Things to do in Montana After Enjoying Your Cannabis

I’m a big fan of using cannabis productively. Sure, sometimes I like to lay around and watch a movie or otherwise veg out, but in general, marijuana tends to be an energizing drug for me, provided I set out from the get-go with an intention to move or understand my own mind better. Over the years, I’ve realized that there are certain productive things like chores and tasks that weed can be especially helpful for getting started on.

In general, I think that bribing yourself to do things you’ve been dreading is one of the most productive ways to use the drug — though using it to understand you own mind and body better is certainly even more important. Putting off that conversation with mom? Trying to learn to meditate? There are many options to put your love of Mary Jane to good use. Use these ideas as jumping off points, and remember — any of these productive stoner ideas can be done sober too!For further information visit veriheal.com

Call Someone You’ve Been Putting Off Talking To

Though not everyone does, I know I tend to put off calling my parents. If I have a conversation I’m particularly dreading — like I know I’m in for a major guilt trip about how I don’t call often enough — sometimes, I find taking a walk, getting a little high, and calling them helps give me the extra push I need to have a conversation with more patience and compassion. When you’re stoned, everything becomes a little more funny and easy to have perspective on, including the things that usually intimidate or annoy you.

Challenge Yourself To Do Something Brave

The other week, I was only able to finally bribe myself into trying an exercise dance class (the humiliation! the fun!) by getting stoned beforehand. The idea of going to a dance class terrified me, but I was finally able to get myself there by promising that I would just go high and let it be a funny adventure for myself. It helped alleviate my self-consciousness, and guess what — I had a ton of fun. I allowed myself to use the same bribe the next day, and after that, I saw that I had conquered my fear and pushed myself to form a new habit I’m now genuinely excited about.

Now that I’m not afraid, I don’t feel the need to get buzzed beforehand (though I’m sure I still might sometimes), and I’m glad MJ helped give me that little extra push I needed to remind myself I’m much braver than I think.

Your something brave might be a fitness class, a painting class, going to see some music alone, going to a party — the possibilities are endless. So long as you’re not driving or potentially going to hurt anyone else by showing up a little buzzed, do it.

Try To Meditate

And by meditate, I mean you can either sit and listen to your thoughts and breath in the present moment — or try one of these ideas, where you don’t have to sit at all. So long as you’re setting an intention to be mindful of your stream of consciousness and practice brining yourself back to the breath and the present moment, that’s meditation. The goal is not to “not think” at all, but rather to understand your own thought-patterns more. Weed is great for that in general, but if you try to focus its tendency to help you notice your thoughts from different angles, it can be incredibly productive.

Write A Stream Of Consciousness “List”

If meditating on the breath isn’t your style, try this variation, where you sit down at the computer or journal and write your stoned stream of consciousness. If it’s easier, do it in list form, and just write your thoughts as you come, without pause or editing. The next day, you’ll have a valuable record of what you were thinking about, and you won’t have lost all those brilliant and creative ideas that popped into your head high. Even if you only have a good laugh, journaling is in itself healthy and productive, and this form of non-judgmental writing is indeed meditative.

Make Some Art You Don’t Usually Make

Whether you consider yourself an artist or not, the benefits of drawing, coloring, or otherwise making art are real. Make collages with friends. Finger-paint. Buy some Play-Doh. If visual art is already your serious craft of choice, challenge yourself to write or make music instead. The point is, you’re trying to exercise a different creative muscle here, and to remember that making things doesn’t have to just be about “being good” at something. At its root, it should be about having fun.

See Some Comedy

Yes, laughing is productive. It is cathartic and has proven health benefits. The next time you get buzzed, see some comedy, or watch some standup online. This is as easy as it gets, but it is important. Don’t just choose your comfort-zone show that makes you lightly smile. I want you to pick something that almost sounds like too much work because it might make you end up peeing your pants.

Eat Mindfully

 

When you’re stoned, you actually have a great chance to begin reprogramming your relationship with food. Try checking in with yourself and asking, “what is my body really craving right now?” and, “what would make it feel truly satisfied and nourished?” If you’re craving salt, make yourself a healthy snack like popcorn, and take your time dress it up with toppings exactly as you want it. If you want sweet, challenge yourself to bake exactly what you want, or go on an adventure to find it. When you do eat, challenge yourself to do so slowly, without the distraction of a screen.

