What are the effects of psychedelics and psilocybin for women, and how are they different across the sexes? Can psilocybin help with anxiety or depression? Will psilocybin affect me differently if I am menstruating? If you have ever wondered about the answers to any of these questions, you may want to check out The Psilocybin Handbook for Women by Jennifer Chesak!

Packed with scientific research and easy-to-understand guidance, The Psilocybin Handbook for Women will walk you through the latest in scientific and medical developments in psychedelic therapy and the special considerations and use cases for those assigned female at birth.

Check out a brief excerpt below with some commonly asked questions about how psilocybin may impact women differently, and get a copy of Jennifer’s book today for more information!

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Does psilocybin affect women differently?

The answer is maybe. When researching the topic of challenging trips, I come across something interesting. An exploratory analysis found that challenging trip reports were more common in females. Although more research is needed, the analysis suggests that people assigned female at birth may experience psilocybin (even at similar doses) differently because of hormonal, enzymatic, and social differences.

We do know that estrogen levels impact binding at 5-HT2A receptor sites. In an article for Psychedelic Science Review, former editor and one of the founders of the publication, Barbara E. Bauer, MS, synthesized some of the research surrounding this receptor. As a reminder, psilocybin and psilocin are 5-HT2A/5-HT1A receptor agonists. That means psilocybin binds to these serotonin receptors. Bauer notes that estrogen boosts the density of the brain’s 5-HT2A binding sites, notably in areas that control mood and emotion. She further notes that other findings related to how hormones impact serotonin receptors may have implications for an entourage effect.

Do women have a unique entourage effect?

Psilocybin and psilocin are not the only compounds, or alkaloids, in magic mushrooms. And remember, nearly 200 different species of Psilocybe exist, some with multiple strains. Think of each of these as a different recipe with varying ingredients—or alkaloids. The theory of the entourage effect is that different compounds may work in concert to produce a certain result. Research is still ongoing regarding the potential entourage effect with magic mushrooms and how we may be able to use it to our advantage.

For example, is it possible that combining two strains produces a better trip? Again, more research is needed. What Bauer is pointing out is that sex hormones may play a role as well in how psilocybin affects us. Do sex hormones and their unique trajectory in the context of the female reproductive system produce an entourage effect?

Does psilocybin impact the menstrual cycle?

Again, the answer is maybe. We don’t have robust scientific research on this yet.

Menstruation kicks off what’s called the follicular phase. Estrogen starts out low during this phase, and slowly climbs, peaking just before or around ovulation. During the follicular phase, progesterone remains level and low. After ovulation, the luteal phase begins. Here, estrogen dips, forming a valley, before climbing to a gentle peak and then declining toward menses. Meanwhile, progesterone peaks for the first time of the cycle in the middle of the luteal phase and then falls toward menstruation. If you look at a chart of these hormonal fluctuations, they appear like a rollercoaster ride, and the changes around ovulation and in the luteal phase are often what cause premenstrual or other symptoms.

Now add psilocybin to the mix. Consider that psilocybin binds to serotonin receptors. Serotonin activates and regulates the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, a feedback system that regulates your stress response, among other things. And the HPG axis (the one controlling the menstrual cycle) impacts the HPA axis. In animal models, estradiol (estrogen) raises cortisol (stress hormone) levels, for example. Likewise, evidence suggests that stress response can also impact sex hormone levels, illustrating that these closely intertwined axes affect each other, though all the mechanisms of interplay still need much more study. Theoretically, a psilocybin journey or microdosing could impact the HPG axis and therefore affect your menstrual cycle. But we don’t have definitive answers, just anecdotal reports and case studies that suggest a connection.

I ask de la Myco about whether it matters during a cycle when we use psilocybin. “I find that when people journey while they’re on their moon,” she says, “say they’re in one of the heavier bleeding stages and they’re eating mushrooms, I find that the mushrooms can be very exhausting on the body.” Often people fast or eat lighter on the day of a psilocybin journey. But in the days leading up to a bleed, de la Myco recommends focusing on nutrient intake. She abstains from doing deeper mushroom journeys right before or during menses and notes a time during the cycle that may be more optimal. “I find that the energy afforded to us during the ovulatory period,” she says, “is very conducive and helpful to the mushroom experience.”

Can Psilocybin Help Women with Anxiety?

In the United States, people assigned female at birth are much more likely to develop an anxiety disorder throughout their life than those assigned male at birth. The lifetime prevalence for women is more than 30 percent and more than 19 percent for men. Several different types of anxiety disorders exist, and most have a higher prevalence in women.

