Let’s face it: life can be pretty demanding sometimes.
Even when pandemics and protests aren’t raging all around us, there’s still all the normal daily stuff to contend with: bills, career pressures, family issues, and much, much more. Suffice to say that most people who want to thrive in today’s modern world need all the help they can get.
And the good news is that this help is readily available in the form of natural compounds from fungi and plants.
In this article, we’ll be taking a close look at 3 different natural compounds and how each of them can be used to take your life to the literal next level. These 3 compounds are THC, CBD, and psilocybin/psilocin. Here’s an outline:
- CBD: Nature’s Anti-Inflammatory Solution
- What is CBD?
- The history of CBD research
- Who’s actually using CBD today? Here’s the data
- How to tell if CBD is right for you
- Dosing with CBD: low and slow
- Consider taking CBD if you…
- THC: The Bliss Molecule
- What is THC?
- THC and medical cannabis
- THC and anandamide
- THC and the active lifestyle
- THC’s many therapeutic uses
- Who’s actually using THC today? Here’s the data
- How to dose your THC (the right way)
- The THC products we carry — and why
- Cannabis for…socio-political change?
- Psilocybin/psilocin: The Reset Switch
- What are psilocybin and psilocin?
- How psilocybin mushrooms are grown
- Who actually uses psilocybin? Here’s the data
- How to dose with psilocybin
- Magic mushrooms & evolution: the stoned ape theory
- The goal of personal evolution
- Consider taking psilocybin if you…
- How to combine plant compounds and supercharge your life
- CBD + THC
- CBD + shrooms
- THC + shrooms
- CBD + THC + shrooms
CBD: Nature’s Anti-Inflammatory Solution
Move over, aspiring and NSAIDs — CBD is a natural equivalent that’s decidedly safer and lower in side effects. People across the world are using CBD to find relief from sleep problems, autoimmune issues, chronic inflammation, and much more.
But the most impressive thing about CBD actually lies in what it doesn’t do. It doesn’t make one drowsy…or get them high…or interact with pharmaceuticals. Some people have said that it provides “healing without the high.” Accurate enough!
What is CBD?
CBD, or canna-bi-diol, is a compound naturally produced by hemp and marijuana. It’s just one within an extensive class of compounds called cannabinoids (the other especially ‘famous’ cannabinoid, of course, is THC).
While CBD isn’t quite as powerful per unit as THC is, it’s arguably more versatile. People have had success using CBD for virtually everything — that is, every conceivable health problem — under the sun. We can’t promise it’ll do anything for you, of course. So we’ll just say there’s only one way to really find out.
And even though CBD binds directly to the body’s endocannabinoid receptors, it doesn’t get a person high. Why’s that? Because its unique molecular shape and size mean it can’t bind directly to delicate (and psychotropic!) CB1 receptors within the brain.
It wouldn’t be accurate to say CBD’s completely non-psychoactive, however. Many users report subtle uplifting effects as CBD begins to rebalance their endocannabinoid, dopaminergic, and serotonergic systems.
The history of CBD research
CBD was first discovered in 1964 by Dr. Raphael Mechoulam and his team of researchers at Hebrew University in Israel. Though THC’s discovery preceded it by only a year, CBD remained overlooked for quite some time. Many people thought it lacked the health benefits of other cannabinoids simply because its effects were so much harder to observe.
That all started to change in the 70s, when several studies lent themselves to the “increasing realization that CBD is superior to THC in safety and potential anti-seizure activity,” according to this modern-day review. It became clear that CBD powerfully regulated things like neurotransmission and neuro-inflammation — it just did so subtly enough that initial effects were hard to detect.
Even so, it would be several more decades before the public caught on. It took several prominent news stories to really bring CBD into the spotlight. In 2014 millions of people watched viral videos of epileptic children, notably Charlotte Figi, taking CBD and experiencing nearly-instantaneous relief from severe seizures. All of a sudden the cannabinoid didn’t seem so subtle anymore.
Fast forward to today, and people have realized that CBD’s not just for epilepsy. Spurred on by legal changes that’ve enabled farmers nationwide to grow CBD-rich hemp, this plant compound is now more readily available than ever before!
Who’s actually using CBD today? Here’s the data
Who’s actually taking CBD these days, you might ask? All sorts of people, according to the latest surveys.
