Madison Park Times
By Cameron Sheppard WNPA News Service
Millions of N-95 masks and other types of personal protective equipment are being delivered to Washington state as public health and emergency response officials scramble to obtain the equipment needed to respond to the growing COVID-19 outbreak.
Jerrod Davis, assistant secretary for disease control and health statistics at the Department of Health, said there is significant global demand for these kinds of items, and right now the state does not have enough to satisfy the needs of its communities.
Davis explained that the state’s joint operations team at Camp Murray, composed of the Department of Enterprise Services, Department of Health and Emergency Management Division, is working collaboratively with many partners to procure the gear they need. He said health departments across the state report the quantity of equipment that they need and the joint operation team works to fulfill them.
Respirators, surgical masks, gowns, thermometers and sanitiz-
ing equipment have been delivered by the thousands. Linda Kent, public affairs official for the Department of Enterprise Services, said millions more have been requested as the DES and other state agen-
cies are working “creatively” to fulfill a critical need.
Davis said requests have been made for gear from the national stockpile, Federal Emergency Management Agency, and even public equipment donations are being accepted.
In an effort to encourage social distancing and reduce the number of congregating crowds, the city of Seattle has closed parking at the eight destination parks, closed all beaches to gatherings and prohibited access to Rattlesnake Lake Recreation Area and Rattlesnake Ledge Trail near North Bend.
The Seattle Parks and Recreation eight destination parks are Green Lake, Lincoln, Golden Gardens, Seward Park, Magnuson Park, Gas Works, Alki Beach and
MASSAGE, Page 7
Kent said the team is “leaving no stone unturned” as they reach out to private retailers and distributors for these products, even working with manufacturers and urging them to “switch gears” and join in the effort to supply life saving equipment.
Healthcare professionals are already having to take measures to conserve the increasingly valuable protective equipment.
Davis said the gear that is being obtained is being distributed to the most affected regions — including King County and nearby western Washington counties where the virus is spreading quickly.
Kent said the need for personal protective equipment will be ongoing as the healthcare community prepares for the “long haul” of this outbreak. As the coronavirus pandemic develops, Kent said there will be “no way to predict what the need will be with great precision.”
Photo by Jonathan Borba from Pexels
Staff Reports
Madison Park Times
By Dr. Dan Michael NW Sports
What does one say? We’re living in unprecedented times amidst the new virus in town, and it’s massively obstructive in nearly every aspect of our lives. Gratitude, albeit hard to conjure up, with so many things seemingly going wrong, may be the best place to start.
First, I’d like to start with gratitude for the healthcare workers who are on the front lines, supporting the patients who are fighting for their lives. Secondly, the scientists, who are working as hard and fast as possible, to develop treatments, vaccines and lifelines. Finally, for my immediate community of coworkers, neighbors, friends, family and patients who are fighting like the rest of us to make sense of these uncertain and unprecedented times. The expression “keep calm and carry on” is easy to say, but now we must do. Together we will overcome these challenges, and certainly we are better off if we do it together. We might be distanced physically, but meaningful and helpful acts will help bridge the gap.
How then can we best move forward with our health in times like this? Our previous health and wellness routines are abruptly disrupted. Some of us are working from home, others are out of work, and some are working overtime to cope with demand. Here I hope to offer some ideas that help you navigate your health and activity in these uncharted waters.
Your health
This is most important. Your safety is also important, but remember that your mind and body will ultimately decide be-
tween illness and health when faced with external threats and stressors. Your body has great capability of fighting viruses and other pathogens, which is important to remember in a time like this where there is no vaccine or treatment for COVID-19 infection. Thankfully, our bodies are not defenseless against pathogens like COVID-19, and improving your health and wellness can go a long way in the fight against it, should you come into contact. So, if you’re concerned about becoming infected, at this time, your most important asset is you, so treat yourself well.