Psilocybin shows promise for easing anxiety. A study published in Frontiers in Psychiatry in mid-2022 assessed anxiety in psilocybin retreat participants. In the study, attendees completed questionnaires assessing trait anxiety and state anxiety before the psilocybin ceremony, the morning after, and at one-week followup. Trait anxiety is anxiety that is part of your personality, whereas state anxiety is anxiousness in a stressful situation. Not all participants completed all questionnaires. Overall, the researchers found an association with the psilocybin experience and a rapid and persisting (at least for a week) anti-anxiety effect. They correlate these changes with ego dissolution and lasting changes to the trait of neuroticism. Neuroticism—the tendency toward negative emotions and problems coping with stress—is a common trait in anxiety disorders. The researchers suggest that psilocybin helps to alter personality structures that promote anxiety. This type of study has lots of limitations, of course, and more research is needed.

More research is needed on psilocybin’s potential to help with anxiety and to look at different types of anxiety disorders and figure out specific strategies. But the evidence is certainly growing.

Can Psilocybin Help Women with Endometriosis and Adenomyosis?

We don’t yet have clinical trials that look at psilocybin as a potential to help ease symptoms of endometriosis or adenomyosis. But my eyebrows perk up anyway.

For one, we have anecdotal reports (as indicated in the section on menstruation) that psilocybin may play a role in regulating the menstrual cycle. Irregularity is a common complaint of people who have endometriosis. Of course, we need more research on whether psilocybin can truly help with this.

Researchers are also looking at psilocybin for its potential to help ease chronic-pain. The research is just getting started. A consideration is that psilocybin may have an anti-inflammatory effect. One study found that hot-water extracts from four psilocybin mushrooms downregulated pro-inflammatory mediators, known as cytokines, on human cell lines. To be clear, this study was not conducted in actual humans, just on cells in a lab.

Cytokines are proteins that cells release, and they can either contribute to inflammation or reduce it. Pro-inflammatory cytokines—specifically interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α)—are involved in nociceptor sensory neurons that detect potential threats and lead to pain sensations, the study authors note. Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) is an enzyme also implicated in pain. In fact, non-steroidal antiinflammatory (NSAID) medications inhibit COX-2. Well, the magic mushroom extracts in the study, one of which included the popular Golden Teacher strain, significantly inhibited production of TNF-α and IL-1β, while also lowering concentrations of IL-6 and COX- 2. This experimental study did not research endometriosis or adenomyosis, however.

Consider this though. In addition to secreting hormones, endometriosis growths or lesions secrete pro-inflammatory cytokines. They specifically secrete IL-6 and TNF-α, among others. Lesions are also known to increase COX-2 expression. And COX-2 overexpression is a risk factor for endometriosis recurrence after surgical removal. Again, we need more research before we can determine if psilocybin can help with chronic-pain from endometriosis or adenomyosis or how it might be used in combination with existing therapies. I just hope that research gets underway.

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Learn about more specific use-cases (like depression, dementia, alcohol use and more), research, and resources in The Psilocybin Handbook for Women!

Millions of Americans experience high uric acid levels, aka hyperuricemia, and as a result suffer from health conditions like gout, liver disease, kidney stones, heart disease and more. Uric acid is a waste product found in the blood. The body naturally dissolves uric acid, but sometimes it can build up in the body and cause major health problems. With The Uric Acid Handbook, you will first learn what uric acid is and how it operates within your body. Then this book will walk you through how you may be unknowingly increasing your uric acid levels and the certain health risks associated with doing so. Using relatable anecdotes and research-backed strategies, this friendly guide will give you all the tools you need to lower your uric acid levels.

Ready to learn more? Check out the excerpt below on hyperuricemia treatment.

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By now you have a better understanding of how elevated uric acid causes not only gout but also a host of other medical issues. Consider this for a moment. Nearly half of adults in the United States (47 percent, or 116 million) have hypertension, defined as a systolic blood pressure greater than 130 millimeters of mercury (mmHg) or diastolic blood pressure greater than 80 mmHg, or are taking medication for hypertension. Knowing all this leads us to an important question: Why are rates of high blood pressure (hypertension) going up, even in adolescents and in people who maintain their ideal weight (a staggering one in three adults has hypertension and one in ten youths between the ages of twelve and nineteen has elevated blood pressure)?

Most probably, this epidemic is due to elevated uric acid in the body. According to Peter Grayson MD, a rheumatologist at the Boston Medical Center and lead investigator in a study, most of the studies his team reviewed accounted for factors that are traditionally known to increase the likelihood of developing high blood pressure—such as age, family history, weight, and tobacco use. By doing this, Dr. Grayson and his team were able to determine if uric acid independently increases the risk for hypertension. Among the 18 studies analyzed, there was data from 55,607 participants, including 13,025 participants with high blood pressure. The researchers noted that participants with hyperuricemia were more than 40 percent more likely to later develop high blood pressure than participants without hyperuricemia. Women with the highest uric acid levels and people who develop high levels of uric acid at a relatively young age are especially at risk for developing high blood pressure.