In America, pain relief is the biggest reason for CBD use, according to Singlecare:
- 64% of people use CBD for pain relief
- 49% of people use CBD for anxiety
- 42% of people use CBD for insomnia
And CBD is more popular among young people than anyone else, according to the Gallup Poll:
- 20% of people ages 18-29 use CBD
- 16% of people ages 30-49 use CBD
- 11% of people ages 50-64 use CBD
- 8% of people age 65 and older use CBD
What about product types? The same Singlecare survey mentioned above shows us that capsule products are most popular:
- 18% of users are interested in capsules
- 18% of users are interested in topical sprays
- 17% of users are interested in CBD-infused food, such as chocolate
- 13% of users are interested in vaping products
- 12% of users are interested in soap
- 11% of users are interested in CBD-infused drinks
- 9% of users are interested in CBD bath bombs and salts
- 8% of users are interested in skincare products
- 8% of users are interested in patches
- 1% of users are interested in other CBD products
CBD users don’t seem to mind investing in their health, either. Some of them spend hundreds of dollars a month on CBD products, according to the Brightfield Group:
- 44% of regular CBD users spend $20-$80/month
- 13% of regular CBD users spend more than $160/month
Though CBD users are a pretty diverse bunch, nearly all of them have one thing in common: they walk away from their experience satisfied. According to a study published in the Journal of Cannabis & Cannabinoid Research, 96% of CBD users are happy with CBD’s effects.
And just to top everything off, here are a few more fun facts:
- Early studies of the CBD drug Epidiolex showed that an incredible 50% of epileptic patients had significant seizure reduction
- Up to 70% of CBD products are mislabeled, according to a 2017 Penn State study. Have things improved since then? It’s hard to say…so your best bet remains buying from a trusted source
- In Canada the CBD gummies market is projected to hit 716 million USD this year — and by 2025 it may well surpass 3 billion
- Canadians are getting into hemp farming, too. From 2018 to 2019 hemp production just about doubled, and 2020 is poised to be a great year
How to tell if CBD is right for you
At this point you might be wondering if CBD is the right choice for you. If you have anything in common with the users mentioned above, the answer is probably yes! Of all the groups CBD could stand to benefit, one stands out the most: those with immune system problems like autoimmune diseases. That’s because CBD is a potent immuno-modulator that may be able to calm down the overactive immune system and bring things back into homeostasis.
But here’s the thing about CBD: it’s nearly universal in its health benefits. There are few (if any) people that shouldn’t be taking CBD — it’s more just a question of whether you feel like you need it or not.
Indeed, it’s hard to imagine a scenario where one wouldn’t benefit from trying the compound. Even those who don’t have any health problems, like athletes and businesspeople, report both mental and physical benefits!
We’ll get into additional reasons you should consider CBD soon. For now, there’s just one more thing to keep in mind: if you’re a cannabis connoisseur with a higher-than-normal THC tolerance, CBD could be just the thing needed to balance your biochemistry out.
Dosing with CBD: low and slow
Dosing your CBD is actually pretty easy. Many people subscribe to the “start low, go slow” approach where one begins by taking only a few drops or few milligrams of CBD per day. From there you can slowly raise your dose as needed, eventually ending up around 1 milligram of CBD per 5 kilograms of bodyweight per day:
- A 50kg individual would take ~10 mg of CBD per day (50/5 = 10)
- A 75kg individual would take ~15 mg of CBD per day (75/5 = 15)
- A 100kg individual would take ~20 mg of CBD per day (100/5 = 20)
Though these guidelines work for many people, keep in mind that they’re only that: guidelines. Optimal CBD dosage varies depending on a slew of factors which include one’s age, health status, bodyweight, and baseline endocannabinoid levels. Also keep in mind that there are several ways to ‘biohack’ your endocannabinoid system and enable the CBD you do take to work even better.
Consider taking CBD if you have:
* Disclaimer: even if you don’t have any of the following health problems, you should still consider taking CBD! You may still have something called clinical endocannabinoid deficiency syndrome — and not even know it. So whether you feel healthy or not, consider that CBD could help you stay in (even) better balance.
- Epilepsy
- PTSD/PTS
- Addictions
- Parkinson’s
- Alzheimer’s
- IBS, Crohn’s, or Colitis
- Autoimmune conditions
- Chronic pain/inflammation
- Lofty athletic goals!
Of all these functionalities, one deserves a little more mention: addiction. More than a few studies have shown that CBD may be anti-addictive by its very nature. And though many of the initial ones were done in rodents, their findings are already being validated in humans. One such study, aptly titled “Cannabidiol as an Intervention for Addictive Behaviors,” said the following: “CBD may have therapeutic properties on opioid, cocaine, and psychostimulant addiction…”
All this research is trickling down into the real world. Some forward-thinking doctors have had tremendous success using CBD to ease their patients off opioids, suboxone, methadone, and more.
THC: The Bliss Molecule
Want to feel good, the natural way? Then consider the primary active ingredient responsible for everything you know and love about marijuana — THC! This special compound is about as close as you can get to pure bliss. It heightens the senses, stimulates the mind, and opens the door to a whole new level of creativity.
