionally put non-vegan brews on tap). The menu of bar food is marked for vegetarian or vegan preferences, and some can be quite filling. Try the vegan pulled pork sammy or the veggie breakfast burrito to cushion those bubbly ales.
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Do you know you have an endocannabinoid system? YOU DO. Your self is full of CELLUL AR RECEPTORS that bind with the active ingredients in cannabis known as CANNABINOIDS. So why are we just now starting to hear about it?
made
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for
by LEL AND RUCKER
ONE THING
I’ ve noticed
OVER THE YEARS, WHEN TALKING WITH MY
CANNABIS-USING FRIENDS, IS THAT THEY ARE MORE LIKELY TO SAY IT MAKES THEM FEEL “NORMAL” RATHER THAN “STONED.” I GENERALLY ANSWER THAT “IT KEEPS ME BALANCED” OR SOMETHING ALONG THOSE LINES. I WOULD NEVER SAY THAT ABOUT OTHER MIND-ALTERING SUBSTANCES ( ALCOHOL, FOR INSTANCE), AND IT’S AT LEAST ONE REASON MILLIONS OF US KEEP COMING BACK FOR MORE. BUT W H Y DO SO MANY PEOPLE WHO USE CANNABIS FEEL THAT WAY? A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, I BEGAN READING ABOUT SOMETHING CALLED THE ENDOCANNABINOID SYSTEM, A REGULATING PROCEDURE WITHIN THE BODY THAT WORKS IN MUCH THE SAME WAY CANNABIS DOES. MY BS DE TEC TOR TURNED BRIGHT RED. YEAH, RIGHT. EVEN FOR AN ADVOCATE, THAT SEEMED A LIT TLE TOO MUCH TO SWALLOW, A LIT TLE TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE . There is much evidence that cannabis, or what’s in
relief from the sun’s UV rays. The most recognized are
cannabis, has been used to treat symptoms of human
tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), known for its psychoac-
illnesses, disorders, and diseases in many cultures for
tive properties, and cannabidiol (CBD), recognized for
centuries and that it was a standard pharmaceutical
its medical applications. “Many people have tried THC
product in the United States. Today, after decades of
and CBD. Those are called phytocannabinoids,” says
lies from the government and popular culture’s con-
biochemist Samantha Miller, founder of Pure Analyt-
tinuing depiction of marijuana users as inept “ston-
ics, a cannabis testing facility in California.
ers,” we’re finding that ordinary people are using
Scientists have also discovered cannabinoids that
cannabis for pain, arthritis, and muscle relief and
are produced naturally in the body. Called endocan-
— surprise — just to relax. But why?
nabinoids, they have structures similar to phytocan-
Cannabinoids are chemical compounds found in
nabinoids. Raphael Mechoulam, William Devane,
cannabis plants, more than a hundred different ones
and Dr. Lumir Hanus found the first endocanna-
so far. For the most part, no other plant accumulates
binoid and called it anandamide after the Sanskrit
them quite like cannabis, and these cannabinoids pro-
word for bliss, in 1992, and later found another,
vide the plant with everything from pest resistance to
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So far, so good. In 1988, scientists found receptors in all mammals that respond to cannabinoids, CB-1
the body,” he says. “Endocannabinoids are a way to keep the body in balance.”
receptors found in the brain and CB-2 receptors found
There are literally thousands of research papers
throughout the body. These endocannabinoids hook
and studies around the world on cannabinoids. But
up with these receptors. In biochemistry, it’s called
cannabis research remains a somewhat arcane
the “lock-and-key” model, where the cannabinoid
branch of science in the United States, which, under
molecules act like “keys” that fit into the CB receptor
the auspices of the National Institute of Drug Abuse,
“locks.” When the CB receptor is “unlocked” by a par-
until recently would fund only projects that were
ticular cannabinoid, it changes its shape, and how it
aimed at the abuse side of the equation.
changes shape determines how it regulates cell sig-
US researchers still encounter bureaucratic has-
naling (how cells communicate within themselves
sles, lack of adequate study product, and the fact that
and how they communicate with other cells). From
cannabis remains a Schedule I drug, which by defi-
a chemical standpoint, THC is structurally similar to
nition means it has no medical purpose. “Conventional medicine traditionally has concentrated on opi-
” says Dr. Selma Holden, a physician and assistant “ Historically, people just oids, clinical professor at the University of New England. But even US scientists and doctors are beginning to thought cannabis was recognize that something’s going on. “Historically, people just thought cannabis was something that got you something that got you high and concentrated on the THC. Because of medical-marijuana efforts and a little high and concentrated increase in evidence, they’re starting to come around,” she explains. “And more patients are turning to their on the THC. Because of medical doctors and saying, ‘this stuff works for me.’” Currently, the University of Vermont is the only medical-marijuana efforts medical school in the country with an accredited and a little increase in evidence, they’re starting to anandamide, and CBD is comparable to 2-AG. THC come around,” she explains. “unlocks” the CB-1 receptor in almost the same way anandamide does, and CBD “unlocks” the CB-2 recep“And more patients are tor much like 2-AG. “The reason we interact with cannabis so strongly turning to their medical is that we have this natural architecture to interact with cannabinoids,” Miller says. “You find these all over the doctors and saying, ‘this body, in the nervous system, the immune system, everywhere. The endocannabinoids control and influstuff works for me.’” ence a lot of different things, like sleep, appetite, anxi-
28
ety, addiction, the cardiovascular system, immune
course on the endocannabinoid system in its curric-
system—everything to do with quality of life.”