Hyperuricemia

The good news is that hyperuricemia can be managed, stopped, and controlled with adequate recognition to asymptomatic hyperuricemia, or elevated uric acid in the body that doesn’t exhibit any symptoms. All of us need to add “check uric acid levels” to our health checkup lists. This is because if we let hyperuricemia persist untreated, then its resulting health issues can be severe. The good news is even if we do find out that we have hyperuricemia, it shouldn’t be any cause for worry, as it can be fully treated by medication and sustained lifestyle changes.

Hyperuricemia and Gout

It’s now well-known and accepted that the major symptom of hyperuricemia is gout. When uric acid levels are elevated, urate crystals may form stone-like deposits in joints, soft tissues, bones, and skin, and trigger gout flares with episodes of severe pain.

It is important to note that gout is often described as a common and complex form of arthritis with a sudden attack of pain, swelling, redness, and tenderness in the affected location. Without clinical intervention, these urate crystals can become increasingly problematic within affected joints or tissues, and progressively damage them.

The traditional treatment with uric acid-lowering drugs for gout flares has been well-established for the improvement of quality of life, although it may not be optimal for all patients. Clinicians also employ anti-inflammatory therapy to reduce deposition of urate crystals in the joints. Allopurinol remains the first-line drug for reducing uric acid levels to normal. It is prescribed most often together with colchicine or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs for enhancement of efficacy.

Drugs like allopurinol and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) may not rapidly eliminate local inflammation due to a gout flare. It takes patience and diligence because a full recovery from a gout flare takes time (this varies from patient to patient). This may make a person feel unsure about the regimen that they are following. Here we provide you with a list of drugs used to treat gout:

An increase in uric acid concentration that exceeds the normal range might not be exclusively linked to gout flares, as many factors causing hyperuricemia are not relevant or significant to gout formation. Certain foods or medicines could induce hyperuricemia. Under renal dysfunction or cell damage, UA could suddenly increase by changing renal function to cause hyperuricemia. Drugs such as diuretics, anticonvulsants (valproate and phenobarbital), cyclosporine, theophylline, favipiravir (an antiviral drug), and pyrazinamide have been reported to increase uric acid levels.

Emotional stress, fasting, or dehydration caused by physical activity can also increase the concentration of UA. Although occasionally, an acute gout flare may be linked with the above-mentioned medication(s) or condition(s), enhanced uric acid levels are generally speaking a temporary phenomenon, and a gout flare is considered unlikely to occur if a longer duration and higher dose treatment are avoided. Controversially, pseudo-gout (a form of arthritis characterized by sudden, painful swelling in one or more of the joints, which can last for days or week), which is caused by calcium pyrophosphate deposition (CPPD), could have the same inflammatory symptoms as gout without hyperuricemia.

Natural Treatment for Gout Flares

There are products available that are completely made of natural products, like berries, that help when there is a gout flare.

Complete is one such organic and kosher product that cleanses uric acid from joints naturally. It is a liquid remedy that combines ingredients that are beneficial in helping support kidney function, circulation and the management of uric acid levels.

Such products generally include organic ingredients like water, apple cider vinegar, tart cherry, beet root, lemon, black carrot, peppermint, lime, cinnamon, rosemary, chanca piedra, citric acid, grape, purple corn, red cabbage.

Homeopath

Homeopathy, also known as homeopathic medicine, is a medical system that was developed in Germany more than 200 years ago. It’s based on two unconventional theories:

“Like cures like”—the notion that a disease can be cured by a substance that produces similar symptoms in healthy people.

“Law of minimum dose”—the notion that the lower the dose of the medication, the greater its effectiveness. Many homeopathic products are so diluted that no molecules of the original substance remain.

Homeopathic products come from plants (such as red onion, arnica [mountain herb], poison ivy, belladonna [deadly nightshade], and stinging nettle), minerals (such as white arsenic), or animals (such as crushed whole bees). Treatments are “individualized” or tailored to each person—it’s common for different people with the same condition to receive different treatments. Homeopathy uses a different diagnostic system for assigning treatments to individuals and recognizes clinical patterns of signs and symptoms that are different from those of conventional medicine.

Homeopathy treats the root cause of the problem and aims to eradicate the health issue completely. In homeopathy, it is not about controlling the levels of uric acid, but rather ensuring that the levels in the body never go above the recommended range. This means that once you begin therapy for managing your uric acid levels, the homeopathic practitioner works toward getting the levels back to normal and ensures that they stay that way. In homeopathy, increased levels of uric acid is considered a symptom and not a disease, unlike allopathy, which considers hyperuricemia as the main health issue or disease. A homeopath often does a deep investigation to find the reason for elevated uric acid levels in the body.

Homeopathy is known to control uric acid and is also useful in acute attacks. The following drugs can be an essential aid in the treatment of gout if you are keen to follow homeopathic treatment to handle hyperuricemia.