Oh, and one more thing: THC-rich cannabis reduces stress, on more than one level. As the legendary singer and cannabis advocate Willy Nelson says, “the biggest killer on the planet is stress…and I still think the best medicine is and always has been cannabis.”
What is THC?
Short for tetra-hydro-cannabinol, THC is a compound in the cannabinoid family. Think of it as CBD’s alter ego; while CBD doesn’t cause a mental or physical high, THC does both with ease.
But that’s far from a bad thing. THC-rich cannabis has been enjoyed by us humans for thousands of years. It’s helped us get closer to God and ourselves; it’s amplified our rituals and graced our ceremonies. And though THC’s role has changed a little since then, the essence of why we love it so much remains pretty much the same today. It’s uplifting!
THC and medical cannabis
And THC’s benefits don’t just lend themselves to ceremony and introspection. This cannabinoid is also impressively medicinal. Together with the plant’s other cannabinoids and terpenes, THC is responsible for many of medical cannabis’s most impressive effects.
Scientists first discovered this link in 1963, when the same Dr. Mechoulam we mentioned earlier used NMR-technology to elucidate THC’s structure. Prior to that, the medical world knew that THC worked — they just had no idea how.
Mechoulam’s initial discovery opened the door to waves of THC research, and by the late 80s the health benefits associated with THC-rich medical cannabis had grown radically longer: it was anti-epilepsy, anti-tumour, anti-neuropathy, and more. These studies later inspired cannabis pioneers like Rick Simpson to formulate his namesake Rick Simpson Oil. Simpson was among the first to really bring cannabis’s medical side back into the spotlight…but he definitely wouldn’t be the last.
THC and anandamide
We might’ve called THC the “bliss molecule” earlier, and in some way that’s what it is. But the real bliss molecule is actually a compound produced by our bodies, something called anandamide.
What is anandamide? It’s the human body’s primary internal cannabinoid and cellular signaller, that’s what! Discovered in the early 90s by a chemist named Lumír Hanuš, anandamide plays a role in regulating emotion, energy homeostasis, sleep, sexuality, and more.
Anandamide even derives its name from its functions. Its prefix, ananda, is Sanskrit for “bliss”; its suffix, -amide, is science-speak for a certain type of chemical compound. Once anandamide was discovered, THC’s biological effects suddenly started to make much more sense. By boosting anandamide levels naturally, THC was able to make its users feel pretty dang good.
THC and the active lifestyle
If we can be honest, that whole ‘lazy stoner’ stereotype is completely outdated. The science is more than clear that THC’s unique ability to boost anandamide levels also makes it a perfect counterpart to the active lifestyle.
And several studies confirm this link. One of them correlated cannabis use to smaller waist circumferences: “marijuana use was associated with lower levels of fasting insulin and HOMA-IR [insuline sensitivity], and smaller waist circumference.”
All this is true, in spite of the fact that cannabis users eat more than none users. How’s that possible? Scientists can only theorize that cannabis improves one’s ability to maintain healthy energy homeostasis — in an indirect way, it may encourage your body to effectively use the energy it takes in.
There could be more practical reasons, too. If cannabis use makes you happier, healthier, and more mobile…wouldn’t that make you more likely to exercise? Probably so. One fascinating study done on those in US States where cannabis is legal found that working out and toking up went hand in hand.
Speaking to Market Watch, BC-native Daniel Winer confirms this concept: “I found it [cannabis] helped with my motivation on days when I didn’t want to go [work out]. When lifting, it helps me focus on slowing down on my reps, focus on form and really engage my muscles. [And] cannabis makes running more tolerable — like a runner’s high, but you start with it.”
When you consider that cannabis boosts anandamide, and anandamide is the molecule that causes ‘runner’s high’ in the first place…no wonder.
THC’s therapeutic uses
Let’s now take a look at some of THC’s more therapeutic uses. At the heart of its specific health benefits (we’ll get to those soon) is one amazing quality: THC powerfully reduces stress. With reduced stress, in turn, comes better sleep, better regenerative abilities, and all sorts of other good stuff.
Other things THC might address include:
- Cancer
- Diabetes
- Epilepsy
- Glaucoma
- PTSD/ PTS
- Parkinson’s
- Alzheimer’s
- Chronic pain
- Inflammation
- Sleep problems
- Neurodegeneration
- IBS, Crohn’s, or Colitis
- The active lifestyle!
And if you’re wondering how these potential benefits play out in the real world…wonder no more. We’ll be looking at THC user stats next.
