I recently had the honor of speaking with Blake Cook about his experience with the military and how he is crushing his goals while using CBD. Blake is 30 years old and was born and raised in West Virginia. He joined the military in 2010 to join the Army to be in the infantry and was sent to Fort Bragg NC. “I wanted to serve my country because of watching 9/11. I enjoyed the Army and the strong bond between a group of guys that became family.” Blake said. “In 2012 I was blown up by an IED and spent the next 25 months learning to walk and talk again. For years I lived in pain because I refused... Read More

Hemp fibers are strong and can be grown without herbicides or pesticides, making it an environmentally friendly material. It also takes 3 times less water than cotton and cleans and replenishes soil. This makes natural hemp-made products better for people, animals, and the environment. More and more people are becoming conscious of how they impact the world and are voting for the world they want with their dollars. With so many consumers choosing products with more ecofriendly practices, companies are replacing plastics and other materials with hemp. There are so many ways you can incorporate hemp... Read More

The Athlete PEACE Survey studying cannabis and athletes has been completed, and the results have just been published! The survey, titled The Cannabis use in active athletes: Behaviors related to subjective effects, was conducted and published by Joanna Zeiger, PhD, who is also a World Champion and Olympic Triathlete. Last summer I had the opportunity to speak in Denver on the Women, Fitness and Cannabis panel for Ellementa, a global Women’s Network focused on health, wellness, and cannabis with Zeiger. She discussed how she used cannabis to help her manage chronic pain symptoms and help her get... Read More

As an athlete and personal trainer, my mission is health for people and our planet. Cannabis is used as a medicine for many people, including myself, and as a safer alternative to harmful opioids and anti-inflammation drugs. There are so many reasons why increasing numbers of people and companies are choosing organic cannabis options, and here are a few. 1. Cannabis is Medicine Many people consume cannabis for medicinal reasons. Individuals may also be battling serious illnesses and have compromised immune systems. This is why so many people are choosing organic cannabis to get the highest quality... Read More

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