LYCOPODIUM—This drug is used when a patient has:

• chronic gout with chalky deposits in the joints
• mental keenness but shows weak muscular power
• an emaciated (thin and withered) body and tends to have gas
• the feeling of apprehension and fear of being alone
• a lack self-confidence, but a haughty and headstrong temperament when sick
• pain in the heels, as if treading on a pebble
• a hot feeling in one foot but a cold feeling in the other
• urine that is is slow in coming and shows heavy red sediment
• a backache that is relieved by urination
• a right side of the body that is peculiarly affected
• complaints that seem to increase in the evening, especially between 4 p.m. and 8 p.m.

COLCHICUM—This drug has a specific power to relieve a sudden attack of gout but is more beneficial in cases of chronic impact. This medicine is used when the effected parts are:

• red, hot, and swollen with tearing pains felt more in the night
• sensitive to touch
• tearing pains in the joints in hot weather and stinging during cold
• gout that has settled in the great toe or in the heel
• disorders of the stomach accompanying gout
• nausea and even fainting at the smell of food, particularly fish
• an icy coldness felt in the stomach
• urine that is dark, brown, or black, like ink

URTICA URENS—This drug, prepared from the stinging nettle, helps eliminate uric acid from the body. This is used when the patient:

• tends to have gout and stone formations
• has joint symptoms that are associated with urticaria or alternate with it
• has the shoulders (deltoid region), wrists, and ankles affected
• cannot tolerate touch, water, or exposure of the affected parts to cool, moist air and snow air.

LITHIUM CARBONICUM—This drug is used when:

• there is swelling and tenderness of the finger and toe joints, which feels better with hot water
• there is a nodular swelling of the joints
• there is ankle pain on walking
• there are headaches, acidity, nausea, and gnawing pain in the stomach which ceases while eating
• the urine may deposit red sand and is turbid, scanty, and dark
• there are joint symptoms associated with a heart disease

LEDUM—this drug is used when:

• gout is the result of alcoholism
• the inflammation of the joints begins in the lower limbs and ascends upward
• the ball of the great toe is swollen and sometimes red or bluish, and cold to the touch
• dipping the part in a bucket of ice-cold water relieves the pain
• it is generally worse from getting warm in bed
• the patient is sensitive to the cold, yet the heat of the bed is intolerable

BENZOIC ACID—this drug is used when:

• there are symptoms of gout associated with highly colored and offensive urine
• the pains are tearing in the affected joint
• gout seems to settle in the Achilles tendon, just above the heel
• the symptoms worsen in the open air and from uncovering the affected parts

A detailed history followed by constitutional treatment by a qualified homeopathic specialist is necessary to treat gout. It is not advisable to resort to self-medication for any disease. The above-mentioned drugs are just a few of the remedies for gout and are mentioned solely to create awareness about the efficacy of homeopathy in this disease.

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To learn more and explore your own uric acid levels, check out The Uric Acid Handbook, available now.

How can we ever begin to thank our mothers, step-moms, grandmas, mothers-in-law, and other mother figures? While we should celebrate them year-round, let’s give them a little bit more love this Mother’s Day. Start your mom’s day right and surprise her with these delicious French Toast Sticks from the I Love Trader-Joe’s Air-Fryer Cookbook.

Want to make her day even sweeter? Check out how to make Strawberry-Hand Pies as a sweet dessert! And, if you forgot to get a gift for your mom, make sure to check out our official Book-ish Gift Guide, perfect for all book-loving moms.

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Who doesn’t love French toast? And who wouldn’t love a fun way to eat them? These crispy French toast sticks do just that—turning them from fork-cutting goodness into dipping deliciousness.

Prep time: 10 minutes | Cook time: 10 minutes | Total time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:
5 slices Trader Joe’s Whole Wheat Bread
2 eggs
⅓ cup milk
2 tablespoons flour
3 tablespoons cane sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
confectioners’ sugar for dusting (optional)
maple syrup for dipping (optional)

Directions:
1. Preheat the air fryer to 370°F. While that’s heating up, cut each slice of bread into 3 pieces and set aside. Combine the eggs, milk, flour, sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon in a shallow bowl, whisking to combine. Dip each stick of bread into the mix, coating both sides and ends. Lay a piece of parchment paper in the air fryer basket, then put French toast sticks onto the parchment paper.

2. Cook the toast sticks for 5 minutes, then with tongs flip them over and cook for an additional 5 minutes. Remove the toast sticks from the air fryer. Dust with confectioners’ sugar and serve immediately dusted with confectioners’ sugar or with maple syrup for dipping, if using.

Happy Mother’s Day!

Oh, oh! You realized that Mother’s Day is less than a week away, didn’t you? The good thing about having a literary mother, is that books arrive in no time and will most likely arrive before Sunday as the perfect mother’s day gift. The best thing is she won’t even realize you forgot about it, with how great the gift will be! This gift guide includes the best mother’s day gifts for all types of moms, from the humorous one, to the emotional, fitness and even the weed mom! Our books have an audience for any one you might want to surprise on this delightful day.