ulum. “The people who should know about it aren’t
Perry Solomon is chief medical officer at HelloMD,
taught it in medical school,” says Solomon, and he
a popular wellness website with a growing number
understands some doctors’ initial reluctance to deal
of patients using cannabis. He describes the endo-
with the endocannabinoid system. “Until doctors
cannabinoid system as a feedback mechanism that
come out and become familiar with what’s involved
helps keep the body in equilibrium. “When you get
in the system, there’s a hesitancy.”
excessive stimulation, pain, emotions, or bad expe-
Oncologists, who already know it helps relieve the
riences, chemicals are released that can overwhelm
nausea and vomiting associated with chemotherapy,
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are among the leading edge of physicians beginning
And that gets us back to where we began. That al-
to take cannabis seriously, and other specialists are
tered state of consciousness that has offered me and
looking into cannabinoid alternatives, Solomon says.
so many people a feeling of relaxation, of being in a
“A recent National Academies of Science study found
place where they can be creative and focused or as a
that cannabinoids are being used to treat chronic pain in adults, and it does work,” he says. “So anesthesiologists are saying, ‘Maybe this is something we should look at.’” Holden says that some of the most exciting research today concerns cannabinoids’ anti-inflammatory qualities. “When you think of it, a lot of diseases, not all of them, have an inflammation component,” she says. “In dementia, in asthma, it’s all inflammation. That’s what’s interesting about the endocannabinoid system. It’s influencing these inflammation markers.” Much of the research is being done at the behest of drug companies eager to create new products from cannabinoids and able to afford the expensive research needed for approval. GW Pharmaceuticals has developed a couple of cannabidiol products to combat epilepsy that are close to authorization. Arizona company Insys Therapeutics recently received preliminary DEA approval for a synthetic cannabis drug called Syndros. (The company also contributed to the successful effort to stop a marijuana legalization initiative in that state last year.)
Oncologists, who already know it helps relieve the nausea and vomiting associated with chemotherapy, are among the leading edge of physicians beginning to take cannabis seriously, and other specialists are looking into cannabinoid alternatives.
Much of the emphasis on cannabis healing these days is concentrated around CBD and marketed for
way to deal with common maladies. “Our brains are
its non-psychoactive effects. Holden cautions that if
ideally suited for cannabis,” Chris Kilham, an author
someone is using cannabis for a chronic condition
and ethnobiologist who studies plant-based reme-
like back pain or Crohn’s disease, the feeling of ele-
dies as the Medicine Hunter on Fox News, told me.
vation can be an important part of the therapy, too.
“There’s no substance other than water that has the
“We can’t fall too much into the belief system that
health benefits and continued significance of those
having an altered state of consciousness is bad.”
benefits.”
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Nevada Newman in 2016
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It’s an eight-second game
WHERE ONE OF THE COMPETITORS IS
A O N E-T O N B E H E M O T H T H AT D O E S N ’ T P L AY BY A N Y R U L E S , T H E O T H E R I S A D I M I N U T I V E G U Y I N A C O W B OY H AT A N D F R I N G E D L E AT H E R C H A P S J U S T T RY I N G T O H A N G O N . A S T H E S TA K E S H AV E SOARED HIGHER, SOME PROFESSIONAL BULL RIDERS LOOK TO THE NEWEST TRAINING TRENDS T O K E E P U P W I T H T H E B U L L S . O T H E R R I D E R S L O O K N O F U R T H E R T H A N T H E I R R O O T S : T H E C ATT L E R A N C H E S W H E R E I T A L L S TA R T E D .
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BO KNOWS BULL RIDING If bull riding is the world’s most dangerous sport, then a bull named Bodacious will forever be its champion. His legacy forever changed bull riding, not only in terms of
“I have some friends who live and die in the gym. I hate that stuff. I’d rather be outside doing something, like riding horses.” —Nevada Newman
its worldwide popularity but also in terms of how
ning brutality, his ability to grow more dangerous with every ride. After all, the more buck, the better. PBR’s crowds want action, and mean cattle make for the most memorable rides. “I know I’ve gotten on some bulls sired by Bo-
professional riders have
organization based in
ment. By that point, even
to train for a chance at
dacious, but there’s never
Pueblo, Colorado, to the big
the greatest cowboys—
greatness.
been a big-time sire out
leagues. That ride matched
including the legendary
of him like himself,” says
the notorious bull with
Hedeman—refused to ride
rocked the bull riding
pro rider Nevada Newman,
Tuff Hedeman, considered
him, their perfect tech-
world with his signature
a 24-year-old rising PBR
the best of the best bull
niques no match for the
move: he’d buck the rider
star coming to Colorado
riders at the time. Two
bull’s explosive frenzy. In
into the air, then violently
Springs next month for
years prior, Hedeman
a sport devised by some
snap his horns up as the
the Rumble in the Rock-
received a near-perfect
of history’s most daring
rider tumbled downward.
ies competition. Most pro
score on Bodacious, but
men, it was a beast who
Lucky cowboys missed his
riders have likely tussled
their final ride at the PBR
became the ultimate
horns and hit the ground.
with at least one of Bo-
World Finals left him
victor.
The less fortunate ones
dacious’s progeny. If they
with a pulverized face
got smashed. Bad. Of the
just four seconds in. That
est contribution to the
135 riders who dared to
jaw-plummeting moment
sport wasn’t his infamy. It
mount “The World’s Most
drew an audience of 2.4
was his genetics.
Dangerous Bull,” only 8
million, officially placing
made it to eight seconds.
professional bull riding
remaining days as a sire,
monstrous stock grows
The Pro Rodeo Hall of
viewership among the
breeding some of the nas-
stronger, smarter, more
Fame, which inducted Bo-
ranks of NASCAR and
tiest, most ferocious cattle
agile. Since physical size
dacious in 1999, described
the NHL. The sport hasn’t
beasts ever to rampage
is every bull rider’s limit-
the bovine as “virtually
been the same ever since.
