Sensi Magazine - Denver/Boulder (August 2019)

DENVER / BOULDER

HEALTH + WELLNESS ISSUE

The healing power of nature.

BEST SUMMER EVER!

Three reasons to get out there.

{plus} WOODSTOCK DEBUNKED COLORADO HERITAGE GRAINS THE ANSWER TO HIDDEN DISEASES

THE NEW NORMAL

8.2019

sensimag.com AUGUST 2019 3

4 AUGUST 2019 Denver // Boulder

sensimag.com AUGUST 2019 5

6 AUGUST 2019 Denver // Boulder

sensimag.com AUGUST 2019 7

8 AUGUST 2019 Denver // Boulder

sensimag.com AUGUST 2019 9

10 AUGUST 2019 Denver // Boulder

sensimag.com AUGUST 2019 11

12 AUGUST 2019 Denver // Boulder

ISSUE 8 // VOLUME 4 // 8.2019

FEATURES 66 Hack Your Age

Eight great ways to age with grace.

98 Paddle Powell Now

Lake Powell is awash with snowmelt after a decades-long dry spell.

SP EC IAL R EP OR T

110 Holding On to Hope

Cannabis offers an alternative treatment for autoimmune diseases.

120 Peace, Love & Reality

Putting the Woodstock myth to bed.

128 Remembering Us

One couple’s experience with traumatic brain injury set to film.

98

GO WITH THE FLOW Follow the runoff from our epic snowpack into the lakes of the Colorado River basin.

every issue 15 Editor’s Note 19 The Buzz 28 NewsFeed FIX-A-FLATS

38 StarPowered 44 TasteBuds

GRAINS OF TRUTH

56 HighProfile

BLISSFUL SISTERS

72 LifeStyle

AN APP FOR EVERYTHING

80 TravelWell

ASCENDING TO THE NEXT LEVEL

90 AroundTown

THE ART OF SHINRIN-YOKU

144 HereWeGo

KICKED-UP CORN

Sensi magazine is published monthly by Sensi Media Group LLC. © 2019 SENSI MEDIA GROUP LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

ON THE COVER Photo by Jordan Lapekis / Lake Powell Paddleboard & Kayak

sensimag.com AUGUST 2019 13

sensi magazine ISSUE 8 / VOLUME 4 / 8.2019

EXECUTIVE FOLLOW US

Ron Kolb ron@sensimag.com CEO, SENSI MEDIA GROUP

Tae Darnell tae@sensimag.com PRESIDENT, SENSI MEDIA GROUP

Alex Martinez alex@sensimag.com CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER

EDITORIAL sensimediagroup

Stephanie Wilson stephanie@sensimag.com EDITOR IN CHIEF

Leland Rucker leland.rucker@sensimag.com SENIOR EDITOR

John Lehndorff edible.critic@sensimag.com DINING EDITOR

Robyn Griggs Lawrence CONTRIBUTING EDITOR Natha Campanella CONTRIBUTING WRITER

A RT & D E S I G N sensimagazine

Jamie Ezra Mark jamie@emagency.com CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Rheya Tanner, Wendy Mak, Josh Clark em@sensimag.com DESIGN & LAYOUT

BUSINESS & A D M I N I S T R AT I V E Kristan Toth kristan.toth@sensimag.com

sensimag

HEAD OF PEOPLE

Liana Cameris liana.cameris@sensimag.com PUBLISHER

Ilee Desoto ilee.desoto@sensimag.com Chad Gatzemeyer chad.gatzemeyer@sensimag.com Richard Guerra richard.guerra@sensimag.com Steve McMorrow steve.mcmorrow@sensimag.com Amanda Patrizi amanda.patrizi@sensimag.com Tyler Tarr tyler.tarr@sensimag.com ASSOCIATE PUBLISHERS

Amber Orvik amber.orvik@sensimag.com CHIEF ADMINISTRATOR

Andre Velez andre.velez@sensimag.com MARKETING DIRECTOR

Neil Willis neil.willis@sensimag.com PRODUCTION MANAGER

Hector Irizarry distribution@sensimag.com DISTRIBUTION

M E D I A PA RT N E R S Marijuana Business Daily Minority Cannabis Business Association National Cannabis Industry Association Students for Sensible Drug Policy

14 AUGUST 2019 Denver // Boulder

NATURAL HEALING

editor’s

NOTE

I’m a magazine junkie, I’ll admit it. And it was

while reading an issue of Health magazine that inspiration for this month’s special report struck. The article focused on how women are disproportionately affected by “invisible illnesses”— lyme, fibromyalgia, lupus, and other autoimmune disorders.

What it didn’t mention is that cannabis has shown to be an effective treatment for each of those. Robyn Griggs Lawrence explains why by highlighting the story of one woman whose lyme disease went undiagnosed for years until she discovered the healing power of the plant.

Nature heals—that’s the message you’ll find throughout this month’s issue. Health and Wellness is the theme, and it plays out in a piece on the growing forest bathing trend. Colorado is the epicenter of the movement. Our mountains provide endless opportunities to practice the Japanese art of nature therapy. A walk in the woods is good for your mind, body, and soul, if you believe in that kind of thing.

And as the saying goes, a life without health is like a river without water. This summer, the water in our rivers is flowing stronger than it has in years, thanks to the runoff from an epic snowpack that blanketed the Rocky Mountain headwaters of the Colorado River, which provides water to nearly 40 million people, flows through 9 National Parks, and drives a $1.4 trillion economy.

Lake Powell is part of that. As a different saying goes, when the well’s dry, we know the worth of water. (Abe Lincoln said that.) After years of drought that dropped the water in the southwestern US to alarmingly low levels, things are changing in tangible ways. Lake Powell is up more than 50 feet this summer.

As Robyn writes in this month’s cover story, the Rocky Mountain runoff has made its way into canyon cracks and crevices that have been dry for decades. If you’ve been waiting for the perfect time to visit the lake, it’s now. Make your great escape.

Stephanie Wilson ED I TOR I N CHI EF SENSI MAGAZINE

sensimag.com AUGUST 2019 15

ADVISORY BOARD

WARNING: THE IRS IS AFTER YOU Are You Ready?

Remove The Accounting Stress From Your Life

Providing Premier Tax, Accounting and Consulting Services SPECIFICALLY For The Cannabis Industry Call Us today at (303) 499-2700 for a FREE CONSULTATION. WWW.CANNABISTAXSOLUTIONS.COM 16 AUGUST 2019 Denver // Boulder

1906 New Highs // CHOCOLATE Agricor Laboratories // TESTING LAB Altus // PILLS AND TABLETS Aspen Cannabis Insurance // INSURANCE SERVICES Bear Mortgage // RESIDENTIAL MORTGAGE SOLUTIONS Bee-Nails // VAPORIZERS Cannabis Tax Solutions // TAX AND ACCOUNTING Cannopoly // MOBILE COMMERCE Canyon Cultivation // MICRO DOSING CLogistics // COURIER The Clinic // SEED BANK Colorado Cannabis Company // THC COFFEE Concentrate Supply Co. // RECREATIONAL CONCENTRATES CWC Soil LLC // SOIL Emerald Construction // CONSTRUCTION Evolutionz Consulting // THE CLEAR™ Evolve Formulas // TRANSDERMAL General Cannabis // CONSULTING GoFire // DOSE CONTROL Greenhouse Payment Solutions // PAYMENT PROCESSING GreenLink Financial // BANKING Higher Grade // BOUTIQUE CANNABIS Hybrid Payroll // STAFFING AND HR BENEFITS Incredibles // WELLNESS JR Limitless, LLC. // ARTISTRY Jupiter Research // INHALATION HARDWARE L’Eagle Services // SUSTAINABILITY Lab Society // EXTRACTION EXPERT AND LAB SUPPLIES Llamaste // YOGA Lowspark Incorporated // DISTRIBUTION LUXX Retreat // LODGING Mac & Fulton Talent Partners // RECRUITING marQaha // SUBLINGUALS AND BEVERAGES MedPharm // LIFESTYLE VAPE Monte Fiore Farms // RECREATIONAL CULTIVATION Mountain High Suckers // CBD EDIBLES Mustache Dabs // ROSIN PRESS Next Frontier Biosciences // BIOSCIENCES ONIT Sciences // CANNABIS INVESTMENTS PotGuide // TRAVEL/TOURISM Pyramid // DISTILLATES RiNo Supply Company // CANNABIS CULTURE Sharp Solutions // TRANSPORTATION Source Colorado // WHOLESALE CONSULTING Steve’s Goods // CBG PRODUCTS Terrapin Care Station // RECREATIONAL DISPENSARY Toast // MINDFUL CONSUMPTION Tradewinds Security Professionals // SECURITY TruSolis Technologies // COMMERCIAL LIGHTING ULEVA // HEMP PRODUCTS Wana Brands // EDIBLES WillPower // SPORTS NUTRITION Witlon Inc. // PAYROLL PROCESSING You Deserve a Massage // VIBROACOUSTIC SOUND LOUNGE

sensimag.com AUGUST 2019 17

S t y l i s t + M a k e u p A r t ist @hairbycelia Celia@TheParlour.net 303.444.3747 TheParlour.net 18 AUGUST 2019 Denver // Boulder

Feeling Drained?

Drink Up

Water is a key to your health and happiness. Just one

glass of water can boost your wellbeing, help you do all sorts of things: focus, ward off headaches, look glowy, feel energized, and more. But staying hydrated in Colorado isn’t an easy task. Not only is the high mountain air dryer than other states, there’s lower levels of oxygen, which means you breathe more rapidly and lose even more of that precious liquid in your body, according to the experts at Eldorado Natural Spring Water Company.

True, they are trying to sell you more water but their science checks out.

The age-old advice to drink eight cups of water a day isn’t totally accurate. Eight glasses a day would barely touch the constant thirst plaguing many Coloradan transplants, myself included. But it’s a good place to start. If you’re drinking constantly but still feeling parched, your body may not be retaining the liquid at a cellular level. Add some electrolytes to help your system absorb it more quickly. You don’t have to turn to a sugary sports drink for that, either. Coconut water is called “nature’s sport drink” for a reason. There are fizzy electrolyte tabs you can drop into your glass for an added boost; find them in the vitamin aisle. WebMD suggests you DIY your own enhanced beverage with just four ingredients: water, agave nectar, sea salt, and baking soda. Alternative option: 1:1 mix of citrus juice (for the potassium) and distilled water with pinches of salt and honey.

–Stephanie Wilson

Philip K. Dick Festival

Sterling, Aug. 9-11.

The revered science-fiction writer Philip K. Dick’s final resting place after his death in 1982 was in Ft. Morgan. The author of Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep, which begat the film Blade Runner, wrote many short stories and novels, often about what is real and what is not, and his stories and ideas have provided fodder for other films like Total Recall. Rest assured, the second-annual Philip K. Dick Festival is real, with fans and experts coming from near and far to celebrate this distinctive American writer with talks and panels about his legacy, rare books and memorabilia, an art exhibit and a tour of the author’s headstone at Riverside Cemetery. Aug. 9-11, Ft. Morgan, CO. –Leland Rucker All events are free. Details and schedules at PKD Festival Facebook page.

sensimag.com AUGUST 2019 19

Three Things We’re Looking Forward to This Month Latest and Greatest: Mission Ballroom Opens The new 60,000-square-foot concert space in RiNo opens Aug. 7 with the Lumineers, playing to a sold-out crowd who won the chance to buy tickets during a special lottery this spring.

Local Band Gone Big Time: OneRepublic with the Colorado Symphony at Red Rocks Some trivia for you: 1) The Grammy-winnging band formed in Colorado Springs in 2002. 2) Lead singer Ryan Tedder went to Colorado Springs Christian School; bandmate Zach Filkins was on his soccer team. 3) Tedder’s a proflic songwriter with crazy talents who’s written and produced songs with artists like Beyoncé (“Halo”), Rihanna, Kelly Clarkson, Adele, and oh so many more. 4) Tickets to both—Aug. 25 and 26—are sold out but available from resellers and guaranteed to be worth it for any fan of pop music.

Golden Photo Op: Blooming Fields of Sunflowers All the rain this year has primed conditions for a prolific bloom of sunflowers on the fields by Denver International Airport this year. Farmers plant hefty crops of the camera-ready flowers, which usually bloom late this month—a photo op that attracts hordes of photographers. Head out early morning or early evening for your best golden-hour shots.

20 AUGUST 2019 Denver // Boulder

–SW

PHOTOS COURTESY OF WELLNESS YOUR WAY FESTIVAL

We have the insurance protection you need.

Wellness Your Way Festival

Colorado Convention Center, Aug. 16–18 Everybody’s looking for tips on healthy living, and there will be more ideas than you can dream of at the Wellness Your Way Festival Aug. 1619 at the Colorado Convention Center. Mingle with chefs, work out with fitness experts and hear speakers eager to share their respective knowledge of how to be healthier. Live music from a variety of artists, including co-founder Jewel, and appearances from TV personalities Jen Widerstrom and Debbie Matenopoulos, sports analyst Cobi Jones and Tony Horton, creator of the P90X home fitness systems, round out the festivities.

Single-day passes start at $10, daily schedules and info at WELLNESSYOURWAYFESTIVAL.COM .

–LR

With more than 25 years of insurance experience and supporting the cannabis industry since the day of legalization, we have you covered.

•Growers •Manufacturers •Dispensaries •Other Cannabis Touching Businesses Regulations are changing frequently Have you had a risk assessment recently?

We can help!

Contact Us (720) 441-0216 Soluuons@AspenCannabisInsurance.com

www.AspenCannabisInsurance.com

sensimag.com AUGUST 2019 21

What's Popping

1) Hidden Idol, the long-running pop-up tiki bar on Colfax, isn't popping any longer. It's got a new permanent location hidden on the other side of town.

Find it across from Jefferson Park on Clay Street, one building south of Briar Common. Sit on the patio, order some Spam, and sip on a fruity rum concoction that tastes just like summer.

22 AUGUST 2019 Denver // Boulder

2) Insta-Bait: Brick Bar pops up at EXDO Event Center in RiNo Aug. 8 to 11.

Over one million blocks are being assembled to make this first-of-its-kind venue designed solely to provide a FOMO-inducing backdrop for your "it's hot, I'm hot" summer's-not-over-yet #thirsttraps.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF BRICK BARS

Tickets and info: thebrickbars.com.

3) Big Easy meets the Mile-High: The award-winning New Orleans Bacchanal wine bar is taking over the parking lot of The Source for two days this month, Aug. 10–11. Live jazz sets the backdrop to the soirée by wine-shopturned-eclectic-speakeasy-on-the-fly, where Safta chefs are providing a menu of the city’s best Israeli cuisine.

