Back when we first started talking to Bellacures we knew Canna-Cure was going to be big but this is HUGE!

We are so honored to have had US Weekly’s Carly Sloane write such an honest and kind review of Canna-Cure and The Kush Queen products! We have highlighted some of our favorite parts below…

canna-cure: november special @ all California Bellacures locations

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Chill out! Treating yourself to a manicure/pedicure after a long work week is always a treat, but if you can’t seem to fully de-stress and put down your phone at the salon, a nail treatment spiked with CBD (A.K.A. Cannabidiol, a compound found in the Cannabis plant) is for you.

“Bellacures, the celebrity loved nail spa, is introducing a new partnership with Kush Queen called ‘Canna-Cure’ launching on Monday, November 1, at their California locations to provide people with the ultimate relaxation experience. ”

— US WEEKLY: CARLY SLOANE

While the ‘high-dea’ isn’t psychoactive and won’t get you high, the CBD-infused products are certainly therapeutic and calming. Get the details!

“I’m never one to pass up on any sort of dessert, so naturally, the CBD chocolate was no exception. I was greeted with a Perrier Sparkling Mineral Water and chocolate treat that started my day off on the right foot.”

— US WEEKLY: CARLY SLOANE

Not only was it delicious, but I felt as if I was able to completely chill out from the inside out after eating it. (It might have been in my head, but hey, it worked!)

“The next step included a pure CBD soak where Kush Queen’s 100% organic bath bomb was dropped into water.”

— US WEEKLY: CARLY SLOANE

If you’re sore from a SoulCycle class or have any sort of pain, this is the perfect remedy. The bath bomb is made with essential oils that are extremely nourishing and left my skin feeling hydrated and smelling fresh.

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“After ridding myself of aches, my legs and arms were massaged with sugar-cane based CBD scrub infused with lavender, rosehips and borage oil. Any dry skin was completely buffed away and was left super smooth in a gentle but effective way.”

— US WEEKLY: CARLY SLOANE

The Kush Queen CBD pain relief lotion was applied next and made my muscles feel strong and ready to go back to a workout class. It’s made with an organic aloe juice base and blended with powerful botanicals, so it glides on your skin easily and doesn’t leave any stickiness. Even better? It also provided an icy hot sensation because of the cooling menthol and warming capsicum that’s also in it. The tingly feeling was delightful and I was finally ready to get some color on my nails and toes!

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I opted for a nude shade for my nails and toes that came out beautifully. As I sat and let the colors dry, I felt calm, cool and collected.

“I was ready to take on the day with a stress free mindset and vibe, not to mention, my nails and toes looked pretty beautiful too! Another plus? I noticed that I was even more relaxed at the end than when I have a normal service!”

— US WEEKLY: CARLY SLOANE

Read about Kush Queen in the New York Post

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Dreams come true! Kush Queen was featured in Harpers Bazaar!

Check it out!

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Give the gift of relaxation with this yummy-smelling bath bomb that contains CBD oil to make baths suuuper relaxing.

By: Olivia Alexander

Image Via CBS

Image Via CBS

As Pride season kicks off, its the perfect time to celebrate the shared history of cannabis and the LGBTQIA+ community. With weed being so hot right now, we never want to forget that this progress was hard fought by some of the most marginalized people in society: the activist and leaders of the LGBT movement. It was the fight for LGBTQIA+ liberation and against HIV/AIDS that led to what we know as modern legalization. We don’t believe we would have progress without the work of these often overlooked heroes. It’s our hope to honor their spirit and keep their passion for medical cannabis access alive.

The Spark

Our modern Pride celebrations commemorate the Stonewall riots, which were only 12 years after the AIDS epidemic had first flared. This was only 3 years after the 1979 White Night Riots in San Francisco. These riots were triggered by the lenient sentencing of ex-cop and ex-supervisor Dan White for the assassination of openly gay Harvey Milk and his political ally, city mayor, George Moscone.

Harvey Milk was the first elected Queer in America, he pioneered decriminalization laws in his brief time in office. Milk was influential in the passing of Proposition W, the first initiative to decriminalize marijuana in San Francisco.

