Earlier this week, the Federal Appeals Court reinstated the complaint and declined to dismiss the Federal Cannabis Lawsuit. The lawsuit was filed by several cannabis patients and advocates challenging the federal scheduling of cannabis. According to a comment by their legal representation Michael Hiller, “This case represents the first time in history that a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the CSA has survived dismissal.” This is amazing news for those advocating for the de-scheduling of cannabis. This means the court put the federal government on notice to make a decision for... Read More

I recently had the honor of speaking with Kinessa Johnson. Kinessa is a United States Army Veteran and uses CBD for athletics and recovery. She’s also using her military skills to save wildlife from poachers in Africa. She grew up in Anacoco, Louisiana and joined the Army. “I loved serving, I loved the people that I met and the friendships that I made. I also loved that I got to deploy, and it humbled me and made me appreciate my family and the country I was born in.” After serving in the military, Kinessa had the opportunity to use her skill set and become an animal protector. “I had the... Read More

Cannabis consumers are typically portrayed as lazy, and have had the couch locked stigma association in mainstream media over the years. With new research from the University of Colorado Boulder released, the topic about cannabis and fitness is going mainstream. The stigma about cannabis consumers being lazy is being shattered by science. Men’sHealth, Maxim, The Denver Channel, Medical Marijuana, Inc., MSN and The Denver Post are just a few of many discussing the recent research. The research surveyed 600 adult cannabis consumers from states where cannabis is legal for adult use. When asked if... Read More

Earlier this week, I had the honor of presenting “Cannabinoids for Fitness” at the Cannabis Science Conference East in Baltimore, MD. The Cannabis Science Conference is the world’s largest and most technical cannabis science expo. It pulls together cannabis industry experts, instrument manufacturers, testing labs, research scientists, medical practitioners, policy makers, and interested novices with the goal of improving cannabis science. It was an incredible educational conference and I’m proud to share some of our presentation data with you today! Research is showing that cannabinoids... Read More

Spring brings to mind rebirth, rejuvenation, renewal, and resurrection.  According to Wikipedia, “During early spring, the axis of the Earth is increasing its tilt relative to the Sun, and the length of daylight rapidly increases for the relevant hemisphere. The hemisphere begins to warm significantly, causing new plant growth to ‘spring forth,’ giving the season its name.”  This time of year is the perfect time to spring forth with a new exercise routine. Changing your workout is important to avoid boredom, overcome plateaus, and achieve new levels of fitness. Here are some ideas for... Read More

More and more cannabis companies are beginning to see the value of sponsoring athletes. By promoting cannabis as part of a healthy and active lifestyle, it does more than give your brand association with health and fitness. It also helps to disprove the age-old stereotype that people who consume cannabis are lazy, which helps to change the perception of cannabis, and will lead to further legalization. Below I’ve collected five cannabis brands sponsoring athletes that aren’t in any particular order. Each one is a company I feel is supporting athletes and assisting in the overall positive cultural... Read More

Although there is much evidence suggesting you can lose weight with cannabis, it can also be used to gain weight. One of the most common fitness goals heard by personal trainers, besides losing weight, is gaining lean muscle mass. In order to build muscle, you need fuel, and some people find it more difficult than others to eat the needed amount of calories to gain and maintain muscle. Cannabis can help you gain weight by interacting with several areas of your body. THC affects both the CB1 and CB2 receptors in the brain. The CB1 receptor is responsible for the systematic function of several parts... Read More

When it comes to cannabis products there is a lot to discuss. Options and availability are growing across the world and the number of canna-curious and new users are increasing rapidly. With so many different products it can be overwhelming to understand which product may be best for you. For millions of years, people and animals have been equipped with their own endocannabinoid system that regulates countless functions for overall health and wellness within the body. We have been designed to receive essential cannabinoids for centuries. This is why supplying our bodies with the essential compounds... Read More

Despite being known for causing an increase in appetite, or “the munchies,” there is evidence suggesting you can lose weight with weed. A study in 2013 showed that obesity rates are much lower in cannabis consumers when compared to those who don’t consume cannabis. The study also concluded the results being present after they adjusted for age and sex. This isn’t a definitive conclusion, and more research needs to be conducted, but the results look promising. When we get into why weed can help you lose weight we need to look at a specific cannabinoid. The main cannabinoid being reported... Read More

Chances are you have a furry member of your family. All mammals have an ednocannabinoid system to help maintain balance within the body and optimize proper functions.  Your furry friend can provide perks to your overall health and wellness too. This is probably one of the reasons 68 percent of all households in 2017 within the United States own pets.  Playing with animals, especially puppies, has been shown to increase levels of serotonin and dopamine, which are the hormones that make you feel good. When the hormones are released, it helps reduce stress levels and can help improve memory and... Read More