–SW

sensimag.com AUGUST 2019 23

24 AUGUST 2019 Denver // Boulder

sensimag.com AUGUST 2019 25

Encore Catering WHERE THE APPLAUSE NEVER ENDS Encore Catering is a full service Denver catering company oering a wide variety of food and services for your next special event. Our food is made fresh daily and delivered with professionalism. When searching for Denver catering you can rely on Encore Catering because we provide exceptional food, menu exibility and responsive customer service.

www.encorecatering.net | 303-707-0909 orders@encorecatering.net

26 AUGUST 2019 Denver // Boulder

sensimag.com AUGUST 2019 27

{newsfeed }

by L E L A N D R U C K E R

FIX-A-FLATS

Hemp has been promoted as a remedy for myriad en-

acy. “There was a missing proponent of activism and ad-

vironmental problems, and one of the areas where it’s

vocating for people who might have gotten sick from this

showing promise is in cleaning up contaminated soil.

place,” she says. “It can be very stressful to find out you

Northeast of Denver in Jefferson County, the 5,237-acre

moved your family close to an active Superfund site.”

Rocky Flats National Wildlife Refuge is the innocuous new

[The US Department of Health & Human Services de-

name for Rocky Flats, a Cold War-era nuclear weapons

fines a Superfund site as any land in the United States

plant that’s home to some of the most contaminated soil

that has been contaminated by hazardous waste and

on earth. Now, a local group is trying to find out whether

identified by the EPA as a candidate for cleanup because

growing hemp might be able to help clean Rocky Flats soil

it poses a risk to human health and/or the environment.]

by absorbing pollutants through the root system.

It’s difficult today to appreciate the fear that motivat-

Tiffany Hansen is director of Rocky Flats Downwinders,

ed American Cold-War behavior towards the Soviet Union

a community organization she started in 2015 to spread

after World War II. The Rocky Flats Plant was built on the

the word to those who live “downwind” of the former nu-

remote, high prairie, 16 miles northwest of downtown

clear-weapons plant. “I found out then that I grew up three

Denver. It played a major role in nuclear-weapons pro-

and a half miles from Rocky Flats,” she says. “I didn’t have

duction during the Cold War. From 1952 until production

any memories of that. I was really surprised that I lived so

stopped in 1992, the plant was known more for efficiency

close to an area that went through so much history. How

than safety, manufacturing more than 70,000 plutonium

could this have gone on and nobody knows about it?”

pits, commonly called “triggers,” that were used in almost

She began conducting her own research, reached out

every nuclear bomb made during the US build-up.

to others on social media and read Kristen Iversen’s 2013

The general public was kept in the dark about the activ-

book, Full Body Burden: Growing Up in the Nuclear Shadow of

ities, and the crimes, until they were exposed years later.

Rocky Flats. Iverson also was raised near the plant with-

For starters, the high winds that frequent the area from

out any knowledge of what went on there, and her book

the nearby western foothills weren’t taken into consid-

inspired Hansen to raise awareness, especially for those

eration when the facility was built. There were numerous

people living in the area who don’t know Rocky Flats’ leg-

fires, incidents, and near-meltdowns that went unreport-

28 AUGUST 2019 Denver // Boulder

ORIGINAL PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE ROCKY FLATS NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE

Could planting hemp help clean soil at Rocky Flats? A local coalition of “Downwinders” wants to find out.

sensimag.com AUGUST 2019 29

ed at the time. In 1957, a fire that began in a glove-box

Wildlife Refuge and operated by the US Fish and Wildlife

area in Building 771, a major production facility, spread

Services. People are now allowed to traverse the refuge

through the air-filtering system and blew a cap in the roof

on a trail system.

that sent contaminated air into the atmosphere.

To add to the confusion, subdivisions continue to be built

Another major fire in 1969 took two years to clean up

along the eastern and southern periphery. Unlike around

and was the costliest accident in industrial nuclear history.

most Superfund sites, these areas are high-end develop-

But production continued until the FBI and EPA raids of

ments. The Jefferson County Public Highway Authority,

the plant in 1989. Though the government denies it, many

after decades of trying, has been given the go-ahead to

believe that plutonium was released during those inci-

construct an extension of I-470 from Golden to Broom-

dents. Later, it was revealed that waste created during the

field, part of which would run adjacent to Indiana Street,

industrial process was being stored in more than 5,000

the eastern boundary of the former plant.

steel barrels haphazardly buried in an open field, which had leaked radioactive material into the ground.

Given the government’s past cover-ups and lack of candor, there are many who still wonder whether all that

After the plant was closed, the government and its con-

plutonium contamination was adequately confined and

tractors pled guilty to numerous environmental crimes,

whether those living downwind are still in danger. And

fines were administered, and an extensive, expensive

as Hansen notes, beyond the plaque at artist Jeff Gipes’

cleanup began. The Superfund site, where the actual pro-

iconic sculpture of a horse dressed in a red hazmat suit

duction took place, remains closed off—hopefully, forev-

and rubber boots on Highway 72 west of Indiana Street, a

er—and overseen by the Department of Energy. But the

tribute to those who worked at the plant, there is no men-

rest, after being considered uncontaminated in 2005 af-

tion of its mission or mistakes in the new upscale suburbs

ter a decade-long cleanup, is now called the Rocky Flats

being built around the edges.

30 AUGUST 2019 Denver // Boulder

(Continued on p.32)

Rocky Flats History and Legacy All Denver-area residents should be familiar with the history and legacy of the Rocky Flats Plant. The most exhaustive account is Len Ackland’s Making a Real Killing: Rocky Flats and the Nuclear West, which tells the entire story, from the purchase of the area from the Church family, through the years of production, and its final demise after the FBI raid.

Kristen Iversen’s Full Body Burden: Growing Up in the Nuclear Shadow of Rocky Flats is a more personal account from someone who grew up near the plant with no knowledge of the plant’s activities. Also recommended is Wes McKinley’s The Ambushed Grand Jury: How the Justice Department Covered Up Government Nuclear Crime and How We Caught Them Red Handed, which details the important role played by the Rocky Flats grand jury in ending this sad chapter in history.

PHOTO COURTESY OF LELAND RUCKER

More information: ROCKYFLATSDOWNWINDERS.COM .

19005 E. Quincy Ave., Aurora, CO 80015

(720) 999-8919

www.GreenHeartDispensary.com sensimag.com AUGUST 2019 31

Hansen believes the health information the government releases is selective

R E S O U R CE M E DI C A L CE N T E R

and inaccurate. She has had her own medical problems, and has found many others—including people who have moved here since the plant closed—who are also experiencing health issues. She is particularly concerned about increasing incidents of breast cancer among younger women.

A grand jury empaneled to look at Rocky Flats crimes wound up helping un-

MEDICAL CANNABIS CONSULTATIONS + INTEGRATIVE MEDICINE We are devoted to the integrative model of medicine, which intelligently combines conventional medicine with time-honored healing wisdom and herbalism.

mask the deception. One member of that jury, a rancher named Wes McKinley, later was elected to the Colorado House. In 2012, he sponsored House Bill 12-1099, which created a framework for the study and use of industrial hemp to clean up contaminated soil.

After meeting McKinley and finding out about the bill, Hansen applied for and got a catalyst grant from the Roddenberry Foundation (named after Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry), which gives small awards for innovative projects that address global challenges, according to its website.

She has assembled a team that includes Dr. Michael Ketterer, a professor emeritus of chemistry and biochemistry at Northern Arizona University; growers RuBi Hemp Solutions; and Dr. Elizabeth Pilon-Smits, biologist and Colorado State University professor, who will advise the venture.

Re sour c eMed ica l Ce nte r . c o m

“This is a small pilot project.

DEN V ER, CO 7 2 0 -5 7 2 - 5 249 32 AUGUST 2019 Denver // Boulder

“It’s a small project to study if and whether hemp can work with radiation,” Hansen says.

The group originally sought and was denied four 5-gallon buckets of soil from the Jefferson County Public Highway Authority. After some members of the commission expressed their concerns about the rejection, Hansen says, she was contacted by Jefferson County. “Next thing I know, we get an offer and permits, and then we got the soil. Ketterer will be working with the hemp farm to test soil before, during, and after.”

Hansen, who uses CBD for her own health, is working with a cannabis company to produce a high-CBD cannabis strain called “Rocky Flats.” She hopes that having a Rocky-Flats strain—besides being a healthy option—can spur conversations and help raise more awareness about the former factory.

Your partner for industrial design-build construction.

Specializing in CBD, Hemp & Cannabis grow and extraction facilities.

Though disappointed with the reaction of the highway commission, Hansen cautions that the approach is not driven by advocacy as much as finally getting some real data to work with about the possibilities of now-legal hemp. “I am all about awareness,” she says. “What we find out could be helpful for the highway commission, and thinking more about how we deal with this. We need more research. This is a small pilot project. But if it has value, it’s a start.”

But if it has value, it’s a start.”

Photos courtesy of Michelle Koster Photography, LLC.

The National Wind Technology Center is located at the northwest corner of the Rocky Flats property.

(303) 341-7242

www.emeraldcminc.com sensimag.com AUGUST 2019 33

FREEDOM You

+

Natural Plant Powered Products (@# . COM)

REV: 52017

34 AUGUST 2019 Denver // Boulder

sensimag.com AUGUST 2019 35

NOT YOUR STANDARD RELIEF Escape Artists ultra potent 1:1 & 20:1 topical creams Available in dispensaries across Colorado

www.letsescape.com

36 AUGUST 2019 Denver // Boulder

sensimag.com AUGUST 2019 37

{starpowered }

by N AT H A C A M PA N E L L A

AUGUST

HOROSCOPES LEO

July 23–Aug 22

Ignore any judgements this month and be your biggest, brightest self, especially in your career. Shine a spotlight on your performance. The important people will see what you’re up to and appreciate your skillsets. You’ll feel like all is right in the world, and ultimately it’ll bring you more money, too.

VIRGO

Aug 23–Sept 22

The first part of August may find you feeling rather introverted and introspective, so use it to your advantage.

Get lost in your own mind and focus on your priorities.

When you emerge from your shell, let people see who you are. Voice your opinions, don’t hide your emotions, and stand strong in your own sense of self.

LIBRA

Sept 23–Oct 22

This month, you’ll stand out from the crowd by being your naturally likable self.

Speak your truth. Stand your ground. Later in the month, things will quiet down and 38 AUGUST 2019 Denver // Boulder

you’ll feel a pull toward the metaphysical. Go with it. A mind-expanding experience enhances your appeal.

SCORPIO

Oct 23–Nov 21

Right now, work is in the spotlight, and your days may feel like a study in human dynamics. There are some coworkers you want to impress; some you don’t like that much; some that trigger you. Be careful not to explode. Meditate, advocate for yourself, talk it out.

Act like you’re in charge of HR and you just may see some financial windfall as a bonus.

SAGITTARIUS

Nov 22–Dec 21

You’ll enjoy August—the stars are lining up. You get to do the things you love: explore, learn, and impress people with your knowledge. The time is ripe for travel. If you don’t already have a trip on the books, plan one. It doesn’t have to be big and pricey. Visit a local landmark. Explore the next town over. Discover new things—just think of the stories you’ll get to tell.

Leo, ignore any judgements this month and be your biggest, brightest self.

CAPRICORN

Dec 22–Jan 19

August invites you to explore who you really are. Of course, you may not love everything you find, but stay the course.

The more you understand what motivates you and what keeps you stagnant, the easier it is to shift away from what’s not working.

Being aware of what drives your ambition helps you better understand others—a hallmark of a good leader.

AQUARIUS

Jan 20–Feb 18

It’s a relationship month for you, Aquarius. It’s a good time to give some thought to the state of your love life: how it is and how it could be. Intimate partnerships have a big impact on your self-worth, taking a toll on your motivation. Make sure that you aren’t isolating— get out, be social, and talk about where your head is at.

Seek clarity.

PISCES

Feb 19–Mar 20

This is time to cultivate your well-being. Be mindful of how often you’re tempted to numb yourself to tension and mental strain. When you’re checked out of your emotions, you’re checked out of your body and health, too. The next time you feel stressed, take an inventory of chronic aches and pains you have. Changing bad habits is easier than it typically is right now, so take advantage: eat better, move more, and find a medical professional who can help you make long-term health goals.

ARIES

Mar 21–Apr 19

Do what lights you up as much as you can this month.

You’re at your best when you’re taking risks, being creative, and otherwise engaging in your wild side. This is a perfect month for adventure and travel. If you can’t get away, get lost in a book instead. Play tourist in your town. Stay active; it will help you keep anger at bay.

TAURUS

Apr 20–May 20

You might want to chill out and lay low with the fam. Go

with it. Spend time with the people you love and don’t be afraid to have real conversations with them. If you feel an infamous Taurus temper coming on, take a pause.

Give a name what you feel, and ask for feedback. Silently holding onto grudges is no way to spend your summer.

GEMINI

May 21–June 21

One of your great fears is not being heard or understood.

You have some good lessons ahead of you this month. If you feel like people aren’t listening, don’t get angry.

Check yourself instead. Are you listening to them? Make eye contact when you speak to people, and engage in quality conversations. By the end of the month, you’ll feel more appreciated.

CANCER

June 22–July 22

In August, have the uncomfortable money talks. If someone owes you money or you want a raise, ask for it. Don’t get angry, don’t freeze anyone out. Asking for what you need and deserve is part of a selfcare practice. Your bank account will thank you for it.

Aries, you’re at your best when you’re taking risks, being creative, and otherwise engaging in your wild side. This is a perfect month for adventure.

sensimag.com AUGUST 2019 39

Shop Online | Infusedcbdmarketplace.com

- Known conditions CBD can help with Acne ADD|ADHD Addiction AIDs | HIV ALS Alzheimer’s Disease Anorexia Anxiety Athritis Asthma Autism Bipolar Cancer Digestive Issues Depression Diabetes Epilepsy & Seizures Fibromyalgia Glaucoma Heat Disease Inflammations Irritable Bowel Syndrome Shipping to all 50 States

40 AUGUST 2019 Denver // Boulder

Kidney Disease Liver Disease Mestrual Cramps Migraines & Headaches Mood Disorders Motion Sickness Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Nausea Neuropathic Pain Obesity Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Pain (General) Parkinson’s Disease PTSD Rhumatism Schizophrenia Sickle Cell Anemia Skin Conditions Spinal Cord Inury Sleep Disorders Stress Stroke & TBI Social | @Infusedcbdmarketplace

Introducing Uleva TM

Full Spectrum Hemp Extract Herbal Supplements rich in phytocannabinoids to help support your body’s endocannabinoid system* Full Spectrum Hemp Extract perfectly blended to: FUEL™ with green tea, FLEX™ with glucosamine and chondroitin, DIGEST™ with ginger, RELAX™ with ashwagandha, RELIEVE™ with turmeric, SLEEP™ with melatonin

Use code SENSI20 for 20% off your first order Available now at www.uleva.com www.uleva.com

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. sensimag.com AUGUST 2019 This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

41

Amelia on Amazon

SALE

20% OFF

any bottle of Amelia Lotion with promo code

AMELIA20

ORGANIC CHEMESTRY One:Eleven was founded in 2015 by two organic farmers a USDA Organic Potato Farmer and a Organic Craft Cannabis Farmer. Since the start of our company we have used the same organic soil to repeat, reuse, recycle, our systems to ever develop the soil food web on our farm. By doing this we have found continued development of our terpene profiles inside our craft cannabis.