PBR. Although he maxed-
ing factor, these advances
That same year, Bo-
In the 1990s, Bodacious
But Bodacious’s great-
Bodacious spent his
haven’t yet, they will.
SIZE MATTERS With each new generation of bulls, PBR’s
out at 1,900 pounds during
leave today’s cowboys at
dacious was titled PBR’s
the peak of his career,
a stark disadvantage. The
broadcast with Bodacious
World Champion Bull. Yet
he was considered small
average bull in the pro cir-
catapulted the Profession-
1995 also marked the end
relative to the other bulls.
cuits reaches well over 6
al Bull Riders (PBR), an
of the bull’s run, culminat-
It wasn’t his size that
feet from head to hoof and
international pro riding
ing with an early retire-
made him valuable to
weighs about 1,700 pounds.
unrideable.” In 1995, one defining TV
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breeders. It was his cun-
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The biggest bulls can top
damage—and slips happen
local rodeo company. At
raking and stacking bales
2,000 pounds, rivaling the
often. According to a 2006
age six, he started riding
of hay. These activities in-
size of a black rhinoceros.
study from the University
sheep. Then cows. Then
volve heavy lifting, careful
Compare that to the aver-
of Calgary, serious injury is
horses. At 12, he mount-
balancing, and constant
age bull rider, who stands
10 times more likely with
ed his first young bull.
stretching for nearly 10
between 5′6″ and 5′8″ and
bull riders than with foot-
In high school, he hit in
hours straight. According
weighs about 150. If they
ball players. On average,
junior circuits, and con-
to the website CalorieLab,
are any heavier or taller,
they get badly hurt at least
tinued riding through his
ranchers burn almost
the inertia of their body
once every 15 rides. And
college years. Now, New-
twice as many calories per
trying to remain on top of
Newman knows all about
man rolls with PBR, where
hour than most construc-
a bucking bull becomes a
this: at the time of our
he vies for a piece of the
tion workers do on any
liability rather than a boon.
phone interview, he was
organization’s $11 million
given day. Newman saves
recovering from a shoulder
in annual prizes.
the weights and biking for
Newman, at 5′8″ and 140 pounds, falls within the
surgery, his third surgery
average range. His training
since he started riding
through, Newman makes
regimen, however, isn’t
professionally.
the ranch his training
“I’ll ride my horse bare-
ground. Depending on
back to get that feel of the
the season, he spends
forward movement of an
the bulk of his waking
animal moving away from
hours calving and lamb-
me,” Newman explains.
ing, branding cows by the
“Bull riding is a lot of
hundreds, feeding and
technique. You can take
grooming the animals, or
the power away from the
what you would expect of an average professional athlete. “There’s a whole different kind of shape you need to be in to ride bulls,” says Newman. “It’s not a running-on-a-treadmill
READY FOR BATTLE Newman was born to ride. Raised on his family’s ranch in Montana, some of his earliest memories were of his grandfather’s
A cowboy through and
he isn’t ranching.
shape. It’s a muscles-you-
bull if you ride them right.
don’t-use-every-day kind
There’s one certain spot
of thing.” That’s because
in the middle of that bull,
a bull rider’s most im-
and if you can stay in that
portant muscles aren’t in
spot, there’s hardly any
the hands or arms. The
power. But if you get out
most important muscles
of whack, that bull on the
are the adductors in the
PBR can really throw you,
legs, groin, and hips, the
and you have to hustle to
cowboy’s points of contact
get back in that spot.”
with the bull.
Unlike Newman, not
Since bulking up is not
every rider resides in a
an option for profession-
homestead, and many
al bull riders, they must
outsource their ranching
incorporate cross-training
duties while they trav-
to maximize their chanc-
el the world, raise their
es of victory. They can’t
families, endorse name
just rely entirely on raw strength, either. Bull riders require flexibility, a keen sense of balance, and the wits to recognize when it’s time to hop off and tip their hats. One misguided shift along the bull’s back can result in permanent
34
those rare occasions when
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Matt Triplett, a PBR veteran, meditates in his cold space.
brand products, or manage businesses of their own. How do PBR’s other steadfast runts go toe-totoe with untamed bovines over 10 times their size? It depends on the rider. Take Brazil’s Guilherme Marchi. He holds the
record for more rides than
to keep the muscles lithe
one’s game, no matter how
any other cowboy in the
and supple.
hard they train. Athletes in
sport’s history. Marchi’s
Then there are guys
any aggressive sport must
regimen is simple. He lifts
like Nevada Newman.
spice up their grinds with
weights, rides bikes, and
When Triplett introduced
something unusual every
jumps rope at least four
him to PBR in 2014, he got
now and then. Otherwise,
days a week, even while
a taste of the city-slick-
the training hits a wall and
traveling between events.
ing workout practices of
the body ceases progres-
His diet includes gener-
cryotherapy, hot yoga, and
sion. If plateau goes on for
ous portions of eggs and
the gymnasium life. Even
too long, the competitor
chicken.
if Newman raised and
may lose gains rather than
sold cattle as a day job,
maintain what he or she
Matt Triplett, who ranked
the rookie needed care-
already has. Newman is
third place at the 2014
ful preparation for PBR’s
just like every athlete in
PBR World Standings.
specially bred steers. Once
this regard. Ranching is
Triplett diligently follows
he got into professionally
an incredibly effective
a gym program much like
competitive shape, he
cross-training workout,
Marchi’s, with the addition
made the ranching life-
but it can become repeti-
of some unconventional,
style his full-time training
tive, too. The gymnasium
cutting-edge practices.
regimen. “I have some
life may not be his thing,
One of those is cryother-
friends who live and die in
but he admits some of
apy, which subjects an
the gym,” says Newman. “I
Triplett’s style rubbed off
athlete’s body to extremely
hate that stuff. I’d rather be
on him.
cold temperatures—far
outside doing something,
below freezing—for a few
like riding horses.”
