Sun God Medicinals OLCC Blog

The Practicality of Powdered Herbs:

1/9/2020

Chances are when you think of powdered herbs, your mind jumps directly to the spice cabinet. Are we right? Well this is a great introduction to the world of powdered herbs and the therapeutic potential each herb possesses. The versatility of herbs in this form extends far beyond the popular go-to's like cinnamon and garlic powder. Research in both modern and traditional medicine has reflected the importance of powdered botanicals to support many conditions, and the multitude of ways to take them is mind boggling.

First, let’s take a look at the bigger picture- what is the brief history of powder herbs? Traditional Ayurvedic medicine, an Indian system of medicine founded upon the principles of balancing the mind, body, and spirit through individualized therapies focused on a preventative care model and specific lifestyle modification, has been utilizing powdered herbs for centuries. Herbs such as Ashwagandha, Cumin, Turmeric, Brahmi, Cardamom, Licorice, and many more herbal powders are traditionally used to support ailments concerning the immune system, inflammation, digestive distress, musculoskeletal discomfort, nervous system imbalances and much more. The medicinal uses of these herbs, and the hundreds of others used in traditional Ayurveda, are implemented per an individual's unique constitution, or dosha, and it is typical to see blends of five or more herbs in a single medicinal preparation. From both internal and external uses, research in Ayurvedic practices has taught us a solid foundation in the proper use of some of our favorite powdered botanicals.

Another great application for powder herbs is topicals or poultices; these can be used for minor burns, rashes, and other irritations in the same fashion as a paste mixed with a wrap like band-aid. Traditionally, they have been used to cool sunburns and relieve itchy outbreaks, but they offer a wide variety of cosmetic benefits as well. Astringent powdered herbs, such as Rose and Turmeric, make great face masks and scrubs due to the drawing and detoxing abilities of the plants. A commonly utilized Ayurvedic herb, Gotu Kola, is popularly used to reduce scarring, decrease symptoms of eczema, and it may help wounds heal faster. Our herbal and hemp infused massage oils, available in Heka and Aja blends, are formulated with herbs to support these ailments and more by capturing the therapeutic potential of these botanicals in each bottle, and even better, they are all plants that grow in our bioregion! We suggest applying after a warm shower, and if possible, place a warm towel over the area to allow the herb-infused oil, paste, or salve to absorb more easily into the skin.

We provide a variety of products that contain specifically formulated blends of these, along with other herbs that are bioregianally available that may support general symptoms such as aches and pains, trouble sleeping, and even adrenal overload. Our blended capsules are a convenient way to take your favorite powdered herbs, think daily herbal vitamins- and yes they come in a variety of “flavors” to uniquely address the symptoms you are experiencing. We have Aja Hemp & Herbal Capsules or Aja THC & Herbal Capsules for managing soreness and discomfort, Heka Hemp & Herbal Capsules or Heka THC & Herbal Capsules for worry and stress, and Hercules Hemp & Herbal Capsules for muscle ease.

We also offer products to encourage a restful nights sleep by highlighting Southern Oregon’s diverse botanical offerings of relaxant, adaptogenic, and nervine herbs such as Hops, Chamomile, Lemon Balm, and Cannabis blended together to create an easy before-bed capsule that may just help you realize that rejuvenating sleep you have been longing for. Sleep plays such an important role in our immune system health, and our overall well being. There is no reason to continue your routine of sleepless nights now that the power of these relaxing herbs is at your fingertip. Our Hypnos & Hemp Herbal Capsules or Hypnos THC Herbal Capsules for sleep support can easily be added to any night time routine, and may encourage that perfect night of deep sleep.

Each of the capsules mentioned contains powdered Hemp, as well as other supporting herb blends, formulated to slowly digest and release herbs into the body. The activation time of powdered herbs is very individualized depending on the strength of the metabolism, but research points to an average of about 45 minutes until active. We recommend a few sips of a hot beverage after taking your capsule to help it begin to break down quicker in the stomach.