Mother’s Day Gifts For Fitness Moms

The Anti-Diet Worbook is the perfect book for fitness gurus, yoga and pilates fans and mother’s who want to indulge in their weekly glass of wine while not feeling guilty. The book discusses listening to your body and understanding it! It is a workbook meant for the reader to gain control over their eating habits.

Mother’s Day Gifts For Moms Who Need a Good Laugh

This hilarious collection of trivia, jokes and puns is perfect for the moms that like to have a good laugh or need a little humor in their life. This giftable book is packed full of surprisingly adorable and informative color illustrations and poopy pub trivia.

Gifts For the Weed Mom

The title is self explanatory – but this is the perfect mother’s day gift for women who like to incorporate a healthy dose of THC into their lifestyle. It also discusses parenting, family life and guides on how to start micro-dosing.

Gifts For the New Mom

It is very common to not know what to give a parent who is celebrating their first mother’s day! Break Free from Reactive Parenting is a great tool for parents who are both starting out as parents or those who have been at it for a while. The book discusses ways to become an ally to your children and offers many activities for both the child and the parent!

Mother’s Day Gifts For the Tarot or Plant Mom

For all the mother’s who dabble in astrology, or love their plants, OR BOTH, this tarot deck is a perfect and beautiful gift. This modern take on the traditional 78-card Rider-Waite tarot deck combines authenticity and respect for the traditional themes and interpretations of tarot with a bit of plant-parent humor, and includes thoughtful interpretations.

Entertain yourself this 4/20 with a fun game to play while you blaze some weed and a few joints. Instead of your traditional 4/20 celebrations, Mr. Bud’s Pot Smoking Games will make sure you have a wonderful time with your friends. Gather up and let’s play some board and card games all night long!

FUN WEED GAME: GUMMY

I bet when you learned to play Rummy at your granddad’s knee, you never imagined that one day you’d be playing a tweaked-out version that gets you blazed. Well, my friend, that day has come! Get out your deck of cards and see if Gramps is interested in some holistic treatment for his glaucoma.

Object of the game

• Get rid of all your cards.
• Be the first to earn 420 points.
• Smoke a bunch of weed.

What you will need

• A deck of cards
• 2 to 6 players
• A piece of paper to keep score on

How to play

What’s the deal?

1. The youngest person deals first. Starting with the player to their left, they give 1 card at a time to each player until everyone has 6 cards unless there are only 2 players, then each player gets 10 cards.
2. After everyone has their cards, one card is dealt face up to start the “Trash Heap” and the rest of the stack is left as the “Stash Pile.” The player to the left of the dealer goes first.

Picking up

1. You start a turn by taking from either the Trash Heap or the top face- down card on the Stash Pile. You can pick up as many cards as you want from the Trash Heap as long as you:
2. Use the very bottom card you pick up to throw down some scoring shit on that turn.
3. Don’t discard the top card.

Throwing down

There are three different ways you can try to ditch the cards in your hand:

1. Discarding: When you discard, you lay the card face up next to the previous card in the Trash Heap. This way all the trashed cards will be visible. You must have a card to discard to end your hand, and that card cannot be the top card from the Trash Heap if you were a garbage picker on that turn.
2. Melting: You’ve got some scoring cards, such as Three of a Kind, Four of a Kind, or a “Piece of Straight,” which is 3 sequential cards of the same suit. Throw that shit down in front of you!

Note: Aces are as low as they go in this game, so a Piece of Straight can start with an ace and proceed to a two or it can end with a king, but it can’t go queen, king, ace.

3. Leeching: If someone has thrown down a melt and you’ve got a card that can leech off their success, lay that sucker out. For instance, someone put down 3 threes and you’ve got the other three—that’s a leech. Some other player put down four, five, six of spades, and you’ve got the seven of spades? Leech, baby!

SHOTGUNS, THE AWESOME KIND

When you shotgun smoke you are basically are blowing smoke into another person’s mouth. You can do this a few ways:

1. The Easy Way

You take a hit, make tunnel with your hand, and blow the smoke through your hand tunnel into another person’s mouth. If you like this person, and I mean like-like, you can blow it straight from mouth to mouth with no hand tunnel.

2. The Exciting Way

This is not for the faint of heart or the clumsy. When a blunt, joint, or spliff is burned about halfway to three-quarters of the way down, you take a small hit off it, turn it around, and place the lit end (the burning hot cherry) into your mouth. Don’t burn your tongue. Obviously. Now hold the blunt/joint/spliff in place with your lips, basically the same way you’d hold it in your lips even if the burning ember wasn’t now literally inside your head.