Notice each bite as much as you can, slow your chewing, appreciate your food, and the fact that you were able to give yourself exactly what you wanted.

Go Out Alone

A variation on challenging yourself to be brave, being comfortable doing things alone is a challenge for some of us — especially women, who have been socialized to believe it is dangerous, or invites harassment. At a level that’s safe for you, go out lightly stoned and alone with as few safety blankets as possible. Try to see if you can take a very long walk by yourself, with only your thoughts as company. Go out to a nice dinner, and see if you can sit and simply focus on your food, and eating presently, noticing what’s happening around you.

Go listen to some music. Sit on a park bench. If all this sounds too terrifying, check out this list of romantic dates you can take yourself on, and consider bringing something that makes you feel safe, like music, a journal, or a task you’re going to achieve while you’re out.…

Foods That Increase Metabolism

Your metabolism controls the amount of calories that your body burns and boosting it with foods that increase metabolism rates can help you reach your weight loss goals and maintain a healthy regular body weight. The body’s metabolism is defined by the physical and chemical processes known as anabolism (responsible for growth and repair of cells) and catabolism (breaking substances down to produce energy). Together these processes are responsible for providing the body with nutrients, and using energy in the form of calories in the course of providing nutrients.

Your metabolism is affected by many things that cannot be changed, such as sex and age, but it is possible to change your body’s Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) through diet changes and exercise. BMR is defined as the rate of calories your body needs to consume to maintain all the basic body functions at rest, such as heart beat, breathing and digestion, and can account for about 60-75% of your energy expenditure. Boosting you BMR will cause your body to burn more calories while you are resting and make your slimmer in the process.

Exercise is the best way to increase your metabolism. Building lean muscle increases your metabolism because muscle burns more calories than fat. In fact, 1 pound of muscle burns about 50 calories a day, while 1 pound of fat only burns 2 calories a day. Exercise performed everyday causes your body to burn more calories, reducing body fat, and speeds up the metabolism. However, diet is the partner which helps to also boost your metabolism. A healthy eating plan will help your body change it’s BMR and there are even some food that help boost your metabolism instantly.

Fasting and skipping meals may lower your daily caloric intake, but it serves to teach your body to store food as fat right away, and lower its metabolism to save calories. It is best to eat more times a day, in smaller portions. This keeps your digestive system, which uses about 10% of the calories in the food just to break it down, working all day long. This causes your metabolism to speed up. When constructing your metabolism boosting diet plan, keep the following guidelines in mind. Eat more meals in smaller portions every day, reduce your sugar intake, quit smoking, eat lower fat and higher lean protein meals, drink more water, and eat breakfast. Breakfast is important to jump starting your metabolism every morning after being quiet all night.

The types of food that you eat are important. Some foods actually require higher amounts of energy to break them down, and negative calorie foods require more energy to break down than are in the foods themselves. Examples of negative calorie foods are celery and raw broccoli. Here are some basic guidelines of foods that increase metabolism because they require more energy expended by the body to break them down.

  • Lean Protein such as beef, chicken and turkey provide the building blocks for muscles (which burn more calories) and allow you to feel full longer. Some studies suggest that the body uses 25% of the calories found in lean meats just to digest them.
  • Fatty fish such as tuna and salmon contain high protein and omega 3 fatty acids that help boost the metabolism. They also contain a metabolism boosting hormone called leptin.
  • Spicy foods contain a chemical called capsaicin that actually raises your metabolism instantly by 25% by raising body temperature and heart beat.
  • Green Teas boost your metabolism instantly through a substance called EGCG that affects the nervous system and works as an appetite suppressant.
  • Caffeine, such as that found in coffee has the same instant metabolic effect as teas, as they can help by increasing the heart beat as well.
  • Apple cider vinegar with honey has shown the ability to boost the metabolism. The same is true for garlic.

Foods that are high in calcium, such as soy, broccoli and milk are also metabolism boosters. Other foods include:

  • Berries
  • Mustard
  • Whole grains
  • Oatmeal
  • Eggs
  • Whey protein
  • Spinach
  • Lemons
  • Grapefruit
  • Chili
  • Brown Rice
  • Red Potatoes
  • Apples
  • Cabbage
  • Yogurt
  • Lettuce
  • Cantaloupe
  • Cucumbers
  • Almonds
  • Brussel Sprouts
  • CinnamonCoupled with increased exercise, eating foods that increase metabolism rates is a great way to help jump start your weight loss program. Reaching your desired weight goals and maintaining a healthy lean body can be achieved by altering both your metabolism and lifestyle.
…

Foods Containing Zinc

It is important to be aware of the different types of foods containing zinc, because zinc in an important mineral in our diets. As with most vitamins and minerals that our bodies need, there are biological consequences to too little zinc intake and too much zinc intake.

