SOUTHERN COLORADO
WOOWOO WOOFERS Energy healing goes to the dogs
THE NEW NORMAL
11.2019
Single, Not Sorry
Why so many adults are staying unattached
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sensimag.com NOVEMBER 2019 3
4 NOVEMBER 2019 Southern Colorado
Celebrate the Season Try with your favorite recipe! Pumpkin Spice Latte
Ingredients:
+\2 cups milk + 3 tbsp pumpkin puree + 2-3 tbsp sugar + 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spices + 1 tbsp vanilla extract
+ 1/2 cup hot espresso + Whipped cream + Garnish: incredibles Pumpkin Pie chocolate!
Directions:
Step 1. Mix the milk, pumpkin puree, sugar, pumpkin pie spice & vanilla in a saucepan. Step 2. Warm over medium heat. Step 3. Whisk milk mixture into a foam. Step 4. Pour espresso into 2 mugs. Step 5. Divide the milk mixture into the mugs. Step 6. Top with whipped cream & a piece of incredibles Pumpkin Pie chocolate. Step 7. Enjoy! Have an incredible day!
sensimag.com NOVEMBER 2019 5
6 NOVEMBER 2019 Southern Colorado
ISSUE 11 //VOLUME 3 //11.2019
FEATURES 28 Plant, People & Place
California farmers and French winemakers describe what cannabis appellations could look like.
34 Single, Not Sorry
More and more people are choosing uncoupled adulthood.
40 Woo-Woo Woofers
The pet wellness industry is taking off in Colorado, where you’ll find lots of ways to pamper your pooch.
every issue
16 MINDFUL BAKING Spreading buttery bliss
9 Editor’s Note 11 The Buzz 16 TasteBuds
FLOUR, SUGAR, AND THE FLOW
22 HomeMade
HEALTHIER HARVEST
24 LifeStyle
HERBS FOR HEALTH
50 HereWeGo
NOW STREAMING: GANJA YOGA
Sensi magazine is published monthly by Sensi Media Group LLC. © 2019 SENSI MEDIA GROUP LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
40
PUCKER UP Your pooch needs love
sensimag.com NOVEMBER 2019 7
sensi magazine ISSUE 11 / VOLUME 3 / 11.2019
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Ron Kolb ron@sensimag.com CEO, SENSI MEDIA GROUP
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Leland Rucker leland.rucker@sensimag.com SENIOR EDITOR
Robyn Griggs Lawrence robyn.lawrence@sensimag.com EDITOR AT LARGE
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M E D I A PA RT N E R S Marijuana Business Daily Minority Cannabis Business Association National Cannabis Industry Association Students for Sensible Drug Policy 8 NOVEMBER 2019 Southern Colorado
A D V I S O RY B O A R D Agricor Laboratories // TESTING LAB Canyon Cultivation // MICRODOSING Dabble Extracts // MEDICAL CONCENTRATES The Daily Dose Radio Show // RADIO SHOW Faragosi Farms //
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WHAT’S UP WHAT’S NEXT
editor’s
NOTE
We’re hurtling into the holidays,
then straight on into a new decade, a second coming of the Roaring Twenties—hopefully not followed by a major market crash a decade from now, but let’s not get that far ahead of ourselves. We’ll focus instead on what’s just ahead. On your end, dear reader, you’ve got a great magazine in your hands, with a range of topics covering the gamut of this month’s Life + Style theme. If you only read one piece in this issue, make it “Woo-Woo Woofers,” our cover story on alternative medicine for pets, which starts on p. 40. On Sensi’s end, our team is eyeball-deep in the December magazines, which I can’t wait for you to get your hands on next month. We’re rolling out a full redesign of the mag, revamping everything cover to cover. And I do mean everything—even the Sensi logo you know and trust is being updated to fit an evolved brand and an elevated aesthetic. Which means next month, you’ll need to be on the lookout for a magazine with an oversized S in the upper left corner of the cover. That’ll be us. New logo, who dis? While the look of the entire mag is changing, Sensi’s purpose and values are not. A community-minded brand, Sensi Media publishes city lifestyle magazines every month, covering markets like Southern Colorado. Sensi is all about progression and connection, engaging readers with a blend of in-depth reporting, commentary, and cultural coverage—wellness, health, arts, design, travel, business, and beyond. That won’t change. What will change is how all that info is presented. For the redesign, we’ve stripped the magazine back to its key components—the great content—and built up a simplified, compelling magazine that’s easier to read, more fun to make, and delivers even more info each month. You’re going to love it, so keep an eye out for the super Sensi “S” starting in December. As for now, you’ll find a whole lot to love in this issue. If you only read two articles, follow up the dog report with “Single, Not Sorry,” our editor-at-large Robyn Griggs Lawrence’s feature on the rising number of adults choosing to remain uncoupled—a cultural commentary on our times.
Stephanie Wilson E D I TO R I N C H I E F SENSI MAGAZINE
sensimag.com NOVEMBER 2019 9
10 NOVEMBER 2019 Southern Colorado
Cheba Chooses
Stoner favorite Cheba Hut brings Kush BLTs and Kool-Aid to Colorado Springs. The first Cheba Hut came to Colorado from Tempe, Arizona, in 2003, and over the years, 10 more followed (four of them in Denver). The stoner favorite expanded into California, Iowa, Oregon, Nevada, New Mexico, and Wisconsin. But Colorado Springs still had no outpost for “toasted” subs named after cannabis strains (White Widow grilled chicken with bacon and provolone, Chronic roast beef with BBQ and cheddar, Silver Haze hummus with swiss). Now, the wait is over. This fall, Cheba Hut opened its 12th Colorado store at 3171 Chestnut Street, in a retail center under development northwest of I-25 and Fillmore, part of an aggressive expansion plan that could see three to five new stores opening every year. Colorado Springs diners lined up to be the first in the city to enjoy Kush BLTs, French onion soup, and nachos made with Doritos and ranch dressing, all washed down with local craft beers or a Cheba Hut favorite, Kool-Aid, when the shop opened its doors. The wait was worth it. The Colorado Springs location will be one of Cheba Hut’s largest in terms of square footage (2,600) and the size of its bar (the chain bills itself as a busy sandwich shop by day and a neighborhood bar by night). Inside, the walls are painted with murals of mythological gods and goddesses smoking joints, inspired by the Garden of the Gods. “Our foodies flip the bird to the establishment with our homegrown food, our relaxed environment, and our amazing employees, who actually enjoy rollin’ in the joint,” the restaurant’s website states. Countercultural when the chain got its start in 1998, Cheba’s overt nod to stoner culture hardly raises an eyebrow today, especially in the college towns where the shops are usually found.
“When I first started 21 years ago, the cops would come in to check it out, [because of the cannabis references],” Cheba Hut founder Scott Jennings told Restaurant Business News. “Now, they’re customers. That’s cool to see.” Though its sandwiches are named for it, Cheba Hut has never infused its food with cannabis. Brian Loeb, the company’s marketing vice president, stops short of saying it never will. “We are always keeping the door open to menu innovation based on changing consumer trends,” he told Fast Casual. –Robyn Griggs Lawrence
Last-Minute Local
Are you a perennial procrastinator? You still don’t have to resort to Prime. On Saturday, December 21, the Holiday ProCraftination show at the Westside Community Center in Colorado Springs has it all: one-of-akind handcrafted items from local artisans, gift wrapping, and food trucks. The event is sponsored by the Woodland Park– based Made for More Project, which aims to nurture creativity through STEAM (Science, Technonlogy, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics).
sensimag.com NOVEMBER 2019 11
Meet the Makers
Find stuff you can’t Prime at holiday craft festivals across SoCo. It’s tempting—oh, so tempting—to Prime the holidays. One evening spent searching everything available on the planet via Amazon, and Yeti gear cases and mini waffle makers could be on their way to your loved ones. That is so boring. So 2010s. You can do better—and have a lot of fun doing it. Makers of all kinds, from weavers to bakers, have been working all year for the opportunity to show off their wares (and make a few bucks) during the slew of holiday craft fairs happening across SoCo, where you’ll find outstanding gifts and get a chance to meet the artists who made them—it’s a civilized way to shop.