Another person now stands in front of you with their mouth open, real close, to the unlit end of the blunt/joint/spliff that’s sticking out of your mouth. You blow, and the smoke will shotgun out like crazy into the other person’s mouth. Everyone coughs and gets off. You can use the hand tunnel thing from “The Easy Way” if you want, but it’s not necessary.

3. The Bong Way

If the bong you’re using has a slide bowl that can be pulled fully out of the bong, then you can do things the “Bong Way.” Person A fills the chamber of the bong up with smoke the regular way one smokes a bong. Get that shit nice and milky. Then person B comes along and puts their mouth where one normally does on a bong. Now person A removes the slide bowl from the bong and blows into the bong, forcing all the smoke in the chamber into person B’s lungs. Person A can even include the hit they got when they were filling the chamber if they have the lung capacity for it.

I’m out!

A player goes out when they have no cards left, duh. This happens after a melt or leech is laid down, leaving the player with just one card in their hand, which they throw down on the discard pile and yell, “I’m out!”

Score!

Once some lucky bastard goes out, everyone adds up their score. Each player gets the points for the scoring cards they laid down, but the player who went out gets the points from all the cards left in all the other players’ hands.

1. Face cards, i.e., kings, queens, and jacks, are worth 10 points each.
2. Aces are worth 1 measly point.
3. Number cards are worth their number, so a five is worth 5 points, and… do I really need to explain this any more?
4. Fours and twos double the points for the melt they’re in. So if you laid down 3 fours, that’s 12 points for the melt and then you double that and get 24 points. Rock! If you threw down a two to leech onto someone else’s melt, you just get the value of the leech doubled, which is 4 points in this example.
5. Once you know your score, the scorekeeper jots it down.

Did I win!?

If you have the most points for a hand, you win the hand! But you only win the game if you are the first player to score 420 points.

So when do I smoke!?

Excellent question! There are two ways you smoke through this game:

Version #1 Gung-Ho Gummy

1. Every time you melt, you take a hit. Every time you leech, the person you are leeching off gives you a shotgun.
2. Whoever wins the hand gets a hit for every 50 points they scored. So if you earned 125 points, you get two hits.
3. Whoever wins the game wins a whole bowl-pack, bong-load, or spliff to their head. You can share if you’re magnanimous. Or you can mock the losers. Either way.

Version #2 Gummy Regs

1. Whoever wins the hand gets a hit.
2. Whoever wins the game wins a whole bowl-pack, bong-load, or spliff to their head.

Are you ready for all things creepy, kooky, mysterious, and spooky? Celebrate your love of Wednesday Addams with this morbidly ooky coloring book inspired by the hit Netflix show.

Color your way through Wednesday’s dark and twisted world with original, hand-drawn illustrations that will pull you by your braids into Jericho, Vermont and leave your head spinning on the dance floor.

Until the second season premieres, turn into a teenage Goo-Goo Muck and grab your coloring pens and color your favorite scenes! Check out a free download page from book below!

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Click here to download!

Black history is a robust and multifaceted chapter in world history that is often watered down. History books tend to highlight whitewashed versions of African enslavement, the Civil Rights Movement, and other “safe” topics that, while important, do not fully encapsulate the experiences of the Black and African diaspora. By telling the stories that are often omitted from history, Resistance Stories from Black History for Kids sets out to show that the Black experience is not only defined by marching and boycotting, but also through rebellion and resistance.Learn about little-known facets, events, and figureheads from Black history, including Mansa Musa, Vicente Guerrero, Queen Nzingha, and many more exciting stories!

Written by Rann Miller, an expert educator highly experienced in historical analysis and diversity, Resistance Stories from Black History for Kids is the ultimate lesson in Black history that will empower and inspire the youth through its retellings of the stories often left by the wayside.

The Queen Called King

Black History Month celebrations are great opportunities to learn about African Americans who made contributions to both the African American community and the United States as a whole. When I was in school, it was one of the only times when I would learn about Black women who led people and entire movements. Certainly, we learned about Harriet Tubman leading enslaved Black people to freedom. We also learned about Shirley Chisholm, who was the first African American woman to run for a major party’s nomination for president of the United States.

But in my learning about African women beyond the realm of the New World, those lessons were nowhere to be found. It’s not that the information wasn’t out there, but I believe that many of my teachers were unaware of African history and the history of African women serving as leaders. One such leader served in both the government and the military: the renowned warrior queen Nzingha of Matamba.

Who Was Queen Nzingha?

Nzingha was born a princess in 1583; she was the sister of King Ngoli Bbondi, the king of Ndongo (in what is now Angola).83 At the time of her birth, the Portuguese were establishing themselves on the continent of Africa, specifically West Africa, in search of gold. However, Nzingha was born ready for a confrontation. She belonged to the Jagas ethnic group—an extremely militant group that formed a human shield against the Portuguese conquest of the country and was always on the military offensive.