Vitamin D
Ensure your body is getting enough vitamin D through sun exposure or supplementation. Vitamin D is an integral part of immunity, and in the Pacific Northwest, we are at a higher risk of deficiency. Vitamin D acts directly on immune cells by increasing their effectiveness and sensitivity to viruses and other pathogens. It can take weeks to months of consistent supplementation to raise your levels if you are deficient, so make it part of an agreed rou-
tine between you and your healthcare provider. Even in these trying times, you can still get the healthcare you need. Many healthcare providers, including myself, are offering virtual sessions and even seeing patients in office to ease the strain on our emergency and urgent care resources in this time of need.
Exercise regularly if your doctor says it’s OK
During this time people are spending more time outdoors exercising, with gyms and spas being closed. There are many online offers for home workouts, which are becoming increasingly available as quarantines rise. Video-streaming services also offer little-known exercise videos that can keep you moving at home. Personally, my routine has been full of basic floor activities: squat, lunge, jump, press, plank, stretch, foam roll and, for cardio, walk and run! Thankfully, we are lucky enough to have a plethora of equipment in our small Madison Park clinic that I’m lucky enough to have and use between seeing patients. Reduce your stress, mentally and physi-
We have entered an interesting but scary time in world history, with the novel coronavirus sweeping us all off our schedules and out of our comfort zones. Such being the case, this may be a good opportunity to review current thoughts on the virus, and to lay out current thoughts on how the virus interacts with our pets.
COVID-19 (also referred to as SARS-COV-2 in some circles) causes fever, shortness of breath, and/or coughing in people. According to the CDC, transmission of the virus is primarily from person to person, via respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes. Those showing symptoms are the main transmitters of the virus, though spread may be possible before the onset of symptoms. It is possible for transmission to occur from a person touching something that has the virus on it (such as a pet), then touching their mouth, nose or eyes, but this is not thought to be the main mode of transmission.
A recent National Institute of Health study published in the New England Journal of
cally
Anyone stressed about this virus? It will make you more susceptible, so stay calm, and try meditation in the comfort of your own home. Give yourself a calm environment to operate in, and although it may seem tempting to check the news every 10 minutes in this age of technology, try to keep your mind focused on other important things and “quarantine” your news consumption to a certain time of the day or week.
Speaking of routines, our brains see routine disruption as a threat, and so it becomes important to spend some time (days or weeks) to establish a new routine that isn’t hard to follow but that provides some simple structure for your day.
Finally, don’t make this a time to burn yourself out with exercise, as that can have negative effects on your immune system and make you more susceptible by increasing your levels of stress hormones, dampening the capability if your immune cells.
There are many things beyond these basics that you can do to improve your health and activity levels. After all, your body is your first line of defense, and your immune system will ultimately be responsible for fighting a virus (or any disease) should you unknowingly come into contact, even if a vaccine is developed, so why not start taking care now?
If you have any questions, or if anything is unclear, call our clinic and try to get in touch at 206-328-5466. As of March 20, NW Sports Rehab remains OPEN, and I will continue seeing patients both in person and virtually.
Medicine showed that the virus can survive for up to 24 hours on cardboard and for 2-3 days on plastic and stainless steel surfaces. The greater survival
time on plastic and stainless steel is thought to be associated with the virus staying moist longer on the latter surfaces. More importantly, the study showed that the virus can survive in respiratory droplets for up to 3 hours after being coughed out into the air, and that the finer droplets can remain airborne for several hours in still air.
With respect to pets, though two dogs in Hong Kong have tested positive, none in the US have tested positive to date. Two large, commercial labs in the US (Antech and Idexx) have been testing samples submitted for respiratory PCRs (a test run primarily in coughing and/or sneezing dogs) for COVID-19. However, dogs with infected owners are not being tested in the US, since infected owners and those who interact with them should self-quarantine per current recommendations. Neither of the positive Hong Kong dogs showed any symptoms associated with the virus and it is not clear why they were tested, but they were thought to have picked up the virus from their infected owners. The virus is not thought to be capable of replicating in dogs and a complete virus has not yet been isolated from the saliva of a dog. As such, dogs should not be capable of transmitting the virus to people. A lot is unknown about the virus but as our knowledge evolves, we will try to keep our clients (and other readers) updated as to what is being discovered.