I am a sponsored trail runner and personal trainer and I incorporate cannabis in my daily training routine.  Specifically, I consume either flower, concentrates or edibles before hitting the gym, trails or yoga sessions.  I also apply topicals to achy joints, such as my knees and shoulders and consume hemp foods throughout the day. Cannabis is a powerful anti inflammatory, and when consumed before a training session, allows me to focus mentally. This helps me maintain longer training sessions. My husband, Antonio DeRose, also uses cannabis as a part of his daily health and fitness routine. We’ve... Read More

The knee is one of the largest and most complex joints in the body and it endures stress on a daily basis. Our knees absorb force equal to 3.5 times our body weight just walking down stairs. For a person weighing 120lbs, that equates to 420 pounds of force! If you exercise, you probably put more stress on your knees, and this can have consequences such joint wear and tear, injury, or osteoarthritis. Overuse will slowly but surely lead to knee injuries. Opt for a range of activities and alternate workouts. If you run, for example, alternate with cycling or swimming to use different muscle groups. ... Read More

A recent article in the journal The Conversation, asked the question “Is walking enough exercise?”  Four out of five experts said yes. The one expert who said no, qualified his response by saying that walking is better than no exercise at all. He goes on to point out that, ideally, strength training and higher intensity exercise is ideal for good health. While strength training and higher intensity exercise along with moderate exercise is the ideal situation for many, the National Runners’ Health Study found that moderate-intensity walking and vigorous-intensity running resulted in similar... Read More

As a young adult, I taught multiple fitness classes and played recreational soccer.  At that time in my life that much physical activity was not only desired, it was a great way to expend my abundant energy.  As I’ve aged, I’ve noticed shifts in my physical activity levels and preferences. You may have noticed that, as you age, your interests have shifted as well. Changes in your activity level and interests are normal. As we age, there are some activities that become more difficult or risky.  For example, if you were a wrestler in your youth, you are not likely able to tolerate the physical... Read More

There is no perfect diet for everyone, in spite of what you might have heard.  It seems the human body can adapt to almost any diet and survive, even thrive!  Consider the diet of the Inuit, the people indigenous to polar locations such as Siberia, Alaska, Canada, and Greenland. Theirs is a mostly meat diet, and yet they are a hardy population who consume few to no vegetables in their diet. In the US, experts recommend a diet largely focused on healthy grains, fruits and vegetables.  Most Americans don’t get the recommended 5 servings per day, and even fewer eat the 5-9 servings that is considered... Read More

Dopamine, serotonin, oxytocin, and endorphins are neurotransmitters that regulate our happiness.  A neurotransmitter is a messenger of neurologic information from one cell to another.  Being in a positive mental state has significant impact on our motivation, productivity, and wellbeing. Did you know you can intentionally cause neurotransmitters to flow? Let’s take a look at each one and how you can activate them to make yourself happy. Dopamine motivates us to take action toward goals, desires, and needs, and gives a surge of reinforcing pleasure when achieving them. Procrastination, self-doubt,... Read More

The Rocky Mountains are one of the things I love most about Colorado! Hiking the breath taking landscapes with endless trails filled with wildlife and breathing the fresh mountain air is an amazing way to connect with nature and refresh yourself! There’s something about being in nature and consuming Cannabis that really elevates the experience. One of my favorite things to do is consume Cannabis and hit the trail! Hiking is also an amazing way to be active. It’s an excellent activity to improve health and fitness by increasing muscle strength, endurance, raising your heart rate, and relieving... Read More

Did you know that November is Epilepsy Awareness Month?  November was declared National Epilepsy Awareness Month in 2003 to help end the stigma surrounding the condition and to generate education and understanding for those living with epilepsy. People all around the country get involved and show support for epilepsy awareness to help promote change for those who are affected. I am one of approximately 3.4 million people in the U.S. living with epilepsy and 65 million people worldwide. Those affected by the condition are more than those affected by autism spectrum disorders, Parkinson’s... Read More

The Precision Medicine Initiative, a long-term research endeavor involving the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and multiple other research centers, aims to understand how a person’s genetics, environment, and lifestyle can help determine the best way to prevent or treat disease.  Last year, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) changed the initiative’s name to the warmer and fuzzier, All of Us, and began testing for a 2018 launch in hopes of achieving its goal of gaining anonymous health information from one million Americans. Fitbit is the first wearable device company to get the... Read More

It’s been an exciting year in the cannabis and athletics industry. If you pay attention to the headlines in cannabis industry news publications like Sensi Magazine, Merry Jane, The Cannabist, Dope Magazine, and several others you may have noticed a rise in cannabis athletic related topics. Even many mainstream publications like Vogue are covering the rising industry that is CannaFitness. On top of an increase in news publications surrounding my favorite subject, consuming cannabis as an athlete or for overall health and wellness, there has been a rise in apparel companies promoting cannabis... Read More