Teri Reeves is not an ordinary actress.

Sure, her latest credits may include some of the most popular shows on television: 9-1-1, The Punisher, and Once Upon a Time. But not many can say that they also hold a brown belt in the ancient martial art of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. If that’s not enough, Teri teaches fitness classes and offers personal training services to clients throughout Los Angeles in her off time.

But after years of working in the entertainment industry, Teri was fed up with the lack of dynamic or powerful female roles out there. In Teri’s words, “I kept getting cast as the victim. I was either a cry or die girl. Eventually, I went to my team and said, ‘I have more in my wheelhouse than this. What if I put together a fight reel?’”

Her team loved it, and the rest is history. As Teri puts it, “once I did my first stunt, I was hooked.” Now, she gravitates towards roles that portray strong females who are active and physical. According to her, “it’s always better for storytelling if the actor in the shot is the one doing their own action.”

Although she saves the truly dangerous stuff for the professionals, Teri has now been doing her own stunts for years. But when added to her already demanding schedule of martial arts and physical training, it became draining. Teri says, “I was struggling with fatigue and recovery. Muscle soreness, aches, and pains were all bothering me when I showed up to work. I didn’t want to quit, but my body was hurting.”

At this point, Teri had shaped her acting career around her physical abilities. But when the pain of overworking her body became unbearable, she had to reevaluate how to sustain such an active lifestyle: “there was a part of this year where I started to get injured more regularly and I was devastated. I thought, ‘this might actually affect my career.’”

“There was a part of this year where I started to get injured more regularly and I was devastated.”

The pain not only affected her livelihood, but her wellbeing. “I call working out my moving meditation. Some people meditate or pray, or whatever it is to quiet their mind or body. For me, I need to move in order to do that.” Because moving the body is not only essential to her work but to her mental health, finding a recovery method that worked was essential.

Of course, as a personal trainer, Teri was already incorporating the timeless recovery methods athletes know and love: icing, stretching, massage, rest and myofascial release. But at the rate she was going, she needed something more.

To recover quickly, Reeves used over-the-counter pain relievers to help her power through the sore days. After a while, she felt like she was abusing over the counter pain medication to treat daily sore muscles, fatigue, bumps and bruising. Plus, “Advil irritated my stomach.” And she’s not the only one: common pain relievers can cause kidney damage when used too frequently. It was around this time she realized, “I had to get smart about my recovery so I could continue doing the work I love.”

One day, her running partner offers an alternative: Papa and Barkley 3:1 Releaf Balm.

“I was skeptical. When he told me it had cannabis in it, I was even more skeptical because I came from a family that never encouraged it. But I was desperate.”

So, she decided to give the balm a shot.

“When he told me it had cannabis in it, I was even more skeptical because I came from a family that never encouraged it.”

“The first night, I rubbed it on my calf muscles because I had a stress fracture last year that resulted in inflammation.” A stress fracture happens to many whose lives revolve around pushing themselves physically. Impact sports like running, jump squats or martial arts (all of which Teri does daily) are usually what causes them.

According to Teri, “my calf muscles were so inflamed from the fracture that I could hardly put my heels on the ground. When I woke up the next morning, I was walking normally. I felt better. It was working.” So, she started using it on her calves daily. “Ever since, I’ve been able to recover more quickly and feel a lot less pain.”

“When I woke up the next morning, I was walking normally. I felt better. It was working.”

In addition to muscle tension, the Papa & Barkley Releaf Balm helps Teri with a host of other issues. For instance, headlocks and neck chokes are common moves in Hollywood stunt scenes, but they can result in major neck tension. Teri uses the balm after especially difficult stunt scenes to prevent neck tension and go about her day. Like all athletes, Teri must also think about previous injuries to her body and how to protect those pain points when she uses them. A few years ago, she popped a bursa sac in her knee joint. Before discovering the Balm, this injury would reoccur often with any impact. At one point, the inflammation became so painful, she had to stop training altogether.

Now, Teri has made a habit out of wearing a brace every time she trains, then rubs the Releaf Balm on her knee afterward. Since the Papa and Barkley product, Teri says “I can train as much as I want. It really does help with inflammation. And I don’t need to take Advil anymore.”