Or take Montana’s
minutes to reduce muscle
However, workout pla-
“If it’s going to be a long event, and I’m feeling sluggish, I’ll do some hot
teau—when the body grows
yoga the day before, to take
healing. The other is hot
accustomed to the same
off the edge,” he says with
yoga, which involves yoga
exercise routine day-in and
a chuckle. “You do sweat
poses in a sweltering room
day-out—can stunt any-
your ass off there.”
Catch a glimpse of the cowboy life and watch Nevada Newman and other tough-as-nails athletes try to tame the world’s fiercest bulls during PBR’s Rumble in the Rockies— one of the final four events before the 2017 World Finals—
at the Broadmoor World Arena on September 30 and October 1.
Opening at the 2016 Iron Cowboy Competition —Courtesy of Andrew Giangola
swelling and facilitate
Rodeo A-Go-Go
www.sensimag.com
35
HIGHLY
TOPICAL by ROBYN GRIGGS L AWRENCE
The localized, body-pleasing benefits of cannabis-infused LOTIONS, PATCHES, OILS, and BALMS are propelling topical treatments into the mainstream.
36
www.sensimag.com
AU G U S T 201 7
Kim Frazier, A LOUISVILLE, COLORADO-BASED HEALTH COACH AND MEDICAL MARIJUANA PATIENT, USES MEDICAL CANNABIS FOR ONGOING PAIN FROM TWO HERNIATED DISKS IN HER LUMBAR SPINE AND PINCHED NERVES AND OSTEOPOROSIS IN HER NECK. A FEW YEARS AGO, SHE DISCOVERED THAT APPLYING CANNABIS-INFUSED TOPICAL OINTMENTS EASED HER PAIN WITHOUT FOGGING HER MIND, SO SHE BEGAN BUYING THEM AT DISPENSARIES AND MAKING HER OWN AT HOME. LAST YEAR, FRAZIER HAD H ER FIRST MASSAGE WITH CANNABIS-INFUSED OIL AND FELT A “NOTICEABLE AND PROFOUND BENEFIT AND RELAXATION RESPONSE” THAT LASTED FOUR DAYS. WEEKLY MASSAGES WITH CBD OIL ARE NOW AN IMPORTANT PART OF HER HEALTH PROTOCOL. “It’s just logical,” Frazier says. “The skin is our
to medicate, which opens the door for many pa-
largest organ. Topicals are a great way to get canna-
tients who would like to experiment using canna-
bis into the system and still be functional. They’re
bis treatment but would prefer not to ingest it or
also a great way to introduce ‘newbies’ to cannabis,
experience any kind of mental high.”
and even longtime smokers find benefits.” After applying cannabis-infused oil for three days, Frazier says, her husband’s eczema cleared up, and he was able to stop using steroidal creams. An up-and-coming segment of the medical cannabis industry, “topicals” include cannabis-infused balms, lotions, oils, alcohol solutions, and transdermal patches that penetrate the skin to deliver cannabinoids, including THC and CBD. Cannabinoids are specialized signaling chemicals in cannabis that bind with CB receptors in our bodies and skin, influencing and regulating appetite, pain sensation, inflammation, temperature regulation, muscle
HOW TO USE
{ T O PI C ALS }
Adam Stone, who developed SweetStone Candy Luscious Lemondrop Lotion, an award winner at this year’s Cannabis Cup, offers the following advice for safe, effective topical use.
1. Read the labels and warnings. 2. Don’t eat them, no matter how
control, metabolism, stress response, mood, and
memory. Because cannabinoids don’t reach the
3. Always test on a small area first in case
brain or central nervous system through topical delivery, most medical researchers don’t believe they can deliver psychoactive effects. Denver-based Adam Stone, who developed and
delicious they smell.
of skin irritations or allergic reactions.
4 . Apply to clean skin at a time when
you won’t wash or sweat it off.
sells cannabis-infused SweetStone Candy Luscious Lemondrop Lotion, which took second place at the 2016 Michigan Medical Cannabis Cup, believes
Medicine Hunter Chris Kilham, a Massachu-
that’s the biggest benefit of using topicals. “They
setts-based ethnobotanist and medical marijuana pa-
won’t get users high,” he says. “There definitely
tient who writes extensively about cannabis and other
seems to be a body buzz, but they are a gentler way
medicinal plants, points out that “it’s entirely possible
AU G U S T 2 01 7
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37
that some people taking transdermal THC-based lo-
with a heat source such as a neck warmer, they’re
tion might get quite high.” His preferred method for a
particularly effective for neck and lower back pain,
painful shoulder issue is a cannabis-based lotion from
Cohen says. The former obstetrician, who delivered
his local dispensary. Kilham learned of cannabis’s
10,000 babies in Colorado and was named “Best Deliv-
ability to relieve pain when he began smoking and
ery Man” by Westword in 1993, uses Apothecanna Ex-
eating it after a car crash many years ago, and he dis-
tra Strength Cream with arnica, juniper, peppermint,
covered topicals when he applied tamanu oil to areas
CBD, and THC for his own aches and pains.
of his skin where he had residual nerve damage from
CBD-only formulas, which are becoming very pop-
the accident. “It’s actually quite miraculous,” he says.
ular, appeal to people concerned about legality, psy-
“We’re in the very, very early stages of what’s likely to
choactive effects, or passing a drug test—even though
be a pretty exciting category in the cannabis industry.”