Our beloved creatures
Richard Carl Lehman
Revisiting
the Park
The last bell to ring at J. J. McGilvra Elementary usually meant the summer vacation was about to proceed without a hitch. That first day on the beach meant freedom except for the parents who were there to slather baby oil and iodine on us for protection from the sun. We were tan in three days with that solution! Nowadays, SPF 50+ might reveal a stripe of sunburn from misapplication, but generally everyone stays a pallid white. Compliments like “nice tan” were common, but today complimenting one’s tan is generally not done.
games on 42nd and Newton just to be around us.
Timor would sit on Madison Beach and wait for us kids to arrive. We all swam to the raft, and he did too. It was Timor’s time to shine. Tossing a beer can full of water toward the lake, he almost caught it midair. It sank some 10 to 12 feet, but Timor dove down, grabbed the can in his mouth, climbed the ladder and dropped it at our feet! “Let’s do that again,” he seemed to say.
The biggest obstacle to enjoying our time off was the nasty little critter heard before seen in the cover of darkness, the dreaded 9 pound Canterbury Swamp Mosquito. We had one defense from the bite: If you were tan, the bug left you alone, but the quest for tender skin was paramount. They seemed to know to crawl under the sheets toward the torso then feast heartily on the medium rare dinner. Certainly, becoming airborne at that point was no easy task.
Hours later, the desire to scratch the itch was of utmost importance in one’s mind. Thankfully, our very own Madison Park doctor, Dr. Harris, suggested a brand-new item called CamphoPhenique, and it worked! One small problem, gravity took over after applying. It was not fun to experience as it crept toward the nether regions. It was better to have the itch!
ing we heard a whine. We ran a block away where a crowd gathered. Zephyr was in jail! Animal control got him for having no dog tags. A gentleman from the crowd asked, “What’s his bail?” When the officer yelled the amount, everyone chipped in. Zephyr’s sentence was cut short, and he went to each of us, whining softly, rubbing us with his nose, and wagging his whole body uncontrollably.
The last pet story needs understanding and compassion! Really! A neighbor and I carpooled to work in Renton, but he moved to be near work. One day he asked, “Want to see my new pet?” Herb was a little on the bizarre side. He pulled a gunny sack from his trunk and held it in front of me. It hissed and rattled so I stepped back. It was a baby rattle snake. He had bought it in eastern Washington and built a cage for it so all could see “Baby, the Snake.” The CEO of the company was not thrilled that it hissed as he walked by, so Baby was evicted. Herb brought Baby home where Wife had a few words dealing with Baby.
Bert’s was established in Madison Park in 1932. We have been honored to be a part of this wonderful community for 88 years.
We want to express deepest sympathy and love for the many that suffer during this time.
Bert’s will continue to do our best to be a valued member of this community. The grocery supply chain is stressed and changing every day. We are working hard to provide you the goods and services that you need. Please be patient as Bert’s adapts to the changes in our communities.
Again, it’s great to be a part of Madison Park. Please stay safe and healthy.
Bert’s Red Apple Senior Shopping Hours
Monday and Thursay morning, 7:00 A.M. - 8:30 A.M.
Starting this Thursday, March 26, 2020.
ONLY for those individuals who are:
• age 60 and over
• person with underlining health issues
• pregnant women
Our parents use to insist we wait an hour after eating a favorite peanut butter and jam sandwich. Even if you were to put one toe in the water, you would curl up and drown right there on the beach! We had to sit quietly to digest and watch the clock on the ferry terminal move oh so slowly.
A positive side of summer was how our pets could really boost morale. There were many dogs and cats who roamed the streets. Vic Myers had a boxer named Timor who attended baseball
The city of Seattle knew of the problem, and, for many summers, men in jeeps with tanks on their backs and masks sprayed a white cloud of insecticide between houses and in gardens. The cloud was so thick, you could not see across the street. We were not told if this chemical was harmful. but I seem to have suffered from moderate hair loss.
