We want to thank everyone who helped us celebrate our 4th anniversary by participating in our awesome giveaways. COVID has prevented us from all being together to celebrate, but once it is safe, we will have an epic anniversary event!
CANNABIS AND WELLNESS
The rest of March, we are focusing on Wellness and the ways cannabis can be involved in wellness practices.
*We at Higher Grade are not medical professionals, and the content we provide is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health providers with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition and cannabis use.
At Higher Grade, we like to think of cannabis use more holistically than just as a means of “getting high.” Years of research have shown that cannabis is a poly-pharmaceutical plant (containing many medicines) with vast medicinal potential to heal the mind and body. Cannabis contains an extensive array of phytochemicals, the compounds responsible for the plant’s colors, flavors, aromas, effects, and therapeutic values.
Phytochemicals are found all over the cannabis plant, with the highest concentration in the trichomes. Cannabinoids, terpenes, and flavonoids are examples of cannabis phytochemicals with which you may already be familiar. Studies show these phytochemicals have powerful healing potential and provide the different flavors, aromas, highs, and esthetics we love about cannabis.
A common narrative surrounding cannabis use is that it’s merely a form of getting intoxicated, like alcohol, and its users are often touted as lazy, unmotivated, and addicted. Despite the plant’s vast healing potential, cannabis is left out of many conversations surrounding wellness and self-care. At Higher Grade, we hope to lessen the stigma surrounding cannabis use, as we feel there are many ways you can beneficially incorporate cannabis into your wellness practices. Wellness means being in good health, but it also means much more than just being disease or illness-free. True wellness is a state of mental, physical, and social well-being where one is thriving, not merely surviving.
EXERCISE
One of the most common ways people contribute to their wellness is through exercise. As mentioned before, there is a common misconception that people who regularly consume cannabis are lazy or unathletic. While cannabis does stimulate the appetite, studies show that, in general, regular cannabis users tend to have a lower BMI and are less likely to be obese than the average American. Studies on the relationship between cannabis use and exercise are limited. Still, one article published in Frontiers in Public Health suggests that there is generally a positive relationship between cannabis use before and after exercise for regular cannabis users.
The people interviewed in this study live in states where cannabis is legal, and the average age of participants is 37 years old. The majority of people who responded that they use cannabis either before or after exercise reported that they felt enhanced enjoyment during exercise and enhanced recovery after. Half of those who use cannabis with exercise reported increased motivation to exercise. These positive findings do not mean there aren’t adverse side effects of cannabis co-use with exercise. Cannabis can be very intoxicating, and exercising, while extremely high, could lead to injury. The article states that the “potency and amount of cannabis used, type and context of exercise, and individual health status likely impact whether co-use is a safe and beneficial option.”
Another interesting point the article brings up is that there is a significant overlap between states that have legalized cannabis and states with higher levels of physicalactivity. It is safe to say that using cannabis does not disqualify you from being an athlete, and we eagerly await more substantial research on the subject.
YOGA
Another common wellness practice is yoga, an ancient physical and spiritual discipline from India that incorporates breathing techniques, exercise, and meditation. There are several different types and many disciplines within the practice of yoga. According to John Hopkins Medicine, there are various reasons that a regular yoga practice can be very beneficial to your overall health and wellness.
A consistent yoga practice can improve strength, balance, and flexibility, help relieve chronic lower-back pain, and ease arthritis symptoms. Practicing yoga benefits heart health and helps with stress management. A yoga practice before bed can relax the body and mind to help with deeper, longer sleep. A regular yoga practice can also mean more energy and better moods, with fewer negative thoughts.
Practicing yoga promotes better self-care and is a point of connection with community if you participate in group yoga classes. The meditative aspects of yoga can produce feelings of calm, relaxation, and euphoria very similar to some of the effects of consuming cannabis, but does this mean there should be a place for cannabis in practicing yoga? According to Yoga Journal, many people who consume cannabis in tandem with a yoga practice find cannabis to help center the body and release distracting thoughts that occupy the mind. Using cannabis before yoga can help you “let go” and allow the mind to go deeper into a meditative space.
There are ancient sacred Indian texts that mention both cannabis and yoga and an ancient holy sect of Hindu people known as the Sadhu, who use both cannabis and yoga on their path of spiritual discipline to enlightenment. Adversely, India’s 5000-plus-year-old medical science known as Ayurveda considers cannabis to be “nectar” when used as a medicine but “poison” when used recreationally.
According to Ayurveda, cannabis can be “dulling” to the mind and spirit when overused. The key is finding balance and listening to what your body needs. Cannabis or not, the most essential part of your yoga practice is making it to your mat.
CANNABIS WITHOUT SMOKING
Smoking cannabis is the most popular way to consume it, but for some, smoking has no place in their wellness routine. Cannabis-infused edibles, tinctures/elixirs, and topical products are excellent choices for those who want to experience the benefits of cannabis without smoking or vaping. THC, the active molecule in cannabis, is absorbed through the bloodstream relatively quickly through smoking but takes much longer via digestion for an infused edible. THC is fat-soluble, and it binds with fats in your digestive tract to be absorbed by the intestines. The edibles we carry at Higher Grade are either made with pure THC and or CBD distillate or full-spectrum cannabis oil like cannabutter or hash rosin. While the science is still out on the unique ways our bodies respond to distillate vs. full-spectrum edibles, consumers of distillate edibles describe the high as coming on quickly and strong but not lasting too long. Full-spectrum edibles reportedly provide a more mellow but longer-lasting high with more pain relief. Full-spectrum edibles will naturally contain other cannabinoids like CBD, as well as naturally occurring terpenes and flavonoids. As with any cannabis product, tolerated doses will vary from person to person. 10 mg of THC is considered a standard “dose”, but regular cannabis users might need more to find relief, while those who use cannabis sparingly might experience an adverse effect from too much THC. Always check the labels of edibles to ensure you are buying the right type and dosage for your personal needs.