Vintage Market Days
Norris Penrose Event Center, Colorado Springs // Nov. 22–24 Indoor/outdoor Parisian flea market with art, antiques, jewelry, food, and plants
Annual Christmas Bazaar
Mount Carmel Wellness & Community Center, Trinidad // Nov. 25 Local crafts
Fall Makers Market
Tick Tock, Pueblo // Nov. 30 Fiber crafts, baked goods, art
30th Annual Holiday Bazaar
Palace of Agriculture, Colorado State Fairgrounds, Pueblo // Nov. 2–3 More than 150 vendors, including art, clothing, jewelry
Annual Holiday Bazaar
Ecumenical Church of Pueblo West, Pueblo // Nov. 8–9 Christmas items, handmade crafts, baked goods (breakfast and lunch available)
Holiday Craft Show Elks Lodge, Trinidad Local crafts
21st Annual Holiday Food & Gift Festival Norris Penrose Event Center, Colorado Springs // Dec. 6–8
More than 150 vendors, including tea, chocolates, coffee, and other gourmet treats
Bells of Christmas Craft Sale
Creative Arts Building, Colorado State Fairgrounds, Pueblo // Dec. 7–8 Holiday gifts from local artists and craftspeople (concessions available)
Willow’s Christmas Craft Fair
Colorado State University, Pueblo // Dec. 7 Pottery, baked goods, crafts, clothing, organic body and bath products, hemp products 12 NOVEMBER 2019 Southern Colorado
–RGL
A Female Lens
Rocky Mountain Women’s Festival explores female sexuality, terror in the Jim Crow South, and gender creativity. Some 40 films celebrating the drive, spirit, and diversity of women will be screened at five venues across the Colorado College campus during the 32nd annual Rocky Mountain Women’s Film Festival, November 15–17. An opening night gala at the Cornerstone Arts Center will kick off the longest-running women’s film festival in North America, followed by two days of documentaries and narratives, features, and shorts, often followed by Q&As with guest filmmakers from across the country. This year’s films include #Female Pleasure, a plea for female sexuality in the twenty-first century; A Normal Girl, the story of intersex activist Pidgeon Pagonis; An Act of Terror, the true story of a 16-year-old African American girl accused of murder in the Jim Crow South; and Beauty, exploring the lives of five gender-creative kids. Donna Guthrie and Jere Martin started the Rocky Mountain Women’s Film Festival after a trip to the Telluride Film Festival in 1987. “Our intention was to expand people’s consciousness, including our own, and continue to grow wiser about all the important issues facing us in this complex world of special interests and the deft marketing of viewpoints connected to consumerism,” Martin says in the festival’s origin statement. –RGL RMWFILM.ORG
sensimag.com NOVEMBER 2019 13
3JsHiceCream.com 3JsHiceCream 14 NOVEMBER 2019 Southern Colorado
A Trusted Voice of the Industry Every weekday J and Paul bring you the latest news and info on the cannabis industry locally and globally. Tune in to hear from industry leaders and take advantage of The Daily Dose deals on our webpage. Broadcast live on Gnarly 101.3 FM Monday-Friday, 6-7am and 6-7pm So... tune in to the only cannabis talk show on the radio in Southern Colorado to get the 411 on the 420!
For more information or to listen LIVE, visit our website www.TheDailyDoseTalkShow.com sensimag.com NOVEMBER 2019 15
{tastebuds } by J O H N L E H N D O R F F
FLOUR, SUGAR, AND THE FLOW How mindful baking can heal the baker and spread buttery bliss.
16 NOVEMBER 2019 Southern Colorado
My favorite life moments are when I completely lose
Besides butterfat satisfaction, there is the lure of the
track of me. I’m chopping toasted walnuts, simmering Jon-
sweet. “When you eat the baked goods, you get a dose of
athan apples with vanilla bean, and working butter, salt,
sugar, which lights up the same area of the brain as co-
and flour to a consistency only my fingertips can recognize.
caine,” she says.
Playing with the dough like a kid, I layer the filling over
That may partially explain why we celebrate the ma-
the bottom crust and mess with the upper, my open art-
jor occasions of our lives with cakes, pies, and cookies, not
ist’s canvas. When the kitchen is perfumed and the finished
salads and nachos. Big festive desserts are designed to be
product emerges from the oven tasting like a party and
shared—no matter how many guests are on hand—at
looking like a wrapped gift, a certain kind of bliss envelopes
birthdays, quinceañeras, weddings, and funerals in almost
me. When I bake, my noisy brain shuts up for a little while.
every culture.
According to Kathy Hawkins of Denver’s Kathy Hawkins Counseling, I am engaged in one of the best wellness-en-
The Power of Positive Cookies
hancing rituals. In her counseling practice, Hawkins often
According to local bakers and pastry chefs, the biggest pay-
recommends mindful meditation. “There are many kinds
off of baking is feeding the soul. “They say that you cook for
of mindful meditation besides sitting. Walking and doing
yourself but you always bake for others,” says Jennifer Bush,
art can be meditations and baking can be also,” she says.
cofounder of Lucky’s Bakehouse and Creamery in Boulder.
Hawkins knows food psychology firsthand, having owned
After toiling in basements as a restaurant pastry chef,
and managed restaurants in addition to being a waitress
Bush designed her bakery with an open kitchen. “When
and sommelier.
people come in, I get to see those eyes light up as they
“Baking is a serious way to show people you love them, and there is a lot of reward for both the baker and the recipient,” Hawkins says. You can have your cake and heal with it, too.
This is Your Brain on Baking Research has shown that mindful meditation can be good for heart health, and reduces blood pressure and anxiety. “Baking creates a flow state where you are enveloped
taste something. With cakes, I’m a part of so many people’s lives—their joy, their grief. It never gets old,” Bush says. It’s almost like a super power, says John Hinman, producer of artisan bread, bun, pastries, and pies at Denver’s Hinman’s Bakery. “When I’m working our booth at the farmers market and I see a sad kid walking by, I always have to give them a chocolate chip cookie. To see that grin makes me know I’ve changed the course of their day,” he says.
in the moment. You are not worrying about the past or
It’s all about the power of memory. “A muffin or pie or cake
the future. People who are healthier mentally and emo-
can take you back to a happier place and time,” Hinman says.
tionally tend to live in the flow state more of the time,”
Desserts—especially those involving chocolate—have
Hawkins says.
a strong association with love. “It can be a real pick-me-up
Baking scones and lemon bars can also change brain
and make the world seem like a good place,” says Genny
chemistry. “When you create something tasty, the imme-
McGregor, “Cocoa Coordinator” of Piece, Love & Chocolate.
diate payoff is a hit of the brain chemicals dopamine and
The Boulder-based chocolatier offers artisan truffles, can-
serotonin which improves your mood,” Hawkins says.
dies, pastries, and drinking chocolate.
sensimag.com NOVEMBER 2019 17
18 NOVEMBER 2019 Southern Colorado
Recipe for Mindful Baking
Jen Bush, pastry chef and founder of Lucky’s Bakehouse and Creamery in Boulder, shares this gluten-free cake recipe.