A favorite dog named Zephyr had a run in with a car and was left with an affected hind quarter. When he wagged his tail, it set him off center, but he was always the leader of the pack. He and his friends would wander into various homes, greet with a smile and leave never resisting a treat. One quiet summer morn-
“Baby can live downstairs with a light bulb for heat,” she announced. Every time she went down to do the wash, Baby would get upset. One day Wife told Herb, “Your pet is finally getting used to me — he doesn’t hiss when I do the wash!” Herb was thrilled — at long last harmony. But one day, Baby was gone! No note — gone! Now Wife was beyond upset.
Herb and friends tried to search for Baby to the tune of two six-packs. The conclusion was that Baby had left the basement, but Herb was given the choice of eternity on the couch or move.
They moved.
Our critters come and go, but they can be as beloved as any human. It’s hard to lose the four-legged type. Gnats, skeeters, wasps and such can leave us alone, but let’s hear it for the birds and bees!
Seattle man’s injury spurs shoe business, motivational platform
By By Anna
After being injured as a teenager and becoming dependent on a wheelchair, Seattle resident Billy Pride took his independence back with a global business creating fashionable, accessible shoes.
Price said an accident as a teenager would later serve as the motivator to creating his own shoe line.
“I broke my neck as a teenager,” Price said. “When that happened, there were just a lot of things I used to be able to do that I can no longer do — and one of those things was putting on my shoes.”
Before becoming an entrepreneur, Price earned his degree in mechanical engineering and began working for the Federal Aviation Administration, where he worked for 16 years.
“I felt that I was kind of reaching my ceiling of where I could go in the FAA, and I had more to offer,” Price said. “I think part of that is rooted in when I broke my neck — a three-story fall headfirst into concrete. If you do the numbers, you could very easily die. But for whatever reason I didn’t. I’m still around.”
Price relied on someone else to put his shoes on him since he was injured at 18 until age 36, when he reconnected with an old friend and later shoe line cofounder Darren Donaldson, who
was working on a shoe project.
Price shared his idea of having a shoe with an easy-access zipper on the side.
They made the prototype, and Price was able to put on his shoes himself for the first time since his fall.
“In that moment in time, I was then able to take back that independence,” Price said.
From that moment, BILLY Footwear was born. Price and Donaldson decided to market a shoe that was both fashionable and appealing to the general public but also easy to put on for people who have trouble doing so, like Price.
“We approached the market of creating something mainstream that had the functionality that I could also use,” Price said. “That’s what we set out to do. It’s pretty great because that’s exactly what we accomplished.”
able to remove the stress of coming up with capital and allows us to focus on the banking and internet.”
Since then, Price has received stories from thankful customers, including parents whose children can put their own shoes on for the first time, to people pleased
shelves in the downtown Seattle Nordstrom and he saw a mom walk out with two children wearing his new shoes — a brother and sister wearing the same high-tops.
“When I was in Bellevue and we were hosting an event and there were a bunch of kids who showed up in wheelchairs and some with autism,” Price said. “[Kids with] these various challenges are showing up and they’re coming in. They’re buying the same shoes, and they’re going away with smiles on their face.”
The business took off when Donaldson and Price connected with their friend Patrick Foster, who had connections with Nordstrom and Zappos. They presented their vision, and the retail stores gave them a chance.
They then started their eCommerce site, which enabled them to sell on a global level.
“We started working with Clearbanc,” Price said. “It’s been
with the new fashion of shoes he was providing.
“The more of those like types of stories that came our way, the more it galvanized us that we were on just this wonderful path of adding value, and it just forced us to move forward and to grow,” Price said.
Price recalls the excitement he felt when his shoes first hit the
Price said he felt fulfilled after seeing his product serve these youth in a powerful, yet simple way.
“It’s so special for someone that’s been struggling for such a long time,” Price said. “It’s just connection, and it’s so much easier when you’re already in the community, and then you can work with various associations in the community to just continue to kind of fuel that flame.”
Out of BILLY Footwear, Price started BILLY Cares, a motivational speaking platform and brand that gives back to the community.