Image via PBS

Image via PBS

The Shift

The death of Harvey Milk would lead to a more fervent community activism machine that would eventually mobilize local funds for AIDS care and research. It would also build momentum and agitate for statewide medical cannabis access. The outrage over Milk’s death would energize a community unknowingly on the brink of an emergency. It would lay the foundation for lifelong activists out of many LGBTQ individuals in a time they would need it most. Activist like Cleve Jones, who was elected in 1982 to the San Francisco Democratic County Central Committee where he served three terms. He was crucially in a position of power,  as the community demanded funding for AIDS research and care. Patients and activists were lucky to have Jones and the board of Supervisors in San Francisco during this time who allocated millions to AIDS programs in the early ’80s. The city of San Francisco allocated millions more than the National Institute of Health did for the entire country.

While San Francisco managed to deal with the epidemic in a compassionate and swift manner, AIDS funding and the search for treatment hit federal roadblocks. Ward 86, founded in San Francisco General Hospital, was known as the worlds first AIDS clinic, established with the board of supervisors investments. The FDA and NIH would drag its feet for years when it came to testing and making available promising treatments from overseas. But with AIDS, people could not wait for federal help.

As the epidemic spread and the Federal government did nothing to act, aids patients wondered if they would die from AIDS or from the side effects of AZT. To compound the issues, the Regan Administration began its war on drugs, denying AIDS patients access to Cannabis which helped to combat the painful side effects of treatment. Thousands with AIDS died alone and many were cast out by their own families.  

Image by Maureen Hurley

Image by Maureen Hurley

The Activists

While many watched and ignored as these injustices were unfolding, there were people like Mary Rathbun who refused to sit idly by. Mary was a volunteer at San Francisco General Hospital, also known as “ Brownie Mary” because would hand out cannabis-infused brownies to the patients.

Dennis Peron, a friend of Harvey Milk’s would rise to be the father of medical marijuana. Peron was part political activist, part outlaw. He was a local dealer previous to the epidemic but quickly saw the plants healing properties helped with the side effects of AZT. Peron’s lover, Johnathan West would long inspire his work around medical cannabis access and compassionate care.

Peron told the LA Times “Marijuana made me the person I am.” and shared how it felt when his lover lost the battle with AIDS. “At that point, I didn’t know what I was living for. I was the loneliest guy in America,” Peron said. “In my pain, I decided to leave Jonathan a legacy of love. I made it my moral pursuit to let everyone know about Jonathan’s life, his death, and his use of marijuana and how it gave him dignity in his final days.”

Image by Andy Kuno via The New York Times

Image by Andy Kuno via The New York Times

The Change

It’s from these roots of activism and compassionate care that Peron and “Brownie Mary” would found the San Francisco buyers club, arguably known as one of the first dispensaries in American. Peron and Rathbun would help pass Proposition P in 1991. They would then go on to ultimately write Proposition 215 in 1996.

Sadly, Dennis Peron passed in early 2018, but the legacy he left behind will not be forgotten. It is thanks to him and the many other activists that committed their lives to supporting the medicinal use of Cannabis, that we are able to openly and passionately share this plant. This is why it is so meaningful to celebrate the LGBTQ communities work from the lens of a cannabis company. Our roots are deeply intertwined with LGBTQ history and now more than ever we believe in the importance of standing up for equality.

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This year proceeds from our Pride Collection will be donated Trans Life Line as we stand in solidarity with our LGBTQIA+ community.


Don’t forget to follow and tag @kushqueenshop & @kushqueenco in your Instagram posts and stories.

 

Shop Kush Queen CBD Products and the Limited Edition Pride Collection below!

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By: Ben Mervis

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Since the clock struck June the commercial color of the season seems to be rainbow. So far the reviews have been mixed, and I get it. In the grand scheme of things, I’m proud of corporate America’s rush to embrace the LGBT audience, although I’m also skeptical.

The marketing world has placed a high value on “their” LGBT audiences. Most pride campaigns paint a picture of highly educated men and women on a socioeconomic level akin to our straight counterparts — and that’s great, aspirational, inspirational and something we can’t take for granted. When I was a kid, I would have felt so much relief by seeing today’s marketing campaigns.