Gluten-Free Chocolate Cake INGREDIENTS For the Cake
• 6 oz unsalted butter, room temperature • ¼ cup granulated cane sugar • 1 cup almond paste • 4 eggs • ½ cup Black Onyx cocoa powder (or any high-quality unsweetened cocoa powder) • Slivered almonds for garnish For the Glaze
• ½ cup heavy cream • 2 tbsp honey • 1 tsp instant coffee • 8 oz semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate
INSTRUCTIONS
STEP 1: Cream the almond paste in a stand mixer until all the
clumps are broken up. STEP 2: Stream in the sugar and continue mixing for one minute, until the mixture is sand textured. STEP 3: Add butter little by little, then add eggs one by one until mixture is smooth. STEP 4: Sift cocoa to remove lumps and add to mixture. Mix until combined. Remember to scrape sides of bowl. STEP 5: Line a 9-inch cake pan with parchment paper or use nonstick spray. Scrape mixture into pan and bake at 325º F for 20 to 25 minutes, until cake is firm to the touch. STEP 6: Let cool completely before inverting on a plate. STEP 7: To make the glaze, gently heat cream, coffee and honey. Pour over chocolate and whisk until combined. STEP 8: Pour warm glaze over cake; decorate with slivered almonds. Makes one 9-inch cake.
Sometimes visitors to the shop become visibly, physically
Akina is preparing to open Melted at The Source with
moved by tasting a particular confection. “This look comes
restaurateur Bryan Drayton (of Acorn, Oak, and Corrida),
over people’s faces. They close their eyes. It almost looks like
featuring artisan cookies and Thai ice cream sandwiches on
they are…well, they look happy,” McGregor says with a smile.
freshly baked French rolls. “I’m doing recipe testing now so I
Salted Caramel on the Right Side of the Brain
get to play with the millions of flavors in my head,” she says. Part of what she calls her “therapy” is following defined
Bakers are different from other culinary creatives. “There is
steps of pouring, proofing yeast, sifting, stirring, and plat-
a balance between science and creativity. I like all the numbers
ing. “Working with my hands gets the stress out for me. I
involved, the exact measuring and setting out the ingredients
have to focus and forget about everything else,” Akina says.
and tools for an amazing dish before you start,” says Jennifer
Pastry creation is fundamentally tactile, not unlike mas-
Akina, a celebrated cake artist at Denver’s Azucar Bakery. Aki-
sage therapy. “When I am training somebody, I have to show
na studied chemistry and biology in college, a common back-
how to do techniques with my hands. I can’t tell them,” she
ground among bakers (not to mention brewers and distillers).
says. “I am the worst with words. But I can show somesensimag.com NOVEMBER 2019 19
20 NOVEMBER 2019 Southern Colorado
one I care without saying anything by baking something for
with addiction, suicide, and mental illness among cooks,
them. They know what I’m feeling.”
bakers, bartenders, and waiters. The idea is to promote
Become a Mindful Baker
work/life balance in kitchens where the prevailing culture has often been quite brutal.
Escaping into baking can help you learn to relax and gain
Hinman says he rarely has leftover pies at his bakery, but
confidence, and it’s a safe way to try something new, accord-
on a recent Saturday found himself with a dozen or so. “I
ing to Hawkins of Kathy Hawkins Counseling. “It also is such
decided to bring them to Azucar Bakery because I knew
a thoughtful expression of affection because you took the
they were working really hard,” he says.
time. You didn’t just pick something up at a store,” she says.
You would think that the last thing a baker wants to eat
Many home cooks are intimidated by baking to the point
would be additional baked goods. “When John [Hinman]
of being “pastry-phobic” because they don’t bake often
brought us pies at the bakery, the whole staff lit up. Who
enough to feel good at it. The answer is to begin a mindful
brings a baker a pie? It was so wonderful,” Akina says.
baking practice and intentionally create treats for others on
Ultimately, making the attempt and investing the thought
a regular basis. First, relax, breathe, and forget about being
and time is the sweetest part for folks when we show up at
“gourmet” or making elaborate edible sculptures, Hawkins
the front door with home—baked goodies.
says. “I think back to my mother. Every weekend she would make Pillsbury Cinnamon Rolls with icing from the can. It was her way of showing me that she loved me.”
JOHN LEHNDORFF was the former executive director of the American Pie Council, chief judge at the National Pie Championships, and spokesperson for National Pie Day, Jan. 23. He enjoys making and receiving double-crusted wild blueberry pies.
Don’t bite off more than you can bake. “Make sure you have a solid, simple recipe. Start with granola or cookies, not apple pie. See how happy it makes you feel and then get more complicated,” says Bush of Lucky’s Bakehouse and Creamery. Try making a dessert you don’t particularly love because you know how happy it will make someone else. “You get outside yourself, think about what others need and enjoy the feeling of altruism.” Hawkins says. If you are a perfectionist, baking could be a source of anxiety. Serious bakers will regale you with self-deprecating tales of burned crusts, sunken souffles, and banana bread baked with salt mistaken for sugar. “You can’t be afraid. It’s not life or death. It’s just cake. We say: ‘No blame, no shame.’ You learn and move on,” says McGregor of Piece, Love & Chocolate. Consider embracing the traditional, Japanese concept of
“I am the worst with words. But I can show someone I care without saying anything by baking something for them.“ —Jennifer Akina of Denver’s Azucar Bakery
wabi sabi, seeing the beauty in imperfection. Besides, you PHOTO BY JORDANE MATHIEU ON UNSPLASH
can always add more frosting. Encourage family and friends to join you in mindfulness by scheduling a holiday cookie exchange this season. Honor an elder by asking them to teach you how to make a comforting family favorite.
All You Knead is Love Bakers serve as pastry therapists for the rest of us, but those who create sweets need love, too. Hinman and others in the Denver hospitality industry have formed an organization called Chow, which offers support services to deal sensimag.com NOVEMBER 2019 21
{homemade } by N O R A M O U N C E
HEALTHIER HARVEST Come harvest time and the nippy nights of November,
Luckily, coconut milk has a long history of being used
many of us spend more time at home cooking, answering
for vitality and contains immune-boosting medium-chain
the healing call of the season. It’s an especially rewarding
fatty acids that are easy to digest. It’s now widely avail-
time for foodies and cooks, as autumn menus are chockfull
able and a cinch to swap out for regular milk in both sweet
of nutritious comfort foods and nostalgic aromas. I’m guilty of
and savory recipes. By infusing our coconut milk with kief,*
particularly loving pumpkin-y treats, but I struggle to find rec-
this pumpkin smoothie gets a medicinal boost of cannabis
ipes that don’t depend on heavy cream for richness and fla-
to supercharge your morning.
vor. More and more Americans are discovering that they are
Note: This smoothie is quite luscious. If nighttime is
healthier and happier with dairy consumption kept at a min-
your preferred hour to medicate, remove half the ice from
imum—if only skipping the milk and cheese was that easy.
the recipe and eat with a spoon for dessert.
22 NOVEMBER 2019 Southern Colorado
PHOTO BY NORA MOUNCE
Embrace the mood of November’s cooler days and longer nights with a dairy-free infused smoothie.
Healing Harvest Smoothie Serves 2
INGREDIENTS
• 1 cup pumpkin puree • ½ cup coconut, almond, or hemp milk • ¼ cup canna-coco milk (optional) • ¼ cup coconut cream** • 2 tbsp honey • 2 tbsp almond butter • 2 tbsp cinnamon • ¼ tsp nutmeg, freshly grated if possible • 1 tbsp fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped • 2 cups ice **Trader Joe’s sells a great organic coconut cream. Otherwise, check the liquor aisle where mixers are stocked. Third option: refrigerate a full-fat can of coconut milk for at least an hour. Open and scrape off the solids that have risen to the top—voilà! Coconut cream.
INSTRUCTIONS
Combine pumpkin and all other ingredients in blender. Process on high for 1-2 minutes.