Price uses his platform to speak to different organizations to inspire others and deliver motivational messages through his story. He also has advice for other Seattle entrepreneurs wanting to start their own business.
“You have to lean into it, and there’s going to be lots of hurdles along the way,” he said. “You’re going to fail.”
When that happens, Price said it is important to sort things out and start up again.
“It’s also really important to choose your association wisely,” Price said. “Someone told me one time that if you pick like the five people you associate with, the mannerisms the collective five take on are same kind of manners that you take on.”
Between being persistent and casting a wide net, Price also spoke of the importance of websites like Clearbanc enabling business people to sell their product locally as well as globally. He said he has been able to have an impact on a greater scale as a result.
“I felt like there’s something in me that I can add more value, and it just came together,” Price said. “The shoe company became that outlet to do just that.”
Visit BILLY Footwear at https://billyfootwear.com/. To learn more about BILLY Cares, go to https://billyfootwear.com/ pages/billy-cares.
Power Madison Park Times former editor
Photo courtesy Billy Price
Seattle resident Billy Price is the co-creator of a shoe line, BILLY Footwear, that is both fashionable and functional, designed for people, like himself, who have difficulty putting on their own shoes.
Photo courtesy Billy Price
The shoes created by Seattle resident Billy Price and Darren Donaldson for their BILLY Footwear shoe line can be put on and removed easily.
NEIGHBORHOOD MARKETPLACE
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Grow (well, create) an Easter Tree
An Easter Tree, made with blown eggs and a tree branch, can be a fun springtime activity for the family to stave off coronavirus pandemic boredom.
By Steve Lorton Tree Talk
Growing up in the strict Midwestern culture, life was ruled by aphorisms and admonishments, among them: It’s not a misfortune to be bored. It’s a sin! The idea was to stay productively busy, and if you were not, one parent or the other would say, “If you can’t figure out something to do, I’ll tell you what to do.” That threw any young psyche into high gear.
So, like the rest of us, you’re looking for the silver lining during the coronavirus pandemic. You’re thinking it spawns a long overdue reduction in your social calendar, more time with the family, more time together. All true, all healthy, but dare you confess to being housebound and bored, I’m telling you what to do. Make an Easter or a Spring Equinox Tree.
Call it what you like, but get busy.
Our family Easter Tree started over 35 years ago. It is as seasonally important to us as any tree festooned with tinsel and topped with an angel. My mother-in-law, an incredibly industrious and creative Ohio hausfrau, got it going by sending us half a dozen eggs that she had blown and hand decorated.
Blown? Yes, she’d emptied the shells of their contents. It’s easy. Simply use a needle to puncture the big end of the egg with a hole about the size of three pinheads. Make a hole in the small end about the size of two pin heads. Hold the egg over a soup bowl and blow into the large hole. The contents will ooze out of the small hole, to be saved for scrambling later. You may want to dye the raw eggs
first; you may not. Once empty, set the shells aside for a day to allow them to dry out. Then decorate them with paint, glued on ribbons, appliqué, glitter or stickers. Glue a loop of cord at the large end and you’ve got an egg ornament ready for hanging.
Outside in your garden or in a park is a branch, wind downed or waiting to be snipped.
Take that branch and put it in a vase, kept upright. Secure with gravel or styrofoam in the container. Hang the eggs on this branch, left natural or spray painted. The current branch at our house is the limb of a pollarded Asian pear tree that needed to come off about five years ago. Out of use, it is stored in the basement under a plastic garbage bag. The eggs are wrapped and go into zip-lock plastic bags and spend the off season in the Easter baskets.
As the years passed and the Easters hopped on (pun intended), we traveled and began noticing that almost every culture we visited had some kind of ornamental eggs. The Scandinavian countries, Russia and Eastern Europe were the biggest sources, most often wooden eggs in assorted colors decorated with paint or carving. Greece gets some credit for interesting eggs, Italy for blown glass delights. We began collecting. Today our tree sags with memories. The tree goes up on Ash Wednesday and comes down about a month after Easter. It never fails to delight visitors who stand before it asking about the origins of the eggs they find most appealing. No egg is without a story.