Cannabis-infused topicals are another great addition to a cannabis-inclusive wellness routine. Topicals, unlike edibles, do not produce a high and instead offer localized relief of pain and inflammation with zero head-change. Cannabis-infused topicals come in lotions, oils, balms, and lubricants. These usually have a combination of cannabinoids, including THC and CBD, and other natural anti-inflammatory ingredients such as essential oils containing clove, cinnamon, and cayenne. Transdermal patches are another type of cannabis topical, but they do have the ability to get you high if they have a high enough THC content. You might feel high from a transdermal patch because they are applied to a venous area, allowing cannabinoids to reach the bloodstream. The high from THC via a transdermal patch will still be significantly less intense than the high from smoking or vaporizing THC. Patches come with various isolated cannabinoids like THC, CBD, CBN, and varying ratios of cannabinoids combined.
Cannabis tinctures and elixirs are drinkable forms of cannabis-infused products. The main difference between the two is the way cannabis is dissolved. A tincture is a specific type of cannabis elixir created by dissolving cannabis in alcohol. In contrast, all other cannabis elixirs involve dissolving cannabis in a thicker substance like syrup or honey. Because of the alcohol flavor of most tinctures, they do not mix well with other beverages and are usually taken straight or sublingually via a dropper. Cannabis elixir has a thicker texture and sweeter flavor, making some consumers prefer to add to another beverage like coffee or tea before consumption. Consumers may also take elixirs straight or sublingually. Like edibles and topicals, cannabis tinctures and elixirs often feature multiple different cannabinoids and cannabis-derived terpenes and should be chosen based on desired effects. As with any cannabis product, you should start your dosage small and work your way up to a comfortable place of balance and relief.
CBD
At Higher Grade, we like to offer our customers high-quality options for CBD intake, as we feel there are potential benefits to consuming more cannabinoids than strictly THC.
CBD is the most common cannabinoid found in hemp varieties, with small amounts sometimes found in modern cannabis strains. Studies have shown that CBD has vast
therapeutic potential and can bring relief from various issues like pain, inflammation, anxiety, sleeplessness, nausea, vomiting, and seizures. CBD can be a powerful agent
against cancers, oxidation, fungi, acne, and bacteria such as MRSA. Unlike THC, CBD does not offer a euphoric high, and in fact, can be used to mitigate the feeling of being
“too high” from THC. It can do this by reducing THC’s ability to bind with our internal cannabinoid receptors, thus lessening adverse effects like memory loss, elevated heart
rate, hunger, and anxiety that can result from high levels of THC consumption.
Sources:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3165951/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3165946/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6387667
OJAI ENERGETICS
We are very excited to be working with a new CBD company Ojai Energetics. What makes Ojai stand out from other CBD companies is the way they produce their CBD products. Ojai energetics creates full- spectrum, water-soluble CBD products without using any synthetic or synthetically modified compounds, and in fact, only use certified organic, regeneratively grown plants in their process. According to Ojai, their water-soluble CBD products are more bio-available to the body because of the way they are absorbed.
On their website, Ojai explains it this way:
Traditional CBD
“The water layer in your mucosa membrane prevents regular fat-soluble compounds from efficiently entering your bloodstream because your body will try to filter out any unrecognizable or toxic compounds. After a fat-soluble oil finally makes it through the digestive system and filtration system, the body will then secrete bile and nano encapsulate the oil into little bubbles of water. These bubbles can then pass through the mucosa membrane into the blood. Once the CBD oil is in the blood, it will exit the water bubble and move around freely in the body. By the time this CBD process is complete, 90% of the cannabinoids are destroyed by the enzymes in the liver and the stomach.
Ojai Energetics CBD
When our encapsulated organic CBD oil enters your body, it bypasses the entire process above and enters straight into the blood safely and effectively. This amazing CBD technology allows users to get the most out of their CBD products by not inevitably expelling 90% of the cannabinoids you pay for. Our CBD technology at Ojai Energetics enables users to feel the benefits of CBD in a minute or less, as opposed to 30+ minutes with a fat-soluble, traditional CBD oil.”
As part of our focus on wellness, all of March, we are offering 20% off all Ojai Energetics CBD products. We currently carry all of their offerings, including a Full-Spectrum Hemp Elixir with 250 mg CBD, a Full-Spectrum Sports Gel with 100 mg CBD,and CBD-rich Coconut Oil with 60 MG CBD. Be sure to read the informational insert that comes with the Full-Spectrum Hemp Elixir to learn how to determine the proper dosage for your body. In addition to our Ojai Energetics special, we are also doing drawings at each location to win a cannabis-infused massage, a Higher Grade branded yoga mat, and a Higher Grade branded water bottle. Other than Ojai, each store will feature different wellness products to purchase for entry in the drawing and other store specific wellness specials.
WELLNESS SPECIALS
Higher Grade Rec.
- 20% off Escape Artist Topicals
- 20% off Ojai CBD products
- Higher Grade Cherry Hills
- 20% off Mary’s Medicinals
- 20% off Caregivers for Life RSO
- 20% off Ojai CBD Products
- Higher Grade Highlands
- 20% off Aliviar Topicals
- 20% off Ojai CBD Products