Canna-Coco Milk INGREDIENTS
• 64 oz full-fat coconut milk (please, no low-fat or light.) • ½ g kief INSTRUCTIONS STEP 1: Set a large double boiler on the lowest setting pos-
sible. Add coconut milk and kief. Gently stir with a whisk to incorporate. STEP 2: Let mixture heat for one hour, keeping a close eye
out for scalding (if this happens, remove periodically from heat). Don’t worry about the skin that will form across the top; it will be strained out. *Kief refers to the resinous trichomes of a cannabis flower. Essentially pollen, kief is highly concentrated with cannabinoids. It can be easily extracted by using a grinder and fine mesh screen; grind flower over screen and collect the fine particles of kief. Potency depends on flower. Alternatively, ask for kief at your local dispensary.
STEP 3: Place a fine mesh strainer over a large glass bowl
(or 64 oz. mason jar). Strain milk mixture into it, then label and store in the fridge. Use within a week. sensimag.com NOVEMBER 2019 23
{lifestyle } by C A I T L I N M OA K L E Y
HERBS FOR HEALTH
Keep winter colds at bay with elixirs, syrups, and ciders made from our botanical and fungal allies.
24 NOVEMBER 2019 Southern Colorado
Need an extra boost to the immune system with cold
Whole Harmony’s elderberry syrup, I can practically feel
season creeping in? Concoct a cocktail, spice up your favor-
its protective layer swirling around my cells. If you don’t
ite meal, or take a big swig of belly-warming syrup. These
like chugging straight-up syrup, you can drizzle it on pan-
herbal potions will get you seriously prepped for wintertime.
cakes, ice cream, oatmeal, your favorite fruit, anything
URBAN MOONSHINE IMMUNE TONIC, $19
you’d like. You may find yourself taking an extra serving because you just can’t get enough.
@URBANMOONSHINE
Make way for medicinal mushrooms this season. You can dose yourself two to five times a day with Urban Moonshine’s Immune Tonic. Red reishi mushrooms stim-
FOSTER FARM BOTANICALS TULSI EXTRACT, $18
@FOSTERFARMBOTANICALS
ulate your immune system to put up a fight with any-
My immune system is not as strong when I’m not
thing that tries to make its way into your body. This blend
getting enough sleep, I’m stressed out, or I’m not taking
is particularly helpful if you can’t stomach mushrooms but
enough time for myself. Tulsi has been an ally for me.
could use a quick hit of immune-modulating goodness.
When I’m feeling super stressed out, I take a quick drop-
Getting and staying healthy—what a trip!
per full of Foster Farm Botanicals’ Tulsi Extract, and boom!
WHOLE HARMONY ELDERBERRY SYRUP, $25
@WHOLEHARMONY4U
This gooey, delicious blend of elderberry, honey, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves will flood your senses with a sweet, warming virus invader. When I take a spoonful of
A quick burn in the mouth, and this herbal alcohol extract makes me forget why I was stressed in the first place. When I’m not feeling the extract, I make tea using Foster Farms’ dried tulsi and sip it all day long. Tulsi makes me calm, cool, collected, and super chill—to the point where people ask to have whatever I’m having.
sensimag.com NOVEMBER 2019 25
7
Herbs for Immunity
To boost your immune system, look for supplements and other products with these herbs and use liberally when cooking.
Eldeberries Echinacea Astragalus Andrographis Ginger Oregano Thyme
(IN EVERY PACK)
AVENA BOTANICALS IMMUNE BROTH, $37
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Herbalist Deb Soule has found a funky way to get medicinal herbs and mush-
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rooms into your wellness routine: brew up a broth and freeze it in an ice cube tray until you’re ready to use it. If you don’t want to take a tincture or pop a capsule or don’t want the sugar that comes with a syrup, this broth could be your answer. You can season the broth however you like as the cubes melt into your mug. Sip or spoon, this is a product that can fit anyone’s wellness remedy style.
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Katheryn Langelier, one of the badass women behind Free Fire Cider, puts her own spin on a decades-old DIY recipe with Herbal Revolution’s Fire Tonic, a surefire way to blast out the bad stuff while reaping the goodness of plants like ginger, horseradish, turmeric, burdock, and dandelion. I enjoy this as a shot and mixed with olive oil as a salad dressing. I also enjoy watching people’s faces as they take their first sips of fire cider. Break out the cameras; you’ll want to document this.
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sensimag.com NOVEMBER 2019 27
PLANT, PEOPLE & PLACE We spoke with California farmers and French winemakers to understand why cannabis appellations matter and what they could look like. by N I C O L E R I G G S
ON A WARM JULY MORNING
IN HUMBOLDT COUNTY, CALIFORNIA’S BENBOW
VALLEY, 5-YEAR-OLD MIRABELLA PLUNGES HER HAND INTO THE EARTH. THE BLUE SKY SHIMMERS OVER HILLS DENSELY FORESTED WITH MADRONE, MANZANITA, AND OAK. DOWN THE PATH FLOW THE EMERALD WATERS OF THE EEL RIVER, WHERE SHE’LL GO SWIMMING LATER IN THE DAY. Mirabella scoops a handful of dirt, adds compost and
sister, quick-minded Coral, makes a different blend:
chicken manure, and lifts her cupped hands to the sky:
more compost, less chicken manure. They learn this
“This is how I make soil,” she explains. Her 9-year-old
from their parents, Wendy Kornberg and her husband,
28 NOVEMBER 2019 Southern Colorado
unique genetic factors that render distinctive agricultural products. Appellations are fundamentally related to what the French call terroir, meaning not only soil but the overall native environment, which is not to be frelaté (corrupted or modified). In 2018, the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) established the CalCannabis Appellations Project to expand on county-of-origin regulations and create a statewide Cannabis Appellations system by January 1, 2020. With two months to go, working groups are still actively grappling with what the guidelines will be. Unlike the wine industry’s American Viticultural Area (AVA), which is largely a geographic designation, an appellation is a legally defined and protected indication of not only where an agricultural product comes from but also how it’s produced. Bordeaux wine, Roquefort cheese, Champagne—these are all appellation products because they express their native environment through food and drink. “Appellations express the character of a place,” explains winemaker Pat Knittel, who bottles both North Story wines and Wrangletown Cider in Arcata. To understand the complexity and potential of appellations, we studied each component of a working cannabis farm and how it relates to the genetic expression of a place.
SOIL The soil in which plants grow is a key aspect of appellation products, from cannabis to wine. “The soil is alive,” says Sophie Kumpf, a third-generation winemaker and owner of Kumpf & Meyer in Alsace, France. In her approach to farming, she seeks to “interfere as little as possible in the natural process.” In France, it’s common knowledge that native soil gives an appellation product its unique geographic expression, which consumers are willing to pay for. At Sunnabis Farms, Wendy Kornberg admits to being Doug Cook, who run Sunnabis, a state-licensed family
“a research junkie” when it comes to soil. She points to
farm. Nearby, cannabis plants (varietal 24K#6) bloom
her 8,000-square-foot “proving-ground” garden, where
under the Humboldt sunshine.
she will conduct an A/B test by growing a portfolio of va-
WHY DO APPELLATIONS MATTER?
rietals across different soil managements: biologic and Korean Natural Farming (a method that uses indigenous
The root of appellation, from the Latin appelāre, means
micro-organisms such as bacteria and fungi to produce
“to invoke, to summon.” Around the world, consumers
fertile soils). She plans to get feedback from consumers
understand appellations to mean a place of origin with
through QR codes. sensimag.com NOVEMBER 2019 29
30 NOVEMBER 2019 Southern Colorado
want to build soil, not throw it away,” says Johnston. “Cultivate microbiota that are native to your region.” In France, Catherine Riss is the owner and winemaker at Domaine Riss in Reichsfeld, Alsace. “In Alsace, terroir has a lot to do with the geological composition of the soil. Terroir is complex,” she explains. “It’s the soil, but also the slope, the sun exposition, and the varietal.” Her vineyards are on two soil types: sandstone terroir and slate terroir. Whether it’s wine or cannabis, she sees the future of appellations as “local and sustainable.”
