Cannabis Methods for Extraction 

/ Ramona Fontenot / Leave a comment

Getting the proper extracts is vital for most of us, and it lets you get the ideal product, rather than just flower. Not everyone likes to smoke, and sometimes, it’s hard to find the exact product needed. Here are some of the ways you can get an extraction and the methods used. These are dosed in interesting ways, and they are something that you want to make sure you get this correct, since this lets you get the most benefits possible from this, and you can also see just what levels of cannabinoid you’re getting with this, especially in the event that you feel you might take too much. With that said, here are some of the most popular cannabis extraction means. 

BHO Extraction 

This is called butane honey oil extraction and this is something that’s used a lot in perfumes and foods. This is something that starts with the cannabis being covered in butane, and then, they’re put in a separate container. 

The mixture then gets left out so that the butane evaporates, or you may use a vacuum to get rid of the butane. This is dangerous though since butane is flammable and it requires you to use a closed loop system to make sure that you have a safe experience extracting this. 

Supercritical Extraction 

This is a more environmentally friendly way to do this, and it basically doesn’t leave behind any toxins there, so if you’re looking to infuse this with various drinks or foods, you can. Basically, the CO2 that’s there gets heated up, put through the cannabis, and then, the liquid goes to a separator to get the CO2 out of the terpenes and trichomes. This also has the gas go through what’s called a condenser, which makes this liquid and offers more extraction. This process is incredibly specific and uses specific equipment, but for oils and waxes, it’s amazing. 

Ethanol 

This is another one that’s very popular too. Basically, ethanol is one that you find in plenty of preservatives and is considered safe enough to have. 

Basically, the plant gets put in ethanol to soak, extracting the THC from this. The rest of it gets then put through what’s called refining to help make the product a bit more pure. The ethanol does work to get rid of compounds that aren’t wanted, which helps with quality and flavor, making it refined and pure. 

Cold Water 

This is another one that basically puts the plant in a container that has water that’s freezing.  Once the plant gets awakened in this way, it cause the trichomes to fall off of the plant itself, then it goes through screens. This is simple, and it results in much lower THC levels compared to the rest. 

Isopropyl Oil 

Finally, we have this one and it involves the flowers getting put into some isopropyl alcohol, shaken a little bit to help strip these down directly to your trichomes. Then, the mixture gets strained, you have the solvent removed with a vacuum that keeps your temperature around 181 degrees. When this evaporates, the rest of what’s left is an oil that’s rich in THC. 

Basically these are some of the most popular ways to make these extracts, and the oils that you buy will be discussed on the label to tell you where they came from and how they’re made. But they do offer a variety of different benefits that you can enjoy, from vaping to dabbing to whatever, and it helps you get a really strong high, and a great THC experience that you will love. 

Cannabis and Mitochondria 

/ Ramona Fontenot / Leave a comment

Cannabis does have some pretty profound effects, and you may wonder if it affects certain parts of your body. Well, due to the agonists or what are considered the chemicals which have ways to bind to the receptors, it offers a way for you to look at the defects and cognitive issues associated with MS and Alzheimer’s.  The different protective elements can definitely prove to be something that a lot of people who are interested in using may try to get as much as they can out of this. 

Cannabis and Mitochondria 

Your brain and CNS are definitely using metabolic processes. While it only is about 2% of your body’s weight, it actually can consume up to a fifth of the caloric intake every single day. The synapses that junction between your nerve area has a lot of needs for energy, and there is a lot of mitochondria flocking to this area of the body. 

Mitochondria of course is basically the powerhouse of your cells, which is what you learned back in grade school and is responsible for producing energy and also protecting the body from the introduction of free radicals in the body, and those are usually very reactive, and short-lived as well. 

Your endocannabinoids do work within the mitochondria and the nucleus, which is vital to ensure that the energy and the needs that are there do get met. It’s something that as well is a big part of cannabis, and the function of the brains. 

How cannabis works with mitochondria to protect Aging 

A big part of aging definitely is the imbalance of energy, and the buildup of your toxins. With the dysregulation of the synapses, this of course can be a huge factor in the pathogens, and also does cause a progression of the body towards the decline of cognition. This also is a big part of the deterioration of the mental capabilities too. 

Cognitive effects are something that we see which results from changes to the connections of the nerves. The neurons in neighboring areas of the brain which transmit different messages from one location to another struggle in brains that age, and they may have the message skewered as a result. This causes oxidative damage, and it also may cause further and further issues with connectivity between your synapses which are there to look for different connections, and this causes Huntington’s and Alzheimer’s to develop in the aging brain. 

Senescence, which is a big part of this, is basically deterioration, or when the cells age in a general sense because of too much oxidative damage or even damage towards certain genetic material and the lipid membranes of the brain cavity. The destruction of the free radicals within your nerves will help to insulate the myelin sheath, and it also can help prevent the shrinkage of the brain’s white matter, along with reduction your cerebrospinal fluid expansion volumes. 

With cannabis, the endocannabinoid receptors are a big part of protecting your brain as it ages, and you should definitely make sure that you get cannabinoids to help keep the energy, or as they call it ATP, pumping through the body.  if you mitigate the pore formation of calcium and the toxic glutamate leakage, this also prevents the dysregulation that contributes to nerve cell aging. 

Basically, cannabis helps you keep everything in proper balance, and helps make sure that we get everything necessary to keep our bodies going. For the aging populace, this could be something brand new that does change the game for them and makes it even better to have a healthy brain and body. 