1-ELEVEN.COM

IT ALL STARTS FROM A SEED Each year One:Eleven germinates our new genetics from seed pheno hunting for the best traits the plant has to offer. In our search for new genetics we focus on finding the best growth traits, Flavor (terpenes), high (Cannabinoid profile), and linage (Indica/Sativa/Hybrid).

All of our One:Eleven Craft Cannabis is delivered in glass jars to preserve the terpenes. This same protocol has been brought to our Rosin Sticks. Each Joints is coated in Rosin then rolled in Kief to bring an amazing slow burning solventless specialty joint to the Colorado recreational market.

42 AUGUST 2019 Denver // Boulder

sensimag.com AUGUST 2019 43

{tastebuds }

by J O H N L E H N D O R F F

GRAINS OF TRUTH Colorado’s heritage grain revival is making gluten sexy again.

44 AUGUST 2019 Denver // Boulder

Once upon a time, wheat was the “staff of life,” a staple of diet. Literally, like, civilization resulted from grains. Since the recent keto, Atkins, paleo, and Whole30 anticarb campaigns, wheat—and its enabler, gluten—are now considered Darth Vader, Cruella DeVille, and Vlad Putin all rolled into one.

Humble carbs are viewed as addictive substances and associated with obesity, diabetes, arthritis, allergies, cancer, and digestive disorders, not mention the best-selling “wheat belly” and “grain brain.”

culprit behind our dietary woes.

FOOLING YOURSELF WITH 21-GRAIN BREAD This may be hard to digest, but Nanna Meyer wants you toss out virtually every grain product in your home…except maybe oatmeal, if it’s fresh, whole, and organic.

The associate professor in Health Sciences at the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs, is one of the

It scares me, frankly. Just pondering the possibility of

state’s foremost authorities on grain and health. Meyer

giving up wheat and gluten gives me the shaking hee-

doesn’t want you to stop eating wheat, bread, or grain

bie-jeebies so uncomfortable that even 100 milligrams of

products. She just wants you to cease ruining your body

CBD won’t touch it.

with all the refined crap. That directive especially applies

I heart wheat. I love a Hallelujah Chorus of grain-based joys, from croissants, flatbreads, and French boules to

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF NANNA MEYER

I also learned that wheat and gluten may not be the real

to any processed foods shilling themselves as whole grain, 9-grain, or 21-grain.

pancakes, crackers, and pizza. My toast with jam in the

“Get all of the industrial white four out—the pasta, all

morning is a spiritual experience. As a nationally known

breakfast cereals, all mixes,” Meyer says. “And then get

pie expert, my idea of a vacation road trip is traveling from

rid of the whole wheat Pop-Tarts and whole-grain pan-

bakery to panadería to boulangerie.

cake mix.”

However, as a man of a certain age with some nagging

That’s because the whole grains involved have been pro-

ailments, I am forced to consider the possibility that giving

cessed to within an inch of being inert. The flour—made

up wheat and gluten might significantly improve my qual-

whenever from wheat from wherever—has to be shelf-sta-

ity of life and general level of bliss.

ble, so it is by definition not fresh. “Even the cereals that look

I started talking to nerdy grain people across Colorado

‘healthy’ have nothing to do with real whole grains,” she says.

who are intent on changing the way we think about grain.

The solution is to replace them with whole organical-

Research led me to some incredibly tasty foods and bev-

ly grown grains that are freshly milled. (See “Find Fresh

erages made from local, ancient, and heirloom grains with

Colorado Grain Flour” on p. 47.) Sourdough bread—made

names like Red Fife, Blue Emmer, and White Sonora. The

from freshly milled ancient and heirloom whole grains—

later wheat variety was hugely popular in the 1700s and

is definitely on Meyer’s menu. “Once the flour gets fer-

1800s in North America and makes beautiful tortillas.

mented, it is much more digestible. It makes the nutrients

As was the case with craft beer and cannabis, Colorado

more available, and some people who have gut sensitiv-

is clearly leading the way. In Colorado Springs, the Sour-

ities can enjoy bread and other grain products,” she says.

dough Boulangerie uses a 350-year-old Italian sourdough

Nanna Meyer is no hippy-dippy granola aficionado. She

starter and organic Einkorn grain in its crusty artisan

founded the Sport Nutrition Graduate Program at UCCS.

loaves. At Safta, the acclaimed Israeli eatery in Denver,

An athlete herself, she says she saw the impact eating or-

wood-fired ovens produce fresh pita breads made with

ganic whole grains had on her own performance and that

heirloom flour. An Alamosa brewery offers farm-to-tap

of the Olympic athletes she has advised.

ale made only with wheat, yeast, water, and hops from

Celiac disease, an immune reaction to eating gluten,

one farm, and a rare 100-percent-wheat American whis-

affects only about 1 percent of healthy Americans, ac-

key is being distilled in Longmont.

cording to University of Chicago reports, although many

My research led me to another undeniable conclusion: I

are undiagnosed. Several million more of us have sworn

knew squat about wheat, grains, and gluten—especially

off gluten, but a study in the journal Digestion found that

that paper bag of white powder with the “flour” label sit-

86 percent of those who said they were gluten sensitive

ting in my pantry since Thanksgiving.

could actually tolerate it under the right circumstances. sensimag.com AUGUST 2019 45

46 AUGUST 2019 Denver // Boulder

“Grains are the final frontier of the farm-to-table movement,” says Mona Esposito. The Boulder-based “Grain Lady” became a passionate whole-grain educator, advocate, and consultant while trying to bake the best possible bread for her family for 15 years. She has helped to spearhead the Colorado Grain Chain.

Find Fresh Colorado Heirloom Grain Flour Even at twice the price, heirloom wheat flour will still be the cheapest ingredient you use. Think of it like fresh herbs and tomatoes: buy it fresh and only as much as you’ll consume. Here’s where to find some.

FRONT RANGE: Besides Moxie Bread Co. and Dry Storage in Boulder, heirloom and native Colorado grain and flour is often available at farmers markets in Colorado.

GRAINS FROM THE PLAINS: This Limon grower offers wheat berries and fresh flour—Colorado Windy White, Rustic Red, and Turkey Red. GRAINSFROMTHEPLAINS.COM PASTIFICIO: The Boulder pasta maker sells the freshly milled heirloom flours they use for their pappardelle.

PASTIFICIOBOULDER.COM

ASPEN MOON FARM: The Hygeine farm produces organic Turkey Red and Red Fife wheat berries and flour. Also: Floriani red flint corn for polenta.

ASPENMOONFARM.COM

MILL IT YOURSELF: Aspen Moon Farm recommends the counter-top, blender-sized Mock Mill to make fresh flour. MOCKMILL.COM

“Think about coffee. There was a time when almost nobody thought about coffee and didn’t know where their ground coffee came from. People just haven’t made the connection with grains, yet,” Esposito says. She offers well-researched information about wheat, grains, and gluten for consumers at her website, THEGRAINLADY.COM .

DOWN ON THE FARM Meyer knows the farm side of this equation because she is married to Dan Hobbs, owner of the organic Hobbs Family Farm east of Pueblo near Avondale.

“In the late 1800s, there were more than 200 distinct varieties of grains grown in Colorado and New Mexico.

Now there is just a handful,” says Hobbs, who teaches at the Grain School. He is three years into testing 20 heirloom and ancient wheat, rye, and barley varieties. “We are trying to find the sweet spot in a variety between yield, nutrition needs, and water use to survive the dry years,” he says.

Hobbs says there are a lot of unanswered questions for Colorado farmers like him, such as whether you will pay more for heirloom grains the way you do for organic cantaloupes. The reality, he says, is that a well-marketed acre of Pueblo chilies can bring in $10,000, while even a pre-

“We don’t have all the answers yet,” Meyer says. “What we do know is that clearly our diets are deficient in fiber and other nutrients, and that overprocessed industrial wheat negatively affects our gut health.”

THE FINAL FRONTIER

mium, 50-bushel-an-acre price for wheat may only yield a farmer $3,000.

FARM-TO-LOAF TOAST AND GLUTEN-FREE WHISKEY Chef Kelly Whitaker has had a single-minded focus on

Meyer preaches “grain literacy” for everyone. She

milling his own whole grains since he first started cooking.

is the guiding force behind the Grain School at UCCS to

“Roller mills take all the nutrition out of grains as it grinds

build support for growing ancient and heritage grains in

them, and then nutrients have to be added back in to the

the Mountain States and has recently helped create a

flour. No wonder people feel better when they stop eating it.

new organization, the Colorado Grain Chain. The mem-

But our bodies are meant to consume grains,” Whitaker says.

bers include family businesses producing grain and grain

At Dry Storage, Whitaker’s new Boulder café and bak-

products from heritage, ancient, and locally adapted grain

ery, eight varieties of grain—including heirloom Rouge

including farmers, millers, bakers, brewers, distillers, and

de Bordeaux wheat and Ryman rye specifically grown for

nationally acclaimed chefs.

Whitaker—are milled into flour almost every day. Whitasensimag.com AUGUST 2019 47

48 AUGUST 2019 Denver // Boulder

2,000,000

The number of acres in Colorado devoted to growing wheat.

That’s an area larger than the state of Delaware.

ker says they are used for pizza at his award-winning

high yield. Wroe’s wheat is grown at Arnusch Farms near

wood-fired Basta and for noodles for Denver’s Wolf’s Tai-

Keenesburg. “Heirloom varieties are more expensive, and

lor. At Dry Storage, he serves a flight of heirloom toast and

they are really finicky, but it’s worth it. Antero makes gor-

offers the varietal flours in reusable jars.

geous whiskey. It starts as a silky sweet clear moonshine,

Nearby in Longmont, 100 percent Colorado Antero Wheat Whiskey, one of the nation’s only single grain wheat whiskeys—is distilled by the singularly local Dry

and gradually mellows,” Wroe says. And, it is gluten-free, since the offending protein is distilled out.

Land Distillers. “We didn’t set out to use heirloom grain.

THE FARMER, THE CHEF, AND THE BAKER

We wanted a grain well-suited to Colorado, and it hap-

Eric and Jill Skokan own the 425-acre certified organ-

pened to be heirloom,” said Nels Wroe, co-founder of the

ic Black Cat Farm in Niwot that supplies CSA (Communi-

Longmont-based spirits company.

ty-Supported Agriculture) members, their Boulder Farm-

Antero wheat was developed by Colorado State University to be low water, low maintenance, and relatively

ers Market booth, and the two Boulder restaurants: Black Cat Farm Bistro and Bramble & Hare. sensimag.com AUGUST 2019 49

50 AUGUST 2019 Denver // Boulder

Among the crops being cultivated this year are White So-

Other Colorado heirloom treats

nora, a Swiss rye that has been cultivated for 1,200 years,

GRAIN BOWLS, BREADS, AND BAKED GOODS: Clyde’s gastropub, open to the public at the University of Colorado in Colorado Springs, features a “food next door” celebrating locally sourced meat, produce, cheese, and grains. UCCS.EDU/DININGSERVICES

from our pigs, English peas, and charred onions,” he says.

and ancient Khorasan wheat. “That’s the ancestor of durum wheat used for pasta, so we’ll make fettuccine served with simple things from the farm, like smoked guanciale “These grains can be delicious and at the same time feed the soil,” Skokan says. “It’s not often that you get to have your cake and eat it too and make the world a slightly

WHEATVERLY ALE: Made only with wheat, yeast, water, and hops grown at Colorado Farm Brewery in Alamosa. COFARMBEER.COM

better place over time. We can also revive forgotten foods.”

FOUR GRAIN STRAIGHT BOURBON: A.D. Laws Whiskey House in Denver distills a beautiful bourbon from Colorado-grown corn, wheat, rye, and barley.

and baked goods. “For too long, we have gotten our grain

Louisville’s Moxie Bread Co. uses 100 percent organic heirloom wheat milled daily onsite in all its artisan loaves and flour from unknown places,” says Moxie owner and

LAWSWHISKEYHOUSE.COM

James Beard Award nominee Andy Clark. “It’s grown and

FUSILLI: Pastaficio in Boulder makes pastas from house-milled emmer, red fife, and einkorn wheats.

all goes off to the same silo. I wanted to know the wheat

PASTIFICIOBOULDER.COM

WHOLE WHEAT SANDWICH LOAF from a home “cottage” baker using wild-caught yeast and local stone-ground grain milled to order by Wild Things Artisan Baked Goods in Thorton. WILDTHINGSABG.COM ANCIENT GRAIN LOAF: Nightingale Bread in Colorado Springs house-mills heirloom organic grains for their sourdough breads, pastries, and pizza.

NIGHTINGALEBREAD.COM

farmer just like I know the farmers who grow the vegetables my family eats.”

It’s not as easy as just switching brands of wheat, he explains. “You have to find a supply first or a farmer who will grow it. People think I’m nuts for using heirloom wheat and doing a long, slow fermentation.

“What we’re hoping is that we can start growing and using grains that humans can eat again.”

JOHN LEHNDORFF hosts Radio Nibbles on KGNU (88.5 FM, stream at KGNU.ORG ).

sensimag.com AUGUST 2019 51

52 AUGUST 2019 Denver // Boulder

sensimag.com AUGUST 2019 53

FORBIDDEN FRUIT America’s 1 THC & CBD Infused Dehydreated Fruit Slices ST

When you were younger, did you dream of being broke?

NEW! MEDICAL & CBD 1:1 OPTIONS

N AVA OW ILA BL

E!

MEDICAL RECREATIONAL

250mg THC ($12/ea) 100mg THC ($9/ea) 250mg 1:1 ($15/ea) 100mg 1:1 ($12/ea) (12 units/case)

(12 units/case)

If the answer is "No", Attend a free seminar on how real estate investing can give you back your dreams.

Order Today on Leaflink, email orders@treekitchens.com, or call 303-558-0884 @forbidden_fruit.co

54 AUGUST 2019 Denver // Boulder

@_forbiddnfruit

/givingtreekitchens

RSVP NOW (720) 336-0779

sensimag.com AUGUST 2019 55

{highprofile }

by L E L A N D R U C K E R

BLISSFUL SISTERS The Emich triplets’ Shine Restaurant & Potion Bar is more than a restaurant; it’s a hip healthy experience.

If you’ve been in Boulder for any length of time, or even

ty destination, especially with its small back room where

if you’re new, you’ve probably heard about Shine Restau-

touring acts played live music. It was, the sisters readily

rant & Potion Bar, the bright, airy eatery in the Village

admit, a crazy learning curve that began for them at age 24.

Shopping Center (2480 Canyon Blvd.). It’s owned and op-

“We had to get serious and disciplined and understand

erated by the Emich triplets, Jennifer, Jessica, and Jill, who

money, what was coming in, where we were spending it,”

have spent the last few years integrating Shine into the

Jessica says.

city’s thriving wellness and local-cuisine scene.