That being said, commercial advertisers paint this picture because it’s their ideal customer – someone who can actually afford to go shopping and will participate in the free PR that comes along with our overly social, super-documented lives.

But when you’re addressing pride — which I’ll remind you, started as a riot — you can’t just stop at the parts of our population that are doing well.

  • The Williams Institute does some of the nation’s leading research on LGBT topics and estimates that 40% of homeless youth served by agencies identify as LGBT

  • According to the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) so far in 2019, seven transgender people have been violently killed: all black trans women. Additionally, trans women of color make up four out of five anti-trans homicides, the HRC has said.

  • The Transgender Military Ban is still an ongoing issue, which even if it has not removed people from their posts, has certainly caused stress for our armed forces, and could keep some of our nation’s brightest minds from joining their ranks.

It’s easy to understand why those at either end — from the most disenfranchised to the trailblazers — are quick to feel like rainbow logos and two boys holding hands isn’t quite enough to call your company supportive. It doesn’t mean we don’t appreciate it… it’s just hard to take it as seriously.

I was recently in a pride event-related meeting where one of the organizers had a hard time saying the acronym “LGBT,” and nobody was throwing them a bone. Not only could this person not get the letters right, but when one of their peers offered something almost right, they still resolved to a default “whatever” to end the sentence. I was honestly offended that this person had probably put more thought into their celebration outfit than the community they were celebrating, but I helped them find their words, and I always will in these types of situations.

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I’d like to think that when one group within our LGBTQ+ communities gains representation and more of a voice, we all win. I recognize that as a cisgender white gay male, I’m one of the “easier” concepts for the simple mind to grasp; I feel and act upon the weight of that responsibility. I certainly can’t speak for other gays, but with this voice of mine and the spotlight I’ve been given, I will use it to raise up my less represented peers no matter their gender, race or religion.

Among the variety of progress displayed by big brands this year – the ads, logos, icons, packaging, shelf designs – there’s a big difference between pandering and representation. Here are some organizations that did it RIGHT this year.

  • Presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg’s pride gear incorporated black and brown into the rainbow, which is inclusive AF.

    • Bonus points for Pete(‘s social manager) adding his preferred pronouns to his Instagram bio

  • Calvin Klein  a brand synonymous with bodies and sexuality — featured a variety of homosexual and gender non-conforming models in their pride campaign.

    • This is huge in a world where we’re beginning to learn more about the ethos behind a brand, and it’s not always in alignment with our own.

  • Kush Queen’s Pride 2019 Collection hit the trifecta.

    • Kush queen put actual history on the pride collection packaging, educating consumers of the intersections between cannabis and LGBT progress.

    • Donating 20% to the Trans Lifeline is a generous donation by most corporate standards. This is an organization that puts boots on the ground and helps people every day – they need cash!

    • Kush Queen’s Pride campaign is 100% queer-produced creative.

Kush Queen CBD Pride Edition Bare Tincture stands out among smorgasbord of rainbow items like wristbands, slinkies, fans, and confetti.

I’ve been working with content producers/photographers/ directors/models for 6+ years, and the majority of that work focuses on our LGBT communities. I have two simple rules when it comes to this:

  • Only LGBT photographers should shoot LGBT storylines

  • Only LGBT talent should star in LGBT storylines

I’d like to take this moment to thank Courtney Charles for bringing queer creatives together to produce a beautiful, conceptual shoot for Kush Queen. I also want to thank our CEO Olivia Alexander for being one of the truest allies our communities could ask for.

It’s easy to be a hater, but easy isn’t the name of this game. I’m proud of everyone for speaking their feelings and not settling for what we’re given, but make sure you’re talking about the things that matter, not just shouting into the void.

Model wearing 3D blue & red glasses pictured infront of white bathroom tile with bubbles floating around.

I’m also going to take this moment to remind everyone that Ignite is Kush Queen’s INCREDIBLE water-based CBD Lube, which is condom safe. Health is wealth! STD’s are everywhere, and not always treatable. You can take care of yourself and have a good time. So do that.