Zinc is needed for a healthy immune system, to help the body produce around 100 enzymes, and it helps maintain the senses of smell and taste. Zinc also plays a role in the synthesis of proteins and wound healing. Adequate zinc intake is especially important during pregnancy and childhood as it helps with cell division and growth. Zinc is not stored in the body and therefore daily intake of zinc through foods or supplements is necessary.

Foods containing zinc are plentiful and most people do not need to supplement their diets. Foods containing the most zinc per serving include oysters, beef shanks, crab, and pork shoulder. As you can see, animal proteins are the best source of zinc. For vegetarians, a partial list of foods containing zinc includes fortified breakfast cereal, beans, cashews, chickpeas, and almonds.

An interesting fact about zinc absorption is that zinc from animal proteins is better used by your body. Only about 40 percent of zinc from plants is absorbed and able to be used by the body. This is due to other nutrients in plants that bind to the zinc and make it less available to your body. There are ways to prepare vegetarian foods which make zinc absorption easier.

Zinc is beneficial to the immune system. There are several products on the market containing zinc that are advertised to shorten the duration of the common cold. While it is established that zinc deficiency depresses the immune system, there is no consensus within the scientific community that additional zinc supplementation will help fight the common cold. In fact, zinc products that are in nose sprays, intranasal, have been called into question due to safety reasons by the Food and Drug Administration. There are numerous reports of loss of smell, sometimes permanent, linked to these sprays.

Zinc deficiency can cause several problems. Retarded growth in children, lack of appetite, and as already noted, compromised immune function are also hallmarks of zinc deficiency. Severe deficiency of zinc can cause diarrhea, eye and skin lesions, and hair loss among other symptoms. In developed countries it is rare to find zinc deficiency due to adequate diet and fortified foods. Zinc deficiency is more common is countries where foods containing zinc are not readily available and commonly eaten.

People with digestive disorders are more susceptible to zinc deficiency even with sufficient diets of foods containing zinc. Crohn’s disease, short bowel syndrome, and chronic liver disease are examples of medical conditions that make it harder for the body to absorb and properly use zinc. Older adults are also susceptible to minor zinc deficiency.

For vegetarians and others with problems absorbing and using zinc due to various medical problems can take zinc supplements. Vitamins C, E, and B6 also can be taken as they have been found to increase the absorption of available zinc in the body. Additional magnesium could also be useful.

As stated earlier, most people in developed countries get enough zinc in their diets and do not require supplementation. There are risks to excessive amounts of zinc in the body. Toxic amounts of zinc in children can be as little as 12 mg and in adults toxic amounts begin at around 40 mg. High zinc intake can result in vomiting, diarrhea, headaches, and cramps. Long-term excessive zinc intake can cause low copper levels, decreased immune status, and decreased levels of high-density lipoproteins, HDL – the good cholesterol.…

Hangover Food

Hangover food is a quest for many of us who have woken up from a hard nights’ drinking with a terrible headache and general feelings of physical misery. While all of us may not have had the life-altering experiences of the characters in the movie ‘Hangover,’ it can nevertheless be an unforgettable experience. Those who are willing to indulge repeatedly is serious boozing are those who claim to have found the perfect combination of foods for fighting a hangover. When you believe you have the perfect antidote to the punishment, it is a lot easier to indulge without worrying!

Coffee is the first choice for many hangover victims. Caffeine is an acknowledged stimulant and those who are fighting the slowness and pain induced by excessive alcohol consumption hope that the caffeine can perform its miracles of giving some much needed focus and alertness. With coffee, it is also just a habit for many people and the shot of a hot drink may well just be a way of dragging the body into current reality.