All about cannabis Ruderalis 

/ Ramona Fontenot / Leave a comment

This is a third species that comes directly from the plant, similar to indica and sativa, but it has specific physical along with phytochemical results from this. The plant itself comes from eastern Europe and central Asia, and that does grow wild there still. ruderalis are autoflowering, so they will flower due to time, rather than the light changes, and some believe that it’s a specific species that branches off of cannabis sativa. This is much more dominant in CBD, and also has less than 3% total THC in it, and it’s pretty easy to grow too. 

What is it Exactly? 

This is not as well known because it’s more of a tool, helping to make strains that are auto flowering, but it’s much more than that. It was first found in 1924, with its name coming directly from rubble, as this looked initially like weed that grew along the side of the road, or in lands that are disturbed. This is a subspecies that’s classified directly by the buds that are autoflowering, and they’re created up to 40 days after first sprouting within the ground, and this differs from other strains, which are based on the sunlight changes. 

This does look different from the other kinds of species for a reason. Both sativa and indica both have leaves that are pointed, but ruderalis only has three total points on their leaves, and two very tiny other points. They don’t get higher than about 2 feet tall, and they crate stems which are thick, and flowers that are few and far between. 

The cannabinoids within this are what makes them different. It’s low in THC, more CBD, but the cannabinoids and terpenes that are also there may also offer some psychoactive reasons. It’s a hardy plant that’s totally resistant to disease and pests, and this is also autoflowering, making it more resilient for breeding, and it definitely is better for mixing to create cultivars that are much stronger and way more sturdier. 

This is made through some of the changes to the sativa plant, and it does basically come from this, since it originated in the same area. It’s basically a middle strain and is easier to create and grow. 

Uses and benefits 

This is good for those growers who want to make medical cannabis that’s low in THC, but high in CBD, used for the treatment of inflammation and pain. It also is good for those growers who want something that’s predictable, and doesn’t create a ton of fuss either, or is much easier to grow in a garden where you need to be discreet with this. 

This also is good for those who are new to growing cannabis too, or who want to try cannabis, but they need something easier too. Due to the fact that Ruderalis does have less THC than the other subspecies, those who want to have higher levels of THC will not benefit from this one. 

This also does bring up another problem too. Some of the strains that are autoflowering also come from different growing places that have more disease, metals, and also can create plants that are less resilient compared to the sativa and indica strains that would be made otherwise. 

It’s not very risky though, and with this one, it can offer a lot of great benefits, without possibly offering too much THC content, and is perfect for the CBD-chasing lovers out there who want something that’s easy to take and work with, but still offers a lot of the great cannabis effects that are out there too. 

Things to Know about Cannabis Concentrates 

/ Ramona Fontenot / Leave a comment

If you’re someone that is new to medicinal cannabis, you may wonder what the appeal of concentrates is. If you’re someone that’s been using these for a bit, you might know a little bit more. most concentrates are made through extractions, which get rid of the plant matter that’s not needed, including leaves and stems, while also keeping the cannabinoids along with the terpenes intact within the plant. 

They’re availible in a bunch of different forms, and here, you’ll learn some of the cool things about cannabis concentrates that you should know. 

They’re Made from the Trichomes 

Yes, they’re made from the trichomes, which are crystals that you see on a leaf. They’re sticky, tiny, and smell amazing, and they look like frost on top of them. inside of this is of course, your cannabinoids along with terpenes, and they create some great aromas and different effects in every single strain, and they also allow you to fully benefit from cannabis. 

Not every concentrate is an extract 

While all extracts are considered concentrates, not every concentrate is an extract. That’s because of the trichomes. Extracts are made through using different means to literally take the trichomes from the plants. Dry sift, kief, rosin, and the like are all made through removing trichomes directly from your plant, and you make sure to remove that fully. 

You have a lot of options 

The cool things about this, is that there are so many different textures for this, and a lot to choose from. Shatter for example is brittle, much like how glass is, and is super sticky. There are also those that are batter and budder for texture, and they’re easy for you to use, and are similar to cake batter. 

Another fun kind is crumble, which is literally a texture that does crumble when you handle it. Concentrates also are involved in sugars as well, which has a texture literally like sugar. There is also sauce, which is sticky and liquid. Finally, you’ve got one that’s literally a crystalline sort of texture, and it’s made form diamonds, aptly called diamonds. 

They are potent 

Yes they’re super potent, and that’s something that you should keep in mind, and the dry leaf has a potency of up to 25% THC, but concentrates are at least double that, sometimes up to 90%. This is something that you definitely want to educate yourself on before you try this, as you can definitely mess it up, and it may end up being too overwhelming for you. 

You’ve got options 

There are tons of ways for you to ingest the concentrates that you want to us. There are pods, pens that you can dispose, and vape cartridges that do get heated up through a battery to vaporize this. These vape pens are  a lot more discreet and are better for those who are beginners. 

There are other types of concentrates that are used in a different way. You can also use this by sprinkling a little bit on top of the flower to truly enhance the experience. Finally, there is also the edible option, which means that you’re ingesting cannabis. This is something that take a bit longer to kick in, but it’s super potent, and it’s something a lot of people do like to use. 

Regardless, if you like cannabis and you like to use concentrates, they’re a great option for those interested in using cannabis, and in this post, we went over the top things to keep in mind when you’re trying to use concentrates and some of the factors of them.