Jill adds: “We worked around the clock. Trilogy was where

The trio, aka the Blissful Sisters, grew up in New Jersey

we worked, where we partied, where we played.” After nine

in a large, hard-working Italian family where food was al-

years, they all were burnt out. “When we sold it, we were

ways a big part of their lives. They worked in their uncle’s

like, ‘That was fun, and we’re never doing it again.’”

grocery together as kids, which began a lifelong interest

Lots of things changed in the next couple of years. Jessica

that continues to this day. Jessica and Jill went to culinary

had her first child. Jennifer married and was diagnosed with

school and got their degrees, working in and managing

breast cancer, which brought the family together to help

restaurants to help fund their educations. Jennifer taught

her through her ordeal. Eventually, after Jennifer’s recovery,

English in Costa Rica for a while.

the sisters returned to the idea of another restaurant.

In a story recognizable to many who wind up in the area, Jill

So, three years after they sold Trilogy, they opened

relates. “Jessica was dating a guy from Boulder. I was dating

Shine. “We had people asking [what was next]. We had

his best friend and so we came out to visit,” she says. “We sat

gone through a lot individually and together as sisters,”

on a patio somewhere, and we had a bottle of wine, then we

Jill says. “We always did farm-to-table cuisine. Jessica has

had a second bottle of wine. And we were like, ‘We have to

her master’s in holistic nutrition, so we really dove into the

move here.’ We just felt that vortex of Boulder. It was really

nutritional value of the food, and where it all comes from.”

this energy that pulled us in. We felt that this was our place.”

Under executive chef Jessica’s direction, Shine uses or-

Less than a year later, in 2000, the sisters opened Trilogy

ganic ingredients whenever possible. Everything is made

Wine Bar and Lounge just off the Pearl Street Mall in down-

from scratch in a totally gluten-free kitchen. Jessica works

town Boulder. Trilogy soon became a well-known par-

with several local farmers to provide produce and protein.

56 AUGUST 2019 Denver // Boulder

The Emich triplets (from left): Jessica, Jill, and Jennifer.

sensimag.com AUGUST 2019 57

58 AUGUST 2019 Denver // Boulder

She says that though it’s more difficult and time-con-

Besides its food, Shine is known for its libations, po-

suming than just ordering from a distributor and having

tions, and tonics. The concoctions incorporate all the sis-

ingredients delivered, local partnerships are essential to

ters learned over the years about juices, herbs, flowers,

Shine’s purpose and success. All meats are 100 percent

gemstone essences, and sound frequencies. Or as the

locally grass-fed. “For us, it really comes down to the rela-

menu says: “Enchanting beverages that transform your

tionship with the farmer,” Jessica says. “I go direct to them

experience to nourish from the inside out so you can

so they know what we need and what I’m going to buy.

SHINE from within.”

It takes time to create that relationship. Nothing we use comes from further than 10 miles from here.”

When they first created the potions, Jessica admits, they were fun to do and perhaps a bit kitschy. “But people

Those personal relationships work both ways. “I also

were saying ‘This stuff works. Where can I get it?’ Or then

want to go out and see what the farmers are doing, let

they come back in a certain mood and want a different

them talk about it.” Jessica says. “We cut out the middle-

one. So people kept hounding us. ‘We want more of this.’”

man in order to let them get more money, and then that

So they began experimenting and created several distinct

helps us get a better deal.”

PICK YOUR POTION Fairy Bubbles:

REPLENISH AND UPLIFT

Pomegranate and hibiscus herbal tonic that’s hydrating, antioxidant rich, and high in vitamin C to boost immunity.

flavors and fragrances. Three Laughing Monks, for instance,

Owl Eyes:

Three Laughing Monks:

Yerba maté and ginger herbal tonic, with claims to boost stamina and vitality, relieve stress, boost immunity, and aid digestion; plus chlorophyll to oxygenate cells and deliver minerals.

Spiced black cherry herbal tonic that boosts immunity, aids digestion, promotes longevity, rejuvenates kidneys and adrenals, helps relieve stress, and acts as an anti-inflammatory.

ENERGY AND FOCUS

NOURISH AND BALANCE

Not in Boulder? Not a

problem, because you’re not alone. Shine Potions are so popular, the sisters started bottling the concoctions to meet demand. Get yours in two days flat via Amazon.

(AMAZON.COM/SHINEPOTIONS for 3-pack of 32 oz. bottles, $54.95)

sensimag.com AUGUST 2019 59

60 AUGUST 2019 Denver // Boulder

blends spiced black cherry and lemon juices, honey, ginger root, reishi mushroom, cinnamon, astragalus, basil, amla berry, and nutmeg, whose flower essence is pathfinder and sound frequencies are “belly laughter” and “monks chanting.”

I can’t claim that it made me laugh or chant, but this is not like drinking a soda. Flavors and sensations bounce around your tongue, changing with every swallow. “They are all adaptogenic herbs,” says Jill. “They balance your stress hormones so they work with your own individual body. If you’re feeling tired and run down, it’ll lift you up. If you’re feeling anxious and generally jittery at all, it will kind of bring you in balance. What’s so beautiful about these herbs is they work with your own unique being.”

I ordered one of the biggest sellers, the Golden Eagle, which combines turmeric, albizia, tulsi basil, Colorado honey milk, orange peelgotu kola, and vanilla star anise with a kicker of CBD oil. “The herb called albizia is the bark of a tree called the tree of happiness,” Jill says. It was full, frothy, and delightful.

Shine offers CBD and B12 shots for any of its drinks and potions. Like all their ingredients, the cannabidiol comes from a local company that provides water-soluble, full-spectrum CBD in tincture form. “We also do CBD cheesecakes and put [tinctures] in our desserts,” says Jill,

Keeping things localized while remaining competitive in

who has found CBD helpful for her own anxiety. “People can

an upscale, ever-changing market like Boulder is challeng-

order it on the side, they can add it to any of their drinks. You

ing. “We really want this to be a community place,” says

can even put it in your water here. We sell a ton of CBD.”

Jessica. “It’s really hard to know that you should eat local, you should eat organic, but then you can’t afford it. So we’re really trying keep our menu at a level where it’s affordable.”

Being open to change is just part of the experience.

Their recipe book, Eat, Drink, Shine: Inspiration From Our Kitchen, published in 2016, tells the sisters’ unique stories and shares recipes and tips on everything from soaking nuts to philosophies about food’s important part in life.

“Everybody says Boulder’s changing, but there’s so much change happening everywhere,” says Jill. “So let’s think about where we’re spending our money, how we’re spending our money, what we’re supporting. We want you to know when you are eating here, your dollars are going not only to the restaurant, they are going full-circle.”

As Jessica puts it: “People are voting with their dollars.”

Spending even a “magic hour” at Shine is a vote for food that’s sourced locally, grown organically, and prepared holistically to nourish the community from the inside out. sensimag.com AUGUST 2019 61

www.dadirriextracts.com • @dadirri_extracts

62 AUGUST 2019 Denver // Boulder

sensimag.com AUGUST 2019 63

SPECIALIZING IN HIGH CBG AND RARE CANNABINOID ORGANIC FLOWER AND CONCENTRATES. CBC: 0.6%

COMFORTABLY NUMB

CBG: 14.81%

THC: 77.56%

WWW.POTZERO.CO ZERO CARBON FOOTPRINT - ZERO CHEMICALS

64 AUGUST 2019 Denver // Boulder

CBN: 0.55%

sensimag.com AUGUST 2019 65

HACK YOUR AGE

Eight great ways to age with grace by L I S A

M. CINI

“AGING GRACEFULLY” ISN’T AS EASY AS IT SOUNDS. IT’S AN EPIC BATTLE REQUIRING LEGITIMATE LIFESTYLE CHANGES TO SLOW THE AGING PROCESS SO YOU STAY YOUNGER LONGER. In my 25-year career developing interiors that uplift

led me to create eight aging hacks that will give every-

and give a sense of individuality to the elderly, I learned

one a shot at getting to the golden years with a little

how important quality of life can be. Designing for in-

more panache. In the words of David Bowie, “Aging is

dependent care facilities and understanding the senior

an extraordinary process where you become the person

community’s unique challenges and possibilities has

you always should have been.”

66 AUGUST 2019 Denver // Boulder

1: SOAK UP THE SUN!

5: PROTECT YOUR EARS

Sunlight helps the body produce two key things: vita-

You are three times more likely to fall if you have poor

min D, which is critical for strong bones, and serotonin,

hearing. Get your hearing checked. According to the Na-

which can improve your focus and your mood. (Do make

tional Institute of Deafness and other Communication

sure you protect your skin.) If you stay inside all day or

Disorders (NIDCD), one out of three Americans aged 64

live in a non-sunny area, you may suffer from seasonal

to 75 suffers from hearing loss, and 40 million under the

affective disorder or a sleep disorder because you have

age of 70 may suffer hearing loss because of concerts,

less sunlight to keep your circadian rhythm on schedule.

clubs, or other sources of excessive loud noise.

A great hack for those in this situation is blue light therapy. This branch of al-

6: FEED YOUR PASSION.

ternative medicine uses natural blue or

Write that book. Take those dance lessons. Go back

violet light to treat or prevent unwanted

to school. Travel. Living is about keeping that spark in-

health issues. Being surrounded by the light can reset your circadian rhythm, allowing you to get better quality sleep and

side you lit. Gene D. Cohen, a founding father of geriatric psychiatry, found that creativity is not limited to young people. “At any age, it can open people up to new possi-

increase your energy during the day.

bilities and add richness to life,” he states. According to

2: FOLLOW THE 20/20 RULE.

morale, improving physical health, enriching relation-

My friend Dan, age 75, recommends having friends 20 years younger and 20 years older than you are. Just like great vision is 20/20, maintaining perspective helps keep you energized and relevant. Opening yourself up to new experiences creates energy, wisdom, and connection, which are valuable for your mind, body, and soul.

3: GET A GUT CHECK. You may be taking vitamins and supplements, but if your gut’s microbiome is unhealthy, anything else you’re doing is a waste. The microbiome is a unique collection of microorganisms in and on your body that are a big factor in your wellness. You can get a microbiome home test at UBIOME.COM , which offers you the status of your gut health and suggests supplements according to your needs. A healthier gut increases your mental health, reduces inflammation and wrinkles, and improves sleep.

4: STEP UP. Stairs: Don’t avoid them. Climbing steps promotes lymphatic flow, which research published on the US National Institutes of Health website suggests impacts interstitial fluid balance and other aspects of your health.

Lymphatic flow eliminates toxins from the body—particularly the brain—which helps clear the amyloid plaques associated with Alzheimer’s.

This healthy fluid balance in the brain could be a new target for treatment, according to a study from the University of Virginia and Virginia Tech published in Nature.

So yes, climbing stairs is good for your brain—it’s all connected. If steps make you nervous, basic stretches and yoga are great ways to get your lymphatic system flowing.

Dr. Cohen, creativity can benefit aging by strengthening ships, and establishing a legacy.

7: GIVE BACK.

Happiness is often a matter of perspective. When you

give back through volunteering, mentoring, or other means, you discover what really matters to you. For organizations near you, visit CHARITYNAVIGATOR.ORG .

8: KILL THE SUGAR.

Reduce your sugar intake or eliminate it altogether. Not

only is sugar horrible for the brain, it also causes more wrinkles. Sydney endocrinologist Sophie Chan explains: “During glycation, toxic compounds called advanced glycation end products, or AGEs, are produced. These can cause wrinkles, sagging, dark circles under eyes, and a multitude of complications to your organs and blood stream, and fast-track diabetes.”

Excess sugar also affects your mind. According to Very Well Mind’s website: “Excess sugar impairs both our cognitive skills and our self-control…resulting in slowed cognitive function and deficits in memory and attention.” Start off small by reducing the amount of sugar in your coffee. Try to eliminate all sodas. You will be surprised how much better you look and feel.

LISA M. CINI is the author of three senior living self-help books: The Future is Here: Senior Living, Reimagined, Hive: The Simple Guide to Multigenerational Living, and BOOM: The Baby Boomers Guide to Leveraging Technology So That You Can Preserve Your Independent Lifestyle & Thrive. LISAMCINI.COM

sensimag.com AUGUST 2019 67

68 AUGUST 2019 Denver // Boulder

sensimag.com AUGUST 2019 69

Terpene-rich hemp oil fresh from our farms.

Sustainably driven.

Restoratively focused.

Retail products

COMING SOON Currently manufacturing:

Biomass, Concentrates & Trimmed Flower

@soqdet

70 AUGUST 2019 Denver // Boulder

soqdet.com • (720) 666-9553

sensimag.com AUGUST 2019 71

{lifestyle }

by I S A B E L L A VA N D E R H E I D E N

DIGITAL HEALTH CARE: AN APP FOR EVERYTHING A writer gives health and wellness apps the college try.

In the last few years, health/fitness apps have been on

at home, despite the app having over 300,000,000 items

the rise, promising to help you lose weight, gain peace of

in its database. Weirdly, I did find some lesser-known

mind through iMeditation, or better connect with hikers or

items including a few of my favorite Emerald Triangle craft

bicyclists in your community. So, how successful are they?

beers. I was also surprised to learn that a Taco Bell Crunch

Utility is obviously dependent on the user, but are health

Wrap Supreme only has 530 calories! MyFitnessPal would

apps truly helpful in finding more motivation and mind-

be a great tool for someone trying to closely monitor their

fulness? While my friends with fancy Fitbits sang their

diet and learn more about the nutritional value of food,

praises, I—by no means a health nut—was skeptical, but

but I was eager to be free from my food diary by the end

I gave it the college try.

of the week.

Considering there are no less than 300,000 health apps

I also tried the meditation app, Calm. Being a hardworking

floating around the digital sphere, I wasn’t sure where to

gal (not to mention a Virgo), I find myself stressing over triv-

begin. Starting with two “classic” apps, MyFitnessPal and

ial things constantly, so learning how to meditate seemed

Calm, I committed myself to both for a week. Would I be-

like it might do my body good. When you sign up for Calm,

come a vegan, a yoga instructor, and a health app addict?

the app asks you to choose between a few things to focus

I had to know.

on, such as better sleep, meditation, or managing stress.

MyFitnessPal helps users track what they eat and cal-

When you open the app, a blue screen appears and tells you

orie consumption while monitoring activity level to help

to “take a deep breath” and fills your ears with the delicate

achieve weight loss goals. Each day you search through

sound of a babbling brook. From there, users choose from

a vast food database to track your meals for the day and,

a variety of recordings that guide them through meditation

God willing, stay within the boundaries of your suggested

or help them fall asleep to a story read by Matthew McCo-

caloric intake.

naughey (no joke). “Alright, alright, alright!”

The most challenging aspect of MyFitnessPal was re-

For me, the bedtime stories were most effective. I was

membering what I had eaten each day and taking time to

out after just a few minutes—but never got to finish any

enter it into my food diary. It was also challenging to iden-

of the stories. (Unfortunately, McConaughey’s number

tify foods comparable in nutrition to the meals I prepared

isn’t provided through the app, so I couldn’t text him to

72 AUGUST 2019 Denver // Boulder

sensimag.com AUGUST 2019 73

More than anything, it seems that these apps are about motivating users rather than improving their health for them.

74 AUGUST 2019 Denver // Boulder

find out what happened next.) While I enjoyed the guided meditations, it was difficult to sit through an entire session. I wondered if this was the point.