that’s highly unlikely with creams and oils because
Graham Sorkin, director of business develop-
topically applied cannabis doesn’t enter the blood-
ment for Mary’s Medicinals, which sells transder-
stream—but Cohen prefers a combination of THC and
mal patches, gels and topical compounds to pa-
CBD. “The two generally work better together than
tients in Colorado, Washington, California, Oregon,
one does alone,” he says. This is what’s known as the
“
T H E R E D E F I N I T E LY S E E M S T O B E A B O D Y B U Z Z ,
B U T T H E Y A R E A G E N T L E R WAY T O M E D I C AT E ,
WHICH OPENS THE DOOR FOR MANY PATIENTS WHO WOULD LIKE TO EXPERIMENT USING CANNABIS TREATMENT BUT WOULD PREFER NOT TO INGEST IT OR EXPERIENCE ANY KIND OF MENTAL HIGH.
”
Vermont, and Arizona, says more patients—particu-
“entourage effect,” meaning the combination of can-
larly older ones—are willing to try topicals because
nabinoids found in cannabis is greater than the sum
they carry less stigma. “My grandma is never going
of its parts, and it’s why Stone uses cannabis culti-
to smoke a joint, but she likes the patch,” he says.
vars with a balance of both CBD and THC for Sweet-
Mary’s Medicinals’ customers range in age from 2
Stone Candy Luscious Lemondrop Lotion. “Research
to 92, he says, and most use the products for local-
has shown that this potentially has more therapeutic
ized and broad-spectrum pain such as arthritis. Pa-
advantages than CBD alone,” he says.
tients also use them to help treat epilepsy, insomnia, and sleep disorders.
38
Frazier has found this to be true in her own experiments with massage at Nature’s Root spa in
At Holos Health, in Boulder, Colorado, Dr. Joe Co-
Longmont, Colorado, where the same 90-minute
hen, DO, who integrates cannabis into his holistic
massage is exponentially more relaxing and effec-
functional medicine practice, often recommends
tive when she upgrades from hemp-based oil to
sprays, creams, and lotions with a one-to-one THC-
cannabis oil with a high CBD content. “I can honest-
to-CBD ratio to patients with joint and neuropathic
ly tell you, the difference is night and day,” she says.
pain and muscle spasms. Cohen says topicals work
“With the addition of CBD oil, I have to be able to go
locally to reduce pain, inflammation, and spasms and
home and not do anything that requires a lot of en-
can be used as frequently as needed because of their
ergy and brain power. I’m arranging my schedule so
limited psychoactive effects. When applied along
that I can always go home and chill”.
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AU G U S T 201 7
MAKE YOUR OWN TOPICAL Colorado-based health coach and medical marijuana patient Kim Frazier makes this edible topical oil by combining a one-to-one ratio of food-grade oil with some cannabis that has been decarboxylated and some that has not. Decarbed cannabis contains THC, CBD, and other beneficial cannabinoids, and non-decarbed cannabis contains THC-A (acid) and CBD-A. The oil is cooked at a temperature too low to decarb the cannabis. Frazier’s favorite oils for this recipe are coconut, MCT, avocado, flax, hemp, and macadamia, which penetrate skin effectively and offer an array of beneficial nutrients, making the medicinal impact even stronger. This kind of oil is not to be confused with full-extraction cannabis oil such as Phoenix Tears oil, which is made through a distilling process and involves a solvent such as alcohol.
Ingredients: 1 ounce cannabis, coarsely ground 1 cup food-grade oil Mason jar Cheesecloth or nut milk bag (both available from Amazon) Fine mesh strainer
To decarb cannabis, place it in an oven-safe container, seal the container with a lid or aluminum foil and cook at 220 degrees for an hour. Remove from oven and let cool. Remove
lid. Place oil and cannabis in a mason jar. Leave some room free at the top of the jar; don’t fill completely. Seal jar. Preheat oven to lowest setting, typically 170 degrees Fahrenheit. Prepare a water bath in an oven-safe pot or Dutch oven by pouring enough water to cover the material in the jar. Place jar in water bath. Place pot in oven and slow cook for at least 10 hours. The oil can cook for up to 24 hours. If you need to leave the house (or go to sleep), it’s fine to turn it off and restart the process when you return home (or wake up). Note: You can use a crockpot or slow cooker if it has a setting around 170 degrees or less. About every two hours,
check container to ensure the water level remains higher than the material in the jar. Add water if necessary. Remove jar and shake it for a few seconds, then return it to the water bath. After 10–24 hours, remove jar and let cool. Line a fine mesh strainer with cheesecloth or nut milk bag. Place strainer over a bowl or jar and pour oil through until all plant material has been strained out. (You can keep the cannabis “sludge” in your fridge or freezer to use in the bathtub. Simply place some in a piece of mesh fabric along with some Epsom salts, tie up the mesh fabric and put it in the bathtub for a relaxing, therapeutic soak.) Store in a labeled jar in the refrigerator for up to six months.
AU G U S T 2 01 7
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39
h
emp
by ROBYN G R IG G S L AWRENCE
C . J. Jorgensen C R O C H E T S E V E RY C H A N C E S H E G E T S . T H E F I B E R A R TI S T A N D C L O T H I N G D E S I G N E R W O U L D C R O C H E T 24/7 I F S H E C O U L D . S O , W H E N S H E
M O V E D F R O M N O R T H E R N C O L O R A D O T O T H E W E S T E R N S L O P E A C O U P L E Y E A R S AG O , S H E N AT U R A L LY B E G A N E X P L O R I N G N E A R BY T E X T I L E R E S O U R C E S . One day, she was given several skeins of a hemp-
nal pieces, often crocheting into the wee morning
wool blend (or bouclé) that had been sitting in the
hours, while she built a career as a hair stylist, ran a
EnviroTextiles warehouse in Grand Junction be-
sweet shop in Montana, and worked in sales.
cause no one could work with its uneven texture.
