Banishing the Holiday Blues

by Billee Sharp

 The holiday season is here, and after the excitement of Thanksgiving, we embark on a busy, fun-filled month of festivities, from office parties to carol services, all leading to Christmas itself and then onto the grand finale of the New Year celebrations. Sadly, the pandemic has stayed with us since last winter and although social events are taking place, they are fewer and we are cautious of too much indoor interaction, although we are simultaneously craving company! It seems that again this year, not only do we have the regular stresses that the holidays bring but also the extra worry of spreading the Covid-19 virus.

Traditionally the holiday season was marked with rituals; recently a German friend told me that as a child in Bavaria her mother had baked different cookies and confections every week in December, storing them all for the Christmas holiday. These days with our busy schedules we often end up frantic in December, running between the early festivities and the holiday preparations so that by the time Christmas has arrived we find ourselves a little burnt out and blue. After all our efforts, we are not enjoying the joys of the season, and no matter how much we promise ourselves we’ll be better organized next year, many of us regularly overdo it during the holidays.

If you’re feeling a buildup of pressure this year, or a gloom sinking in around the holidays, the best natural remedy is found in CBD. CBD is regularly recommended for depression and anxiety and provides relief at the correct dosage. According to a recent 2019 study*, 4mg-600mg CBD daily will alleviate a wide range of depressive symptoms: the test group of 57 adults suffered from a range of depressive conditions including: mild depression, Seasonal Affective Disorder and Social Affective Disorder. Interesting, the results showed a wide disparity in effective doses, and this reminds us to set our personal dosage according to our own perception of effectiveness. At times when the pressure is on, we might re-consider our dosage.  Ultimately, we need to be in tune with ourselves and adjust accordingly.  

Try tuning into your self-wisdom and when you feel the onset of anxiousness, irritability, or depression descending this holiday season, take a dose of CBD.

Whichever delivery method you personally prefer, is always your best choice, but there are certain advantages to consider. Often what is most useful is a quick abatement of symptoms and the fastest delivery methods for CBD absorption are sublingual or inhalation. A sublingual tincture dose will be fully effective in 20-30 minutes, anxiousness will dissipate, but energy levels will not be reduced. After a sublingual dose, the tincture is swallowed and will then pass through the digestive tract where CBD will be absorbed by receptors in the gut, which sustains the action. 

Inhalation is by far the fastest delivery system as the lungs are a direct conduit to the bloodstream, thus the effects are literally immediate. Smoking, of course, is not for everybody, particularly those with sensitive or compromised lungs. CBD vape pens can be a good choice as inhalation is gentler than conventional smoking. Synergy vape cartridges contain only pure CO2 extracted CBD with no secondary filler ingredients, all our extracts are also winterized removing the natural waxes for a gentler flow to the lungs.

Holiday blues are often the result of a combination of factors, and while the season’s festive gatherings are our focus, it can turn out to be more fraught than fun. Here are a few other suggestions to keep the blues at bay using CBD to navigate social gatherings.

Winter holidays have a strong association with alcohol, from mulled wine to whiskey toddies and brandy eggnog. The unfortunate reality is that alcohol is a depressant and after an evening of fun the next morning might bring back the blues. If you are battling the blues perhaps a CBD infused cocktail would be a pleasant alternative. Adding drops of CBD-rich tincture to your favorite soft drink can keep your spirits lifted without alcohol, or make your favorite cocktail and add CBD tincture instead of the booze. I like to doctor a tall glass of sparkling water with a few drops of bitters and 15 drops of CBD tincture, it is refreshing, hydrating and tastes good and makes you feel good! One has to use the alcohol-based tinctures, instead of the oil based, to add to drinks.

This month’s Cooking with Cannabis article features a mouthwatering recipe for canna-rich gingerbread cookies. CBD edibles pair perfectly with CBD infused drinks, the slower absorption of CBD in the gut means that the beneficial effects will be felt over a longer sustained period. Recent research has shown that CBD interacts with the cannabinoid type 1 receptor (CB1R),

The serotonin 5-HT1A receptor, which regulates anxiety responses and mood modulation.

With the pandemic fairly raging around us, the holidays will be different this year. Staying healthy and happy has to be our primary Christmas wish for everybody.

From everybody at Synergy Wellness, Merry Christmas!

*”Antidepressant-like and anxiolytic-like effects of cannabidiol” Scherer,Silva

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24923339/.

RECIPE: Balsamic roasted Brussels Sprouts with Synergy Tsu

Cooking with Cannabis - Thanksgiving Edition 

** This recipe suggests the use of our Olive-oil based Synergy Tsu tincture (#148) to mix in with regular olive oil.  This recipe serves 6 so we recommend about 3-6 ml. of tincture (which is roughly 3-6 droppers-full).  Synergy Tsu is a 22:1 CBD:THC tincture so there will be almost no psychoactive effects.   If you prefer to put a little more ‘spring in your step’, you can always use a higher THC olive-oil based tincture but then please adjust the dosage accordingly.  You can also just use the recipe on its own without any added cannabis because it’s delicious!

Mention this recipe and get $5 off your already sale-priced bottle of #148 Synergy Tsu

Remember to always proceed with caution and precision when making cannabis edibles (although if you use this CBD-rich tincture you shouldn’t have any issues) 

Brussels sprouts, an autumn delicacy are one of my personal favorite foods, but they have to be prepared well or they can taste bitter or a bit bland.  Roasting them gives them a lovely caramelization and brings out their best flavor.