Powdered herb capsules are just one of the many convenient ways to integrate botanical medicine into your life. There are so many recipes using herbal powders to make tasty treats such as energy bites, granola bars, smoothies, lattes, both sweet and savory delights, and the possibilities go on and on. We found this neat collection of recipes and more information on powdered herbs that we have found pretty inspiring. The definition of powdered herbs does not have to stop in the spice cabinet, and we can not wait to see what you create!

As always, please reach out with any further questions so we can guide you to the most supportive products, and find the herbs that are right for you!

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FresH Cannabis preserved for tHCa

12/7/2019

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Cannabis, like all botanicals, is complex and unique. We are learning more and more about the full benefits this plant has to offer. While many are familiar with THC, or Tetrahydrocannabinol, the compound responsible for the intoxicating effect of Cannabis, THCa, or Tetrahydrocannabinolic acid affects the body in a similar way as THC, just without the notable head changes or other mental effects. This makes products that focus on THCa an obvious choice for anyone who wants the body supporting benefits of Cannabis, while maintaining cerebral clarity.

THC is responsible for the head high feeling cannabis provides. When there is a desire to utilize the beneficial compounds within cannabis without experiencing a high, THCa is the best recommendation.
Tetrahydrocannabinolic acid, or THCa, is the most abundant non-psychoactive cannabinoid found in cannabis. Some products are marketed specifically for their THCa. Products like these deliver THCa’s benefits without the risk of psychoactive effects, and as THCa gains notoriety, we’re likely to see this trend grow.
In order to produce the “high” the THC cannabinoid is famous for, THC must be heated up in a process known as decarboxylation, something that happens when you smoke or vaporize cannabis flower. Basically, this is why you can eat all the dry marijuana flowers you want and may not feel any psychoactive effects. Just because THCa doesn’t get you “high”, it doesn’t mean it isn’t an important cannabinoid and should be considered just as valuable as the over one-hundred other medicinal constituents found in Cannabis.
When fresh cannabis flowers (buds) begin to dry, THCa begins to break down in a natural degradation process. THCa products must be made with the freshest possible plant material in order to maximize the amount of THCa available for the final product.
One simple way to enjoy the benefits of THCa is in the Raw and Fresh tincture, limited edition and seasonally processed, by Sun God Medicinals. The freshly harvested flowers are cold-pressed in a carefully executed extraction process, as to maintain the therapeutic value of all of the Cannabinoid acids, and is then preserved with organic cane alcohol and a touch of local honey for a sweet finish.
Other ways to consume raw cannabis include juicing fresh flowers or leaves into your favorite smoothie, or adding fresh leaves to the juices you make at home. The fresh harvested leaves are either cold-pressed or juiced to release the nutritious and medicinal nectar from the plant, and this liquid can be infused into beverages, honeys and tinctures, or used as is and enjoyed. Adding dried cannabis flower is not recommended, as it will have begun to degrade the valuable THCa content during the drying process.
There are so many ways to incorporate this whole-plant, botanical medicine into your life and start to see the positive benefits of this herbal remedy. By educating ourselves on the active compounds in Cannabis, and how they interact with our bodies, we can determine the best ways to use this wonderful herb to obtain our desired medicinal effects.

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New OLCC Hemp Rules Hurt Certified Organic, Whole Plant Hemp companies

7/28/2019

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Earlier this year, the OLCC adopted new rules that significantly limits consumer access to whole plant hemp medicine at OLCC licensed stores. The short version is, these new rules mean that all hemp products in the OLCC system manufactured on or after March 1st, 2019 cannot contain more than 10mg of THC in a package.

As per the passing of the 2018 Farm Bill, Federal law dictates that CBD products derived from hemp are legal as long as they contain less than 0.3% THC. All of our hemp products can easily meet the Federal requirement. However, due to the OLCC's decision to restrict THC content by volume per package rather than by percentage, it's impossible to continue to manufacture some of our Oregon-grown whole hemp flower products at their current potency while still keeping the THC content under 10mg. We believe in whole plant and whole flower healing whenever possible, and we're not willing to sacrifice our values as a company to adhere to the state's whims. We believe in the power of all the herbal goodness from all plants.