Some people have arrived at the perfect hangover food based on analysis of the food groups that they believe are most effective in countering the effects of alcohol. Those who swear by the powers of carbohydrates and sugar are likely to offer you a big box of doughnuts. The idea that a big meal can counter the heavy fogginess induced by the liquor tends to recommend a breakfast of bacon, egg and cheese. This is probably why McDonald’s is a popular stop-over for many people with hangovers. Bagel and cream cheese is the recommendation of those who try to get their share of protein along with the carbohydrate and fat. A heavy dose of sugar is said to help some people and so there are those who try a big dose of soda or go with the slightly smoother chocolate milk. The sugar rush may at least serve to provide a temporary boost to your system that can help you get kick-started for the day.

There are some hangover food suggestions that are offered more based on faith than on any quasi-scientific analysis of how it helps the body and one of these is the New Orleans Yaka Mein. This hangover food is actually referred to as Old Sober as a testament to its powers of curing a hangover. It is essentially a soy broth and beef soup and includes noodles, meat and boiled eggs. The English are said to believe in the fry-up as a similar unquestioned cure for a hangover and it consists of eggs, toast, broiled tomato, sausages and baked beans. There are times when the ultimate delicacy, the blood pudding, is also thrown in as part of the cure.

Then there are those who offer the hair-of-the-dog argument and claim that the best hangover food is drinking exactly what you drank the night before. While this is possibly the hardest one to understand logically there is the real possibility of passing out again and that may well be the appeal of this cure.

There are as many hangover food suggestions as there are people who have hangovers and so it is ultimately not a given that any of these will work for you. Whether you decide to go for pizza or plenty of water, there is little scientific proof that any of these work. You can have fun experimenting and remember while in the throes of pain and discomfort that a hangover is ultimately temporary and so you will eventually feel better. In the meanwhile, you may well have to arrive at your own perfect combination of hangover food!…

Healthy Food Tips

If there is a problem associated with finding healthy food tips online, it’s probably due to the fact that there is such an abundance of them you don’t know where to start. It’s almost as if you should have a notepad, calculator, and reference chart handy when shopping or preparing a meal, so that the meal will be “correct” from the standpoint of healthy eating.

If you’ve seen the movie 2010 – A Space Odyssey, you may remember the scene in which one of the crew members is eating dinner. The dinner plate looks like a set of water color paints, with each little colored square consisting of a different kind of nutrient. Undoubtedly, the “dinner” was designed to provide all the necessary nutritional needs. Hopefully, it was also designed to taste good.

It’s All About Habits

We should not design our meals or eating habits in such a way that eating is no longer enjoyable.

A good set of healthy food tips should help you not only prepare meals you can feel good about, but enjoy them as well. There may well be a few lifestyle changes that need to be made. That’s usually the case whenever we’re trying to improve our lives in one way or another. Many of these changes are simply a matter of dropping some bad habits.

Make Changes Slowly

Let’s say that in planning your meals and what you eat and drink throughout the day, you find there are some things you enjoy eating that are really not all that good for you. You need to avoid those things or at least cut way back.

One of the best healthy food tips you can follow is not to go about it cold turkey. When we try to make too many changes at once, we more often than not suffer a relapse. The hot-fudge sundae you enjoyed every day but quit ordering a week ago, tastes even better if you suffer a relapse and order one with two scoops of ice cream instead of one.

It’s best to cut back on, or avoid, one food item at a time, and slowly get in the habit of not eating those things.

Get Rid Of The Bad Stuff – Where to start? Think about:

  • Sugar
  • Salt
  • Saturated Fats
  • Processed Foods

Eliminating these items will improve your diet drastically, assuming of course, that you’ve substituted healthy foods in their place.

Healthy foods are:

  • Fruits
  • Vegetables
  • Whole Grains
  • Fish
  • Lean Meat

There is no lack of choices. If you can manage to wean yourself away from processed foods, the sugar and salt issue will probably go away as well. You don’t have to throw out the salt shaker. Most of the salt we take in comes from the processed foods we eat, and if you like a dash of salt on your vegetables, there’s really nothing wrong with that. You can throw out the sugar bowl though: the less sugar you eat, the better.

Eat Slow And Enjoy It

Another of the healthy food tips to consider is to eat food more slowly.

Whether the food you’re eating is good for you or not, by eating slowly you’ll usually enjoy it more, and eat less of it. A meal consisting of healthy foods should taste every bit as good as a meal of junk food, and usually tastes much better.

Eat slowly, and you’ll take in fewer calories.

Eat slowly, and you’re less apt to mess up your digestive system.

Get into the habit of having your meals at the dinner table, and enjoy every bite, instead of snacking in front of the TV, not particularly caring what’s going in your mouth.