 The taste of cannabis tincture is likewise not always palatable to all people so adding it to a Brussels sprouts dish is a perfect way to disguise the slightly bitter quality of cannabis behind the slightly bitter quality of the Brussels sprouts. 

Here is the base recipe (which is vegan) with a few suggested additions at the end of the recipe to add a little flare and flavor:

Ingredients: 

1 ½ pounds of Brussel sprouts, trimmed and cut in half through the core

¼ cup EVOO (Extra Virgin Olive Oil)

1 and ½  tsp. Sea salt or kosher salt

½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper

1-2 TBS aged balsamic vinegar (the syrupy kind)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place the Brussels sprouts on a sheet pan, including some of the loose leaves, which get crispy when they're roasted. Add the olive oil (with your Synergy Tsu tincture already mixed into it),  1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper, toss with your hands, and spread out in a single layer. Roast the Brussels sprouts for 20 minutes then take out and toss and then put back in for 10-15 minutes or  until they're tender and nicely browned.  Remove from the oven, drizzle immediately with the balsamic vinegar, and toss again. Taste for seasonings, and serve hot.

Extra touches:

Add Pancetta (4 ounces, diced in ¼ inc. pieces) at the beginning when tossing with oil.

Add grated parmesan cheese after about 30 minutes and put back in oven to melt the last 5 minutes.

Add a small handful of pomegranate seeds at the end when tossing with the balsamic.

From all of us here at Synergy Wellness,  We wish you a Healthy and Happy Thanksgiving!

A Thanksgiving Without Alcohol

That would be something to be thankful for

by Dan Reich 

As Thanksgiving approaches, many are looking forward to (or dreading) the opportunity to share a meal, and opinions, with their extended family. While alcohol has been the traditional lubricant, its record is far from commendable, and has more often made things worse than they needed to be.

Yet alcohol, from the pre-feast cocktails to the wine that many prefer to accompany their most memorable meals, unifies across generations and has become a tradition that most aren’t willing to consider putting aside, tempting though it may be to deny Uncle Ted a reason to get his conspiracy theories going. But at a time when 45% of adults (according to a 2020 Harris Poll) are swapping out some or all of their alcohol consumption for cannabis products, it may be something to consider.

While both have broadly similar effects in terms of creating a celebratory vibe (or “buzz”) alcohol and cannabis have very different effects on the body. Alcohol, and specifically the ethanol contained within it, is a toxin. A vast body of medical literature has identified alcohol as the cause of a number of chronic health problems having to do with organs removing toxins from the body, such as diseases of the liver and pancreas. Chronic alcohol consumption has resulted in increased amounts of depression, sleep issues, and cardiovascular problems.

 Cannabis, on the other hand, works with the body’s endocannabinoid system, a complex network of cellular receptors that regulate many body functions, such as moderating pain, regulating mood and supporting balance. It embraces cannabis instead of regarding it as a toxin. The body has no natural ethanol receptors.

 Another key difference…and one that could come into play at the Thanksgiving table… is that alcohol is much more likely to inspire risky behavior and bad judgement, from “hold my beer” feats of bravado to a horribly ill-advised decision to drive under the influence. Most people would agree that alcohol, rather than cannabis, is more likely to lead to confrontational, polarizing conversations.

 If you enjoy the ritual that goes with drinking on holidays like Thanksgiving, there are many festive cannabis concoctions, from sparkling spritzers to hoppy malt beverages to wines, that can be substituted for beer, wine, cocktails and cordials, without having to deny your guests a celebratory “buzz.”

 f you are looking for a way to defuse a potentially problematic gathering or simply would like to try something new, consider foregoing the bar and serve cannabis beverages instead. Cannabis tincture works well in mixed drinks, given a good stir the oil easily dissolves. Try our Iced Apple Spice mocktail recipe and enjoy a refreshing change this holiday season.

CBD Apple Spice Holiday Mocktail

By Elana Dusse

6 ozs/170g organic spiced apple cider

2 tablespoons of lime juice

2 tablespoons of lemon juice

2 tablespoons of clear honey, agave or simple syrup

60  drops/one dropperful of Synergy -Tsu tincture ( alcohol suspension)

Ice cubes to fill  4-6 glasses ¾ full.

Garnish;

¼ teaspoon all-spice

½ teaspoon cinnamon or mixed spice

½ teaspoon fine sea salt

½oz /28g granulated light brown sugar

finely sliced unpeeled apple slices

ice cubes

essential equipment:  a shallow dish , a large jug,  cocktail shaker and strainer, or large mason jar and sieve,

4-6 glass tumblers

This is a quick refreshing CBD-infused mocktail  to perfectly quench a Thanksgiving thirst and bring a relaxing vibe to the celebrations. First prepare your garnish, mix the sugar, salt and cinnamon/ mixed spice in the shallow dish. Then wipe the rims of the glasses with a wedge of lime and dip them in your garnish.

Next mix the apple juice, lime and lemon juices together in a jug, add the drops of Synergy Tsu tincture and mix thoroughly, the tincture will dissolve easily into the juice. Add your sweetener ( honey, agave, simple syrup) to taste, some will prefer sweeter but it's equally delicious when it is tart. Pour the juice into the ice-filled shaker or mason jar and shake for 20 seconds. Then using your strainer or sieve pour the chilled juice back into the jug.

Fill the glasses ¾ full with ice cubes, pour over the Apple Spice mocktail, add apple slices to the garnished rims and serve!