LIGHT Terra Carver is executive director of the Humboldt County Growers Alliance (HCGA), representing more than 270 Humboldt County growers and partners, and participates in the working group that will define appellation guidelines for California’s cannabis industry. Carver believes cannabis farmers are positioned to become leaders in sustainable agriculture, particularly sun-grown. “We want to take her [cannabis] back outside,” says Carver. In Garberville, Kristin Nevedal, founder and executive director of the International Cannabis Farmers Association (ICFA), notes that though most of California’s legal cannabis is grown indoors, it’s impossible to classify by metrics of quality related to appellation. “Indoor high-intensity discharge usage is a modification of terroir—as well as a climate issue—so it should not qualify for apStacey and Lloyd Barker own Local Worm Guy, voted
pellation,” says Nevedal.
Best New Business in Humboldt County in 2019. They work with several cannabis cultivators to optimize sustainable farming techniques for “living soil.”
WATER Agriculture needs water, and with climate change,
“Worms enrich the soil biology and maintain soil mois-
conservation is more urgent than ever. “Understand that
ture,” explains, Barker. “Everything is part of the nutrient
water is part of a watershed,” says Johnston. “How do
cycle, and worms, who eat from half to two times their
you share that watershed with the environment?”
weight every day, are a natural way to convert a biomass into nitrogen-rich, calcium-rich, plant-ready nutrients.”
A World Bank report released in August 2019 warns of the economic consequences of a clean water shortage.
In Holmes Flat, Sunshine Johnston lives and farms at
Forward-thinking cannabis cultivators and winemakers
Sunboldt Grown. The daughter of back-to-the-landers,
are acutely aware of the challenges ahead. Both indus-
Johnston grew up in cannabis and today, she is one of
tries are innovating with dry farming and/or minimal
the leading dry cannabis farmers in California, along
water use.
with her neighbor, Chrystal Ortiz of True Humboldt. Both
In Alsace, Riss uses bacteria and micro-organisms as
farmers utilize sustainable cultivation practices without
a natural pest repellent to retain moisture in her vine-
the use of irrigation. Johnston understands her environ-
yard. Letting ground cover grow tall between the vines
ment in dialectical terms: “The landscape creates us,
“keeps the soil cooler and moist,” explains Riss. Appella-
and we create it, too.”
tion-designated cannabis farms can draw on practices
As state regulations shake out, what might appellation guidelines say about soil regulation in the future? “You
of minimal water use to provide the sustainability value that consumers demand. sensimag.com NOVEMBER 2019 31
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32 NOVEMBER 2019 Southern Colorado
VARIETALS What will appellation guidelines look like when it comes to varietals?
Jesse Fiedler, a cannabis professional with experience across the supply chain, sees “a parallel between Cuba’s cigars that have been crafted by knowledgeable
Watershed expert and cannabis consultant Hollie Hall
artisans over decades and the Emerald Triangle’s can-
says more data is needed. “It’s about the phenotype ex-
nabis, cultivated by experienced growers with intimate
pression of genes,” she explains. Connoisseurs of canna-
knowledge of the local climate.” To explain, he asks
bis recognize that the same varietal grown with similar
with a laugh, “Who would you rather get a cigar from?
practices in different environments still looks, tastes,
The old lady who’s grown it for 35 years or a guy who
and feels different.
just bought a farm?”
Clearly, terroir plays a role in the final product, as does climate. “Certain mold-resistant strains are best suited to the Humboldt climate,” notes Rob Golightly, co-owner of a 10,000-square-foot farm.
PRACTICES As farmers come together, they’ll want to define what drying and curing practices specific appellations should follow. Such measures will further differentiate appellation-designated cannabis from commercial products that are often cut too early, flush-dried, and rushed to market— the fast-food of the industry, or “Styrofoam cannabis.” At Sunrise Mountain Farms in northeastern Humboldt County, Lorelie and Dave Sandomeno farm cannabis at 2,500 feet in elevation, bordered by national forest. “The plants drink spring water, root into vital soil, and see the sunrise every morning,” explains Sandomeno. The couple pays careful attention to every step of the process and is especially adamant about proper curing, emphasizing that it takes time. “Curing is an art that is learned over time and trans-
“CULTURAL STORIES ABOUT CANNABIS PROVIDE EXTRA MEANING THAT HAS EXCHANGE VALUE WHILE ALSO REPRODUCING SKILL ACROSS GENERATIONS.” —Dominic Corva, Humboldt State University
mitted between farmers, a legacy that we can draw on,” says Dominic Corva, the recently appointed co-director at the Humboldt Institute for Interdisciplinary Marijuana Research (HiiMR) at Humboldt State University. “The cultural stories about cannabis provide extra
Amanda Reiman is the head of community relations at
meaning that has exchange value while also reproduc-
Flow Kana, a Mendocino County collective that process-
ing human skill across generations,” says Corva, who
es and distributes cannabis from small-scale farms in
is also the founder and executive director at the Center
Northern California. “Appellations are a way to add value
for the Study of Cannabis and Social Policy (CASP) in
and differentiate,” explains Reiman. “If we’re going to es-
Seattle. For these reasons, practices and generational
tablish appellations, we have to hold true to these values.”
knowledge are an integral part of where appellation
Whether you think in terms of marketing (value-add-
lines are drawn.
MARKETING
ed distinction in the market) or biology (exploring the genetic expression of a place), appellations become powerful when they mean something—sustainabili-
Appellations touch on environmental standards, vari-
ty, craft, or climate. The challenge is to define mean-
etals, and cultivation practices. Ultimately, these com-
ing in the face of a rapidly growing industry, climate
bine to create an appellation product that is a unique
change, and ever-evolving laws regulating cannabis
genetic expression of a place.
cultivation and sale. sensimag.com NOVEMBER 2019 33
ing 34 NOVEMBER 2019 Southern Colorado
le,
NOT SORRY More and more people are choosing uncoupled adulthood. by R O BY N G R I G G S L AW R E N C E
My first newspaper job was on the night desk OF A DAILY. WEEKENDS
OFF WERE THE ONLY TIME TO HAVE ANY SORT OF NORMAL LIFE WITH NINE-TO-FIVERS (MOST OF THE WORLD), AND THEY WERE AWARDED BASED STRICTLY ON SENIORITY. When my time finally came to trade in Wednesday and
boomers are driving the numbers with divorce rates that
Thursday for Saturday and Sunday, my boss said not so
have nearly doubled (and involve unprecedented num-
fast. Steve, who had started several months after me,
bers of second and third marriages) from 1990 to 2015,
had a wife. Steve needed weekends off more than I did.
the Pew Research Center reports.
“You understand,” my boss said.
Determined not to make their parents’ mistakes, more
I was furious, but it was the ’80s. I gave Steve the week-
and more millennials are skipping the whole wedding
ends because that’s what you did (and my boss hadn’t re-
thing. The number of unmarried 18-to-29-year-olds has
ally given me a choice). Over the next couple years, I would
grown from 40 percent in 1960 to 80 percent today, and
leave the newspaper business and marry the first of two
the Pew Research Center predicts a quarter of today’s
wrong-for-me husbands, beginning decades of couple-
young adults will be single when they turn 50. More than
dom that ended recently. I’m single in the age of Tinder,
half—51 percent—of 18-to-34-year-olds reported not hav-
and this is a whole new world. Singledom today is noth-
ing a steady romantic partner last year, a record high for
ing like it was when I was a twentysomething copy editor
the annual University of Chicago survey.
looking for love (in all the wrong places, as it turns out).