When Nzingha became an adult, she not only joined her army but also led a military unit of fierce women warriors, winning battle after battle. In 1622, her brother asked her to negotiate a peace treaty with the Portuguese, who wanted to take over the kingdom as part of their quest for gold. But after her brother died and she became queen of both lands in 1632, she intended to resist the Portuguese and ultimately expel them. As queen of both her and her brother’s kingdom, Nzingha began to strengthen her power. One way she did this was by forbidding her subjects to call her queen and ordering them to call her king. Another way was by dressing in men’s military clothing when leading her army into battle.

Nzingha was a very intelligent ruler. In her ambition to strengthen and expand her kingdom as the Portuguese attempted to use their influence and gain power in the area, she persuaded so-called slave soldiers under the control of the Portuguese to leave the Portuguese side and fight alongside her. This resulted in thousands of slave soldiers deserting the Portuguese and joining her forces, which created a serious security problem for the Portuguese. Aided by her alliance with the Dutch, Nzingha was able to resist the Portuguese and defend her people for decades, striking fear into the Portuguese with her woman warrior army.

Nzingha’s Decline

The turning point in the struggle against the Portuguese came when the Portuguese kidnapped Nzingha’s sister, whom she loved dearly, and beheaded her as a prisoner of war. This led to Nzingha signing a treaty with the Portuguese in 1659 to keep the peace. With this and all other treaties, however, Nzingha never paid fnancial tribute to the Portuguese, nor did she recognize them as overlords of her and her people. But at this point, she was seventy-five years old, and many of her supporters within the kingdom had either given up the fight or died.

On December 17, 1663, this great African woman died. With her death, the Portuguese occupation of the interior of southwest Africa and the massive expansion of the Portuguese slave trade began. Although her death resulted in a power vacuum that the Portuguese eventually filled, her life represents the resistance and rebellion against colonization and enslavement shown by numerous African women leaders in government and military. These strong women include businesswoman Madame Tinubu of Nigeria; Nandi, mother of the great Zulu warrior Shaka; and Kaipkire, a warrior of the Herero people of southwest Africa.

The Portuguese Arrival in Africa

Portugal wasn’t the only European power active during the age of exploration and colonization. But a treaty with the Spanish allowed the Portuguese to conquer all territories east of an imaginary line. This meant that most of South America, the Caribbean, and North America were for the Spanish (the British and French entered the picture with the fall of the Spanish in the Anglo-Spanish War between 1584 and 1604). As the British, Spanish, and French conquered the New World, the Portuguese set their sights on Africa, primarily for gold from West Africa.

For more important stories of resistance from Black history, check out Rann’s book, available now wherever books are sold!

INDEPENDENT PUBLISHER ULYSSES PRESS ACQUIRES HEALTH & FITNESS PUBLISHER VELOPRESS FROM OUTSIDE INTERACTIVE, INC.

[Brooklyn, New York // April 11, 2023] — Ulysses Press, a leading data- and market-driven independent book publisher distributed by Simon & Schuster, has announced it has acquired VeloPress, a leading health and fitness book publisher, from Outside Interactive, Inc.

The acquisition of VeloPress will add juggernaut titles like Running Rewired, The Triathlete’s Training Bible, and the Feed Zone Cookbook to Ulysses’ robust health and fitness catalog.

“Ulysses Press is thrilled to have the opportunity to continue to grow the audience for some of the world’s best sports training books and fitness experts,” said Keith Riegert, publisher of Ulysses Press. “Outside has done a phenomenal job of developing these category leading titles and world-class authors; we feel privileged to have the chance to continue VeloPress’ legacy into the future.”

Ulysses Press will add the acquired titles as a new imprint, maintaining the VeloPress brand.

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About Ulysses Press

Named one of Publishers Weekly’s ten “Fast-Growing Independent Publishers” in 2020, 2021 and 2022, Ulysses Press is reinventing the relationship between reader, author, and publisher. Beyond market-driven, Ulysses Press focuses on highly targeted niche groups that aren’t being offered the books they want by large publishing houses. As popular culture changes at the speed of the internet, books offer readers a trusted source for information and a vital escape from our highly connected, digital world.

About Outside Interactive, Inc.

Outside Interactive, Inc. is the premier destination for active lifestyle enthusiasts and home to leading brands in the endurance sports, outdoor, and healthy living spaces. Each month, Outside reaches 80 million of the most active consumers in the world across its 30+ media, digital, and technology platforms, creating an experience for both longtime adventurers and those just getting started. Outside’s mission is to get everyone outdoors, experiencing healthy, connected, and fulfilling lives. Outside’s membership offering, Outside+, bundles best-in-class storytelling, meal plans, gear reviews, mapping, online courses, discounted event access, magazines, access to NASTAR courses, and more. Learn more at OutsideInc.com.

About Pacific & Court

Pacific & Court is an award-winning Brooklyn-based boutique publicity and digital marketing company specializing in promoting independent authors and book publishers. Follow P&C on social media @pacificandcourt.