Happy Pride, everyone.


Don’t forget to follow and tag @kushqueenshop & @kushqueenco in your Instagram posts and stories!

 

Kush Queens Pride Collection is Limited Edition and going fast! Grab yours before their gone and we will donate 20% of your purchase to Trans Lifeline!

Shope Pride!

By: JS Brunson

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Let’s talk about abortions. I’m going to be blunt with you because I don’t want to be deceptive. One of my best friends in college had an abortion. I didn’t find out about it until two years later. When I asked her why she kept such an important secret, she said she felt scared and ashamed and didn’t want to be judged. She said she knew it was the right decision for her, but feared if she was open about it her parents and friends would disown her. I remember looking at my friend as she was crying and pouring her heart out to me, and I told her that I would never judge her. That wasn’t my right to do so. I became so upset that she felt she had to defend her decision to the world. She felt she was alone in this. So much so that she went to the clinic by herself.

That moment forever changed me. After all that women have done for this world, including literally birthing it, I believe it’s shameful that we are still discussing what a woman is allowed to do with her own body.

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Now in case you missed it, this is a loaded statement. Before I break it down, grab a CBD PreRoll and drop some Kush Queen Bare CBD Tincture into your coffee because, hunnie,… it’s going to get deep.

Before you go off on me claiming that I want to kill human beings, let me be clear. I’m not discussing that. Literally not at all. I am solely talking about the policing of women’s bodies. Whether that policing comes from the Bible, the Quran or the United States government, it’s wrong because it places the power out of the hands of the individual and into the opinion of the masses.

Every single person on this planet has been birthed by a woman. Yet, we have been policing women’s bodies since the beginning of time. Women have been called unfit, weak, useless, less than, etc. Women in the past have been regulated to wearing multiple layers of clothing so that their natural shape wouldn’t entice men. During the days of slavery, Black women’s bodies were stripped naked and put on display in traveling circuses because white men and women couldn’t understand how their bodies became so curvaceous. Women, and especially Women of Color, have been fighting for equal rights since the dawn of patriarchy. To sit here in 2019 and still have to fight for the choice of what I am allowed to do with my own body is insulting. Yah, I’m gonna need some more CBD (and maybe some controlled breathing)!

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At the end of the day we aren’t talking about lives here, we’re talking about who holds the power over human beings. Is it not odd that Alabama, the same state that created the strictest abortion laws in modern history, executed a prisoner one day after declaring their heinous abortion laws. I’ll say that again. Alabama Governor Kay Ivey enacted a near total ban on abortions saying that a woman cannot legally abort her fetus once she finds out she’s pregnant even in the cases of rape and insest. That was on May 15th. On May 16th Alabama executed a convicted murderer. Which tells us that it isn’t about all lives but rather our perception of that person’s value in life. Where is the logic in that? Neither should be our choice. Should there be consequences in life? Absolutely. But those consequences should not be controlled by a person who has no real stake in the game.

HEAR THIS: If you have never been a woman, if you have never bled from your uterus multiple times a year, if you’ve never been faced with the decision of having to have an abortion or potentially living a life you aren’t prepared for, if you dislike people of color for whatever self-hating reason you have, then you should not have the authority to tell me what to do with my body.

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If you’d like to learn more, including how you can get involved, I encourage you to visit: https://www.plannedparenthoodaction.org/issues/act.

There, you will be able to:

  • Find an event near you

  • Sign a petition to fight back against 6-week abortion bans

  • Speak out to oppose the gag rule

  • Find out how to contact your local lawmakers

No matter what side of the issue you’re on, one thing remains true. If we take away a women’s right to choose what she does with her own body, we give up our power to those who have the potential to use it for their own personal gain. Let’s keep our life given power of choice. Let’s stand in our truth and tell the world “Get Your Hands off My Womb!”


Don’t forget to follow and tag @kushqueenshop & @kushqueenco in your Instagram posts and stories.