So add the making of an Easter Tree, the establishing of a family tradition, to your list of pandemic survival strategies. Celebrate and memorialize spring. Boredom is a sin.
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Reach potential customers on their commutes, during lunch breaks, on weekend mornings, or at home in the evenings during their down time.
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In fact, it might just be the best investment you have made for your business!
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from Page 1
Discovery. All Seattle beaches will no longer be open for gatherings, however they will remain open for walking or general exercise. Residents are encouraged to visit the 479 local neighborhood parks or to bike or walk to these destination parks, which will remain open for public use.
SPR and SPD will also continue to deploy staff to encourage social distancing at these highly frequented parks as well as locations such as Cal Anderson and Volunteer Park. Seattle Parks and
Recreation Superintendent Jesús Aguirre said in a press release that if residents do not maintain six feet of space between them, the city will have to close parks.
“We still want people to be able to enjoy our parks during this stressful time, but we have seen many of our parks have become too busy to allow folks to properly create social distance,” he said.
Seattle Parks and Recreation asks residents to:
• Use social distancing
• Do not access off-limits equipment or areas: As of last week, Seattle and King County
have closed all play areas and other high touch areas, such as picnic shelters, tables and outdoor exercise equipment.
• Do not congregate in parks, which means no pick-up games, no picnics, barbecues, parties or bonfires.
• Maintain six feet for activities: People can keep hiking, biking and walking in parks as long as they give wide berth to fellow residents.
Seattle Public Utilities has also decided that, after upwards of 4,000 people visited Rattlesnake Ledge Trail over a recent week-
end, the recreation area and trail will be closed to prevent crowd densities that preclude safe social distancing and recreation.
“Rattlesnake Ledge Trail is one of the most popular hiking trails in the region, and we certainly understand the desire to visit the site and enjoy being outdoors, especially at this time, but keeping the area open is attracting crowds that make it impossible to practice the social distance protocols we are all being asked to follow for the health of our communities,” SPU General Manager and CEO Mami Hara said in a press release. “We look forward to re-opening Rattlesnake Lake Recreation Area and Rattlesnake
Ledge Trail when it’s safe to do so.”
Gates to the parking lot will be closed, and signs will be installed to indicate to residents that the recreation area and trail are now closed. More information can be found at www.seattle.gov/ utilities/environment-and-conservation/our-watersheds/cedarriver-watershed/rattlesnake-lake. For more information about Rattlesnake Lake Recreation Area and Rattlesnake Ledge Trail, call 206- 733‐9421, or email crwprograms@seattle.gov.
Residents warned of Social Security scams
The public is being warned of fraudulent letters threatening suspension of Social Security benefits due to COVID-19 or coronavirus-related office closures. The Social Security Administration will not suspend or discontinue benefits because their offices are closed.
According to a press release, the Social Security Office of the Inspector General has received reports that Social Security beneficiaries have received letters through the U.S. mail stating payments will be suspended or discontinued unless they call a phone number referenced in the letter. Scammers may then mislead people into providing personal information or payment.
Although local SSA offices are closed to the public due to COVID-19 concerns, Social Security employees continue to work. Social Security will not suspend or decrease Social Security benefit payments or Supplemental Security Income payments due to the current COVID-19 pandemic.
Social Security does not:
• Threaten people with benefit suspension, arrest or other legal action unless a fine or fee is paid;
• Promise a benefit increase or other assistance in exchange for payment;
• Require payment by retail gift cared, cash wire transfer, internet currency or prepaid debit card;
• Demand secrecy in handling a Social Security-related problem; or
• Send officials letter or reports containing personally identifiable information via mail.
People who receive any suspicious letter, text, email or phone call about an alleged problem with their Social Security number, account or payments should hang up or do not respond. People can report Social Security scams at https://oig.ssa.gov. For more information, visit https:// oig.ssa.gov/scam.