Getting married isn’t the great big life goal it was 25 years
It’s no longer weird to be single. Lots of people have
ago, when I was among the last of my high school friends
made it their choice. And if you give weekends off to
to walk down the aisle at 27. More than half—55 percent—
the married guy, you’ll likely be called out as a singlist,
of participants in a 2017 Census Bureau report said getting
which some people consider just as bad as being a sexist
married wasn’t an important criterion for becoming an
or a racist. Singles are demanding respect—and getting
adult. Instead, 95 percent said formal schooling and full-
it—because they’ve (oh, sorry, we’ve) become a powerful
time employment were key. Half of young millennials told
force, in numbers as well as influence.
Tinder they were worried about being in a long-term re-
As Americans live longer, marry later (or not at all), and
lationship because they didn’t want to lose their indepen-
divorce more, singles have increased from 29 percent of
dence. A Bustle survey found that 60 percent of people who
the adult population in 1970 to 48 percent today. Baby
were single and not dating were prioritizing self-care. sensimag.com NOVEMBER 2019 35
36 NOVEMBER 2019 Southern Colorado
In an opinion piece for Inter Press Service, demographer Joseph Chamie, former director of the United Nations Population Division, calls this trend “a significant global demographic change having far-reaching consequences yet receiving scant attention.” He predicts single-person households will continue to grow exponentially throughout the world, increasing global demand for housing, transportation, natural resources, and energy. “People across the world are bucking the stigma of living alone and embracing independent lifestyles,” Euromonitor International’s “Top 10 Global Consumer Trends 2019” reports. Sociologist Eric Klinenberg told the Christian Sci-
ence Monitor the shift is “the greatest social change of the last 60 years that we haven’t already named and identified.” In “Make Way for the Single Age,” J Walter Thompson calls it “a paradigm shift in adulthood uncoupled … a natural evolution alongside job hopping, coliving, sexual openness, digital connection, and a nomadic workforce.”
“I MADE THESE CHOICES” Singledom is a choice that 44-year-old Brian Gross, who has owned BSG PR since 2001, made deliberately. A serial monogamist for many years, he nearly got married once
Alone AROUND THE WORLD
In Canada, where 28 percent of people live alone, one-person households are now the most common. Living alone has grown fastest among 35- to 64-year-olds. In South Korea, unmarried women between 30 and 34 have jumped from 1.4 percent of the population in 1970 to 30 percent today. Young Koreans are called the “sampo” (“giving up on three”) generation because they’re not interested in dating, marriage, and children. In Japan, 70 percent of single people in their 40s and older say they’ll never marry and are prepared to grow old alone. Single women proudly call themselves “wagamama,” which means “self-determining.”
and thought better of it. Now he relishes singlehood. He can make his clients his priority, answering to them 24/7. He travels to wherever he wants, whenever he wants, and meets new people along the way. He feeds himself when
his book, Happy Singlehood: The Rising Acceptance and
he’s hungry and works out at his whim. “I think what
Celebration of Solo Living, “yet we still live in a society
comes in time,” he says, “is your own strength and ability
where singles, especially in advanced adulthood, are
to say with confidence, ‘Hey, I made this life decision. I’m
urged to couple up or otherwise face prejudice.”
the one who lives with it. I made these choices.’”
The US Federal Code states the president can prohibit
Singledom has its advantages, as a viral Reddit thread
discrimination based on marital status, but there are more
asking what people loved most about it recently laid
than 1,000 laws giving married couples legal and financial
out, everything from not getting dragged to lame fam-
incentives and benefits. Singles make an average of $8,000
ily events to not having to laugh at unfunny Facebook
less per year and pay more for everything from housing,
memes. And with social media, no one ever feels lonely.
healthcare, and mortgages to cell phone plans, insurance,
Gross sets his Tinder radar to wherever he’s traveling to
and taxes. Unmarried women get hit on more in the work-
before he goes and has friends waiting in new places.
place, according to a Suffolk University study, and single
Sociologist Ekyakim Kislev says marriage isn’t for him because he likes his freedom and seeks other ways
workers are still being asked to stay late and cover weekends and holidays more often than married ones.
of interacting with significant others. “There are many
The stigma is real, Kislev says. “My research showed
ways to do things,” Kislev says, “and we need to accept,
me that it is critical for singles to replace falsely internal-
even celebrate, the whole spectrum.”
ized negative images of singlehood with positive ones.”
But Kislev has found most people to be pretty closed-minded about marital status. Singles have heavier workloads and earn less money, he says, and have a harder time renting apartments because they’re con-
“THE MOST EXCITING, CHALLENGING, AND SIGNIFICANT RELATIONSHIP OF ALL”
sidered less reliable and stable. “We are open to various
Single people exercise more, sleep better, are more
sexual identities, we celebrate different ethnicities, and
open-minded and deeply engaged in social and civil
we tolerate a wide array of political views,” he writes in
life, and have a much broader definition of “family” than sensimag.com NOVEMBER 2019 37
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married people. They’re more generous with their time,
Paul Dolan, who wrote Happily Ever After: Escaping
money, and caregiving, according to numerous studies,
the Myths of the Perfect Life, told The Guardian that
and are happy and satisfied with their lives. They take
married people only present as happier than singles
music and art classes, dine out more often, and keep Lu-
when interviews are conducted with spouses in the
lulemon in business.
room. “When the spouse is not present: fucking misera-
In a three-year study of 79,000 US women aged 50 to 79, women who stayed single or got divorced ate healthier,
ble,” he says. Women who never married or had children are the healthiest and happiest, Dolan found.
exercised more, and drank less than married women. Sev-
We ladies are getting it. The number of married Ameri-
eral studies have found that single people pay more atten-
can women dropped below 50 percent for the first time in
tion to relationships with friends, neighbors, siblings, and
2009, and it has continued to drop as a new feminist wave
parents, while married couples are more insular.
challenges traditional roles and sexuality. We don’t need
“There is a huge misconception that being alone and
marriage for money, social status, sex, or babies anymore.
lonely are the same,” Kislev says. “Married people can
Over the life of Sex and the City, the early twenty-first
sometimes still feel lonely even if they are not ‘alone.’ It
century series that Harper’s Bazaar said changed our
was proven time and again in many studies that married
view of single life forever, Carrie Bradshaw goes from
people can be very lonely and emotionally deprived with-
thinking that being alone was the modern-day equiva-
in their wedlock.” In Happy Singlehood, Kislev explains:
lent of being a leper to thinking it meant “you’re pretty
“Instead of facing loneliness at its roots, many people
sexy and you’re taking your time deciding how you want
chase partnership only to discover that loneliness is a
your life to be and who you want to spend it with.”
standalone problem, the cure for which lies mainly within oneself, as researchers have repeatedly argued.”
With its focus on Carrie and her friends’ romantic exploits and weddings for all in the end, Sex and the City
In a popular TED Talk, women’s rights activist and
was hardly a poster child for modern singledom. But
What a Time to Be Alone author Chidera Eggerue agrees,
Carrie did figure out something about relationships to-
saying people often use relationships as a distraction
ward the series’ end that bears repeating. “There are
from themselves. “We use other people as a tool to run
those that open you up to something new and exotic,
away from the responsibility of getting to know who we
those that are old and familiar, those that bring up lots of
really are,” she says.
questions, those that bring you back,” she says. “But the most exciting, challenging, and significant relationship of all is the one you have with yourself.” ROBYN GRIGGS LAWRENCE is the author of the bestselling Cannabis Kitchen Cookbook and Pot in Pans: A History of Eating Cannabis.
1oftopeople 3%
are asexual, meaning they do not experience sexual attraction. Like every sexual orientation, asexuality is not a choice.
sensimag.com NOVEMBER 2019 39
WOO-WOO
40 NOVEMBER 2019 Southern Colorado
WOOFERS I’m sitting at my desk
IN THE
EARLY HOURS OF THE MORNING STRUGGLING TO WRITE THE ANECDOTAL OPENER TO THIS
The pet wellness industry is taking off in Colorado, where you’ll find lots of ways to give your pooch some extra pampering.