By the end of the week, I didn’t feel any different, and I certainly didn’t become a vegan yoga instructor. While I found myself more interested in my general well-being, I couldn’t connect enough with either app to actually change my eating patterns or manage my stress.

I asked my healthy friends about their experiences with apps. Many are runners or bicyclists, and they all talked about Strava, which utilizes your phone’s GPS to track your speed metrics as you move from Point A to Point B; when you’re done riding or running, you can look at a Strava-generated map detailing your route and performance metrics. You can also connect with other users to share trails and even initiate competitions.

My friend Mike D. uses Strava to track his running, biking, and swimming.

“For me, it’s been super helpful,” he says. “I think the main thing is rounding up.

If I’m running, and I see I’ve gone 3.7 miles—I can’t leave that hanging there. I’ll go around the block a few times until it’s a solid 4 miles.”

Strava’s social media component is a key motivational tool for Mike. “I wasn’t an athlete in school,” he says. “I was the opposite. So I’m always, always in favor of being supportive. Getting out the door is the hardest part, so if someone built a thing that helps hold me accountable, I’m all for it. Maybe it’s sort of like AA—some people need a sponsor.”

Dave Larson, an employee at Revolution Bikes in California’s Emerald Triangle region, says the app has motivated him to ride harder and longer. “You can see where your friends are riding, and it inspires you to check out new spots,” says Larson.

“Sometimes you’ll compete with them and be like, ‘Ahhh they took that trophy away, so I’ll go ride harder.’ Somebody else sets a goal, but I’m still working for myself.”

More than anything, it seems that these health/fitness apps are about motivating users rather than improving their health for them. Daily reminders to engage with the app are a polite little nudge to get your 10,000 steps in or to login to your food diary to report the shameful number of tacos you had for dinner last night. I can’t say any of the apps I tried worked for me, but learning how they have motivated other people was inspiring in itself.

sensimag.com AUGUST 2019 75

76 AUGUST 2019 Denver // Boulder

N ANO 2 0: 1 25 mg CBD PER TABLET 1.25 mg THC PER TABLET * MED & REC *

MICRO 1:1 5 mg CBD PER TABLET 5 mg THC PER TABLET

MAX 25 mg THC PER TABLET * MED ONLY*

* MED & REC *

CREATED WITH A PHARMACEUTICAL APPROACH BY OUR IN-HOUSE SCIENTIFIC TEAM INCLUDING A PHARMACIST AND A PhD CHEMIST Presented by the scientific team at MedPharm

SALES@MEDPHARMHOLDINGS.COM sensimag.com AUGUST 2019 77

Cherry Picked Goodness Commercial Growers with a Boutique Feel.

@cherry_colorado

78 AUGUST 2019 Denver // Boulder

sensimag.com AUGUST 2019 79

{travelwell }

by DAV I D D U R A N

80 AUGUST 2019 Denver // Boulder

ASCENDING TO THE NEXT LEVEL A life-changing natural high in the mountains of Baja California

I’m laying on a pile of blankets and pillows with my eyes closed, surrounded by 30 to 50 others doing the same. My body tingles with anticipation. At any moment, the first vibrational sounds emitted from the quartz bowls would reach my eardrums, followed by a medley of chimes. I keep peeking to see if the couple leading the sound healing session have picked up their instruments. As I attempt to stay focused, trying to block out other irrelevant sounds, I prepare my mind for the magical hour that would ensue.

We’re all here to journey to whatever realm the healing sounds of the singing bowls and chimes would take us to that afternoon. This isn’t my first time at sound healing; I discovered it on my first day at the ranch—Rancho La Puerta, the destination spa in Baja California to be precise—and planned the rest of my days here around the experience.

Known as a destination resort that helped start a modern fitness revolution, the 78-year-old wellness retreat has long championed itself as a place of peace and respite in tranquil surroundings. Consistently listed among the best spas in the world by venerable publications such as Condé Nast Traveler and Travel + Leisure, the place has earned a global following. The meticulously landscaped property boasts an extensive network of trails throughout the sage scrub and chaparral of the San Ysidro Mountains that act as pathways for a kind of moving meditation.

The ranch’s modern philosophy encourages technology cleanses and a healthy, plant-based diet, but the main draw has always been the award-winning spa. sensimag.com AUGUST 2019 81

82 AUGUST 2019 Denver // Boulder

THE ENDURING GOAL IS THE INDULGENCE OF MINDFUL MOMENTS, OF GETTING LOST IN THE PRESENT.

The enduring goal is the indulgence of mindful moments,

decades. She affectionately refers to her husband as “the

of getting lost in the present. It can happen anywhere on

professor,” beaming a bit with affection whenever he makes

the ranch: In the spa during a deep tissue massage; on the

a cameo in one of her tales. The wellness resort they start-

courts rallying with the tennis pro; in the pool in the arms of

ed together decades ago has garnered a cult-like following,

the Watsu aquatic bodywork guide; or, like me, on the floor

growing into one of the world’s leading health and well-

immersed in the sounds produced by 300-year-old Tibetan

ness resorts. Located just across the Tecate border, an hour

singing bowls and Nepalese and Paiste gongs.

South of San Diego, Rancho La Puerta was designed as a

Founded in 1940 by Edmond and Deborah Szekely, the fitness resort remains family-owned today. Deborah, now

one-week experience. The ranch becomes a digital-free zone, and camaraderie with fellow guests is encouraged.

in her mid-90s, still comes to the property each week, re-

To visit Rancho La Puerta is to find balance and to incorpo-

galing guests with stories of life at the ranch through the

rate some of those experiences into daily life. The regular linesensimag.com AUGUST 2019 83

84 AUGUST 2019 Denver // Boulder

up of classes varies, with offerings for every fitness level. Be-

in seven different sizes and rate categories, each beau-

yond basic yoga and circuit training, the schedule features an

tifully decorated and many outfitted with wood-burning

assortment of unexpected ways for guests to get their heart

fireplaces—but no televisions, no Wi-Fi. (If you must stay

pumping. Hit the two-mile obstacle course, play pickleball,

tethered to the outside world, there are some limited Wi-

bounce on a trampoline, shake it to some Broadway chore-

Fi zones on site.)

ography, or bang out some beats during Cardio Drum Dance,

The meals are vegetarian-centric, though some include

which involves wailing on giant barrels with drumsticks. Even

seafood. By day three, I found myself loving the anticipation

with all that, however, the ranch’s enduring draws are the hik-

of discovering what’s on the creative, health-driven menu.

ing trails meandering through stunning mountainous scenery.

I’ve now been to the ranch twice, and my body and mind

Plus, there are some new, challenging running tracks lined

long for another return. It’s hard to incorporate all I have

with sage, rosemary, and lemon verbena.

learned during the retreats into my daily life, but I’ve been

Along with the fitness offerings, the schedule features

able to sneak in a few disciplines here and there. It’s less

classes for well-being, designed to invigorate the mind and

about changing my entire routine and more about being

spirit. Along with guided meditations and sound healing,

mindful of what makes me happy.

guests can join in the ancient practice of chant, explore the

Sometimes the mind needs to focus on a beauti-

labyrinth, and wander the reflexology pathway. The summer

ful tree while it clears itself during a few moments of

camp–like experience is best enjoyed with others. It’s not

much-needed meditation. For me, I like to recall those

uncommon to see couples, mother-daughter pairs, or friend

moments of lying on the ground, soaking in the sounds

groups at the ranch—some of which first met at the resort

of the singing bowls. Remembering those euphoric mo-

decades ago. That sense of community is part of the draw.

ments helps bring my mind to ease—and knowing that

Various pools dot the grounds, which also feature three

my mind is capable of ascending to that level is also

spas and designated bars for juice, coffee, and wine. There

somewhat calming. With time and practice, I can go back

are no rules to how to spend your time. You decide what

there anytime I want.

works best for you. What the ranch does is provide all the tools and options necessary for an enjoyable week.

Accommodations come in the form of 86 garden casitas

RANCHO LA PUERTA’S seven-night, eight-day retreats start at around $4,000 per person and incude meals and snacks, lodging, transportation from San Diego Airport or the Tecate border crossing, and access to the full lineup of classes and facilities. Spa treatments extra. You’re worth it.

sensimag.com AUGUST 2019 85

86 AUGUST 2019 Denver // Boulder

sensimag.com AUGUST 2019 87

What Puf strain are you looking for?

IGN GRAPHIC DES

PH

PHY OTOGRA

WEBSIT

E DESIG N

Centralize your entire marketing platform with PufCreativ's marketing solutions.

PUFCREATIV.COM | @PUFCREATIV

88 AUGUST 2019 Denver // Boulder

sensimag.com AUGUST 2019 89

{aroundtown }

by J E S S I C A R E I N U S

Let go of what you know about your health and hiking and surrender to the forest.

THE ART OF SHINRINYOKU 90 AUGUST 2019 Denver // Boulder

Forest bathing, also known as shinrin-yoku, is the prac-

In Japan, the National Forest Agency has constructed

tice of using the forest as therapy for preventative health

over forty trails throughout the country that are exclu-

care and healing. Developed by the Japanese government

sively dedicated to forest bathing. The trails encourage

in the 1980s, shinrin-yoku is still used to improve physical

the public to experience the stress-relieving and calming

and mental well-being in Japan today.

qualities of shinrin-yoku, because the government under-

The general idea of forest bathing is to interact with the natural sights of the forest in a relaxing manner. Stopping

stands how important the mind and spirit connection are to the overall health of the country.

frequently to look at flora is encouraged, and wandering

Here in Colorado, the majestic Rocky Mountains rise to

aimlessly through the woods is exactly what shinrin-yoku,

form the backbone of the continent. The landscape is a

aka nature therapy, is all about.

complex mosaic of alpine peaks, valleys, shrublands, and

Forest bathing is more than a walk in the woods or up a

wide-open prairie grasslands. Colorado is in the southern

mountain trail. That’s hiking. Or it could be peak bagging.

part of the mountain range, which stretches 3,000 miles

One surefire way to tell the difference: check your bag. Is

from northern New Mexico to Alaska. Subalpine spruce-fir

there a piece of cardboard or a paper sign with the name

and bristlecone pines form significant forests at the tree

and elevation of a mountain on it written in Sharpie that

line in some areas. At lower elevations, lodgepole pine and

you plan on holding while posing for a photo at the sum-

aspen grow along the range, where forests of ponderosa

mit of said mountain? You may be peak bagging. If you

pine and cottonwood back up to pinyon-juniper woodlands.

plan on posting that photo to your “Summit Selfies” al-

It’s all crisscrossed by an unfathomable number of trails

bum: definitely peak bagging. Which, to be fair, is a form of

inviting you to dive in. A near-constant band of conifer for-

hiking. But it’s the opposite of forest bathing.

ests covering steep slopes and valleys from the tree line to

Another thing that is not the Japanese art known as

the foothills forms a sea of forest bathing immersion points.

forest bathing: bathing in a body of water in the forest in

As the shinrin-yoku spreads worldwide, forest bathing

any literal sense. Forest bathing is a bit of a hybrid be-

catching on locally. According to a 9 News report, more

tween hiking and meditating. It involves immersing in na-

people are trying it all over the country, where there are

ture with no destination in mind. Slowing down your mind

about 300 trained forest therapy guides to help get peo-

and your body to connect with the environment through

ple started. That number is trending up; the Association of

all five senses.

Nature and Forest Therapy is holding a multi-day forest

Allowing oneself to surrender to the flow of forest allows the mind to unwind, body to heal, and spirit to lift.

therapy immersion in September at YMCA of the Rockies in Estes Park, as well as an intensive week-long Forest

The many known effects of forest bathing include stress

Therapy Guide training at Shadowcliff Mountain Lodge

relief, mood elevation, hormone regulation, improved con-

near Grand Lake. There are more people interested than

centration, and boosted immunity. Researchers have even

slots available, and there is a waitlist for the training. The

noted a decrease in blood pressure for many patients who

organization wants to make it clear that they don’t train

use forest bathing as a therapeutic remedy. As the body

therapists; they train guides. “The forest itself is the ther-

begins to relax, the parasympathetic nerve pathways are

apist,” according to the literature.

stimulated, leading to a decrease in blood pressure. Anoth-

“On Forest Therapy walks, people have a wide range of

er benefit is the presence of compounds found in the forest

experiences, some of which they feel are significant, even

air, known as phytoncides (wood essential oils). Phytocides

profound. Guides are trained in the skills and perspectives

are produced to help plants and trees protect themselves

needed to be supportive witnesses of these experiences.”

from harmful insects and germs. When inhaled by humans,

A directory of trained guides is easily searchable on the

phytoncides provide beneficial and uplifting effects. Japa-

association’s website (NATUREANDFORESTTHERAPY.ORG ).

nese researchers have also discovered that when forest air

A search of Colorado leads you to information on guides

is inhaled, it increases the activity of white blood cells, or

like Minnie Kansman of Loveland, an author, travel consul-

leukocytes, the body’s natural immune defense system.

tant, and forest therapy guide. In September, she and her sensimag.com AUGUST 2019 91

92 AUGUST 2019 Denver // Boulder

“Look deep into nature, and you will understand everything better.”

-Albert Einstein

husband are hosting a week-long excursion to Estes Park.

metro. The organization is by Leona Campbell, a Nature &

She describes the Rocky Mountain High Travel Adventure

Forest Therapy Guide who also trained at ANFT. She be-

as a combination of forest therapy, meditation, relaxation,

lieves Forest Therapy is best viewed as a practice rather

and guided hiking at your leisure.

than a one-off experience in the woods.

Other guides include Jaime Kopke of Golden, who’s web-

In Vail, the Nurtured By Nature Forest Therapy is led by

site (JAIMEKOPKE.COM ) invites you to “wander the woods

professional nature therapy guide Kayla Weber. Weber

and find yourself along the way.” On August 17, she’s

leads two- to three-hour tours during which the hike is

leading Forest Bathing with Evergreen Audubon at Alder-

rarely more than a mile. It’s slow going, sure, but the re-

fer/Three Sisters, a walk that concludes with a tea cere-

views are all glowing. A recent post reads: “Not only does

mony featuring tea made with local plants. In September,

Kayla lead you through a journey of connecting you to our

she’s offering a day-long Forest Bathing and Ephemeral

earth, she helps you reconnect with yourself. My experi-

Art Workshop at Buffalo Peaks Ranch’s Rocky Mountain

ences with her forest bathing knowledge and guidance

Land Library in Fairplay, an hour and 20 minutes west of

leave me feeling rejuvenated and humbled.”

Colorado Springs—a gorgeous drive that offers plenty of

Forest or nature therapy can be a private, individual

opportunities to stop and immerse in one of the state and

practice, enjoyed in a group setting, or perfect for a couple.

national forests so prevalent in the region.

Sometimes a slow silent walk through the trees is simply

On Airbnb, travelers looking for experiences along with lodging can sign up for the Forest Bathing Near Pikes Peak

the practice. Other times a technology-free forest stroll may be exactly what the body (and mind) needs most.

experience, offered every Saturday for up to 10 people at

The relationship between nature and humans is undeni-

SKOL Ranch in Florissant, Colorado—about halfway be-

ably real, ever present, and relatable, especially in the Em-

tween the Springs and Fairplay.

erald Triangle. As Albert Einstein once said, “Look deep into

Wind in Pines (WINDINPINESFORESTTHERAPY.COM), in the Denver area, offers public and private guided forest bathing walks along the Front Range and in the greater

nature, and then you will understand everything better.”