Clever Ways to Boost Your Endocannabinoid System
5 Healthy Methods for Getting the Most From Your Cannabis
As part of our biological makeup, we are equipped with an endogenous cannabinoid system that regulates the production and uptake of cannabinoids. This system is known as the “endocannabinoid system,” and it is believed to promote bodily homeostasis by regulating a diverse array of physiological processes, such as body temperature, thirst and hunger, sleep, digestion, and heart rate. The whole idea behind medicinal cannabis is to produce a state of well-being via bodily homeostasis derived from supplementing cannabis plant supplied cannabinoids to properly align the body’s endocannabinoid system. Exploration of the complex endogenous cannabinoid system has just begun, but it’s understood that there are two main types of cannabinoid receptors:
CB1 receptors, located throughout the brain, central nervous system, connective tissues, and related organs, are the primary receptors for THC, the psychoactive compound in cannabis. It’s believed CB1 receptors are the most densely populated receptors found in the human brain, explaining why they have significant influence over physical processes.
CB2 receptors, are located throughout the immune system, modulate the intestinal inflammatory response. CB2 receptors are critical regulators of the gastrointestinal and immune systems. CB2 receptors do not produce the “high” associated with cannabis use since they populate the brain sparsely.
Specific cannabinoids bind to certain cannabinoid receptors, consequently activating the receptor. We produce cannabinoids, known as endocannabinoids (an amalgamation of the words “endogenous” and “cannabinoid”). When we consume cannabis, we’re supplementing endogenous cannabinoids
with phytocannabinoids (those produced by plants). For cannabis to be more effective, it’s helpful to consider the receptivity of endocannabinoid receptors. Here are a few useful tips for how to boost your endocannabinoid system in healthy and natural ways:
1. Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Omega-3’s are the building blocks for CB1 receptor formation. CB1 receptors facilitate the absorption of THC, the primary psychoactive compound in cannabis. So, if you’re looking for an effective and healthy way to boost your uptake of THC, and possibly boost your buzz, make sure you’re consuming the proper amount of Omega-3 fatty acids. Many seeds and legumes (including hemp seeds!) are high in omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. Fish oil supplements are an option as well.
2.
Reduce Stress and Alcohol Consumption
Both stress and heavy alcohol consumption slow the growth and repair of new endocannabinoid receptors. Moderate alcohol consumption is likely harmless to endocannabinoid function, but heavy drinking and binge use can significantly impair the ability of receptors to process cannabinoids optimally. High levels of cortisol, the stress hormone, also impede the functioning of CB1 receptors. Maybe that explains the characteristic “carefree stoner” depicted in cannabis culture? Either way, finding healthy ways to manage stress can be doubly beneficial when it comes to using cannabis.
3. Exercise
It’s well known that getting enough exercise can help you sleep better, but adequate exercise can also increase
levels of anandamide, an endogenous cannabinoid that is believed to promote happiness. Some think the “runner’s high” phenomena is due to increased production and absorption of endocannabinoids, rather than endorphins.
4. Caryophyllene
Caryophyllene is a “terpene,” which is another term for an aromatic compound. This terpene is prevalent in herbs and spices, such as cloves, rosemary, basil, oregano, black pepper, and cannabis! It’s the only known terpene to stimulate endocannabinoid receptors by binding to them. The properties of caryophyllene are found to be neuroprotective, preventing stress and anxiety.
5. CBD (Cannabidiol)
CBD is the second most common cannabinoid found in cannabis, with THC being the most common. CBD is nonintoxicating, although it also interacts with endogenous cannabinoid receptors in a way that is still being researched. CBD is often used by those seeking medicinal benefits from the cannabis plant. Many experience relief from conditions theorized to be caused by endocannabinoid deficiency, such as fibromyalgia, migraine, and IBS. Because CBD is non-intoxicating and relatively very safe, it is becoming more available throughout the United States and internationally. Intriguingly, research shows that CBD has neuroprotective qualities that may help prevent cannabinoid receptors from degrading due to overexposure to THC, and may additionally mitigate some of the negative side-effects of consuming too much THC, such as paranoia or anxiety.
Cody Funderburk
Staff Reports
Madison Park Times