STORY. THERE’S SOFT MUSIC PLAYING, SO SOFT I CAN HEAR GIDGET’S CONTENT SNORES COMING FROM THE PINEAPPLE DOME SHE SLEEPS IN WHEN I’M AT MY DESK. If the music were too loud, she would stomp as much as a chihuahua could out to the living room to get in her pressure-activated heated bed, engulfed by the soft white throw blanket I bought for myself. Gidget saw it, she liked it, she wanted it, she got it. This is the way it works. The nails on my fingertips are past due for a manicure (Gidget got hers done today). My dinner was peanut butter spooned from the jar. Gidget dined on a gourmet blend specially formulated to deliver the exact level of antioxidants, vitamins, fiber, probiotics, and minerals she needs for optimal health. After dinner, she got a bath and a towel massage before tucking into the pineapple. That’s when I sat down to start writing. I work hard so my dog can have a better life. The meme
by S T E P H A N I E WILSON
is real.
HOOMANS AND FLOOFERS I wouldn’t have it any other way. Gidget may be a furry freeloader, but she’s my furry freeloader and I love her hard. Because she is awesome. All dogs are. Fight me: I’m an elder millennial, and I’ve got a generational army of pet-pampering 20- and 30-somethings to back me up. Millennials have been accused of killing a whole host of things.* Really, we’re just redirecting our limited discretionary funds to things we deem more worthy than, say, an intrinsically worthless shiny stone that De Beers’
*I typed “millennials killed” into the search bar and autocomplete results included “mayo,” “Hooters,” “golf,” “romance,” and “malls.” We should be thanked; all of those sensimag.com NOVEMBER 2019 41 needed to go—yes, including romance as defined by the patriarchal archetype, but that’s a different topic for a different day. We’re talking about dogs here.
42 NOVEMBER 2019 Southern Colorado
marketing firm convinced Americans is a token of love
Us hoomans
and esteem that lasts forever. (Read: millennials are killing diamonds.) Millennials do spend money on pets. This year, the US
chase our
pet industry is projected to rake in $75.28 billion, up more
heckin floofers,
than 30 percent since 2010 according to the American Pet Product Association (APPA). A majority of millennials (76
iPhones in hand,
percent) would be more likely to splurge on luxury items
snapping pics
like expensive treats or a custom bed for their pets than for themselves. “The pet care industry is booming, as people around
of their snoots
the world—especially millennials—blur the line between
and bleps to
The senior brand manager of Purina, Ryan Gass, suggests
share with frens, posting with captions about the goodest boy in the world.
human child and animal,” according to Business Insider. that millennials are putting off marriage and having children, turning to pets to “fill that void,” but I don’t know what void he’s talking about, so we’re moving on. Millennials’ love for their pups is so intense, it’s spawned its own language. Us hoomans chase our heckin
floofers, iPhones in hand, snapping pics of their snoots and bleps to share with frens, posting with captions about the goodest boy in the world. This has all led to a rise in what more serious folks call the “humanization of pets.” Sounds ominous. But it indicates how much our lives and our pets’ lives are intertwined—and therefore following the same trends. And what’s trendier or more millennial than wellness, wellness everywhere? In 1979, veteran journalist Dan Rather quipped during an episode of 60 Minutes, “Wellness…that’s a word you don’t hear every day.” Fast forward 40 years, and we’re hearing the word so much every day it’s almost lost all meaning. The fresh “pet wellness” phrase could mean pets are doing well overall or it could mean pets are judging you for not drinking kombucha. Don’t worry, dogs don’t judge. But they are getting more probiotics in their diets, just not from kombucha. Probiotics in sales of pet foods grew by 139 percent last year, according to the Nielsen market report, “Trends in Pet Care Mirror Those of Pet Owners.” We eat super foods; our dogs eat super foods. We take CBD; our pups take CBD. We get massages; our dogsget massages. We have fitness studios where you can work out with your dog, acupuncture for pets, doggy day spas with swimming pools you can rent out for puppy parties.
LAYING ON HANDS Oh, yeah, and dog Reiki is a thing here, too. Gidget hasn’t tried it yet; she—like me—thinks it sounds a little bit woo-woo. This is how Health mag describes the basic principle: “Energy medicine (or biofield therapies) is the act of sensimag.com NOVEMBER 2019 43
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channeling and manipulating the energy that courses
results from seeing a chiropractor, and I want people to
through your body in order to heal it. This can be done
know that their dog can experience the same benefits.”
with hands-on practices such as acupuncture and Rei-
It’s a nonsurgical, drug-free option for correcting dis-
ki, as well as sensory-based experiences, like the use of
orders related to a fixation in the spine or joint. When
crystals, sound baths, and aromatherapy.”
vertebrae become immovable through trauma, injury,
In Denver, Zen Pet is all about these modalities. Run by
or standard wear-and-tear, the joints between them
Dr. Becca Klobuchar, the mobile holistic veterinary med-
become jammed, often affecting the nerves in the con-
icine’s range of services is rooted in energy balancing
gested area. Those nerves are the communication link
and Chinese medicine.
between the brain and the spinal cord, so when they are
“I began exploring holistic therapies in an effort to provide pets with additional healing options when tradition-
out of order, it can set off a cascade of effects that leads to pain and loss of function.
al treatments were unsuccessful,” says Klobuchar. “The
But pets can’t tell us where they hurt or why they’re
intuitive treatment modalities I use approach pets’ health
limping, so treatments are a bit more complicated. When
from the physical, energetic, and spiritual perspectives.”
working with animals, Moran looks for abnormal or re-
The energy balancing service is based on the concept that all living things have their own energy field that,
stricted movement, with a goal of restoring it to reduce pain and improve mobility.
when not in balance, can lead to disease, emotional stress,
“The results I’ve seen have been amazing,” she says.
and pain. During a session, the ancient practice of “laying
Moran has helped dogs who have lost the use of their
on of hands” transmits the healing energy of the universe
back legs because of slipped discs; after adjustments,
through the practitioner to the animal for healing effects.
they’re able to regain use of their legs and walk again.
While energy medicine is the farthest mystical ex-
She also treats arthritic dogs, “getting the pep back in
treme of the modern wellness world, there are some
their step so they can have a better quality of life.”
forms backed by science. Acupuncture, for one, and even
Healthy pets can experience benefits of spine check-
Reiki. Health reports that a 2010 review of research in
ups, too, she points out—especially active and athletic
the International Journal of Behavioral Medicine found
ones. The DCC website is clear that the practice is not
strong evidence that biofield therapies such as Reiki and
meant to replace veterinary medicine. Rather, animal
therapeutic touch can alleviate pain.
chiropractors work in conjunction with veterinarians,
The caveat: It could be a placebo effect, and our pups
treating areas that often go unnoticed by traditional care.
aren’t swayed by the power of suggestion. But if you
And that pain in your back as a result of hunching over
think it’s working for her, then the session is working—
your desk spoon-feeding yourself peanut butter while
for you. It’s called the “caregiver placebo effect,” and
your pooch snuggles in your new comforter? As it turns
there’s nothing wrong with it. As long as it’s used in con-
out, living with a dog is good for human health as well.
junction with traditional vet visits—a supplemental part
Having a pet lowers stress, reduces blood pressure, and
of a whole wellness plan.
may even help you live longer. So says science. So they
CHIRO FOR CANINES Dog chiropractic is an another emerging field gaining traction as a beneficial supplemental treatment therapy. At Denver Central Chiropractic (DCC) in Centennial, Dr.
deserve to live the same aspirational lifestyle to which we have made them accustomed. It’s the least we can do to repay the unconditional love. Rebecca Treon contributed to this piece.