This article originally appeared in Sensi Emerald Triangle and has been updated for the Colorado editions by local editors.

sensimag.com AUGUST 2019 93

94 AUGUST 2019 Denver // Boulder

sensimag.com AUGUST 2019 95

Wholesale Handled.

Serving Medical and Recreational Flower, Trim, and Concentrates Premium Cartridges Available in Full or Half Grams

96 AUGUST 2019 Denver // Boulder

www.yoursourceco.com

720.370.3590

info@yoursourceco.com

sensimag.com AUGUST 2019 97

After its longest drought, Lake Powell is awash with snowmelt from an epic Rocky Mountain winter. Water is flowing into slot canyons that have been dry for decades, creating once-in-a-lifetime experiences for fortunate boaters and paddlers.

by R O BY N G R I G G S L AW R E N C E

98 AUGUST 2019 Denver // Boulder

sensimag.com AUGUST 2019 99

100 AUGUST 2019 Denver // Boulder

PHOTOGRAPHY BY JOE AND JORDAN LAPEKIS / LAKE POWELL PADDLEBOARD & KAYAK

I PADDLED LAKE POWELL

FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MAY. THE 186-MILE-

LONG LAKE MEANDERING THROUGH RED ROCK CANYONS IS UNLIKE ANY OTHER PLACE ON EARTH. GLIDING PAST THOSE WINDSWEPT SANDSTONE WALLS IN THE EARLY MORNING SUN, A CONDOR SOARING OVERHEAD, WATER GLITTERING LIKE DIAMONDS ON THE DOMES OF HIDDEN GROTTOES, IS AN EXPERIENCE WORTH TRAVELING THOUSANDS OF MILES FOR—AND MILLIONS OF PEOPLE DO. I WAS PRIVILEGED TO BE THERE. BUT MY TIMING COULD HAVE BEEN BETTER. Named for explorer John Wesley Powell, Lake Powell

1,960 miles of shoreline (more than California!) as they

is a reservoir along the Utah-Arizona border that was

adorn their feeds with shots of its swirling orange walls.

created in 1963 by the Glen Canyon Dam (NPS.GOV/GLCA ),

(Its Vivid Warm Instagram moment doesn’t look to be

which flooded the Colorado River to store and provide

subsiding any time soon.)

water for lawns and swimming pools in the fast-grow-

The second-largest reservoir in the nation took

ing Southwest. Once a regional favorite for boaters, it’s

17 years to fill, reaching full pool—24 million acre-

now an aquatic playground for tourists from all parts of

feet of water, 9 trillion gallons, 560 feet deep at the

the globe, who come to paddle and power through its

dam—in 1980. Its water level has fluctuated drastically

canyons, sip cocktails on houseboats, and hike along its

ever since. sensimag.com AUGUST 2019 101

HOPS. THC. NOW IN STEREO.

ZERO CALS. ZERO CARBS. NO ALC. NO GLUTEN.

Hi-Fi Hops Cannabis-Infused Hoppy Sparkling Water.

Find it nearby: hifihops.com

102 AUGUST 2019 Denver // Boulder

ps

hifiho Tune in: @

The last time it was nearly full, at 97 percent, was in 1999. When I paddled it—at the very end of the worst drought in its 56-year history, spanning 14 years—it was about 37 percent full.

Still spectacular, but not 100.

EPIC WINTER, EPIC SUMMER As anyone who skied Aspen in June—just after I left Lake Powell—will tell you, it snowed, and didn’t stop snowing, in the Rockies this winter. Utah had one of its snowiest winters on record.

In Colorado, snowpack was 751 percent higher than normal. “In virtually every numerical sense,” The Den-

ver Post reported, “Colorado’s mid-June snowpack is off the charts.”

What happened to all that snow? It melted, of course, and flowed down into the Colorado River, which dumped more than 10 million acre feet of water into Lake Powell.

As locals watched with glee, the lake swelled by more than a foot a day throughout June. When it rose by more than 50 feet, it made headlines in Page, Arizona, a town carved out of the Navajo Nation in the 1950s to service workers building the dam that now serves the tourists who flock to Lake Powell.

“NOTHING IS SOFTER OR MORE FLEXIBLE THAN WATER, YET NOTHING CAN RESIST IT.” —Lao Tzu

And what happened to all that water? It made its way into canyon cracks and crevices that have been dry for decades, and paddlers and kayakers now have a lot more privilege to be thankful for. Paddlers are riding the higher water farther into Antelope Canyon’s narrow slots, deeper than they’ve been able to reach in decades, says Joe Lapekas, owner of Lake Powell Paddleboard and Kayak in Page. sensimag.com AUGUST 2019 103

104 AUGUST 2019 Denver // Boulder

NAVIGATING

LAKE POWELL

Lake Powell is part of the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, which is also home to the Rainbow Bridge National Monument (NPS.GOV/RABR ), the world’s largest sandstone bridge. Along with the Grand Canyon, Bryce Canyon, Monument Valley, and Zion National Park, is part of a national park tour known as the Grand Circle.

More than 3 million people visit Lake Powell every year on everything from rented houseboats to paddleboards, wakeboards, and water skis. Travel reservations must be made well in advance (for houseboats, the wait can be years).

“This is like a bonanza for the tourists,” Lapekas told me in July—and it could be a once-in-a-lifetime thing.

“As the lake continues to fill, the back of the canyon gets narrower and narrower, and it may get to the point that it pinches tight and you can’t paddle back any further,” he explains. “So, currently, our guests are getting to experience a very unique paddling adventure.”

Lapekas has paddled more than 120,000 miles in all 50 states with his wife and business partner, Jordan. They can be trusted when it comes to these things.

So, my timing could have been better, to say the least.

And that’s easy enough to fix. I have no choice but to return to Lake Powell this fall—when peak-warm waters, light winds, and a noticeable falloff in tourists make it the best time to be there, anyway.

ROBYN GRIGGS LAWRENCE, author of The Cannabis Kitchen Cookbook and Pot in Pans: A History of Eating Weed, is a digital nomad, traveling (mostly) legal states in her Airstream.

If you’re not renting a houseboat, the place to stay is Page, Arizona, just a few miles south of the Utah border. Page offers lodging, restaurants, a bowling alley, and a nicely stocked Safeway.

You can get on the water with a paddleboard or a kayak from the family-owned Lake Powell Paddleboard and Kayak (LAKEPOWELLPADDLEBOARDS.COM ), where they’ll either guide you through or give you the information you need to traverse Antelope Canyon and other amazing spots.

Spring and fall, before temperatures climb into triple digits, are ideal times to visit.

Utah is in the Mountain time zone, while Arizona is on Pacific time and doesn’t recognize daylight savings—so time can be challenging. Always double check which time zone you’re in, especially when it comes to tours.

Medical marijuana is legal in Arizona, where card holders from other states will not be arrested for possession but can’t purchase it from the state’s dispensaries. Utah is the last place you want to get caught with cannabis. Most of Lake Powell falls within Utah, so it’s best to leave medical marijuana back in Page when you’re on the water.

sensimag.com AUGUST 2019 105

106 AUGUST 2019 Denver // Boulder

RECREAT IONAL 21+

|

OPEN 8:00AM–10:00P M EVERY DAY

1350 S. SHERIDAN BLVD. DENVER, CO 80232

| mhdbUDS.com

|

MEDICAL 18+

| 303.934.6337

sensimag.com AUGUST 2019 107

WHEN THE

IS ALIGNED

EXPERIENCE Lower stress Improved sleep Better reflexes Better digestion Better posture Less fatigue Better moods Less pain Stronger immune system

More mobility Clearer thinking Enhanced performance Faster recovery More energy

CALL TO SCHEDULE YOUR FIRST EXPERIENCE

Dr. Ryan K. Marchman

720.778.6929 • TheAdjustatorium.com 1727 15th Street, Suite 100B, Boulder, CO 80302

108 AUGUST 2019 Denver // Boulder

sensimag.com AUGUST 2019 109

110 AUGUST 2019 Denver // Boulder

SPECIAL REPORT

HOLDING ON TO HOPE Autoimmune diseases are hard to diagnose—and even harder to manage. But cannabis offers a fresh alternative to those seeking treatment for the untreatable. by R O BY N G R I G G S L AW R E N C E

Kate Phillips’ stomach hurt for years. IT GREW SO BLOATED SHE LOOKED

PREGNANT. AND NO ONE—NOT THE GASTROINTESTINAL SPECIALIST, THE NEUROLOGIST, THE FUNCTIONAL MEDICINE DOCTOR, THE NURSE PRACTITIONER SHE DROVE THREE HOURS EACH WAY TO SEE—COULD TELL HER WHY. Doctors prescribed her 41 different medications. One

that is more prevalent in New England than anywhere else

doctor said her illness was stress-induced, another told

in the world. Trouble is, she never got the flu-like symp-

her she had multiple sclerosis, and yet another said

toms or bullseye rash she’d been warned about. In her case,

she had cancer (which was terrifying). Phillips gave up

the spirochete bacteria from the tick that bit her attacked

dairy, gluten, and sugar and spent more than $100,000 on

the weakest part of her body—her stomach, which Phillips

medical specialists and snake oil doctors like the nurse

jokes was ruined by a classic Irish Catholic diet of boiled

practitioner, who put a coil on Phillips’ stomach to test

meat and starch while she was growing up in Boston.

for something that baffles her to this day.

“You’re just so desperate, so sick,” Phillips says. “You don’t care what you have to do.”

Suffering heart palpitations and seizures and no longer able to walk upstairs by herself, Phillips was forced to move in with her grandparents. When she was 21, a heart

“All those medical practitioners looked at my stomach as one little box. I became a symptom, not a person,” Phillips says. “That’s why, anyone with an autoimmune disease will tell you, it can take years to get a proper diagnosis.”

Cannabinoids and Inflammation

attack led her to the first of what she calls “Lyme-liter-

As many as 23.5 million Americans suffer from chronic

ate doctors” (LLMDs), who diagnosed her with postural

autoimmune disease, costing the nation about $100 billion

orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), a circulation

every year, according to the National Institutes of Health.

condition, and Lyme carditis, a rare infection caused by

Often described as an attack on the self, autoimmune dis-

Lyme bacteria in the heart tissue. All those years, Phil-

ease is triggered when the body’s immune system mis-

lips had been suffering from undiagnosed Lyme disease.

takes healthy tissues for invaders, goes into overdrive, and

Growing up in the woods of Massachusetts, Phillips had

becomes inflamed. This can manifest as anything from

been constantly drilled to look out for the classic symp-

Lyme disease to lupus, fibromyalgia, multiple sclerosis,

toms of Lyme disease (named after Old Lyme, Connecticut,

rheumatoid arthritis, or Crohn’s disease—among some 80

where it was discovered), a tick-borne autoimmune illness

to 100 diseases that Health magazine describes as “invissensimag.com AUGUST 2019 111

OUR FLOWER. OUR QUALITY. YOUR LOW PRICES. ALL TOP SHELF BUDS, NO STRAIN RESTRICTIONS.

Order online with our new and improved live menu www.thchealth.com

Text THC to 411669 for Deals and Promotions Mon-Sat 8am-9:50pm | Sun 9am-9:50pm Boulder (Rec. only): 537 Canyon Blvd.

Denver (Rec. & Med.): 1736 Downing St. (Uptown) 2777 S. Colorado Blvd. (U-Hills) 112 AUGUST 2019 Denver // Boulder

ible illnesses” because they’re difficult to diagnose. More

mental and emotional state. How can cannabis help them

prevalent among women, autoimmune disease is one of

transition to a space where they feel more compassion for

the top 10 causes of death for females up to 64 years old.

themselves and at peace with how their bodies are?”

Traditional medical treatment for autoimmune diseases is generally heavy on long-term antibiotics, pain-

Opening the Book on the Crazy Stuff

killers, anti-inflammatories, anti-depressants, anti-sei-

Phillips, a Chinese herbal medicine practitioner and

zure drugs, and steroids, which suppress the immune

former wilderness medic, says her Lyme disease diagno-

system and slow down inflammation but are so hard on

sis prompted her to “open the book on all the crazy stuff.”

the body that they can only be taken for a short time.

Cannabis, with its ability to modulate immune and ner-

Functional medicine doctors take a more long-term, ho-

vous system function and decrease inflammation, was

listic approach, addressing diet, lifestyle, and emotional

a natural choice. She began juicing cannabis fan leaves

health in addition to physical symptoms—and more and

after reading about Dr. William Courtney, a California

more often, cannabis is part of the program.

physician who recommends daily consumption of raw cannabis flowers or juiced raw cannabis based on scientific evidence showing raw cannabis could have a reme-

Within weeks of beginning her cannabis treatment, Phillips felt clear-headed for the first time in years.

diating effect on autoimmune disorder.

Within weeks, she felt clear-headed for the first time in years. She moved on to more potent edibles and then concentrates, and with help from cannabis-friendly (or at least tolerant) doctors, she weaned herself off all her medications. In the process, she discovered her life’s mission. “I became a total nerd—I just wanted to know why cannabis was working,” says Phillips. “I have this lifelong, black-hole obsession with learning about cannabis.”

After a stint working with a medical marijuana dis-

Dr. Joseph Cohen, DO, medical director of Journey 2 Life

pensary in Steamboat, Colorado, Phillips returned to

and Holos Health in Boulder, Colorado, says autoimmune

Brookline, Massachusetts, to be with her family and got

diseases are tricky to diagnose because they’re difficult to

involved with the state’s cannabis industry while help-

differentiate and can be triggered by many things, includ-

ing launch a boutique dispensary. She now runs Silk

ing dietary factors (gluten is a massive trigger), environ-

Consulting, which assists Massachusetts cannabis re-

mental toxins, and stress. The key to treating them is to

tail operations with management staffing and employee

remove those triggers and heal the gut, because about 70

training, educational content, creation, and events.

percent of the immune system lies in the gastrointestinal

As part of her work, Phillips speaks to doctor groups at

tract, he says. Cohen is among a growing number of doctors

prestigious hospitals around the state about the benefits

who are finding the immunosuppressive, anti-inflamma-

of cannabis for autoimmune diseases—often because so

tory properties of cannabinoids helpful in treating autoim-

many patients are asking about it. “They’re very accepting,”

mune disease, and often prescribes treatments high in CBD.

she says of the physicians. “But they’re a small number of

“Autoimmune diseases are such a huge collection,”

people, and medication is all they understand. It’s hard for

says Selma Holden, MD, a family physician in southern Maine who integrates mindfulness, yoga, herbs, and other complementary techniques into her clinical rep-

them to quantify something that’s not synthesized.”