According to Teri, “the Papa & Barkley Releaf Balm is the one addition to my routine that helps me continue to do what I do with less pain than ever before. It saved my ability to work and be present while continuing to do the moving meditation work that is part of my wellbeing.”

“The Papa & Barkley Releaf Balm is the one addition to my routine that helps me continue to do what I do with less pain than ever before.”

In fact, Teri’s experience has proven so helpful in her daily routine that she now recommends the Balm to her physical training clients: “for my clients, I have some Papa & Barkley on hand in my training studio in case they want to try it. One client had knee surgery and was recovering in pain. She now uses it on her knee and it sped up the recovery process.”

Of course, Teri recommends continuing with other useful recovery methods when incorporating cannabis topicals into your recovery routine. “It’s just another tool in the toolbox of recovery. Continue to rest, ice, and follow doctors orders.”

If you want to learn more about Teri’s routine, check out her top tips for responsible workout recovery.

The post Cannabis success stories: Teri’s workout recovery appeared first on Flowertown.

As cannabis acceptance has increased in the last decade, people from all walks of life are touting its benefits. This includes cyclists! Whether you’re smoking a sativa before hopping on your bike or using a pain-relieving patch to soothe a sore back, there are dozens of ways cannabis can enhance your cycling routine. Check out these popular products and how they might benefit you before, during, or after a cycling workout.

While there’s been a lot of controversy in the world of cycling involving the use performance-enhancing drugs and banned substances, cannabis is different. Learn more about cannabis products and how they can be a healthy part of any cyclist’s health and fitness routine.

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The saying goes that youth is wasted on the young. As we get older we may have ourselves (and our lives) figured out but that doesn’t take into account debilitations such as arthritis that can rob us of some of the simple pleasures that help the days go by.

But arthritis doesn’t discriminate. Reportedly, 54 million adults deal with the intense joint pain as if it’s part of their morning coffee. Additionally, thousands of children are diagnosed with it, leading to lives full of extra strength NSAIDs and exhausting coping mechanisms for pain management.

But that’s not to say that there isn’t a solution, which actually just became legal in Canada – approximately one week after National Arthritis Day in the US.

Cannabis is often cited as a highly effective analgesic and anti-inflammatory agent, but does the wunderkind plant stand up to the formidability of arthritis?

We spoke to Mimi Bardowell, beloved mother of our very own Jamil Bardowell, about her battles with arthritis and how cannabis helped her regain her independence and happiness.

Meet Mimi

Mimi grew up in Bogota, Colombia but moved stateside in 1958, spent a couple years in Jamaica, then came back to sunny Southern California soon after.

She raised her kids. Loved her husband. Planted her roots and, for the most part, lived a great life.

After her husband passed in 2004 she took to jewelry as a pastime, developing deep friendships in her crafting group. But after ten years of making intricate, artful pieces she started having problems with her fingers.

“I was sad because I couldn’t use my hands anymore,” Mimi said from her living room in Fountain Valley, just outside of Los Angeles. “I use my right hand for everything. I couldn’t do anything and I was just getting desperate like what is going to happen to me for the rest of my life?”

Something’s gotta give

Being a senior and living alone can be a daunting task. Adding arthritis to the mix can make it even more intimidating – especially if that means not being able to use your strong hand.

Mimi needed a solution to her arthritic problem, so her doctors prescribed pills and cortisone shots. Every two weeks, Mimi had to get the painful injection and every day the pills disagreed with her.
While the pain may have subsided temporarily – at best – the problems that came with the solution made her feel like she was constantly taking one step forward just to go two steps back.

She had to give up jewelry. She couldn’t cook for the people she loved. She could barely take her dog, Cooper, for a walk, let alone open doors and cabinets.

Not only did arthritis settle in so much to be as ingrained in her life as her morning coffee, but because of it she could no longer even hold her cup of coffee.

The canna-solution

Something had to give for Mimi and with cannabis becoming recreationally legal in California, the solution appeared to be a plant she never thought she would use.

Growing up in Colombia in the mid-century, it was imperative to her that she veered from the drug-addled stereotype the country garnered from the ‘60 through the ‘80s. 