 

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By: Angela Viesti

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Summer’s right around the corner and that means pool parties, backyard BBQs, festivals, vacations, staycations, beach days, retreats and road trips. The quintessential summer agenda has me salivating for warmer weather so I can bust out the shorts & bathing suits that’ve been collecting dust since fall (because WTF SoCal?).

With the change in season comes the biggest threat to my fair skin–a sunburn. I always seem to get one good one each year (usually an awkward and embarrassing one), so caring for my skin post-burn is as essential as protecting it from the sun’s UV rays. Even if you don’t burn easily like I do, it’s still important to protect and care for your skin, especially if you’ve been exposed to more sun than is normal.

Other factors like dry heat, humidity, and fluctuating temperatures can make you a sweaty hot mess and wreak havoc on your skin’s condition and appearance–but they don’t have have to! My arsenal of Kush Queen’s CBD products that prime and heal my skin will be in heavy rotation all summer long and here’s how I plan on using them.

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Chin Up

Your face is exposed to the elements more than any other part of your body. What you put on your face can either help or hinder your skincare goals. Every morning, wash your face with a gentle soap then dab a thin layer of DEFYNT Anti-Serum to your face and neck. Its gentle rose scent instantly calms and uplifts your mood–it’s like stopping and smelling the roses while you get ready. The water-based serum’s silky texture nourishes the skin and the Amplifi nano-CBD protects it from bacteria, acne, and free-radicals.

This CBD infused serum saved my skin last summer when I had the opportunity to test it prior to DEFYNT’s official launch. I changed little about my skincare routine, other than applying the Anti-Serum twice daily before moisturizing, and my skin was noticeably clearer and brighter in less than 2 weeks. After a month, my pores had shrunk, I was devoid of acne, and my skin was glowing. The aloe leaf juice soothed and moisturized my sunburned face and prevented the dreaded snake-like peeling that comes with a burn.

Next on the agenda is a tinted moisturizer with SPF 50 UVA/UVB broad spectrum protection. I recommend that you always wear a sunscreen with SPF 30 or more, even when it’s not hot or sunny. When you’re planning on being in the sun for extended periods of time, it’s wise to pack sunscreen so you can reapply as needed. Sunscreen protects the skin from signs of aging and can be instrumental in the prevention of skin damage.

If you wind up with a sunburn and need to give your face some extra TLC, test out this DIY CBD Face Mask from our blog archives. Play around with the ingredients to find a blend that suits your skin type.

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Neck Down

My fair skin isn’t just prone to sunburns; it’s also sensitive, making it susceptible to rashes, chapping and other irritating conditions. Not a good thing when it’s hot out and I’m on the move. This is when I pull out my Melt Pain Relief lotion and apply it directly to the rash or dry skin for soothing moisture and instant relief from irritation. Melt is an aloe-based lotion with pain relieving properties that can help heal your skin if you forgot to reapply your sunscreen.

We all know we should exfoliate, but how often do we take the time to actually do it? During the summer months we want to keep our skin healthy and looking its best. I love using Renew Lavender Sugar scrub on my feet and hands during an at-home mani-pedi, revealing soft, rejuvenated skin. Renew can be used as a pre-shave exfoliator to prevent ingrown hairs with CBD and essential oils that help condition the skin and minimize irritation. Modify this DIY CBD Infused bath with cooler water and add a Renew scrub to keep your skin glowing.

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From Within

Earlier this year, I talked about healthy skin from within. On the blog and I stand by my sentiments, particularly now that things are heating up in the Northern Hemisphere. What you consume will eventually be released, some of which happens through the skin. Do your best to eat as many whole, plant based foods as you can. Simply cutting out refined sugars and processed foods that are devoid of nutrition and replacing them with a healthy option will do wonders for your skin and you energy levels. If you don’t believe me, try it for 2 weeks and see how you feel. Add an antioxidant boost to your homemade dips or salad dressings with a dropper full of Bare Tincture. It only has two ingredients, olive oil and CBD, so you can add it to any recipe that calls for olive oil.