“I’ve always gravitated to entrepreneurial things
Always up for a challenge, Jorgensen began experi-
that give me freedom and independence,” Jor-
menting with the tedious yarn, creating projects
gensen says, revealing the cowgirl attitude that in-
and tearing them apart, developing stitches to ac-
spired her studio’s name. “And I’ve always felt it’s
commodate the thick-then-thin material. She fell in
important to have some form of art in my life.”
love with the yarn’s nubby texture and found ways
In 2015, shortly after Jorgensen began playing with
to stitch it into elegant, flowing garments. Inspired
hemp, she was invited to be part of Elemental Rising
by the blend, she also began playing with smoother,
Fashion Show in Paonia, Colorado. She had three
more workable pure hemp. Jorgensen now works
months to create eight items, and she set to work mak-
almost exclusively with Cannabis sativa, and she’s
ing dresses, ponchos, tops, and hats—all at the same
carving out an edgy niche in wearable art through
time. When she couldn’t figure out where to go next
her company, Zen Cowgirl Studios.
with one piece, she put it down and picked up another.
“The more I work with hemp, the more I like it,”
As all eight pieces sat in various stages of completion,
Jorgensen says. “It shapes really nicely, and it moves
she says, “the garments took on a life of their own.” The
and contours with the body. Hemp fiber is not as soft
resulting collection of timelessly sexy dresses and ver-
because it’s not processed with any synthetic fibers,
satile accompaniments pairs perfectly with boots and
but it turns out really cool designs. It’s also surpris-
cowboy hats (Zen Cowgirl boasts over 50 different hat
ingly lightweight. You barely know you have it on.”
designs) and could be worn to a rodeo or the opera. It
Inspired by her mother’s beautiful handknit
40
was a huge hit at the fashion show.
sweaters, Jorgensen taught herself how to crochet
Though she creates and works from prototypes,
when she was a teenager because she thought work-
every piece Jorgensen makes is one of a kind. She
ing with one crochet hook would be easier than han-
has a vision as she begins a project, but she may
dling two needles. She immediately became ob-
find new ways to play with stitches or the pattern as
sessed with the art and churned out sweaters, doilies,
it comes together. At her home studio at HCZG
ponchos, and blankets as gifts for her large family in
Ranch (so named for Hippies & Cowboys and Zen
Georgetown, Colorado. She continued to create origi-
Cowgirl), Jorgensen crochets custom hemp pieces
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AU G U S T 201 7
IN
G
D
I ES
ar
R
le b a
N E Z
s e n of
IR L G W CO
M E H
S T UD I O S t ur n s s im ple s
. T R A P
titc
he
s
int
o
we
E GN
n or ge J . J C.
F IB E R
ART
IS T
an
dC
LO
TH
p tress
AU G U S T 2 017
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41
The newest Zen Cowgirl collection focuses on natural fibers made of hemp, wool, and flax.
hemp COMES
home
Hemp {Cannabis sativa }, one of humankind’s first domestically cultivated plants, has been used to make cloth-
ing since at least 8000 BC. One of the world’s strongest and most durable textile fibers, hemp is also one of the most sustainable. One acre of hemp produces as much fiber as two to three acres of cotton, and hemp can be grown without the herbicides, fungicides, and pesticides that cotton and other textiles require. This miraculous plant—considered so valuable that it was used as legal tender in colonial America—fell victim to prohibition when reefer madness swept the United States. Though it contains less than 0.3 percent of the psychoactive cannabinoid THC, hemp was outlawed alongside its psychoactive cousin as part of the Marihuana Tax Act of 1937. Most hemp sold in the United States today comes from China, Hungary, Thailand, Romania, Chile, and Canada. That may change as cannabis law reform sweeps the United States. Congress is considering legislation that would exclude hemp from the legal definition of marijuana,
“
I’m passionate
A B O U T F I N D I N G W AY S T O H E L P PE OPLE I NCORPORAT E H E M P INTO
T H E I R L I F E ST Y L E S. I ’ M E XC I T E D A B O U T B E I N G PA RT O F A W H O L E
new industry.
”
and clothing for special occasions, crafting items such as christening gowns and wedding dresses. “I’m passionate about finding ways to help people incorporate hemp into their lifestyles. I’m very excited about being part of a whole new industry,” Jorgensen says. “I want to make clothes for the rich and famous.”
42
www.sensimag.com
AU G U S T 201 7
and several states—including Colorado—have legalized cultivation and research of industrial hemp. Colorado has 1,600 acres of hemp under cultivation.
LOCAL
LEADERS.
NATIONAL
IMPACT.
LET’S BUILD A SUSTAINABLE INDUSTRY TOGETHER NCIA is the only national association bringing the voice of the responsible cannabis professional to Capitol Hill. Invest in your future and the future of America’s next best industry. Join our network today by becoming a member.
JOIN THE MOVEMENT at TheCannabisIndustry.org / AU G U S T 2 01 7
@NCIAorg
www.sensimag.com
43
PROMOTIONAL FEATURE
HERBAL HEALING
Healthy High HERBAL HEALING OPENED ITS DOORS ON APRIL 15, 2015. LESS THAN A WEEK LATER—ON APRIL 20—IT WON THE COVETED HIGH TIMES CANNABIS CUP’S BEST INDICA FLOWER AWARD. AND THERE’S A GOOD REASON WHY.