Who’s actually using THC today? Here’s the data
Just as with CBD, the people who use THC the most tend to be on the younger side. That’s true of those who opt to smoke it, at least. Research on US citizens from Statista shows that:
- 22% of people ages 18-29 smoke THC
- 11% of people ages 30-49 smoke THC
- 12% of people ages 50-64 smoke THC
- 3% of people age 65 and older smoke THC
Along similar lines, young people are the biggest proponents of cannabis legalization. 78% of Americans in the 18-34-year-old range supported full marijuana legalization in 2018, and that percentage could be even higher now.
Enough about the US — let’s move on to some Canadian stats now! In our home country those in the 25-34-year-old age range are actually most likely to have consumed some form of THC in the last three months:
- 24% of Canadians ages 18-29 use THC
- 27% of Canadians ages 30-49 smoke THC
- 20% of Canadians ages 50-64 smoke THC
- 6% of Canadians age 65 and older smoke THC
Statista also says that smokeable cannabis flower was the most popular product in 2019, responsible for 84% of all cannabis consumed. The least popular product was THC-infused beverages; only 4.5% of us partook of those. There are also some gender differences in preferred methods of cannabis consumption: Canadian males are more likely to use high-THC cannabis than Canadian females.
Remember how we mentioned THC’s ability to reduce stress? A related benefit is its ability to reduce pain. So perhaps it’s no surprise that a 2019 study published in Health Affairs found that two-thirds of medical marijuana patients in the US list chronic pain as their biggest reason for cannabis use.
On the other hand, it’s entirely possible that people who want to take medical cannabis list pain as their first reason because it’s so easy to explain to a licensing doctor — and so hard for that doctor to quantify.
Regardless, THC-rich medical cannabis works. 84.6 percent of the 2019 study’s patients experienced “either substantial or conclusive evidence of therapeutic efficacy.”
How to dose your THC (the right way)
Taking THC is easy. While you might need to put a little more thought into dosing than you would with, say, CBD products, THC can be taken in so many different ways that it’s easy to find something that works for you (more info on the types of products we offer coming up next).
First and foremost, it’s important to note that TH can be highly psychotropic even at very low doses…so if you’re new to cannabis, proceed with care. The “start low and go slow” approach used with CBD dosing is of even more importance here.
One might start off with one milligram of THC on day one, two milligrams on day two, three milligrams on day three, and so on. Rick Simpson also advocated for this type of conservative starting strategy — while also encouraging heroic daily doses as needed. It’s true: some people really do need tons of THC to get relief.
How much, you might ask? Daily doses in excess of 100 milligrams may be required to experience remission of symptoms for those with cancer or autoimmune conditions. If you find you need this sort of dose, consider reducing THC’s psychoactivity with a little added CBD. You can also incorporate more than one different delivery method into your routine.
The THC products we carry — and why
One of our top goals at MMJDirect is to offer as wide a selection of products to you as possible. It’s for that reason that we offer a (very) extensive selection of premium THC-rich cannabis products. Here’s a look at the highlights…for more info, feel free to head to each product type’s dedicated webpage.
Cannabis Flower | Tried, true, and loved by millions of people over the past thousands of years, cannabis flower remains one of the easiest ways to partake in THC. Cannabis flower also remains the most popular way to consume THC by far (though that’s expected to shift as cannabis concentrates continue getting more popular).
There are three primary types of cannabis flower: Indica, Sativa, and Hybrids. Each has its own set of effects; Indica’s are more sedating, Sativa’s are more energizing, and hybrids tend to strike a nice balance.
- Consider using an Indica strain if: you need to relax at the end of a long day
- Consider using a Sativa strain if: you want to feel energized and creative
- Consider using a Hybrid strain if: you want to get uplifted…and get things done
Hash | This classic THC-rich product is made of compressed cannabis trichomes; it’s almost like some sort of magical dust or something. Hash hails from the mecca of cannabis culture…and it’s one of the oldest delivery methods out there. For more info on hash, click here.
At MMJ Direct we carry several types of hash, each of them curated according to their faithfulness to this product’s original form. Available varieties include Morrocan pressed hash, bubble hash, Afghan gum hash, blonde hash, and more.
Just how popular is hash these days? Perhaps not quite as popular as it was back in the 70s, but the stats say that 26% of Canadian cannabis users partake of hash on a frequent basis.
- Consider using hash if: you’re a cannabis connoisseur who misses the good ol’ days and wants a refined, powerful high
Edibles | Edibles are another type of THC-rich cannabis product. Though you probably don’t need to tell you this, we’ll state the obvious anyway: edibles are comprised of a cannabis extract and some sort of edible medium, like a candy bar, caramel, gummy, or other favourite food. Chocolate bars are some of the most popular edibles among our customer base.
And edibles are growing in popularity, at least in Canada. User stats indicate that 44% of Canadians favoured them in 2019, up from 41% in 2018. With companies putting out tasteier and tastier blends all the time, it’s easy to see why!