Choose Foods Wisely

Eating healthy foods is the last, and most obvious of the healthy food tips.

Imagine a big bowl full of vitamins and minerals, anti-oxidants, omega-3 fatty acids, dietary fiber, good carbohydrates, plus protein, and big enough to give you the calories your body needs, but no more. That would be like what the space crew had to eat. Not all that appetizing looking, but nutritious.

You don’t have to go that route. Instead, go for:

  • A plate of vegetables which provide the bulk of your vitamins and minerals, plus some fiber and protein.
  • Add lean meat for extra protein if needed, or fresh fish to provide the fatty acids your body requires.
  • Whole grain bread or nuts are excellent sources of dietary fiber, needed to keep your digestive system in top running order.
  • For dessert, fresh fruits can’t be beat. Dark berries, especially blueberries or blackberries, are especially good for you as they are loaded with antioxidants.

When you stop to think about it, fresh fruits and vegetables give you more bang for the buck, pound for pound, than can any processed or refined food, no matter how much it’s been fortified. Eat brightly colored fruits and vegetables instead of food out of a brightly colored package or can, and you’re on your way to a healthier diet.…

Foods Containing Gluten

Knowing and understanding the various foods containing gluten is very important to many people. Although some people are on a gluten-free diet due to weight issues, other people simply can’t tolerate gluten because of certain medical conditions.

So what, exactly, is gluten? Gluten is basically a form of protein that can be found in wheat, barley, and rye. The grains in these wheat contain prolamins which are problems for people who are unable to handle gluten. When it comes to food such as pasta, the gluten is really what holds it together and acts as an elastic agent.

Sometimes, gluten is simply used as a source of protein. In some Asian countries, for instance, it can be used as a substitution for protein in food like burgers in order to make them feel more like meat. It can also be used in bread in the United States in order to make the bread denser.

Occasionally, people are unable to tolerate foods that contain gluten. Individuals suffering from Coeliac disease or that have overall gluten intolerance should try to avoid gluten. Individuals that have Dermatitis Herpetiformis, a skin condition should also try to stay away from gluten-based products. Instead, they might want to eat alternative wheat products.

For people with Coeliac disease, foods that contain gluten can damage the small intestine. It can also cause side effects like bloating, nausea, upset stomach, distended abdomen, constipation, diarrhea, fatigue, and migraines. Knowing the different foods containing gluten can make it easier to make healthy food choices.

Grains and other baked goods that contain gluten are fairly easy to recognize. Some foods to try and avoid in this category include bran-based products, Muesli, scones, anything made with breadcrumbs, muffins, pastas other than those marked “gluten free”, pretzels, bread and rolls, scones, barley water drinks, muffins, and Yorkshire pudding.

There are also foods that contain hidden gluten. In these foods, there might not be gluten in the food themselves, but gluten products can be added in the production of them. These can be more difficult to detect, but can still cause risks to those individuals that suffer from Coeliac disease. Some foods to stay away from in this category are self-basting turkeys, matzo flour, bleu cheese, meat and fish pastes, white pepper, malt vinegar, dry mustard powder, instant coffee which could be made with flour, beer and lager, imitation crab meat, and baked beans which could contain gluten in the tomato sauce.

Luckily, there are some “gluten-free” versions of some popular food. These are generally safe to consume. However, don’t confuse “wheat free” with “gluten free”, as they are not the same thing. In addition, there is no law that states that all form of gluten must be listed as ingredients. That is another reason why knowing the different foods that contain gluten is important.

Still, looking at the ingredients list of your favorite foods can be helpful. Some ingredients that you should avoid are barely, bouillon, bran, farina, hydrolyzed vegetable protein, kamut, malt, modified food starch, suet, caramel coloring, wheat grass, and wheat germ.

 

When it comes to alcohol, it is best to avoid beer, lagers, and ales. Other alcohols like vodkas and scotch are distilled which takes the gluten out of them. Therefore, they are safer to drink. Sometimes, when alcohol is mixed with food that contains gluten, however, the effects of the gluten can be intensified. Sometimes an individual with Coeliac disease might have an infection which alcohol can irritate as well.

Understanding the foods that you should avoid can go a long way when you are trying to take care of your overall health. If you have any concerns about what food to avoid and what is acceptable to eat then talking to your physician, and possible a nutritionist, is a good place to begin.…