Everyone seems rushed, irritated and even annoying – sometimes you just want to mental slip away – marijuana might be a short term answer

Work, kids, the election year and social media can all make our day to day rushed, irritating and stressed.  Sometimes you just want to mental slip away and let your troubles fall evaporate and let your body and soul relax and enjoy a moment. Cannabis can help you have an hour or two to just be in the moment.  And unlike alcohol, there isn’t a hangover which can or can’t pop up afterwards. Microdosing is another option as you engage in activities to just let you sink into a relaxed mood. Here are the best moments to slip into bliss by consuming marijuana.

Here are the best blissful moment to consume marijuana and right your soul.  Just remember if you vape, using an oil or go old school and smoke, you will feel THC quickly.  Edibles, including gummies, can take 30-60 minutes to hit.

Taking a bath

If has been a long and you you and your body are exhasuted and a hot bath is always inviting. Set the scene with scented candles and relaxing tunes then consume a little marijuana. Once you’ve settled in, achieve physical and psychological serenity. The warm water and soothing tunes will align with the plant and let your anxiety float away.

Enjoy a good meal

Microdosing can be a hit here as you just want to take the edge off.  Cannabis will help you savor every flavor and enjoy each dish.  You’ll be awed by every appetizer, soup, salad, entrée and decadent dessert that arrives at your table. Certain strains will help you avoid the munchies so you don’t go overboard.

Working out with weed.

Working out and marijuana gives an endorphin high. The runner’s high” is very much akin to the cannabis experience, because exercise activates the endocannabinoid system in the same way as consuming weed. It can also give your metabolism a boost. For runners, it alleviates the tedium of putting one foot in front of the other. For those who opt for exercise machines, which are designed to isolate individual muscle groups, cannabis will allow you to focus more keenly on the contraction of those muscles. Many yoga enthusiasts swear by cannabis because it marginalizes linear thought and focuses awareness on breathing and proper alignment.

RELATED: Is There A Link Between Runner’s High And A Marijuana High?

Clean your home or gardening

Some people find bliss in a clean house or a beautiful garden. Some strings of Cannabis will place you in a zone of achievement – even actual play! Pay attention to your thought processes. You’ll find that the mind entertains itself as the body scrubs the bathroom. It will bounce happily from topic to topic and wrap itself around pleasant ideas. You’ll solve problems and find solutions.

RELATED: Can Taking CBD Make It Easier To Digest Political News?

Movies & music

Cannabis lets your mind settle and focus, which makes experience amazing. Music is richer, jokes are funnier.  Some people feel it is like you are in the movies or part of the music. Whether you are settled in a big, dark, comfortable movie theater/auditorium or snuggled on your couch, your mind can lose itself. All of your senses are deprived except for sight and sound. And because cannabis seems to promote empathy, involvement with the action on-screen is enhanced. You might want to focus on more upbeat movies and not on extreme action or horror.

Commune with nature

Losing yourself in nature is great, whether an urban stroll or a walk on the beach, forest, meadow, etc. you realize the outside is great place. Re-establishing the connection with fresh air, birds singing and the nature can delight your soul. After consuming, you can observe the world’s palette of colors, feel the wind, bask in the sun. Allow your worries and problems to diminish.

Getting it on

RELATED: 4 Ways Weed Works in The Bedroom

Evidence indicates  cannabis users report physical and sensual enhancement, making for a fuller time of enjoyment.. Cannabis eases anxiety, giving an opportunity to go with the flow and delight in the experience.

Dasani is the “chicken nuggets” of water—stripped, processed, and rebuilt from the ground up.

Topo Chico mineral water helps bring out the flavor in a strain like Hashburger.

And tap water is way smarter than Smart Water.

These are just a few takeaways from our chat with a bonafide water sommelier who has tips on getting high and staying hydrated.

To help us wrap our heads around water as both a resource, lifestyle, and cannabis companion, we spoke to Milin Patel, a London-based and world-famous water sommelier, consultant, and coiner of aquatasteology, who has etched out a niche studying and spreading accessible information on his favorite subject—that H2O. 

“I look at the ways water interacts in our built environment, from food manufacturing to power generation, to hospitals…You ask people, ‘can you describe the taste of water?’ They’ll be like, ‘hey, it’s just water, it doesn’t taste anything.’ Mother Nature has more flavor than Coca Cola and Pepsi Cola put together. But we’ve just never been educated from a young age to respect and drink water in a certain way,” he told me.