- Consider using edibles if: you want to have a fun, tasty, longlasting THC experience
Capsules | For those who favour a more medicinal approach, cannabis capsules make hitting your daily dose of THC super easy. Users can take their daily cap (or two, or three), forget about it, and proceed to enjoy the rest of their day — pain and anxiety free.
Capsules cater to a more niche market than some other cannabis products, so they’re not quite as popular as more established stuff like edibles or hash.
- Consider using capsules if: you want a simple, precise way to take your THC…and/or if you use THC as medicine
Oils/ Tinctures | Cannabis oils are yet another way to get your THC fix. Many people don’t know this, but THC-rich oils were hugely popular in the Western world prior to cannabis’ circa-1930 ban. Even major drug companies made and sold cannabis oils (back then they were usually called tinctures) in huge volumes.
There was a reason for that then, and it’s the same reason for the product’s popularity today: cannabis oils work. Data from the Canadian government says that 23% of cannabis users frequently take cannabis oils.
- Consider using cannabis oils if: you want a convenient, customizable THC experience…and/or if you use THC as medicine
Delivery methods and their respective popularities covered, let’s move on to the topic of THC dosing.
Cannabis for…socio-political change?
We’ve already covered a lot…but there’s one more thing about THC and the cannabis that contains it you should probably know: it can be a catalyst for positive social and political change.
How? By making people’s brains more flexible, of course. On a macrocosmic level, more people using cannabis = more people thinking flexibly = more course-corrections and more societal openness to change.
And according to molecular biologist Dr. Bob Melamede, neuroplastic is the only way to be. Success isn’t measured by strength, he argues, or by endurance, but rather by one’s ability to adapt to their environment and quickly overcome it. The evolutionary theory seems to agree — the most ‘advanced’ life forms are often the most flexible ones, as evidenced by their better-developed endocannabinoid systems
Some governments are still resistant to forward-looking, flexible thinking, of course. While we Canadian’s have been blessed to have fairly progressive lawmakers, the US is currently swayed by, well, certain politicians that are more resistant to cannabis use.
“I’d like to suggest to Jeff to try it [cannabis] and then let me know later if he thinks he’s still telling the truth,” Willie Nelson told The Rolling Stone, referencing anti-cannabis former US Attorney General, Jeff Sessions. Perhaps a dose of cannabis is what anyone who’s stuck in a rut and resistant to forward progress needs. Cannabis might just be the catalyst needed for our society to move forward, think of new ideas, and adopt them quickly.
There’s another potential reason THC could be so important for our society. Just think: might many of us be deficient in internal cannabinoids, without even knowing it? Dr. Ethan Russo — the man who first pioneered the concept of endocannabinoid system deficiency — thinks it’s a possibility:
“[…] What would a deficiency of endocannabinoid function look like? […]If you don’t have enough endocannabinoids you have pain where there shouldn’t be pain. You would be sick […] you would have a lowered seizure threshold.”
If any of these things describe the way you feel on a daily basis, cannabinoids like THC and CBD could be the most holistic solution.
Psilocybin/psilocin: The Reset Switch
If CBD is for improving one’s energy status and THC is for destressing, psilocybin is for those who need to get a mental reset. And if you think about it, who doesn’t need a mental reset from time to time?
We’re certainly not among that group. In our experience, psilocybin mushrooms provide one of the most direct, most streamlined ways to change the way you think, the way you act, and the way you view life.
What are psilocybin and psilocin?
Psilocybin and psilocin are the two primary active ingredients in the mushroom varieties of the same name. They’re the naturally-derived compounds that make magic mushrooms tick.
You might think these compounds are rare, but that’s actually not the case. Over 180 different types of fungi product psychedelic compounds; similar compounds are found in plants, herbs, cacti, and other natural substances. Psilocybin mushrooms remain the very best source of their namesake compounds, however, much like cannabis is the best source for cannabinoids like THC and CBD.
Those interested in psilocybin mushrooms should also know that they’ve been used for thousands upon thousands of years. We’ll get into the history a little more later, but for now just realize that they have a proven track record of being both safe and effective.
* If you’d like to learn more about psilocybin mushrooms, we’re here to help. Check out this in-depth article for more info!
How psilocybin mushrooms are grown
CBD and THC may start with a hemp/cannabis seed, but psilocybin begins with a spore. Mushroom spores are then inoculated into a growing medium like hay, where they can then multiply and proliferate.
And these spores, as you might expect, are what carry the genetics of their future ‘shrooms.
Many mushrooms growers (our in-house mycologist included) like to start a clone of select spores with a proven track record; this type of clone is called an isolate. Starting from an isolate is like starting from scratch; it allows every part of the growing process to be controlled and refined.