For media and interview queries, please contact Kourtney Jason at [email protected].

Imagine this: the sun is glowing through the window and your alarm starts to blasting it’s time to wake up. As you reach for your cell phone or clock to turn it off, copper is involved. If you’re using an alarm clock, its circuit board includes elements of copper. As you get out of bed, making your way to the bathroom to brush your teeth and shower, copper is involved. There are traces of copper in the tap water due to the corrosion of the plumbing that is made from copper. From washing your face to using certain personal care products like lotion and cosmetics, copper is involved.

So—how can copper boost brain function, strengthen your immune system, and make your general health better? Written by a seasoned health and wellness writer, Healing with Copper will instruct you on the benefits and best uses of copper and transform your life! Check out an excerpt from the book below:

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General Health

Overall, copper is known to help to form hemoglobin, it aids in the absorption of iron from the intestines, and it is needed to produce energy in the body. Copper also helps the body in several ways. This includes:

– Helping the production of red blood cells
– Absorbing iron in the body
– Forming collagen
– Regulating blood pressure and heart rate
– Reducing inflammation
– Helping to maintain the strength of the organs and the connective tissue
– Helps energy levels
– Helps brain function
– Enhances the formation of collagen and the overall health of skin and hair
– Developing, maintaining, and sustaining connective tissue and the bones
– Improves health conditions related to the immune system

Joint and Bone Health

Bone health keeps our bodies moving properly. When the bones are healthy it can also help the immune system. In addition, as aging progresses, bone health is very important. Aging can cause low bone density, which weakens the bones. This can cause an increased risk of fractures. There are other bone-related conditions that can cause stress on the body, such as different forms of arthritis.

Some ways to maintain bone health include exercise, proper stretching, and consuming the proper nutrients that help bone health. In addition to copper, this includes vitamin D, potassium, protein, vitamin C, zinc, and calcium. Collectively, these vitamins and minerals can be consumed through foods such as prunes, avocados, tomatoes, cheese, and milk. Some foods such as fried foods, highly processed foods, alcohol, and sugar can speed up the bone deterioration process and increase inflammation. This can lead to osteoporosis and other forms of arthritis.

The body depends on copper for the healthy formation of connective tissue. In addition, copper is the mineral that is responsible for linking elastin and collagen, which help the mobility of the body and aid in the prevention of brakes and fractures.

Collagen and Connective Tissues

Copper also aids the formation of collagen by activating and linking to lysyl oxidase, an enzyme that is needed to aid in the strengthening and formation of collagen. It also has a role in the production and protection of the connective tissue by crosslinking the collagen, elastin, and extracellular matrix proteins. This also plays a part in keeping the heart and blood vessels healthy. If there is a copper deficiency, lysyl oxidase can’t properly function in the body.

Along with proper nutrition that includes vitamins and minerals that support bone and joint health, regular exercise, stretching, and eating a healthy diet can also help the bones and joints.

Copper is a mineral that is known to enhance the hair, skin, and nails with the help of copper peptides. These are small chains of amino acids that build protein and aid in producing elastin and collagen. Copper peptides work below the epidermis, or outer layer of the skin and aid in the production of elastin deep within the skin tissues.

The skin has three layers of tissues: the epidermis, the dermis, and the subcutaneous layer. The epidermis is the outer layer of the skin that also has the cells that contain melanin, or melanocytes. The top portion or outer layer of the epidermis is a very thin layer and consists of the dead cells that wash off. The dead cells are replaced by new cells that are produced in the lower portion of the epidermis.

Energy and the Immune System

Copper helps to metabolize iron in the body. This helps energy production while keeping the blood vessels healthy. Copper is also a cofactor, a chemical that is not a protein that aids with biological chemical reactions, of many enzymes that help produce energy throughout the body.

Copper also helps the development and maintenance of the immune system. It interacts with other cells to keep the immune system healthy. A copper deficiency may cause a deficiency of neutrophils, white blood cells that fight off infection. This can lead to a lot of health conditions and make it difficult to heal when you are sick or injured.

Brain Health

Copper is essential for proper brain function because the demand for oxygen is strongly dependent on copper. When it comes to copper and brain health, balance is important. Although the brain has a natural function that regulates copper metabolism, too much or too little copper can impact the brain negatively. Brain health requires more than vitamins and minerals. Other ways to keep your brain healthy include engaging in intellectually stimulating activities, exercising, getting enough sleep, listening to music, and maintaining a healthy social life.

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Find more answers and tips to improve your health with copper in the new Healing with Copper. 

Note: It’s important that we take care of our health. This includes our physical health, mental health, and overall wellness. But, there’s no one-size-fits-all for creating and maintaining great health. Everyone has a different body type and genetic makeup, so what one person can do for their health can be completely different for the next person. It is important to understand that our health journey is ours and we should be patient with ourselves.