In short, we made a hydro homie for life. Summer solstice is here and the longest day of the summer is only the beginning of the hottest days. Water is the key to not only health, but better breath, and a happy time on THC.

For more, follow Milin Patel | World of Water Consultancy at Instagram: @hydratetheimagination.

So what’s the secret? ‘Total Dissolved Solids’

Much like cannabis, water has a terroir; each source, be it a spring, river, or glacier, influences a water’s taste, feel, and interaction with other substances—like cannabis. The key is looking for single-sourced spring water, and then examining the mineral content. This is where the character of water comes from, called the total dissolved solids (TDS).

TDS is measured in milligrams per liter (mg/l) or parts per million (ppm) and encompasses:

But why does TDS matter so much? Well, it’s the chief architect of water’s taste and character that you will experience. Think of low-TDS water like white wine, vs high-TDS water like a tough red.

Patel states:

TDS charted:

• Pure to soft water: 0 to 150 ppm
• Average tap water: 150 to 400 ppm
• Mineral water: 500 ppm and up.

Fun fact: Vichy Catalan mineral water in Barcelona has 2,900 ppm TDS!

By contrast, Topo Chico Mexican mineral water has 600 ppm TDS.

Add some bubbles:

“Sparkling water can add a refreshing and effervescent element to the experience. The bubbles can cleanse the palate between cannabis inhalations, plus providing a unique sensation of the bubbles. Plus help suppress the munchies.”

A low-TDS water like Fiji, which flows over silica-rich volcanic rocks, will feel smoother than the naturally-carbonated Topo Chico, which comes from Monterrey, Mexico.

Distinct flavors and experiences can emerge even within waters with similar TDS content; in our video interview, Amelia tried a volcanic water from Hawaii that she found a lot silkier than Fiji; a naturally-carbonated water from Poland was far more tart than the crisp taste of Topo Chico or San Pellegrino (which is spring water with added carbonation).

Mind the acidity, or pH

Water is either alkaline, neutral, or acidic. For example, high alkaline waters (low pH) will have a nuance of smooth, silky ,and bitter taste. Slightly acidic waters (high pH) may have a delightful citrus snap.

Temperature matters

Room temperature, cold, and iced water all produce different nuances to the hydration experience. Room temps work best for flavor, iced water for throat relief.

(Note: You should be drinking, like, 64 ounces of water per day.)

Watch out for purified water

It’s hard to improve on nature, so be wary of highly processed or treated water. Patel is not a fan.

“Purified water, often positioned as a pinnacle of purity, is, in reality, nothing more than tap water subjected to an industrial processing line. Opting for purified water might not align with your best interests. “

Consider this: purified water is essentially the ‘chicken nugget of waters’ in my opinion. It undergoes extensive processing and ends up being sold back to you at very high prices.

Milin Patel, World of Water Consultancy

Natural spring water has more character, and by extension, more impact.

“Before taking that refreshing sip, delve into the source and filtration process, as it could make a world of difference in your overall water experience.”

Some pairing ideas:

When smoking straight Flower (joint, bowl, bong):

• Water pairing: Crisp and neutral spring water before combustion can complement the clean taste of smoking pure cannabis. As you burn through your bud, a higher TDS and sparkling water can help break up the residue and keep your mouth receptive to terpenes.
• Cannabis Strain: Consider a balanced hybrid like Blue Dream or RS11 for a smooth experience. 

Smoking a blunt, spliff, or with tobacco:

• Water Pairing: A still, high mineral-rich water can enhance the flavor profile, while a robust sparkling water with a touch of acidity can cut through the tobacco taste.
• Cannabis Strain: A robust strain like OG Kush or GMO Cookies can pair well with the rich flavors of a blunt, while a milder strain like Northern Lights can complement the tobacco without overpowering.

Vaping:

• Water Pairing: A soft (low-TDS), still water can refresh you between vape sessions. Ideally the water is room temperature, which allows the palate to better absorb flavor.
• Cannabis Strain: Try a flavorful strain like Pineapple Express, Jealousy, and Tropicana Cookies for a pleasant vaping experience.

Dabbing:

• Water Pairing: Opt for room-temperature water to cleanse the palate after each dab. If the dab is too excessive, or you misfire on temperature, then iced or cold water with bubbles will provide immediate relief. 
• Cannabis Strain: Concentrates often have intense flavors, so choose a strain like Gelato or Runtz for a well-balanced experience.