We also grow all our own psilocybin indoors, of course. Growing indoors reduces many risk factors, including the possibility that other spores might accidentally innoculate one’s growing medium.
And those are just the basics. Our team is constantly working to push past old frontiers and pioneer new cultivation techniques. We even experiment with different growing mediums and techniques from time to time. What’s life without a little innovation, after all?
The psilocybin products we carry
As long as its coupled with variety. In addition to producing the best psilocybin products, we also make an effort to keep things nice and diverse. Below are some common customer favourites.
Golden Teachers | These shrooms are a longtime favourite. Compared to most other varieties, the psychedelia they promote is gentle. Golden Teachers really could teach you more about yourself. If you need to cement within your psyche those things you know to be true…if you need to make that much-needed life change…if you need to accelerate your spiritual awakening…these are probably the shrooms for you.
But Golden Teacher’s don’t have to be all mystical and spiritual. One happy customer described their experience as “fun fun fun!”
- Use Golden Teacher’s if: you’re looking for an instructive, relatively mild experience
Penis Envy Cubensis | Penis Envy mushrooms is a relatively new, objectively powerful psilocybin variety. If you’re looking for excitement, this one has the answers. Customers report an altered sense of time, hallucinations, blended senses (like seeing flavours or hearing colours), et cetera. Enjoy…
- Use Penis Envy Cubensis if: you want to have a powerful, potentially life-changing trip
Transkei Cubensis | Transkei shrooms are well-known thanks to their happy high and strong visual effects. They’re also sometimes called SAT’s — no relation to that high school test, it’s just an acronym for South African Transkei’s.
If you take anything more than an intermediate dose, expect to have quite the experience. Many users come back from their trip reporting powerful hallucinations replete with fractals, geometric patterns, blended senses…and more. All of this is frequently paired with a burst of vibrance and energy.
- Use Transkei Cubensis if: you want to blast past the normal bounds of emotional and visual perception
Alacabenzi Cubensis | Alacabenzi Cubensis ‘shrooms may provide a powerful high, but they’re still mellow enough for many a beginner. This variety becomes especially powerful at high doses. Some people feel that it matches the sedated high seen with cannabis oils and edibles. Relaxing, never racy, Alacabenzi’s provide one of the most ‘recreational’ shroom trips.
- Use Alacabenzi Cubensis if: you enjoy cannabis and want an entry-level mushroom trip
Amazonian Cubensis | This psilocybin shroom is known for its euphoric, heavily visual highs. And while Amazonian’s are powerful, they’re not so strong as to be outside the reach of beginners. Seasoned users looking for something a little more popular can simply opt to take a much higher dose.
- Use Amazonian Cubensis if: you’re new-ish to shroomery and need a breakthrough experience!
Albino Goldies | Albino Goldie’s are one of the more unique psilocybin varieties out there. They’re a cross of Albino x Golden Teachers — as you might expect, it’s a pretty awesome combo. Albino Goldies deliver a consistently trippy experience marked by visual hallucinations, altered perceptions, and general happiness.
Use Albino Goldies if: you’re feeling adventurous and chasing euphoria
Milk Chocolate Fungi Bar | This Milk Chocolate Fungi Bar is designed to provide maximum upliftment. Users say it helps expand the mind and boost creativity. Oh, and it tastes really, really good.
Use Milk Chocolate Fungi Bar if: you’re craving chocolate and revelation
Shroom Blend Microdose Cap | These mushroom-infused caps are packed with 300mg of psilocybin each. While that’s a little more than your average microdose, who’s to say you shouldn’t live a little?
ry them out for yourself and experience what experts like Paul Stamets have been saying for years: microdisng is a proven way to reach your next mental breakthrough.
- Use Microdose Caps if: you’re looking for that cognitive edge
Capsules | Think of psilocybin caps as time-released access to nature’s best. We offer all sorts of varieties: Osmosis Brain Boost, 6 Mushroom Blend, Rest & Relax, and more.
- Use Capsules if: you want to supplement the most important part of your being: your brain!
Raw Mushrooms | In addition to the above dried mushrooms, we also offer many of their fresh counterparts. Variety is the spice of life, after all! ‘Raw’ shrooms tend to contain more psilocin and slightly less psilocybin than other varieties, a difference that gives them a distinctively fast, strong high. Then there’s the quality difference: when you order the fresh stuff with us, you’ll be getting a product that’s been harvested within the past 24 hours and shipped out almost immediately.
- Use raw psilocybins if: you want a fast, strong, refreshingly different high
Who actually uses psilocybin? Here’s the data
All these mental and physical benefits are great and all, you might be thinking, but aren’t psilocybin illegal?
