An eagerly awaited health study regarding the safety of fracking has been released. The study, conducted by consulting firm ICF International, found that oil a gas drilling caused health risks at distances greater than the currently established “setback” distance of 500 feet from single family homes and 11oo feet from high occupancy buildings. The study found that there were negative health effects from fracking ranging from 300 feet to 2000 feet. “Exposure to chemicals used in oil and gas development, such as benzene, may cause short-term negative health impacts…during ‘worst-case’... Read More

With the recent news about the Amazon rainforest fires, people are taking action to learn about what’s going on and find ways to help. The fires have risen nearly 83% since last year, and almost 73,000 fires have been reported across the rainforest. The destruction is reported to be the cause of deliberately set fires for the locals to clear land in order to meet the demand for animal agriculture. The land is deforested and cleared for animals or crops for animals to eat and accounts for 91% of the deforestation. There’s been a total of 136 million rainforest acres cleared for animal agriculture.... Read More

Science has given us so many tools to make our lives better and healthier.  Information about how we address health issues now and how we can address them better in the future is all over the news right now.  Here are three important news stories that are influencing the conversation about major health issues. New treatment for antibiotic resistant bacteria With antibiotic resistant bacteria on the rise, scientists have been searching for new ways to treat bacterial infections.  One promising drug is bithionol. Previously used to treat parasitic infections in horses, bithionol is now being... Read More

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

Nearly 114 million Americans—roughly half the adult population—take at least one nutritional supplement. Scientific investigations conducted have failed to confirm that supplements, particularly multi-vitamins, work. So, if multi-vitamins are not effective, are there any supplements that are effective? The answer is yes! About 70% of Americans don’t get enough vitamin D. Typically, we get vitamin D by producing it in our skin from sun exposure. Vitamin D is needed to absorb calcium from the intestines, making it a very important vitamin, but it’s found in very few foods and is hard to obtain... Read More

It’s 6 a.m., and slivers of sunlight peep through the large, elongated windows of Brett Mehlman’s Denver-based studio apartment, greeting him as he begins his morning. A fresh glass of water is the first thing on his mind, followed by a guided meditation. As a busy yoga instructor, an established morning ritual is key for Brett. Preparing for his first client of the day, he concocts a blend of ginger, turmeric, black pepper, and skullcap for tea. “The trick here, is to add coconut milk,” he says with a grin, walking across the plant-lined floor to the kitchen cupboard. “Coconut milk... 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

Are you a glass half-full person? In other words, are you hopeful and confident about the future?  If so, you might be healthier than your friends who believe that the worst will happen. Many studies have reported that optimism influences health. Among the findings:   Highly pessimistic men were three times more likely to develop hypertension. People with positive emotions had lower blood pressures. The most pessimistic men were more than twice as likely to develop heart disease compared with the most optimistic.   It is hard to know if optimism is the result of good health, or if... Read More

Coconut is a unique fruit because it is available year-round rather than during a season. While loosely referred to as a fruit, a coconut is actually a drupe.  A drupe is a fruit that contains a seed. Also called a stone fruit, other drupes include plums, cherries, almonds, and olives. Botanically speaking, a coconut can be a fruit, a nut, and a seed. Coconut has been denoted with many benefits, some controversial.  For example, coconut oil has been touted as a good fat for cooking.  It is high in healthy fats that can boost fat burning and provide your body and brain with quick energy. They... Read More

It’s almost summer, a time for outdoor activities including sleeping in the great outdoors.  Camping helps us refresh our mind and soul. There’s nothing better than seeing the wilderness wake up as the sun lights up the sky! Camping requires some preparation to keep you warm, safe, and healthy. If you are planning a camping trip this year, keep in mind these essential health and safety tips.   Assess your fitness level.  If you are planning a particularly strenuous trip, make sure you are fit enough to withstand the strain of the journey. You may want to consider working with a fitness... 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

The National Institute of Mental Health reports that 40 million adults—18% of the population—struggle with anxiety. Anxiety is normal; job interviews, public speaking and other everyday occurrences can cause anxiety.  It only becomes a problem when it extends beyond worry in an unreasonable, uncontrollable way. Anxiety can be a symptom of another mental illness, such as panic disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder, phobias, or obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).  Anxiety and anxiety disorders are the most common behavioral health issues in the U.S. There are some important health habits... 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

Athletes all around the globe are stepping out of the ‘Green’ closet and sharing their use of cannabis as a natural alternative for chronic pain, depression, anxiety, PTSD, CTE, TBI, substance abuse, and opioid dependency. Athletes for CARE, or A4C, unites current and former athletes to create a voice to advocate for research, education, and compassion about important health issues. By using their platforms of influence, they are improving the global standards of health, safety, and quality of life. Here are a few women among the group who are sharing their stories and knowledge to change the... 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

This year’s sixth annual NOCO Hemp Expo hit record numbers of attendees at its sold-out event in Denver, Colorado. Last weekend I was among over 10,000 people in attendance at the conference. Just like the hemp industry is growing rapidly, NOCO has grown into the world’s largest gathering of hemp industry professionals in the world—in only six years! The event has highlighted the many uses of hemp, from CBD products, to hemp building materials, to the agendas printed on hemp paper. The event provided education and workshops across the board. There was a special keynote address from Colorado’s... Read More

CVS recently announced it will start carrying hemp derived CBD products in 800 stores  throughout eight states across the country. This includes states like Colorado and California, but also more conservative states like Kentucky, Indiana, and Tennessee. The company plans to carry a line of CBD topical products made by Curaleaf. Within less than a week of the news, Walgreens made a similar entrance into the CBD market when they announced they will carry CBD topicals in almost 1,500 stores in several states. So why should GNC be stocking their shelves with CBD like CVS and Walgreens? In an interview... Read More