As a result, we're reformulating some of our certified organic products to contain lower quantities of our whole hemp flower extract, keeping the total THC volume below 10mg, and in turn reducing the total volume of CBD to no more than approximately 250mg. Unfortunately, one of our most popular products will have to be retired from the OLCC market until OLCC changes their rules: our Ra Hemp Classic Green Dragon Tincture. We're sorry to see it go, but you can still order remaining stock until it's gone! We MADE bunch in February right before the rule change so we still have some in stock.

The team at Sun God feels that these new OLCC rules are absolutely outrageous. Our Founder & CEO, Brie Malarkey, personally lobbied the OLCC and state legislators when these new rules were still being discussed and pleaded with them to take reasonable action. Instead, they chose to create a state-level restriction that's more strict than Federal law--a huge step backward for Oregonians seeking safe access to whole plant and whole flower solutions. However, we will not give up! Join us in continuing to lobby the OLCC to make reasonable and fair guidelines for the sake of all Oregonians, and for family-owned whole plant businesses! We encourage you to write to the OLCC voicing your displeasure and disagreement with these new guidelines, and ask that they reconsider their approach to limiting THC in hemp products in Oregon. marijuana@oregon.gov

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Know Your Roots: Valerian

5/31/2019

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Through the months of June and July we will spotlight different herbs that have powerful medicine in their roots!

Valerian (Valeriana officinalis)
Family: Valerianaceae
Part used: Root
Taste/smell: Strong aromatic, sweet, spicy, some think it smells like a foot!
Energetics: Slightly warming
Actions: Sedative, Relaxing nervine, Antispasmodic, Anticonvulsant, Hypotensive

Valerian is a perennial flowering plant, with heads of sweetly scented pink or white flowers that bloom in the summer. The flower extracts were used as a perfume in the 16th century. Today, the root is most commonly used for promoting relaxation and sleep.

This mild sedative is used for conditions connected to anxiety and psychological stress including nervous asthma, hysterical states, excitability, fear of illness (hypochondria), headaches, migraines, and stomach upset. Some use it for depression, mild tremors, epilepsy, attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS).

Valerian root can also be used for muscle and joint pain. Some women use it for menstrual cramps and symptoms associated with menopause, including hot flashes and anxiety. Makes a lovely and therapeutic addition to bathwater.

Valerian contains many constituents with pharmacological activity. They include the essential oil, sesquiterpenoids (valerianic acid) and epoxy iridoid esters (valepotriates) and their decomposition products. Additionally Valerian contains the amino acids (arginine,GABA, glutamine, tyrosine) and alkaloids.

Contraindications: The volatile components of valerian increase sleeping time induced by pentobarbital. It has been shown to potentiate the action of barbiturates in general.

Sun God Herbal products with Valerian Root: Click here

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understanding full extract cannabis oil

5/24/2019

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Browsing cannabis retailer shelves can be overwhelming—there are so many options! Edibles and tinctures, dabs, wax, concentrates, salves, lotions, massage oils, and more. You may find yourself overwhelmed with new descriptions, vocabulary, colloquialisms and foreign acronyms, like FECO.

That last one may cause a double take when you realize you just saw ‘FECO’ on a store shelf, labelled for human consumption. A child-like giggle may escape your lips, and your first impression may be, “Really?” Get your mind out of the gutter! FECO stands for Full Extract Cannabis Oil. Some processors call it Whole Plant Cannabis Oil (WPCO), or RSO which is short for Rick Simpson Oil.

Mr. Simpson is renowned for perfecting and promoting the extraction process of cannabis when he was diagnosed with basal cell carcinoma skin cancer in 2003. He had been taking the oil internally, but decided to apply the oil to his skin cancer. He claims after four days his cancer was gone and that cannabis oil had cured his cancer. For more than 15 years Rick Simpson has made it his life journey to tell others that cannabis oil can cure cancer. Regardless of his anecdotal claims or any pending scientific studies in the works, many people around the world now believe in the power of Full Extract Cannabis Oil (FECO).

