.png)
5 Favorite Self-Care Products For a Healthy, Happy New Year
Photo credit: Priscilla Du Preez
The holiday season is a time of indulgences. Wine, food, and rich flavors spoil our palates while daily health routines are often put on pause during this joyful time of year. After weeks of festive dinners and celebrations, early January presents a time where we can shift our focus to health-conscious activities and decisions. It’s also a time where we begin to plan our New Year’s resolutions.
I recently came across a note from a close friend and insightful yoga instructor, Jennifer Powers @zen_jenjen, who was discussing New Year's resolutions. A resolution implies that there’s something to “resolve” or to “fix”. In her view, we are all already enough. Instead of focusing on the bad, grow the good. We do not need a new year to reset - each breath is a fresh start.
These inspiring words have resonated with me. To learn to love ourselves for who we are now is a goal we should set our mind to. A simple first step is to focus on self-care, which is the ultimate practice that can benefit your life, your relationships, and your overall happiness. Cannabis and CBD-rich products have been a tremendous tool in my self-care regimen. Whether I am using a tincture, edible, bath bomb, or vape, if done with intention, this healing herb always finds ways to comfort the mind, body, and spirit. So why do cannabis and CBD-rich products help so much? Because they work directly with the endocannabinoid system (ECS).
If you haven’t heard of the endocannabinoid system before, it is a biological system that is composed of endocannabinoids, which are lipid-based neurotransmitters that bind to receptors and proteins that are expressed throughout the central nervous system. Cannabis is able to stimulate this system by introducing cannabinoids (CBD, THC, etc.) that bind to our CB1 and CB2 receptors in our body’s cells, which produce a variety of therapeutic effects. These important receptors help maintain homeostasis by regulating appetite, memory, blood pressure, inflammation, stress, among many other things. Isn’t it incredible to think that there is a plant that’s made to work with our body in this way?
This January, I encourage you to focus on your well-being. Below are five of my favorite self-care products that will kickstart a healthy, happy New Year.
1. Kikoko “Buzz” HoneyShot
(photo credit: Kikoko)
I’ve always been a fan of combining cannabis and honey. This is because honey is considered to be a prime vehicle to deliver herbal medicine. It is also one of the most easily digested forms of carbohydrates, directly entering into the bloodstream providing almost instantaneous effects. This is why is makes such a great carrier for cannabis.
New to Kikoko’s lineup of wellness products, Kikoko Honeyshot’s are must try while on the go. Infused into New Zealand Manuka honey, you can enjoy CBD-rich “Calm” or THC-rich “Buzz” cannabis sticks. Try Kikoko’s “Buzz” for an instant mood boost. Click here for a list of current retailers.
2. Verte Essentials Elevate Vital Oil
(photo credit: Verte Essentials)
During the colder months, I love making CBD herbal tea. As an avid skier, this comforting blend battles inflammation and helps maintain mind/body balance throughout the day. Republic of Tea’s Cardamon Cinnamon is one of my top tea choices during winter because of its healing beta-caryophyllene terpene profile. To make a CBD tea, I add Verte Essentials Elevate Vital Oil, which is a Chai spiced blend of hemp-derived CBD, botanicals and full-bodied herbal extracts. This oil is also packed with beneficial terpenes such as myrcene, limonene, beta-caryophyllene, and caryophyllene oxide. Whether you add it to a tea or enjoy on its own, Elevate Vital Oil is the perfect product to purify, protect, and invigorate your body this New Year. Click here to order.
3. Mondo Powder
(photo credit: Kyra Mueller-Yamamoto @kyrious.co for Mondo)
I just can’t get enough of Mondo. If you love to cook, this organic cannabis-infused powder deserves a home in your pantry in 2019. Mondo is low in calories and dissolves instantly, blending in seamlessly with your favorite flavors. In the morning, improve your self-care regimen by adding a scoop of Mondo CBD powder to your smoothie. At night, try adding Mondo THC powder to your favorite pasta sauce. As someone who struggles with anxiety and stress, Mondo has worked wonders, providing natural relief that has helped me maintain a healthy, balanced life. Hats off to the founder, Emily O’Brien, and her team for making such a wonderful product. Click here to shop for Mondo.
4. Mighty Health “Balance” CBD Nutraceuticals
(photo credit: Monica Lo @sousweed for Mighty Health)
Last year, I had the pleasure of meeting the team from Mighty Health. As creators of cannabis-infused nutraceuticals, I was excited to sample their revolutionary “Focus” 1:1 blend, created to enhance clarity and productivity. Guess what? They work! By tapping into cannabinoid science and by experimenting with different bio-active ingredients, Mighty was able to create an effective capsule that helped me focus. Since then, cannabis-based supplements have been a part of my self-care routine. Recently moving into CBD, the Mighty Health team has done it again with the release of their brand new “Balance” line that brings natural alignment and overall wellness to the body. If you are in search of a trustworthy hemp-based CBD nutraceutical brand that works, choose Mighty Health. Click here to purchase.
5. Vertly Skincare Products
(photo credit: Vertly)
To be your best self, you must take care of your body inside and out. One of my favorite plant-based skincare lines is Vertly. Using only the finest, natural ingredients sourced from Northern California, the company’s full-spectrum hemp CBD line brings relief and deeply nourishes the skin. You’ll often find me using Vertly Lip Butter and Vertly Relief Lotion on the regular. Be sure to look for their new luxury CBD-infused Bath Salts now available to order at VertlyBalm.com.
With 2019 only a few hours away, remember to embrace your inner light next year and to focus on the good. Wishing you a very healthy and happy New Year!
Peace, Love & Cannabis,
Jamie Evans
Founder, The Herb Somm
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Jamie Evans is the founder of The Herb Somm. She is an educator, host, and writer specializing in cannabis, food, recipes, wine, and the canna-culinary world. In addition to her work in the cannabis industry, Jamie has over ten years of wine industry experience. Having represented a wide array of organizations and wineries, she is best known for producing high-end events and developing top-notch public relations, marketing, and hospitality programs. She was also recently named as one of Wine Enthusiast Magazine’s Top 40 Under 40 Tastemakers in 2018.