To Mimi, cannabis was flora non-grata. But a change needed to be made so at the behest of her son, she finally gave in.

Initially Mimi used a vape pen and the results were fairly immediate. The pain subsided and the side effects of the meds eased off. Her doctors’ gave her their blessing and suddenly cannabis was the magic key to unlocking the freedom arthritis had imprisoned.

Phases and stages: Diving deeper into cannabis

While the vape pen – Dosist, to be exact – was working well enough, her relief could be intensified and specified by changing up her form of ingestion.

“My son suggested that I use this oil,” she says. “In a week I started feeling better. My finger was not swollen anymore, I had no pain. I could open bottles again. I could cook again. I could hold my coffee.”

She recalls having to ask her son to hold a glass of water for her when they were out at restaurants. Now, between the pen and the one-two punch of Papa & Barkley and Apothecanna cannabis creams, she feels as though she’s made her way back to normal.

“Don’t be afraid to use it just because of the stigma or the name,” Mimi encourages. “If I’m talking to anybody that is a senior and they’re in pain, don’t be afraid of using cannabis. It will help you.”

While Mimi may have been able to use topicals to help fight back her arthritis, everyone’s endocannabinoid system is different. What works for her, may not work for you (or you grandmother, or that friend with a trick knee).

That being said, the range of medical maladies that cannabis can conquer isn’t limited to just the classic glaucoma, arthritis, depression, and anxiety. But in order to learn more about how cannabis can help ease any ailments of your own, you have to learn your relationship with it.

The post Cannabis success stories: Mimi’s arthritis appeared first on Flowertown.

The list of CBD-infused products grows longer and longer each day. Tinctures and lotions have been succeeded by the likes of CBD infused dog treats, beard oil, and water.

Yes, even water. Brands like CBD Living and Quantum are combining the health benefits of cannabidiol with the main substance we need to survive: water. CBD water is touted as the latest fountain of youth, but does it really live up to the hype?

What is CBD water?

CBD extraction from hemp or cannabis plants can take many forms, but the process for “water-soluble” tinctures and beverages often utilizes an emulsifier to keep CBD particles from grouping together. These emulsifiers, even when natural, need flavor to cover them up–hence the large presence of CBD juices on the market.

When it comes to getting CBD molecules to play nice with water without losing that H20 flavor (or lack thereof), the same overall process occurs. The CBD is broken down into tiny nanoparticles and then encased in similarly sized water particles. This allegedly makes the CBD more bioavailable (easier for your body to absorb) than if it were in oil, so the low doses should provide the same effects of oils up to 10 times as potent.

Companies use all sorts of methods to break down CBD, from heat to sound waves. Typically, vitamins, enzymes, or terpenes are also added to the water for increased benefits. The water ideally has a 7.4 pH value to match the water in our bodies.

CBD Water by CBD Living – CC BY

What does CBD water do?

Since CBD water incorporates the power of CBD, manufacturers have laid claim to the full spectrum of benefits. In reality, people who regularly drink CBD water mostly note less muscle soreness after workouts, more restful sleep, and a mixed bag when it comes to anxiety.

What brands of CBD water can I trust?

There’s increasing competition in this space, but only a few brands seem to yield fairly consistent results.

CannaNano CBD Water is akin to an alkaline Smart Water with CBD and it comes in a regular and plus potency.

Last but not least, CBD Living Water is the most popular of the bunch and sits at 7.4 pH.

The post CBD water: holy or hoax? appeared first on Flowertown.

Cannabis has been cultivated for centuries and used for its therapeutic and medicinal qualities. Studies have shown that cannabis compounds can treat a variety of conditions, and problems with sleep are just one of the many issues cannabis can help people solve.

The two most studied cannabinoids in cannabis are CBD and THC. CBD is the non-psychoactive compound in cannabis and when hemp-based, is legal in all 50 states. THC has many therapeutic qualities but is still highly regulated in many areas. Both compounds — either separately or together — can help you catch some Z’s and get a good night’s sleep.