Many believe that FECO is a superior extraction method for cannabis because it's a full spectrum extraction, meaning the end result is a concentrated cannabis oil suitable for human consumption that contains the broadest range of components and constituents in the cannabis plant, including cannabinoids (such as THC, CBD, CBC, CBG, etc), terpenes, chlorophyll, flavonoids, and more. The process also uses only solvents suitable for human consumption. Sun God Medicinals, for example, uses only certified organic cane alcohol in the process—the vast majority of which is is removed before we have a finished product.

Ingesting FECO
Despite containing only natural ingredients, one must remember the famous lesson from Mary Poppins when ingesting FECO, as the concentrated plant oil is very bitter. “A spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down!” Many find that a chaser of honey is a natural palate pleaser when paired with FECO. As the oil is very concentrated, most recommend that those new to FECO start with a very small amount—perhaps the size of a grain of rice—when taking internally. Unfortunately the size of a grain of rice is subjective. I’ve actually had a brilliant customer inquire if that was raw or cooked rice, as the size would be different. Truthfully, weight is really the best way to track your servings, not volume.

Understandably, it can be hard to determine the right amount of FECO when it comes in a syringe and is the consistency of tar! Not only is a “grain of rice” subjective, but it also can stick to your fingers or anything else you put it on. Some choose to ingest FECO—and that's perfectly fine—but sublingual application (rubbing on the gums) is actually one of the fastest ways to get cannabinoids into the blood supply. Many find themselves frustrated trying to use sublingual application of such a sticky substance as FECO. So, here’s a little trick for getting a more accurate serving size for sublingual dosing of FECO style cannabis oil.

The Trick:

Purchase a small food or diet scale that can measure in milligrams, as well as rice paper (you can often find rice paper in the Asian foods aisle).
Cut a small piece of rice paper and zero it out on the scale.
Squeeze a small amount of oil (approximately the size of a grain of rice) on the rice paper.
Place rice paper with oil back on the scale. You will then know the accurate weight of your oil.
Multiply the mg per gram listed on the label of your FECO by the weight displayed on the scale to determine the potency of your serving. Record this information for later.
Place the rice paper in your cheek with the oil pressed against your gums. The rice paper will dissolve in your mouth and the FECO will eventually absorb into your gums.

Each time you ingest Full Extract Cannabis Oil, record the potency of your serving in a journal, adjusting over time as needed. This way you'll have an ongoing record of how you feel the FECO is affecting you, and can adjust your servings to fit your individual taste and your body's unique endocannabinoid system.

Determining Potency of FECO:
Due to testing and labeling requirements in the state of Oregon you will know the mg per gram of THC or CBD in everything you buy. For example if the cannabis oil is 76% THC then there are 760mg of THC in each gram of oil. If your oil weights 0.05 grams on the scale then your potency in this example would be 38mg of THC. Sun God Medicinals affixes a unique batch number to each of our hemp and/or cannabis products that corresponds to the results of these tests, and they're readily available on our website here.

Many believe that a good initial serving is 5-10mg of cannabinoids, and I recommend that you begin in that range, and increase from there as necessary as you work to determine the proper amount for your body. It’s easier (and better for the body) to start with a smaller amount and increase from there than it is to start with too much and work your way back down.

FECO from Sun God Medicinals
We manufacture Full Extract Cannabis Oil in our Ra Hemp product line using Oregon-grown whole hemp or cannabis flower. Available in convenient 1 gram syringes, you can find our FECO in OLCC-licensed cannabis retailers all over Oregon!

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Why Organic MCT Oil?

5/4/2019

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At Sun God Medicinals, we’re proud to use only certified organic MCT oil in our Ra Hemp and Ra Cannabis MCT Oil tinctures. MCT oil is an excellent alternative to the organic cane alcohol we use in our other tinctures because it provides all of the benefits of an organic carrier while also being non-alcoholic. Many choose non-alcoholic products for health or personal reasons, but there are a variety of other reasons that organic MCT oil can be a fantastic addition to your daily health regimen.

