Gear Review: 43 CBD Solutions Hemp Oil and Salves

The Fall of 2019 introduced me to a new level of stress and anxiety when I unexpectedly lost my father in a very difficult fashion. I didn’t realize how depressed I had become as I struggled processing the grief. An injury in early March took me out of work and almost any physical activity for a month, then COVID hit. The thought of my now widowed mother being stuck in Florida away from any family for the summer during the pandemic led to high blood pressure and sleepless nights. A few sessions with a therapist helped but I needed to figure something else out.

I had received some samples from the Colorado based 43 CBD Solutions almost a year ago but had not bothered testing them as I wasn’t sure if I believed in the claims of what these products could do. My first taste of the CBD Hemp Oil Tincture was a hour before giving my father’s Eulogy. I couldn’t be sure it was having any positive effect on me as my emotions during this time were so overwhelmed with what was happening.

Most of the winter passed with me focusing on work and realizing I still wasn’t processing my grief in a healthy way. When the Spring ski accident and COVID-19 shutdown occurred it created even more stress and I started to feel like I would implode. On a call with my therapist he asked me if I was breathing. I realized sub-consciously I was barely taking full breaths. My chest felt tight. I still had moderate hypertension (high-blood pressure). I decided to give the 43 CBD products another try.

I’ve never used other CBD products before so I find it hard to review or compare. After months of weekly use I’m confident they are making a difference. I don’t use them every day but 2 or 3 times a week I will take a few drops of the oil on the tongue after waking up, and I do feel a little more relaxed during the day. It is a discreet feeling that is really hard to define but I do feel less “edgy”. I haven’t felt at all “high”, but for anyone slightly concerned about having any THC in their system they did just release a THC-free line.

I’ve also taken a few drops on some nights and have noticed I sleep better on the nights I do. I’ve been using the 1000mg CBD Ultra Deep Tissue Salve on my elbows (minor tendonitis) and can honestly say I have never used a better rub for muscle/tendon/joint pain relief! The relief is almost instant and seems to last longer than “IcyHot” rubs I used to use. I’ve also noticed better circulation in my arms when using it and I don’t get “pins and needles” while sleeping.

Rounding out the products I’ve tested is a small pocket tin I use as a lip balm and on the go pain relief. While I don’t use marijuana I find the natural hemp smell to have a calming effect.

Summary

I was definitely a skeptic going into this product testing. When I asked my licensed therapist his opinion on using CBD to help with anxiety he claimed the science supports their effectiveness but it can be hard to determine the quality of a somewhat unregulated industry and determine whether or not I’m experiencing some type of placebo reaction. I’ve come to the conclusion that the general feeling of well-being and lower blood pressure is a direct result of using these products, combined with increased exercise, hiking with the kids, and returning to productive and rewarding work. If you are experiencing stress and anxiety for any reason (and we all have enough reason right now to be stressed out), and have considered trying a CBD option, the choices can be a little over-whelming. The folks at 43 CBD Solutions have a quality product that goes through rigorous third party testing. You can feel safe in knowing exactly what you are putting into your body. And most importantly I now believe it works.

Purchase

Right now they are offering a BOGO 50% offer! That’s a great deal considering they are already a competitively priced product! Just shop from here and enter “BOGO50” at checkout!

See you in the mountains,

Northeast Alpine Start

Affiliate links above help support this blog. Media samples were provided for purpose of review. All opinions stated above are the genuine opinions of the author.

Staying Healthy While Staying Home

April 27, 2020April 27, 2020 David Lottmann adventure travel, Deals on gear!, hiking, Travel Guide, Trip Reports Emergency Preparedness, healthy eating, healthy habits, healthy living, nutrition, stay home

I thought I’d share what our family has been doing to stay healthy during these challenging days. I’m in no way an expert on nutrition and holistic living but I’ve noticed we’ve been doing some pretty positive things since the stay at home order.