Not in Canada. Some people go so far as to say that Canada’s constitution itself makes provisions for freedom of mushroom use. Psilocybin is also in the process of being descheduled in many areas of the world; even the normally-reserved United States has decriminalized magic mushrooms in several Western cities.
Partially for these reasons, psilocybin use is likely far more prevalent than you think. Here are some of the available stats:
- There are over 30 million psychedelics users in the United States [1]
- This includes 17% of all people between the ages of 21 and 64 [1]
- Males seem more likely (22%) to use psychedelics than females (12%) do [1]
While similar data pertaining to us Canadians isn’t quite available yet, we can point you to something just as interesting: Canada’s branch of the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS) has recently partnered with Quantified Citizen, Dr. Zachary Walsh, and mycologist Paul Stamets to bring us a special app called microdose.me.
And this app is a literal first, in more ways than one. Never before has psychedelic use been quantified on such a large scale. Amazingly enough, the microdose app allows said quantification to take place even in areas where psychedelics are still illegal.
The app’s founders hope to gather as much data as possible on the cognitive benefits that microdosers are experiencing. So far there are 10,000+ participants and counting — consider joining the cause yourself!
Here’s some more fun statistical data:
- 20 micrograms of LSD can make people feel 20% better [2]
- 6 trials featuring 536 patients have shown that “a single dose of LSD, in the context of various alcoholism treatment programs, is associated with a decrease in alcohol misuse.” [3]
- “Noetic” (i.e, mystical) experiences are had by 71% of psilocybin users [4]
- “Transcendence of space and time” are experienced by 78% of users [4]
- 61% of people consider the psilocybin experience the single most spiritually significant of their lives [4]
- 83% of people consider it within the top 5 [4]
- 94% of people report their sense of well-being increasing [4]
- Those who begin with low doses and work their way up do better than those who begin high and work their way down [4]
As promising as these figures are, keep in mind that they only capture a snapshot of humanity’s collective psilocybin experience. Most of us partake outside the confines of the nearest science lab, and it’s highly likely that large numbers of people use shrooms in a more discrete fashion than apps or studies can capture. But the stats still manage to make one thing clear: magic mushrooms are leaving the underground and becoming increasingly mainstream.
Even so, statistics only tell one part of the whole story. “Modern medicine has been wholly effective in advancing the health of the population because it took a very structured, data-driven approach. And that’s a great approach. But it is also limited,” Ronan Levy, founder of a Canadian venture capital group, tells USA Today.
Translation: the efficacy and potential of magic mushrooms might just be something you need to experience for yourself to fully appreciate. Here’s what some participants from one of those John Hopkins studies reported, in their own words:
- “Freedom from every conceivable thing including time, space, relationships, self, etc…”
- “[A realization] that in every horrible experience or frightening experience, if you stay with it, enter into it, you will find God”
- “The utter joy and freedom of letting go – without anxiety – without direction – beyond ego-self”
- “The sense that all is One […] I experienced the essence of the Universe and the knowing that God asks nothing of us except to receive love.”
- I became like a point of awareness able to travel inside myself, others, and the outside world.
- I felt as if tons of information about “what is” was being downloaded quickly into my knowing/understanding.
- [I experienced] a reality that was clear, beautiful, bright and joyful… In short, this experience opened me up (gave me a tangible vision) of what I think is attainable every day.
Pretty powerful, eh? Feel free to read each and every report for yourself here — these comments are just some of the highlights.
How to dose with psilocybin
Dosing with psilocybin ‘shrooms can be even more challenging that dosing with CBD and THC.
That doesn’t mean it’s not worth it, though. We would just strongly encourage all beginners to start off with a conservative dosing plan like microdosing. By easing into things you’ll get a feel for the mushrooms and familiarize yourself with their characteristics; at that point, you should be well-equipped to have more of a true ‘trip.’
Even seasoned psychonauts can benefit from microdosing, however. Some people go so far as to opt to microdose several days of the week for the potential neurogenic benefits. This practice was first popularized by exper Mycologist Paul Stamets, but now it’s practiced — end thoroughly enjoyed — by biohackers, artists, and chronic creatives worldwide.
How much is enough? Many microdosers like to start with a single dose of 1/10th of a gram of dried psilocybin. “If you take a tenth, you’re not going to feel it…if you take a twentieth of a gram, you’re for sure not gonna feel it,” Stamets explained on the Joe Rogan Podcast. Many people like to take this type of dose for five days on, two days off; others prefer an every-other-day approach.
Magic mushrooms & evolution: the “stoned ape” theory
Did you know some scientists think that magic mushrooms actually helped us evolve?
Seriously. And while this theory is, well, just a theory for now, the points do seem to line up.