Big Pharma Steps In

ertoire. “But one common originator pathway is this pro-

That’s about to change. A handful of reputable, even pres-

cess of inflammation, and the speckled evidence we have

tigious, studies have found cannabinoids helpful in the

in limited clinical trials or pre-clinical animal studies is

treatment of autoimmune diseases, and the medical world

showing that administration of exogenous cannabinoids

is taking note. Cannabinoids have been found to slow de-

does seem to reduce the impacts of inflammation. “

generative effects in multiple sclerosis patients and reduce

Holden is intrigued by the generally accepted description

destructive immune response and inflammation in lupus

of autoimmune disease as the body attacking itself. “The

patients. In 2014, University of South Carolina researchers

question is,” Holden says, “why did the body start attacking

found that THC can affect DNA expression through epigen-

itself in the first place? There’s a piece to explore about their

etic pathways to suppress inflammation. This year, a team sensimag.com AUGUST 2019 113

114 AUGUST 2019 Denver // Boulder

Cannabis can help some people transition to a space where they feel more compassionate for themselves—at peace with how their bodies are.

of Israeli researchers found medical cannabis to be “a safe

cannabinoid research and the man who discovered THC

and effective alternative for the treatment of fibromyalgia

and CBD. Feldmann says the company is following “tried-

symptoms” but cautioned, “Standardization of treatment

and-true pathways of developing medications that are

compounds and regimens are required.”

known to work”—namely, FDA approval, which entails ex-

Biopharma companies like Katexco Therapeutics and

tensive research and clinical trials—because that’s what

CannBioRex, which have spent years developing synthetic

the pharmaceutical industry has successfully done for

cannabidiol (CBD) therapeutics to treat inflammation and

six decades to ensure that compounds are safe and effec-

autoimmune disease, have been waiting for this moment.

tive before they’re released to the public.

As the political climate around cannabis relaxes and legal-

“The problem with medical marijuana as it is used

ization leads to greater acceptance, they’re preparing to put

today is that you’re guessing when you buy a product.

their synthetic CBD drugs through clinical trials—which

Many of the products you buy do not have the amount

Katexco CEO Jonathan Rothbard, a former Stanford Univer-

of cannabidiol they say they have,” Feldmann says.

sity professor, says “are the only way to prove the scientific

“That can be solved, but we are also prepared to tackle

viability of cannabinoid treatments to the FDA and the only

the elephant in the room, which is how much cannabi-

path by which medical cannabis will truly evolve.”

diol or other cannabinoid you actually need to get the

Every large pharmaceutical company is taking a good

maximum benefits for what condition. We are going to

look at cannabis, Rothbard told Forbes, and he expects

do proper, lengthy, and expensive clinical trials to make

many of them to launch their own clinical trials involv-

sure we know exactly what is the right amount to give

ing synthetic cannabinoids alongside Katexco, which is

for maximum benefit with minimum side effects for a

developing CBD-based therapies for autoimmune condi-

specific medical problem.”

tions including arthritis, Crohn’s disease, multiple scle-

Holden, for her part, is grateful for the costly and tedious

rosis, and irritable bowel syndrome. “While beverage

work these companies and others—including GW Phar-

and alcohol companies are joining the CBD bandwagon,

maceuticals, which recently released Epidiolex, a syn-

it makes sense that big pharma steps in, too,” he said.

thetic CBD-based seizure medication—are doing to satisfy

CannBioRex Pharma, which is exploring cannabinoid

the medical community’s skepticism about cannabis as

treatments for pain, arthritis, diabetes, and obesity, was

legitimate medicine, but she does not want to see canna-

co-founded by a powerhouse duo in the biopharma world:

bis regulated as a pharmaceutical rather than an herbal

Sir Marc Feldmann, an Oxford University professor who

medicine, because that would restrict people’s access to it.

won a prestigious Lasker Award for developing what is

“What I get worried about,” Holden says, “is when the

currently the best-selling class of drugs, the TNF inhibitors, including the anti-inflammatory drug Remicade; and Raphael Mechoulam, widely regarded as the godfather of

profit interests step in.”

ROBYN GRIGGS LAWRENCE is the author of the bestselling Cannabis Kitchen Cookbook and the newly released Pot in Pans: A History of Eating Weed.

sensimag.com AUGUST 2019 115

www.westedison.com

CERTIFIED CLEAN GREEN ORGANIC

ZERO TO TRACE PPM, YOU CAN TELL THE DIFFERENCE 2018 Connoisseurs Cup Winners!

1st Place: THCa - Wax - Live Resin 2nd Place: Shatter

Veteran owned and operated

116 AUGUST 2019 Denver // Boulder

Organically Cultivated Sustainably Grown Clean Cannabis

Because when you know, you know better.

(720) 328-8280

380 Quivas Street, Denver (303)-825-0497 • www.LeagleDenver.com

sensimag.com AUGUST 2019 117

RECREATIONAL CANNABIS

Large Selection of Edibles & CBD Products GREENDRAGON.COM ALL MAJOR CREDIT CARDS ACCEPTED ASPEN • AURORA • BRECKENRIDGE • DENVER •THORNTON GLENWOOD SPRINGS • TELLURIDE

RECREATIONAL

NOW OPEN WAX • CARTRIDGES • LIVE RESIN THOUGHTFULLY CURATED • BOLD, ENTICING FLAVORS NO PG • GLYCERIN FREE

AVAILABLE AT 118 AUGUST 2019 Denver // Boulder

sensimag.com AUGUST 2019 119

120 AUGUST 2019 Denver // Boulder

PEACE, LOVE & REALITY: 50 YEARS LATER Could we finally put the Woodstock myth to bed? Probably not.

by L E L A N D R U C K E R

THIS

MONTH,

WE

ARE

A

HALF-CENTURY

REMOVED FROM THE AQUARIAN EXPOSITION: 3 DAYS OF PEACE & MUSIC,

better known

as Woodstock. AS I WRITE THIS, ANOTHER

SMALL TOWN IN UPSTATE NEW YORK HAS DENIED A 50TH ANNIVERSARY CONCERT FESTIVAL EVENT, BUT WE CAN EXPECT A BARRAGE OF OPINION PIECES AND MEMORIES OF THE ORIGINAL ALONG WITH UNCTUOUS EXHORTATIONS ABOUT HOW MUSIC WAS SO MUCH BETTER BACK THEN. It’s not like there weren’t other live concert “exposi-

tions” that summer of ’69. The Jimi Hendrix Experience was on the bill at the Denver Pop Festival in late June alongside Frank Zappa, Iron Butterfly, and Three Dog Night. Chaos ensued after the organizers of the Newport Jazz Festival in July decided to assimilate Led Zeppelin, the Mothers of Invention, and Sly and the Family Stone into a line-up that included the Sun Ra Arkestra and Bill Evans. The upshot of that one was that jazz fans were treated to Zeppelin’s Jimmy Page and Robert Plant, James Brown, and Miles Davis trying out his new jazzrock fusion on the same stage. sensimag.com AUGUST 2019 121

122 AUGUST 2019 Denver // Boulder

That same weekend, Zeppelin, which was in the midst of a conquest of the American market with its unique live performances, also played the Atlanta Pop Festival alongside Janis Joplin, Chicago, and Delaney & Bonnie. The first weekend of August saw the Atlantic City

It’s not like there weren’t other live concert “expositions” that summer.

Pop Festival, which was attended by more than 100,000 people at the local

bum Ladies of the Canyon, singing: “By the time we got to Woodstock / We were half a million strong / And everywhere there was song and celebration / ... / And we’ve got to get ourselves / Back to the garden.”

Seven months after the seminal gathering in upstate New York, on March 26, 1970, I stood in line for opening night of Woodstock, a sprawl-

race track. It featured Booker T. & the MGs; the Byrds; the

ing documentary that celebrated three days of rock music,

Chambers Brothers; Crosby, Stills & Nash; and Iron Butter-

peace, love, and dope amid an audience of hundreds of thou-

fly. Many of those same acts played the Texas Internation-

sands who endured a monsoon, food shortages, bad acid,

al Pop Festival the last weekend of August, which drew

and impossible conditions while having an incredible time.

more than 120,000 people. Bob Dylan, who lived near but

It was even better for the rest of us. With a running

didn’t play Woodstock, did show up for the Isle of Wight

time of 360 minutes, the film seemed as long as the fes-

Festival across the pond in England a couple weeks later.

tival itself. It featured some of the most diverse, celebrat-

But Woodstock is the only one we seem to remember.

ed artists of the period—Hendrix, the Who, Joe Cocker,

There weren’t professional movie cameras aimed at the

Santana, Sly Stone, Crosby, Stills & Nash—in brilliant col-

stage at the other festivals, but news clips and photos of

or and dazzling, close-up camera angles that managed

Woodstock were almost instantaneously ubiquitous: col-

to even get inside festival opener Richie Havens’ tooth-

or pictures of stoned kids running around naked in ponds

less mouth while he sang. Enthralled, I returned to the

and celebrating the rain, the ribbons of cars left parked

theater the next night and saw it again, and bought into

on the roads leading to the venue, the enormous crowd

the hype—hook, line, and sinker.

stretching before the stage, quintessentially clad hippies

As I began learning more about the background of the

flashing peace signs, other such things. Rolling Stone de-

festival and the forces behind it, it became obvious that

voted an entire issue to the event. Life magazine peddled

there were actually two events: The first was a three-

a “special issue” of photographs that assured us of its im-

day gathering of musicians and 400,000 people that

portance. Folk singer Joni Mitchell (despite not attending

took place Aug. 15–18, 1969, near Bethel, NY; the second

the festival) released the eponymous track on her 1970 al-

the documentary that depicted it, or at least part of it. sensimag.com AUGUST 2019 123

124 AUGUST 2019 Denver // Boulder

The film was one version of what happened, but it was

to cash in on the then-burgeoning rock phenomenon.

carefully edited, and for those of us who weren’t there—

Add major advances in sound and stage technology, and

which is most of us—it’s really the only version.

Woodstock became the forerunner of rock superstar-

Was Woodstock an important gathering of the tribe?

A cultural milestone? Proof that the hippie generation

dom, major tours, and even bigger money that exemplified the 1970s and beyond.

could live in peace and love no matter the obstacles? Yes and no. For some it was blissful; for others, not so much.

“Ninety percent of those attending were miserable and would have left after the first night had transportation been available. I spent time with them, not with the celebs backstage where it was dry and there was food and drugs,” Mike Jahn, the New York Times critic who covered the festival, wrote in 2004. “They were huddled under blankets in the rain, looking more like those

Woodstock was more a harbinger of what was to come than an evocation of what came before.

photos of the fields of bodies at Gettysburg than like the nudes prancing in the lake or the celebs shouting ‘far out’ at one another and gabbing about the wonder of it all.”

The euphoria over Woodstock’s wonderfulness faded

The much-hyped 50th anniversary concert was planned

rather quickly and dramatically. Less than four months

to take place this month, featuring The Killers, Dead &

later, on Dec, 6, 1969, a concert headlined by the Rolling

Company, and Jay-Z as headliners, but it fizzled. Thank

Stones (the same enduring band playing at Mile High

goodness for small favors, after the 30th-anniversary fi-

Stadium this month) at a speedway near Altamont, Cal-

asco at Woodstock ‘99. (Our editor in chief recounts her

ifornia, also captured with movie cameras, exposed the

weekend at that festival in the July 2019 feature, “Sounds

darker underbelly of the peace-and-love subculture.

Like Summer.” Read it on SENSIMAG.COM .) The chances of

They caught Stones frontman Mick Jagger pathetical-

recreating an event that most people remember from a

ly trying to calm an unruly crowd that had gotten ugly

movie are almost infinitesimally remote.

and confrontational, at least in part because of the

But the hype around Woodstock, and indeed the whole of

band’s arrogance and stupidity in planning. The result-

what we know as classic rock, continues. It was announced

ing film, Gimme Shelter, was the alter ego to Woodstock.

recently that the spot in Max Yasgur’s field where the stage

It showed one homicide in front of the stage, but there

once stood, almost lost due to the ravages of vegetation,

were other drowning deaths, and two more killed in an

has been found to give pilgrims another shrine to Wood-

automobile hit-and-run. It wasn’t pretty, and it damp-

stock Nation. Rhino Records is releasing a 38-CD set of ev-

ened the enthusiasm many felt about Woodstock Nation.

ery song by every band that played Woodstock—including

Woodstock, the festival, is generally thought of as one

some that probably were more representative of and should

of the most iconic events of the 1960s. There’s a slight

have been on the original film and soundtrack, like Creed-

bit of truth there, but not the way we think. It was more

ence Clearwater Revival, the Grateful Dead, and the Band.

a harbinger of what was to come than an evocation of

Ultimately, Woodstock was so much less about the decade

what came before. The release of the album, which fea-

it closed down than the one it begat. The myth is that we

tured two records of selected bands from the festival,

think we remember the event when we actually only saw

certainly caught the ear of my generation, but more im-

the movie. And like Joni Mitchell, no matter how much we

portantly, it got the attention of record executives eager

might desire, we can’t get ourselves back to the garden.

sensimag.com AUGUST 2019 125

126 AUGUST 2019 Denver // Boulder

Chronic Creations

Premium Hydrocarbon Extraction Utilizing lab grade butane and propane, we carefully extract the cannabinoids and terpenes while leaving behind unwanted plant lipids and waxes.

In Over 70 Locations Throughout Colorado

10030 W 27th Ave, Wheat Ridge, CO 80215 1020 S Broadway, Cortez, CO 81321

@Chronic_CreationsCO @ChronicCreationsCO

chroniccreation.com Photo credit :

@daves_not_h3r3_man sensimag.com AUGUST 2019 127

REMEMBERING There is life beyond brain injuries—and one couple is telling their story through film, coming to a festival through you.

by L E L A N D R U C K E R

It was just another night at home: JANUARY 9, 2016, TO BE EXACT. SCOTT TAKEDA AND LORI ALLRED WERE IN THEIR LIVING ROOM WATCHING FREAKS AND GEEKS ON NETFLIX WHEN SCOTT, INSPIRED BY THE FILM’S ’80S SOUNDTRACK, GOT UP TO DANCE IN FRONT OF THE TV. “The music was just really good, and I started danc-

for him not to be working was a huge red flag to begin with.

ing,” he says. “And my feet slipped out, and I fell.” Scott

And he would forget what he was doing kind of in the mid-

wasn’t too concerned; he went to bed about a half hour

dle of what he was doing, like leaving food on the counter.”

later. The next morning, he awoke feeling groggy and out

They finally decided to have a doctor check him out,

of sorts. “I didn’t think I had hit my head,” he says. “There

and that’s when they found that Scott, then 49, had suf-

was no immediate reaction. It’s like I was a little sore.”

fered a traumatic brain injury.

Beyond the fatigue, he didn’t think that much about it.

You may know the couple. Scott and Lori both work in

Mind Matters

the film industry. Their company, BS Filmworks, makes

Traumatic brain injury, or TBI, is one of the most mis-

and produces videos for corporate and local clients.

understood medical conditions of our time. It is caused

Scott, who began as a television news reporter (includ-

by a jolt to the head that disturbs the brain’s normal func-

ing some time in Denver), also has appeared as an actor

tion. Not every blow to the head causes TBI, and there are

in television (The Resident, Mr. Mercedes) and films, in-

degrees of injury. Most, called concussions, are mild. Ef-

cluding Gone Girl and the recent HBO movie, The Tale.

fects can subside after awhile or last the rest of your life.