What is MCT Oil?
MCT—or Medium Chain Triglyceride—oil is a healthy fat that is typically refined from coconut oil. All fats are made of hydrogen and carbon bound together in a chain, and these chains are varying lengths depending on the type of fat. Medium Chain Triglycerides are of medium length, just as the name implies.
Our MCT oil supplier uses a USDA-patented process to carefully remove the lauric acid (solid fats) from certified organic coconut oil, leaving behind Capric and Caprylic acids. These healthy fatty acids are two of the most desirable MCTs available.

Why Use MCT Oil?
Medium Chain Triglycerides are heralded as easier to digest than other healthy fats because they don’t need to pass through the digestive system in order to be absorbed into and utilized by the body. MCTs don’t require bile salts from the stomach to be broken down into useful nutrients, and can instead be processed by the liver, making them easier to digest and allowing them to provide a better and faster source of sustained energy than long chain fatty acids. Almost all other foods require the body to exert energy in order to digest them—MCTs do not.
Some studies have shown that MCTs may have antiviral and antibacterial properties. Many believe that these properties may assist the body with digestion and gut health, and assist the immune system in protecting the body. Healthy fats are critically important for healthy immune system function. Due to the ease of absorption of MCTs into the human body, MCT oil may be beneficial for those suffering from compromised immune systems, who struggle with immune function, or who have trouble absorbing other fats in their diet.

Why Organic MCT Oil?
Most—if not all—MCT oil manufacturers that aren’t certified organic use a variety of chemicals and filler oils in their MCT oil manufacturing process. Our supplier uses only certified organic coconuts in their processes with no artificial ingredients, fillers, or added chemicals. This leaves the resulting MCT oil clean, clear, with a light coconut flavor, and almost no odor. Non-organic manufacturers will often claim they have “pharmaceutical grade” MCT oil, but what this really means is that they’re using a high temperature fractionation process that cannot be certified organic by USDA standards. We chose our certified organic MCT oil supplier because they support small, organic, sustainable farmers—and Sun God Medicinals wants to support them, too.
The MCT oil used in Sun God Medicinals’ products is not only certified organic, but also Non-GMO Project Verified, vegan, and both keto and paleo-friendly. It also contains no trans fats, cholesterol, hexane, added chemicals, filler oils or other additives.

MCT Oil in Ra Hemp and Ra Cannabis Products
At Sun God Medicinals, we make our Ra Hemp and Ra Cannabis MCT Oil Tinctures using certified organic, Oregon-grown, whole hemp or marijuana flower, certified organic MCT oil, and d-limonene (a natural terpene used as a citrus flavor). We refuse to use additives, flavorings, adulterants, or other ingredients that just shouldn’t be there. It's about herbal goodness after all!
Our hemp products are produced using a full spectrum extraction method, including the broadest range of natural compounds, cannabinoids (including THC, CBD, CBG, CBC and more), terpenes, and other elements present in the hemp and marijuana plant—and our Ra MCT Oil Tinctures are no different. While other manufacturers may use CBD isolate or THC distillate, we only use certified organic whole hemp flower or sustainably grown marijuana from our sister farm, Sunna Ra Acres, in our tinctures to ensure that the greatest volume of the potential healing properties of the hemp plant make it into the final product.
Our Ra MCT Oil Tinctures are available in 1 oz bottles in a few varieties: Indica and Sativa Hemp (high CBD) or Indica and Sativa Marijuana (high THC) and a 1:1 formula with equal parts THC & CBD. Many believe that Indica varieties provide more relaxing effects, and as such are better for nighttime use, while Sativa varieties provide more energizing effects, making them better for daytime use. Everyone’s endocannabinoid system is different, so your results may vary.

We hope you enjoyed learning more about our certified organic MCT Oil hemp tinctures and our sustainably cultivated marijuana MCT Oil tinctures.

***These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Our products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.***

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Forward>>

The Practicality of Powdered Herbs:

FresH Cannabis preserved for tHCa

New OLCC Hemp Rules Hurt Certified Organic, Whole Plant Hemp companies

Know Your Roots: Valerian

Through the months of June and July we will spotlight different herbs that have powerful medicine in their roots!

understanding full extract cannabis oil

Why Organic MCT Oil?

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