Erin Moran is providing holistic health care to both people and pets—“holistic health care for you and your dogs.” While it’s still an emerging field, animal chiropractic at its PHOTO BY STEPHANIE WILSON
core follows the same principles and practices as the human kind. She suggests you consider chiropractic treatments if your pooch is showing signs of pain: reluctant to climb stairs, difficulty getting up after laying down, constantly licking or chewing paws, walking differently. “Dogs get the same back issues as people, and chiropractic is a great option to address those issues without the use of drugs or surgery,” says Moran. “People get great sensimag.com NOVEMBER 2019 45
46 NOVEMBER 2019 Southern Colorado
As the cannabis industry grows, so does the number of professionals within it, acting as incredible sources of insider info on the trends and issues driving the marketplace forward. The Sensi Advisory Board is comprised of select industry leaders in a variety of fields, from compliance and education to concentrates and cultivation. They are invited to share specialized insight in this dedicated section. This month, we hear from a member in the CBD Pet Products category. FOR A FULL LIST OF ADVISORY BOARD MEMBERS, SEE THE MASTHEAD ON PAGE 8.
tired and ill, they have a hard time expressing their discomfort in a manner we can understand. This can cause our health to become affected. With this stress and uncertainty comes the topic of CBD. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) often explores the link between heart rate, blood pressure, and cholesterol levels of humans with and without an animal companion. To believe that those goofy, wild, and loving mammals are just there to look cute would be an injustice to their cause. In recent years, a lot of studies have been done surrounding CBD and pets. One discovery that has come out of these is the endocannabinoid system (ECS). ECS receptors are located on the central nervous system and the peripheral
DOSAGES FOR DOGS One size doesn’t fit all when it comes to CBD products and your pet. by A B R E A N N A N A N D I N , C E O/C O F O U N D E R , G R E E N G E N E R AT I O N
nervous system of all mammals. This is key to regulating homeostasis, or balancing the different systems in our body. Depending on the ailment and exhausted avenues of Western medicine, CBD has become a popular go-to for individuals seeking a last resort. Although education is wildly accessible online, we can never stress the importance of doing your research before starting any new product. Dosage, effectiveness, and THC content are among the most popular research topics when it comes to starting a new CBD product. There may be many products out there to choose from, but just like a pair of jeans, one size does not fit all.
Every day millions of people are enjoying the company of a pet. Most commonly, dogs and cats. Sometimes people outside of these relationships do not understand the impact an animal can have, not only in our daily lives but also on our health. Sometimes we need them more than they need us. However, we must take into consideration our pets’ health and happiness. When they become
sensimag.com NOVEMBER 2019 47
48 NOVEMBER 2019 Southern Colorado
MARQAHA
The Staying Power of Cleaner, Safer Products ONE COMPANY STAYS TRUE TO ITS VISION OF TREATING CANNABIS AS A DRUG THAT WILL SOON BE SUBJECT TO CLOSER REGULATORY SCRUTINY.
Cannabis is rapidly evolving to meet the medical needs and therapeutic uses of consumers globally.
that level, and that’s what we have been doing since the beginning.”
For marQaha, a cannabis product manufacturer, this
marQaha uses four core company-created technol-
means researching, designing, and producing prod-
ogies to ensure its products are a good experience for
ucts based on well-documented science coupled with
the consumer: enQap, using liposomal encapsulation;
proprietary methods to perform in a powerful and
nanoTeQ, using nano-particle technology; Qerpene, or
measured manner.
terpene-based formulations; and eQuiLib, for positive
This has been the mission of marQaha, (the compa-
mood support while using THC.
ny names means a state of enlightened bliss), since
When Meador and cofounder Tim McDowell jumped
its founding in 2010. That mission just took another
into the cannabis industry in 2009, they knew they
leap forward as the company recently announced the
would need to act like cannabis was a regulated and
opening of its new research and development center
tested drug to even have a chance to be taken serious-
in Denver, and the highly anticipated launch of new
ly. “When you look down the road, the FDA product
marQaha product lines.
protocols will most likely be the norm,” Meador says.
The company has added a full gummy line (GoGo
“So simple stuff like weighted ingredient lists, ingre-
Gummies) and a new ratio-based, 100 percent co-
dients with certificates of analysis, and consistent for-
conut tincture line (Entourage Oil) over the last year.
mulations and delivery methods, for example, are all
“With the gummies, we wanted the option to com-
FDA-based protocols that we follow.”
plement our beverages,” says Skip Meador, cofounder of marQaha. “For example, our blueberry chamomile flasQ beverage now comes in a blueberry chamomile gummy. So if somebody wants the solid form of that
For more information, visit:
MARQAHA.COM
beverage, now they can have it.” Its latest product is a sublingual tablet designed to quickly dissolve into the bloodstream. Users will feel the effects in minutes. marQaha has also updated its overall brand by revising labels, placing regulatory content on the inside via a hinged label, rebranding its packaging, and converting to smaller, eco-friendly packaging. Meador says the first product in early 2010 was researched and designed for authentic, and often critical, medical patients. “We validate and test every ingredient used in our products,” he says. “It’s production on sensimag.com NOVEMBER 2019 49
{HereWeGo } by N O R A M O U N C E
NOW STREAMING: GANJA YOGA The patron saint of Ganja Yoga shares her recipe for wellness with the masses.
Know your audience. For years, Dee Dussault worked
pose to pose, Dussault’s classes also offer seasoned yogis
the timeless mantra to build a loyal following for her be-
a chance to slow roll their practice with sticky-sweet se-
loved Ganja Yoga classes in San Francisco. Though a prac-
quencing that creates a retreat for mind and body.
develop a positive relationship with cannabis.
“The mental chatter slows down to more easily connect with the profound space and silence inside,” Dussault ex-
“I could quiet my mind in ways I had never before
plains. “Pot helped me tune into my body and connect to
been able to do, despite my many years on the mat,”
the stretching muscles. It wasn’t all shamanic voyaging into
writes Dussault in Ganja Yoga: A Practical Guide to Con-
darkness,” she writes in her book.
scious Relaxation, Soothing Pain Relief, and Enlightened
During Dussault’s live ganja yoga classes, no one is re-
Self-Discovery, published in 2017 by Harper Collins.
quired to consume cannabis, nor does Dussault prescribe
Now, Dussault is taking Ganja Yoga into homes across
any certain delivery method (edibles, vape pen, smoking
the country with the release of online Ganja Yoga classes
flower) or THC:CBD ratio. Instead, she starts with an in-
this December.
formal “Stoner’s Social” before meditation and then of-
“If you’re not sure you can do it, know that I’ve taught
fers the option to imbibe in a cannabis product of choice
ganja yoga to an 80-year-old MS patient in a wheelchair, a
throughout class. Online, the ganja component is simply
man recovering from a 10-year coma, veterans, and many
a brief mention of toking up before class followed by a
inflexible people who claimed they couldn’t ‘do yoga,’”
few vape/smoke breaks throughout the video; this leaves
writes Dussault. While an outsider might assume “elevat-
Dussault ample time to focus on her first love, yoga. A se-
ed” or “infused” yoga is only for seriously bendy students,
rious teacher committed to healthy alignment and ther-
Dussault’s disarming manner and soothing voice make
apeutic movement, Dussault’s online ganja classes offer
the experience feel more cozy, unpretentious, and inclu-
perceptive suggestions for at-home yogis to modify their
sive than your typical yoga studio. Truly appropriate for
practice for every unique body.
beginners, with careful instruction on transitioning from
To try online ganja yoga at home, visit GANJAYOGA.COM
50 NOVEMBER 2019 Southern Colorado
PHOTO CREDITS (FROM LEFT): JENNIFER SKOG // MONICA LO
titioner of yoga since age 15, Dussault took many years to