Here’s what we know for sure. Humans have been using psilocybin mushrooms and other psychedelic substances for thousands of years. African tribes painted shrooms in their caves; Aztec priests used teonanácatl — the flesh of the Gods — to access the spirit realms.
And our psilocybin use may have transcended our species itself. In other words, it’s possible that early pre-humans used psilocybin mushrooms, too.
Another thing modern-day science knows for sure? That the human brain, notably its cerebral cortex, developed unexplainably fast between 200,000 and 1500,000 BC. That might seem like a very long period of time, but evolutionarily speaking it’s just a moment. 50,000 years simply isn’t enough time for natural selection alone to select for a doubled neocortex, say proponents of this theory, meaning that something else must have sped things up.
And that something might just have been magic mushrooms. “Homo sapiens ate our way to a higher consciousness,” psychonautic pioneer Terrance McKenna liked to say, “It was at this time that religious ritual, calendar making, and natural magic came into their own.”
The goal of personal evolution
And the ever-evolving properties of magic mushrooms didn’t magically stop a couple thousand years ago. Psilocybin are still helping people evolve…today.
How? “Psychedelics promote structural and functional neural plasticity,” according to a 2018 study. In other words, they may activate your brain’s serotonergic systems enough to tangibly rewire your brain, breathing new life into the way you think — and making it easier for you to adopt new patterns. It’s yet another instance where nature’s patterns ring true in both the macro (i.e, human evolution) and the micro (i.e, yours).
And with improved neuroplasticity comes greater potential for change. Just think: if you could learn years of life lessons in months, or even days…what would that do for you? If mushrooms could reveal more clearly than ever those things you knew deep down but had always been suppressing…how would that change your life? Psychelic’s advocate Terrence McKenna always said his first shroom trip gave him the equivalent of years of psychotherapy, distilled down into a single experience.
These topics might seem too mystical to be real, but consider that they’re exactly what the latest scientific research is finding. A study by University of Zurich researchers found that a single high-dose psilocybin experience is enough to make most people more compassionate, less judgemental, and far less prone to violence.
Consider taking psilocybin if you:
- Want to personally evolve
- Want to leave your past where it belongs
- Need to get past your ego
- Have PTSD or other trauma
- Want to be more creative,
- Far less judgemental,
- And happier in general!
How to combine plant compounds and supercharge your life
So far we’ve gone over the benefits of CBD, THC, and psilocybin/psilocin in isolation.
But what happens when some combination of these substances is taken within the context of real life…and how might this type of dosing regimen affect you?
These are important questions with promising, if only anecdotal, answers. Here are some possibilities:
CBD + THC can be used to provide a balanced high. Because they act on opposing endocannabinoid receptors, CBD and THC actually balance eachother out. Those who need high THC doses (say for medical reasons) can take them side-effect free if they throw a little CBD into the mix. CBD and THC also help eachother work better, especially when it comes to anti-inflammatory benefits.
Keep in mind that different CBD:THC ratios have different effects. Products with a 30:1 or 20:1 ratio are virtually considered hemp and won’t produce any high whatsoever. Products with a 10:1 or 5:1 ratio will be a little stronger; depending on your tolerance,
CBD + psilocybin can be used to microdose. The science is clear: both CBD and psilocybin are remarkably good at rewiring the human brain…and they do this in distinctive, but complementary, ways. Might a CBD + shroom regiment be just what you need to achieve cognitive breakthrough? There’s only one way to find out.
And bonus points go to anyone who can get their hands on a CBD product that has some CBDa in it. Why? Because CBDa is much more active than CBD at the serotonin receptor. If you really want to dial in your mood, this might be the way to go.
THC + psilocybin can be used to achieve a truly transcendent state. Both compounds can be highly psychotropic — so combine them with caution! Some people love the resulting high; others hate it. Unless you’re a seasoned psychonaut, start off slow.
And this combo is more than just recreational. Those with memory problems, PTSD, neurodegeneration, and even diabetic neuropathy may obtain great results from using some combination or THC and psilocybin. Indeed, many medicinal mushrooms have been shown to increase neurogenesis, cerebral blood flow, and the like.
CBD + THC + psilocybin can be used to…
Given all three of these plant compounds have so many benefits, you might wonder, why not combine them all? Good question. Seems like a holistic approach to us.
If you decide to use CBD and THC and psilocybin, however, there’s something you should be aware of: timing is everything. CBD (and high CBD:THC products) are generally most useful in the morning, when you need a sustained boost without too many psychedelic side effects. The THC and shroom-derived compounds can always come a little later in the day.
If you have access to products with different CBD:THC ratios you might even ramp up your THC intake in the evening when it’s time to kick back and relax. The possibilities are nearly endless, especially if you take some time to listen to your body and the biofeedback it provides.