Dehydration is the enemy of healthy skin. While alcohol can feel like a refreshing summertime staple, it can be problematic because of its dehydrating effects. I love a cold IPA as much as anyone, but waking up hungover and parched is no fun. So make sure you’re drinking plenty of water when you choose to drink, especially during the summer, and especially when you’re at a festival or party where you’ll be on your feet or moving a lot.

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Keeping your skin healthy is just that simple—always remember your sunscreen, drink plenty of water, and stock up on Kush Queen’s skin rescuing topicals this summer!


Don’t forget to follow and tag @Kushqueenshop & @kushqueenco in your Instagram posts and stories.

 

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By: Ben Mervis

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As a person who is alive and woke in 2019, I find that there are far more natural triggers for stress than there are for endorphins. This might also explain why we’re also a generation that’s honing the skills and therapies for self-care – which is great because we all know things aren’t going to be easier for today’s children.  

I don’t mind admitting this, but Elle Woods inspired me in many ways; if I work hard there’s almost nothing I can’t do (what, like it’s hard?), the bend and snap will always work if you’re trying to get a man’s attention, and exercise is a great way to naturally create mood-enhancing endorphins.

Admittedly, the title of this piece is misleading – this is not a step by step guide of exercises to practice when you’re feeling on edge. Rather some reminders that helped me find my own footing in the fitness world, which in turn has really been a great tool in my handling of stressful times.

It’s also worth noting that there are some really strong connections between exercise and CBD. Yes, a CBD topical (or ingestible) can help with relief and recovery – but CBD can also help make your workout more impactful. By reducing tension ahead of exercise, our bodies are better able to circulate blood carrying nutrients, energy, and endorphins.

**Medical disclaimer** by no means am I an expert here. These tips are based on my lived experience, and advice that I’ve gotten from fit friends like Aaron Marcotte over the years.

1. It’s all about the timing

We’re all usually trying to fit more into a day than we should – and I’ll speak for myself when I say that being overscheduled is a habit. So when I’m fitting in a workout, I make sure to know how long I can commit to it. I recommend that anyone who is not already on a regular workout routine, give this a moment of planning and save yourself some stress. Make sure to include time for warming up, exercise, cooling down/stretching, showering and refueling.

I give myself 2-hours from the minute I walk out my door, to when I finish my post-shower protein shake. This is usually 5:30 am – 7:30 am, but that’s just what works for me. There was a time where I’d fit the whole shebang into a 1-hour lunch break… but I found myself skipping my stretches, straining my muscles, and generally feeling more anxious than before I left the office.

2. Practice mindful breathing – your body can’t do anything if you’re not breathing.

This is something I often forgot when I first started lifting, but I really learned the importance of breathing through yoga and spinning classes. I found it incredibly helpful to have a coach/teacher reminding me to breathe, and actually connecting my movements to my breath and the beats. It’s become a form of active meditation for me.

3. Stimuli

From the get-go, I began working out with headphones in, and something full-blast. Whether I was listening to music, podcasts, or something else… it felt like a given that I should be plugged in during a workout.

It was only about a year ago that I realized the audio inputs can be distracting in and of themselves. What’s coming on next? Why don’t I have better playlists? Am I dancing and lip syncing without even realizing it? Is the cute guy on the treadmill next to me interested in chatting?

I’ve worked on understanding when I’m already overstimulated, and I make those days no-headphone days.

4. Stretching and recovery

The number one way to take the edge through exercise, in my experience – is a good stretch at the beginning and end of my workout. I find so much peace in reconnecting with my breath, and taking a moment to appreciate my body for the work it’s just done. This is another opportunity to work some CBD into your routine; I recommend a CBD tincture like Bare or one of Kush Queen’s CBD nano topical such as Soaked. In these cases, the CBD should help to fight post-workout aches, and keep your blood flowing and feeding your body’s recovery.

So the next time you feel a wave of triggers coming, or anticipate an anxious day/week/month – make sure to set aside some time for exercise – but don’t let it add to your stressors. Even a walk around the block should be enough to get your blood and endorphins flowing, you’ve just gotta give it a chance.


Don’t forget to follow and tag @kushqueenshop & @kushqueenco in your Instagram posts and stories!!

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