More tips:

• Drink water at room temp to best understand its flavor
• Smoke a joint or take a dab with low-TDS water for maximum flavor, like Icelandic Glacial. Chase the hit with high-TDS water like Evian to bring out new notes. Then bubble water to reset the palate.
• Smoke delicate sativas with low-TDS water to amplify the subtlest notes.
• Smoke hard-hitting indicas with high-TDS water like Topo Chico for a taste safari.
• Seek out niche, regional mineral waters for new layers. Hit the Vichy Catalan in Barcelona. The Topo Chico in San Diego, CA.

Aside from the “nugget” waters, there are no “right” or “wrong” waters, but you may find you prefer one type when smoking a joint and another when firing up a dab. There are also different times in your sesh that different waters might serve you; a softer water preps your palate, while a more mineral-heavy water may better help quench your thirst and complement terpenes when cottonmouth sets in. 

“In summary, just as the right wine enhances the flavors of a meal, choosing the appropriate style of water can elevate the taste of terpenes,” Patel says, “promoting the entourage effect and contributing to a more enriching experience of cannabis, both in terms of flavor and potential health benefits.”

Looking for the top bottled waters?

Much like finding your preferred cannabis cultivar or family of strains, the fun of finding the right water for you comes from experimentation. While your local grocery will likely stock a few popular brands, smaller neighborhood stores in cultural neighborhoods often stock unique options. Single-source waters will list their source site and mineral content on the bottle; it may be worth keeping a notebook to keep track of your pairing journey. 

The Los Angeles Times tried 70 of them in 2023. They liked:

• Mountain Valley
• Aqua Carpatica
• Castle Rock
• Acque Panna
• Fiji
• Starkey

The top-selling bottled still waters in the US are:

• Aquafina
• Glaceau (Smart Water)
• Dasani
• Poland Spring (Nestle)

(So basically water snobbery is like music snobbery—where the big corporate best-sellers are detested in favor of weirder, more regional brands. Good to know!)

Summer is fun, but can be a bit hectic…and one look away and a dog can eat anything – don’t panic, but here are the steps if he gobbles some weed.

Family vacations, car trips, camping, outdoor bbqs…summer is filled with all sorts of great activities. For the 44+% of households who have a dog, it can be a bit of a challenge. Dog are curious, hungry and able to spot a “treat” a hundred miles away.  So don’t panic, but here are the important steps if your dog has marijuana.

Dog sniffs food before they eat it. They are trying to get a good sense of what they are about to consume. If the food is stale or spoiled, they may refuse to eat, or it simply might be because it does not taste/smell good or familiar. It is unlikely a dog will eat flower because of the taste, but edibles, gummies and other things with little smell could be fair game.

No matter how much marijuana your dog consumes, you should keep an eye on their symptoms and learn what marijuana poisoning looks like. Symptoms can change depending on the size of the dog and the amount of cannabis that was consumed. These can include vomiting, drooling, wobbly movements, barking or howling, lethargy, rapid heart rate and changes in body temperature. While the symptoms seem to be all of ver the place, they reflect how the dog is feeling. Like alcohol, which should never been given to an animal, dogs can’t process why their world is suddenly altered.

“While marijuana is not exactly toxic for dogs, if your dog ate it in the form of an edible, other compounds may cause adverse reactions. Some of the ingredients in edibles, like chocolate or the sugar substitute Xylitol, can be deadly,” says Michael San Filippo, spokesperson for the American Veterinary Medical Association.

If you are concerned your dog has consumed, the best way to ensure that nothing goes wrong is to contact your vet and if needed to him to emergency care. This lets the experienced experts determine a solution. Be honest with your concerns so they determine the course of treatment and save the life of your dog.

RELATED: Fireworks And Pets, Can Marijuana Or CBD Help

While it’s best to consult a doctor, making your dog vomit is kind of simple and could help them get the toxins out of their stomach. When done within 15 minutes of ingestion, this could help prevent toxins from seeping into their bloodstream. “Give one teaspoon of 3% hydrogen peroxide orally per 10 pounds of dog. Your dog should throw up within about 15 minutes,” said Gary Weitzman, president of the San Diego Humane Society.

Another key thing to do is remember a dog is not a human, they can’t reason what is going on, enjoy the journey, chill out and sometimes remember the blue gummy made them sick. No matter the bad experiences, some dogs don’t learn and try to eat something again if it smells ok. Ensure the marijuana and edibles are in a place out of reach, where the elements can’t fall and where the dog won’t be able to find them. All household members should know to keep marijuana out of your pet’s reach.