THC and CBD, two most promi-
the story. “We believe THC is much
much medicine they can access. “We
nent medicinal molecules found in
of the miracle that comes from
solve that by finding super-high pro-
cannabis, work in tandem. Studies
cannabis,” he says. THC confers
ducing plants that give us twice as
show CBD stimulates cell recep-
the elevating effects from canna-
much product than any other strain,”
tors responsible for homeostasis,
bis, but it possesses just as much
he says. “That offsets the price,”
the body’s natural balance that
therapeutic potential as CBD. “With
meaning more punch for lower cost.
promotes healing and well-being.
many conditions, if you don’t have
THC activates these same recep-
THC, you’re not going to get the
ny, we’re also the growers,” says
tors, amplifying the properties of
full benefits of CBD oils.”
Moore. “We are the storefronts. We
CBD for a longer, more sustainable medicinal effect.
cific needs, Herbal Healing offers a
are the company.” Herbal Healing welcomes its
Herbal Healing, a medical dispen-
wide selection of products. These
patients to ask questions and learn
sary with two locations in Colorado
include flower, concentrates, tinc-
about the options available to
Springs, is one of southern Colo-
tures, and oils with varying ratios of
them. “There’s definitely a homey
rado’s top suppliers for high-CBD
THC and CBD: from high-CBD and
vibe here, especially with all of us
cannabis strains. These plants
low-THC products to products that
being from Kentucky,” says Moore.
provide patients more relief than
contain equal parts of the two. Pure
“Our patients feel that when they
buzz, but when it comes to treating
CBD products are available as well.
come in the store. They get that
debilitating conditions, that’s more than enough. Ryan Moore, cofounder of the
44
Because every patient has spe-
“As the owners of the compa-
Potency and affordability are also
talk to us for an hour, we’ll talk to
production line. Many patients re-
you for an hour.”
Herbal Healing, understands CBD
quire large amounts of cannabis for
alone, although helpful, is just half
treatment, so cost can restrict how
www.sensimag.com
AU G U S T 201 7
Southern hospitality. If you want to
key components of Herbal Healing’s
AU G U S T 2 01 7
www.sensimag.com
45
GRND
PROMOTIONAL FEATURE
The Bigger the Dream, The Harder the Grnd THIS COMPANY IS ON A MISSION TO CONNECT THE MOST ELITE, SKILLED PROFESSIONALS TO THEIR DREAM JOBS. Cannabis isn’t just one of
als with companies in the
cultivation. The main com-
ders. With clients in Cana-
Colorado’s fastest grow-
cannabis industry.
ponent guiding GRND’s
da, Puerto Rico, and other
placement decisions, she
US states where cannabis
says, is drive.
is legal, GRND introduces
ing industries, it’s one of
Nikki Mantooth, founder
the nation’s as well. For
and president of GRND,
professionals everywhere
has dabbled in the human
interested in a career
“I’m truly invested in
quality professionals to
resources field since she
my candidates,” she says.
companies with national
change, now is the time to
was a teenager in Atlan-
“The key in recruiting
and international reach.
get into the field. Employ-
ta. She has a knack for
quality professionals is lis-
For businesses, the
ers across the industry are
bringing together the
tening to what it is they’re
agency also provides
looking to hire deft talent
best talent with the most
passionate about and
consulting services to
for a variety of positions
conscientious companies.
matching their passion
help maximize employee
at all levels—including up-
Mantooth’s corporate
with their skill set. If you
retention and streamline
per-level management and
matchmaking expertise
find that position for them,
day-to-day operations.
executive. And since legal
helps cannabis companies
they’re going to thrive.
Additionally, a certified
cannabis is such a new
fill a whole array of critical
And when they thrive, the
cultivator program is un-
industry, the majority of
roles, and GRND special-
company thrives.”
derway, ensuring growers
the new hires will be peo-
izes in mid- to upper-level
ple who have spent their
management positions,
allows GRND to connect
stand and can faithfully
professional lives working
executive officers, head
individuals and companies
execute essential grow
in other fields, honing skills
growers, and directors of
beyond Colorado’s bor-
room practices.
coveted by modern cannabis companies.
recruited by GRND under-
“Cannabis truly changes people’s lives,” says
That’s where GRND
46
A recent expansion now
Mantooth. Whether that
comes in. The Global Re-
change involves a pro-
cruiting Network Develop-
fessional move into the
ment is a Colorado-based
industry or a move up the
executive recruiting
corporate ranks for those
agency that specializes in
already in it, no dream is
matching elite profession-
too big for the GRND.
www.sensimag.com
AU G U S T 201 7
AU G U S T 2 01 7
www.sensimag.com
47
FROM OUR ADVISORY BOARD
AS THE CANNABIS INDUSTRY GROWS, SO DO THE NUMBER OF PROFESSIONAL EXPERTS WITHIN IT. THESE PEOPLE ARE INCREDIBLE SOURCES OF NICHE, INSIDER INFO ABOUT THE TRENDS AND ISSUES DRIVING THIS THRIVING MARKETPLACE FORWARD. THE SENSI ADVISORY BOARD IS COMPRISED OF A SELECT GROUP OF CANNABIS INDUSTRY LEADERS IN A VARIETY OF FIELDS, FROM COMPLIANCE AND EDUCATION TO CONCENTRATES AND CULTIVATION. EACH ISSUE, THEY ARE INVITED TO SHARE SOME OF THEIR SPECIALIZED INSIGHT AND PERSPECTIVE IN THIS DEDICATED SECTION. THIS MONTH, WE HEAR FROM ADVISORY BOARD MEMBERS IN THE CAREGIVER AND EDUCATION CATEGORIES. FOR A FULL LIST OF ADVISORY BOARD MEMBERS, TURN TO THE MASTHEAD ON PAGE 7.