Effects of CBD on sleep

Countless conditions that lead to sleep deficiency. Perhaps you’re up worrying about what you said to a classmate in the third grade. Maybe you’re dealing with chronic pain that makes it impossible to get comfortable or get adequate sleep. Anxiety, chronic pain, restless leg syndrome, and depression are just a few of the conditions that people treat with CBD oils. Symptoms of any of these conditions can lead to sleep deficiency, so by treating the symptoms, you’re alleviating the source of your insomnia.

Effects of THC on sleep

THC is the psychoactive cannabinoid in cannabis. It’s the only cannabinoid that has psychological effects, which is why it is still highly controlled in many areas. However, many states allow people to access medical marijuana because of the benefits of THC for treating conditions like sleep disorders. THC can knock some people out in less than an hour—which sounds pretty appealing if you’re used to spending your nights tossing and turning.

Cannabis vs. other sleep medications

There are many sleep aid medications available over-the-counter or by prescription. However, they are not without side effects and can be habit-forming. Additionally, people who take them often wake up feeling groggy and tired despite having slept the entire night through. For this reason, many people look for natural sleep remedies. Cannabis is not addictive and doesn’t cause the same harmful side effects that powerful pharmaceuticals do. On top of that, you’ll wake up feeling refreshed and ready to take on the day.

The best methods for using cannabis to sleep

Cannabis and CBD are available in many different forms. There isn’t any “best” form of cannabis for everyone since people may experience the effects differently. If you’re new to cannabis, try a few different methods to see which one you like the best. If you enjoy smoking, pre-rolls allow you to inhale the smooth and relaxing smoke of marijuana. If you prefer not to smoke, then a vapor pen is a cleaner alternative that doesn’t need a lighter. Still, there are numerous oils, tinctures, and edibles that allow you to consume cannabis orally.

People have been using various forms of cannabis to help with sleep problems for generations. Now that society is more accepting of the plant as a whole, finding a remedy that works for you is easier than ever. Try different forms of cannabis and keep track of which ones help you get your sleep patterns back on track.

The post A natural sleep aid appeared first on Flowertown.

The Los Angeles Marathon is this weekend, making it the perfect time to talk running and cannabis. From consuming infused edibles before a long run to rubbing CBD creams on achy muscles for recovery, there are dozens of ways that cannabis can enhance a run and help improve your performance.

Advantages of Cannabis for Marathon Runners

The research on the effects of cannabis on athletic performance is still in its infancy — as is a lot of the research into the benefits of cannabis and cannabis products. Many doctors agree that cannabis would not be considered a performance-enhancing substance. It won’t make you run faster or make your muscles stronger. However, there are many marathon runners who sing the praises of cannabis in their training.

Firstly, cannabis is a bronchodilator. This opens up the airways of a runner to ensure they’re getting enough oxygen to power through a long run. CBD also has anti-inflammatory properties that help relieve sore muscles and aches that a distance runner might experience during or after a run.

Firstly, cannabis is a bronchodilator. This opens up the airways of a runner.

Marathon runners and other endurance athletes experience a runner’s high. Many believe that this is due to endorphins, but it’s actually due to the activation of the endocannabinoid system. The famous cannabinoid, THC, can enhance a runner’s high and make a long-distance run more enjoyable.

Cannabis Regulations in Marathon Running

Cannabis use is not prohibited recreationally by the World Anti-Doping Agency. While there are regulations for in-competition use and performance-enhancing, the agency is not concerned with out-of-competition use. Cannabidiol (CBD) is exempt and there are no restrictions for its use either in or out of races.

Most races (particularly public ones) do not drug test their racers. If you’re running in a local marathon, it’s not likely that race officials will stop you at the finish line and ask for a blood or urine sample. However, when there’s a large cash prize at stake, such as in the Boston, Chicago, or New York marathons, you should be prepared to submit a sample if asked.

Some marathon events are cannabis friendly and sponsored by some of the biggest names in the cannabis industry. These often take place in California, Colorado, and other locations where cannabis products are viewed more favorably. If you’re a green-friendly runner with impressive athletic ability, you might even be able to score a sponsorship.

The post Chase a runner’s high: perks of cannabis in marathon running appeared first on Flowertown.