After Scott’s fall, Lori began to notice subtle but real

Falls account for almost half of TBI injuries, affecting

changes in his behavior. Usually a workaholic, he was

both younger and older people, but they also can come

spending more time snoozing, and was slurring his words

from being struck by an object or in a motor vehicle inci-

and repeating himself. “For him to be sleeping all the

dent. Falls are the leading cause of traumatic brain inju-

time—I mean he wasn’t a napper or anything,” Lori says. “So

ry death for people 65 or older.

128 AUGUST 2019 Denver // Boulder

US Remembering Us cast members (l to r) Dani Payne, Nev Scharrel, Mike Ostroski and Merlot the corgi.

The most surprising thing about TBI is that it is a major

that only Lori could notice, and they tried to keep it that

cause of death and disability, according to statistics from the

way. “It isn’t that he wasn’t nice before,” she says. “But he

National Center for Disease Control, contributing to almost

seemed to slow his roll.”

30 percent of all injury deaths. It’s a serious problem. But as Scott and Lori learned shortly after Scott’s diagnoses, there is a stigma about even discussing the topic of brain injury. “No one talks about traumatic brain injuries,” says Scott.

It’s Personal

C D C S TAT I S T I C S TO R E M E M B E R

Every day, 153 Americans die from injuries associated with traumatic brain injury.

Scott and Lori’s life changed dramatically after the diagnosis. Equal partners in life and work, they had those titles

Or as Scott puts it, “I don’t have the energy to be as

suddenly changed to patient and caregiver, which origi-

driven. I still think I’m well on the driven side of the

nally left Lori scrambling to keep up with the changes.

whole spectrum, but not where I was.”

Takeda developed what he calls the Shiny Object Syn-

Personality changes are common with head injuries. “You

drome. “I would just start doing something, then see

will hear a lot, especially when you hear the football player

something else, get distracted, and just go around and

stories, that their personalities change,” Lori says. “And usu-

around. And I would find myself, by about three o’clock in

ally that’s a very negative comment, but that doesn’t mean

the afternoon, finally getting back to the start of the trail.”

it always is. And you know, we got lucky.” Besides slowing

Some of the personality changes were subtle enough

down, Scott found it easier to memorize parts. sensimag.com AUGUST 2019 129

130 AUGUST 2019 Denver // Boulder

Lori says one of the main frustrations was not be-

that’s known for its medicinal potential. They became es-

ing able to share their knowledge. Beyond their fam-

pecially interested in CBD after watching the specials from

ilies, agents, and managers, they felt they couldn’t, or

CNN’s chief medical correspondent and well-known neu-

shouldn’t, talk with anyone. “I would get frustrated,” she

rosurgeon Sanjay Gupta on cannabis’ medical potential,

admits. “There was no one to bounce things off of.”

thinking that cannabis may help ease Scott’s symptoms.

There was a definite downturn in their income during

This is an area where cannabis might be helpful. Dr.

the first year, and they discovered ways to cover Scott’s

Helena Yardley, a neuroscientist, cannabis researcher, and

disability at work. Since Scott had the lead in some cli-

founder of Colorado-based 6 Degrees Wellness, says there

ent relationships, they would let him be the figurehead,

are a lot of data on the protective effects of CBD on the

and then Lori would take over from there. “Income needs

brain. “There’s not a lot of human data because it’s unethi-

to come in whether your brain hurts or not,” she explains.

cal to smack someone over the head to see how they fare,”

Lori started looking into the medicinal potential of CBD, a

she says. “But neuroprotection is one of the indications

chemical compound derived from certain cannabis plants

where there are the most data. There’s something there.”

C D C S TAT I S T I C S TO R E M E M B E R

Five years after a moderate to severe traumatic brain injury, 1 in 5 die.

Nearly 3 in 5 remain disabled, and more than half have lost their jobs.

Scott (right) and Lori (center), pictured with producer Brock Sherman (left). sensimag.com AUGUST 2019 131

132 AUGUST 2019 Denver // Boulder

Scott was skeptical. He had never been curious about

They have finished a 30-minute version of Remember-

or used cannabis—plus, he’s allergic to smoke. Lori found

ing Us that portrays a man who slips on ice, and the effects

Dr. Alan Shackelford, the first medical person with whom

the injury has on him and his relationships with his wife,

Scott felt comfortable. The first time they met, Shackelford

family, friends, and colleagues. It’s a gripping, emotional

told Scott that he thought cannabis could really help him,

ride, one that many of the couple’s friends didn’t know

and he prescribed a specific strain. When Scott told Shack-

was about them until they read the script or saw the film.

elford about his allergy, Scott shares, “He went, ‘Oh, I don’t want you to smoke it,’ and prescribed me a tincture.” (A can-

C D C S TAT I S T I C S TO R E M E M B E R

nabis tincture is an alcohol-based extract used as a form of

2.8 million Americans suffer a traumatic brain injury every year—more than double the number who are diagnosed with a top-10 cancer.

medicine, taken typically as drops under the tongue.)

Even though he felt relief from his traumatic brain injury soon after starting the tincture, it still took Scott awhile to actually use his medical marijuana card. “I didn’t do anything for a full month,” he says. “It’s like I still couldn’t get like myself to do it.” But once he did, Lori began noticing a lessening of his symptoms. Since then, Scott has gone back to work. He says he has good and bad days, and

They are entering the half-hour version in film festivals

that the couple has learned to work around his disability.

around the country in hopes that someone will see the

Worth Remembering

possibilities and turn it into a full-length picture. “Like a lot of storytellers, we turn our pain into art,” Scott says.

Since part of their goal as filmmakers has been to

“There’s a shame and stigma that sits around brain injuries

show real things that happen in people’s lives, they de-

and cannabis and forces people into the shadows. We kind

cided to make Remembering Us, a dramatic film—not a

of touch on the fact that people fear what they can’t see.”

documentary—based around their experience to raise

Scott and Lori want Remembering Us (trailer available

awareness about the difficulties in dealing with trau-

on Vimeo) to help everyone better understand traumatic

matic brain injuries and, to a lesser degree, to let people

brain injury as well as reinforce the fact that cannabis is

know about the possibilities of cannabis as medicine.

being used by Americans of all backgrounds and persua-

Neither believe cannabis is a cure or magic potion, but

sions, not just the stereotypical stoners you see in many

both think it needs to be there as a tool for those who

films and television series. “We started saying that this is

want it. “We’re not here to promote cannabis, but it’s an

our chance to start the conversation,” Scott says. “It’s be-

option if you’re struggling and not getting relief.”

ing used by regular family people. That is the reality.”

KOA newsman Ed Greene (left) talked with Lori and Scott and the cast of Remembering Us at a private screening in Denver on May 5.

sensimag.com AUGUST 2019 133

134 AUGUST 2019 Denver // Boulder

CANNABIS ONE

This Cannabis Retail Franchise Opportunity Is Anticipating Big Gains CANNABIS ONE PLANS TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE EVOLUTION OF CANNABIS AS A COMMODITY.

most advanced technology and the best resources, we can still only grow for about $300 a pound. With that being said, flower will be a commodity that will not be grown indoors at all. It will be grown in Colombia, in Jamaica, or in Oregon, where the natural conditions work best for those different strains to be grown,” he says. “And when you have the cost of living and labor expenses at lower prices, it will ultimately become a commodity like corn, and be traded on the futures market.”

Cannabis One has been working on acquiring and producing assets and brands, putting definitive agreements on five or six different opportunities now, Rinker says, and concentrating on being a “house of brands.”

That house includes The Joint dispensary brand; the flagship store opened in Denver in July 2015. The plan is to have 25 The Joint-branded dispensaries throughout the country by the end of this year, and be like a Starbucks in the sense of having a similar look, feel, customer experience, and line of products.

Cannabis One has deals with infused products brand “Our goal is to become one of the biggest cannabis

Evergreen Organix in Nevada and acquired Honu

companies in the world.” That is P.J. Rinker, a former cus-

brand in Washington (expected to generate sales of

tom home builder for Lexa Custom Homes in Denver,

$15.5 million a year), both of which are top brands in

talking about Cannabis One and how the company is

the edible category.

positioning itself to acquire and enhance legacy canna-

The company is looking long-term to work with 150 dis-

bis assets, while watching cannabis become the com-

pensaries nationwide, with 30-40 percent of store space

modity it was always meant to be. Rinker is vice pres-

to be products from Cannabis One, and then expanding

ident of product development for the company and

into countries where cannabis can be legally sold. “We

leads the company’s work as a brand aggregator.

are working on Mexico, and we have projects going on

“Phillip Morris has claimed that it can grow flower

in Canada, and hope to export goods soon,” Rinker says.

for $1.50 a pound by switching out tobacco for cannabis and following the same grow and harvest processes,” Rinker says. “With us growing indoors, even with the

For more information, visit:

CANNABISONE.LIFE

sensimag.com AUGUST 2019 135

Newt Brothers Truffles...New Shiny Box, Same Great Flavors!!! www.NewtBrothers.com

136 AUGUST 2019 Denver // Boulder

303.667.1024

@newt_brothers_artisanal

10% DISCOUNT CODE:

SENSIMAG

sensimag.com AUGUST 2019 137

138 AUGUST 2019 Denver // Boulder

CANYON

Taking a Cue from Craft Brewing CANYON EDIBLES USES BREWING PHILOSOPHY TO MANAGE THE GROWTH OF THE BUSINESS.

Canyon is a Denver-based edible company found-

The company has a 5,000 square-foot facility with

ed ten years ago by Morgan Iwersen. “In 2009, when

25 employees, adding four more this year. “The edi-

we started, we thought we might get into cultivation

ble space has gotten very competitive, and we are still

but decided early on that we wanted to control the

growing. which is a testament to what we do.”

extraction and infusion process,” says Tim McMurray, Canyon COO.

People tend to trust Canyon because the company has been around for ten years, with products that

Canyon manufactures tinctures, gummies and hard

are fully infused, emulsified, and homogenous. “Early

candy. “We have been working hard the past two years

on, when a lot of companies were struggling with po-

to expand our line of beverages rooted in unique pack-

tencies and different effects and testing, our products

aging,” he says. Canyon launched the first RTD (ready-

were very accurately dosed and continue to be,” he

to-drink) coffee three years ago.

says. “That reputation and our service, where we work

McMurray spent 20 years in the craft-beer industry,

for and with our customers, is what sets us apart.”

and plans to use some of the philosophies behind the

Asked about expansion, he says Canyon is in conver-

small brewpub model with Canyon’s beverages. “There

sations with three outside markets. “We want to make

were a lot of one-batch products made and packaged

sure our Colorado mothership operation is continuing

in the small brewpub model, and we are going incor-

to innovate and grow before we expand, because we

porate seasonal products—similar to the craft beer in-

view growth as a natural thing, not a forced thing. It

dustry,” he says.

should happen organically.”

He sees lots of similarities between the craft beer and cannabis industries. “In the early part of that craftbeer industry, there wasn’t a lot of sharing of knowledge,” he says. Then around the year 2000, people

For more information, visit:

CANYONTHC.COM/CANYON-THC

realized that companies had their own recipes, but the basic premise of brewing craft beer was the same. The cannabis world is generally the same in that respect, and knowledge sharing is becoming more prevalent now.

“The sublingual uptake of an infused beverage makes it perfect to bring functional ingredients in terms of how they interact with the body and infuse them with cannabis,” McMurray says. sensimag.com AUGUST 2019 139

140 AUGUST 2019 Denver // Boulder

sensimag.com AUGUST 2019 141

142 AUGUST 2019 Denver // Boulder

CHRONIC THERAPY

Family Cannabis Business Surges CHRONIC THERAPY MOVES ON FROM HUMBLE BEGINNINGS.

Chronic Therapy was begun in 2009 by co-owner and co-CEO Matt Saunders and Bob Domagata, one of his

up new dispensaries,” he says. “But right now we are looking more out-of-state than in-state.”

best friends from high school. “We started in the ga-

Hemp is not on the radar right now, he says, because

rage in my brother’s house as caregivers,” he says. “Then

the goal is to perfect what Chronic is doing first, from

my brother Jason decided to come into the business in

grow to dispensary to lab. “But we are very interested

2010. My mom Sandy came in about the same time.

in working with people who want to do some CBD

We are all 25-percent owners in the company.”

and THC combinations.”

Saunders had been a coach for the U.S. ski team specializing in aerial skiing; his mom and CFO continues her work as a philanthropist and entrepreneur doing projects in Zambia and working with the Francis-

For more information, visit:

CHRONICTHERAPY.COM

can friars; co-CEO Domagata was an economics major working in real estate, and his brother Jason Saunders is co-CEO and retail-store expert.

The company bought and built a cultivation facility near the Purina factory in Denver, and in 2013 opened a medical cannabis store in Wheat Ridge. “We didn’t go recreational right away,” Saunders says. “We switched over four or five months after it was legalized to wait and watch. We wanted to be safe, smart and conservative.”

The switch to recreational came in 2014, when the Chronic Creations lab, which makes butane and propane extracts and mixed-solvents extractions, came online. Chronic’s award-winning waxes, shatters, live resins and diamonds are in about 40 different businesses in 72 locations across Colorado.

Chronic has applied for licenses in Utah, where the company is trying to vertically integrate its operations and do what it did in Colorado by starting off on the cultivation side and then moving into a dispensary (which Utah calls a pharmacy). “And we have some pokers in the fire in a whole bunch of places across the country,” Saunders says.

In

Colorado,

the

purchase

of

an

additional

15,000-square-feet of cultivation space is being finalized. “We are always looking at opportunities to pick sensimag.com AUGUST 2019 143

{HereWeGo }

by J O H N L E H N D O R F F

KICKED-UP CORN August is the juiciest month.

Colorado’s

sweaty

summer

culminates in an embarrassment of sweet vegetables and fruits ripe for the picking—including the state’s ask-for-by-name signature crop: Olathe sweet corn. Excellent corn is grown all over the state. Stop by the farmers’ market for enough ears on which to gorge, then spice up your late-summer barbecues with this recipe for elote, the Mexican-style street corn.

INGREDIENTS

• 4 ears sweet corn, shucked • 4 tbsp plain greek yogurt • 4 tbsp light mayonnaise • ¹⁄₄ cup grated cotija or parmesan cheese • ground red chile powder or chili powder mix, to taste

• ¹⁄₄ cup cilantro, finely chopped • 1 lime, cut into wedges INSTRUCTIONS STEP 1: Grill sweet corn, rotating occassionally until cooked through with grill marks.

STEP 2: In small container, mix yogurt and mayonnaise then spread over grilled corn.

STEP 3: On each ear, sprinkle cheese and chile powder, followed by cilantro.

STEP 4: Squeeze lime wedge over the whole thing and chomp away.

144 AUGUST 2019 Denver // Boulder

sensimag.com AUGUST 2019 145

146 AUGUST 2019 Denver // Boulder