Growing your own means you know precisely which plants are in your pots. With cloning, a simple process anyone can do with a little knowhow, you can keep the strains that work best for your medical conditions, long after the mother plant is uprooted and harvested. With breeding, you can cross your best
REAP WHAT YOU SOW by MATT FOX OF SHOW ME KINDNESS
strains to generate new plants with qualities customized to your needs. There’s a lot to growing, but there’s always help, too. In Colorado, caregivers are
reward for persistence
tion and attentiveness, and
available to provide invalu-
are experiences gained by
increase productivity in
able experience and insight
growing cannabis. These
other areas of life. Tending
into the complexity of
from the ground up cul-
experiences can change
a personal grow keeps the
medicinal cannabis produc-
tivates a unique outlook
your perspective on the
body active, and an active
tion, better equipping you
on health and wellness
world and set the founda-
body is a healthy one.
to navigate the myriad of
that can only be nurtured
tion for a mental, physi-
in the home. Starting a
cal, and spiritual awaken-
ensures you know exactly
able today. Once you are
personal cannabis garden
ing that can change your
what you’re putting into
growing your own plants
introduces you to a way of
life for the better.
your body. This is espe-
and seeing the results in
cially important for pa-
your medicine and feeling
Growing cannabis can grow your soul. Raising your own buds
thinking that produces a
48
Plants are an integral
A personal grow also
options and choices avail-
better, healthier lifestyle
part of our lives, and sur-
tients with compromised
the improvement of your
if you let it. The value of
rounding ourselves with
immune systems since
general wellbeing, you may
quality, the importance
living plants of any kind
these patients depend on
find yourself applying your
of knowledge, the burden
has been shown to lower
additive-free cannabis for
new skills to the rest of your
of responsibility, and the
anxiety, improve percep-
safe, reliable relief.
life—for the rest of your life.
www.sensimag.com
AU G U S T 201 7
UNDERSTANDING PTSD by STAFF AT LUX LEAF
stress reaction.” The
terrors, paranoia, or OCD
phrase “post-traumatic
habits. The tradition-
stress disorder” didn’t ap-
al method of combating
pear until the 1980s, with
insomnia with pharma-
the publication of the third
ceuticals now has a new
volume of the Diagnostic
competitor. Many sleep-
and Statistical Manual of
ing medications, such as
Mental Disorders.
the benzodiazepines, con-
Post-traumatic stress
vert deep sleep into light-
disorder is not a qualify-
er sleep, so that while the
ing condition for medical
total amount of sleep may
marijuana in all medical
be modestly increased,
marijuana states, but it
it may not be of optimal
does qualify in a number
quality. Due to cannabis’s
of states. After a long, per-
long-standing scheduling
sistent effort, the state of
with the federal govern-
Colorado approved PTSD
ment, there is currently
as a qualifying condition
limited research on can-
for Medical Marijuana.
nabis and its effects on
This is the first new qual-
sleep. What we do know
ifying condition added
is that when compared
under the Colorado’s
to other common sleep
medical marijuana law
aid methods, such as al-
since it was implemented
cohol and pharmaceuti-
in 2001.
cal medications, cannabis
CAN CANNABIS HELP? Individuals who suffer from PTSD experience a wide variety of symptoms. Many of these common
For as long as humans
juana has been found to decrease REM sleep while increasing slow-wave is the stage of sleep right
iety, depression, and into have positive effects
disorder (PTSD) is a men-
have been suffering from
when medical marijuana
tal health problem that
trauma, we have been
is used. Medical marijua-
some people develop after
dealing with PTSD in
na can help people with
experiencing or witness-
some form. As our phys-
PTSD by working with the
ing a life-threating or
iological development
body’s natural compounds
life-altering event. Symp-
evolved, we gained a
to create a relaxing ef-
toms include recurrent
greater understanding of
fect on the brain. Studies
re-experiencing of the
this and eventually gave it
show that medical mari-
trauma, sleep problems,
a name. During World War
juana with high levels of
irritability, anger, poor
I, the term “shell shock”
CBD provide therapeutic
concentration, blackouts,
was used to describe what
effect on those with anxi-
and a phobia of places,
is now better described
ety disorders.
people, and experiences
as PTSD. By World War II,
that remind the sufferer
shell shock was replaced
sue for those with PTSD,
with the term “combat
whether it is due to night
of the trauma.
ative side effects. Mari-
sleep. Slow-wave sleep
symptoms such as anxsomnia have been shown
Post-traumatic stress
has fewer long-term neg-
Insomnia is another is-
before REM: in this stage, the body builds mental and physical energy.
WILL CANNABIS WORK FOR YOU? Save the date: Find out if cannabis is the right therapy for you. We invite you to attend PTSD and
Cannabis, a free public event sponsored by Sensi
Magazine and Stratos and hosted by Lux Leaf, on Thursday, September 28, 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. Visit LuxLeaf.com for further event information.
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{ soCO} by STEPHANIE WILSON
Telluride , a former mining enclave set in a box canyon in southern Colorado, is as picture-perfect as any mountain town can be, surrounded on three sides by peaks that stretch toward 14,000 feet above sea level. Up here, the air is clear in a town where the cultural attractions are almost as compelling as the surrounding traillined mountains. There are also a slew of top-notch cafés and lounges to keep you satiated after a day out exploring the stunning wilderness. But for the real fun, get out of town into the mountains and pitch a tent. Telluride is already at an elevation of 8,750 feet, which means there’s less atmosphere interfering with your views of the stars. Which means there’s no better place to be when the explosive Perseid Meteor Shower peaks and sparkling meteors shimmer across the night sky multiple times per minute the night of August 12 and morning of August 13.
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