Outside Time

staying healthy during #stayhome Covid-19 pandemic — One hour a day of outside time

First is getting the whole family outside for a minimum of an hour every day. Following an injury at the start of March I haven’t been able to go on strenuous hikes so to be honest these short nature walks with the family have been great. We walk our dirt road neighborhood or drive a couple miles to a relative’s paved neighborhood so the kids can ride their bikes. We’ve also started going to the Fryeburg Fairgrounds once a week which is a fantastic spot to ride bikes and play some frisbee as it has so much open space the dozen or so families there are easily able to stay distanced. One thing I’ve changed is I’ve started carrying my first aid kit 100% of the time, even for just short walks. While we are practicing very low risk outdoor activities we should still be prepared to handle unexpected scrapes and minor injuries!

PSA: The White Mountain National Forest is for the most part, “closed”. Details here.

Healthy Eating

I used to think my career as a climbing guide would keep me active enough I could eat whatever I wanted as I was getting plenty of exercise. Having crested 40 reality has caught up and following a period of inactivity post injury I’ve really cut out some of my favorite indulgences. We, like many, are cooking more at home then we ever have. We do take-out about once every two weeks both to give us a break from cooking and to support some of our favorite local restaurants.

The one food we’ve been eating a ton of lately is avocado. It’s on toast for breakfast in the morning and often in what ever veggie or turkey sandwich we make for lunch. I have to thank Absolutely Mindy for the tip about “Everything But The Bagel” seasoning… It is amazing on avocado and eggs! Most recently it was the serving vessel for some lobster salad we made with left-over lobster meat.

Nutritional Supplements

We’ve been drinking a lot of orange juice and taking our daily vitamins. I also put in for another order of Gnarly Nutrition, this time adding the Performance Greens to our pantry. This stuff is so delicious and packed with so much goodness! You can see my full review of a lot of their product line here!

Culling clothes, toys, and gear

We’ve spent a lot of time going through the kids clothes, toys, and gear. We’ve been able to donate outgrown clothes and toys through our local COVID-19 barter/trade Facebook group and it’s been great freeing up space and decluttering our living spaces.

So that’s it! Anything you’ve been doing more (or less) of during these strange days?

Stay healthy and see you in the mountains when they re-open!

Northeast Alpine Start

Affiliate links help support this blog.

GrandyOats Granola Review- And Contest!

May 29, 2018 Gear Reviews, Misc Reviews climbing, granola, healthy eating, healthy living, hiking, hiking gear, organic food, trail food, trail mix

Honestly I’ve never been a fan of granola, GORP (Good Ole’ Raisins and Peanuts), or trail mix preferring an eclectic mix of cured meats, hard cheeses, left over Flatbread, and home-made trail sushi. That is to say until I met some folks from GrandyOats during this past April’s Wild Corn event. They handed me a sample as I passed their vendor table and while chatting with other attendees and munching on my sample I discovered what good granola really is.

Since 1979 these real life Granola’s have been making wholesome organic hand mixed food in Western Maine. Their business philosophy is rooted in a sustainable life-style where good business is just not profitable but environmentally and socially responsible. You can read more on their story here.

Having been convinced that this quality of granola was changing my long held belief that granola is bland and boring I swung back around to their vendor table for a conversation and asked for a larger sample to take with us on our upcoming Iceland trip. They obliged with a 6-pack of Chocolate Chunk Coconola- Coconut Granola.

Here’s the official description of this tasty blend of goodness:

Chocolate Chunk Coconola is the delicious evolution of granola. This paleo, gluten-free, organic granola is vegan and loaded with coconut chips, seeds, nuts and dark chocolate. It’s made by hand in small batches at our solar-powered bakery and just like the sun, Coconola provides you with sustained energy to power your adventures.

Certified Organic
Certified Gluten-Free
Grain-Free & Certified Paleo Friendly
Non-GMO Verified
Kosher
Made in Small Batches at a Solar-Powered Baker

Ingredients: Organic Unsweetened Coconut, Organic Pumpkin Seeds, Organic Sunflower Seeds, Organic Coconut Nectar, Organic Dark Chocolate (organic cane sugar, organic cocoa liquor, organic cocoa butter), Organic Sesame Seeds, Organic Pecans, Organic Cashews, Organic Maple Syrup and Organic Vanilla.

What struck me as different from the admittedly low amounts of granola I have eaten over the years is how light this granola feels while munching. This is not only impart due to GrandyOats using the highest quality ingredients they can source but also the perfect level of minimal process baking. With other granola’s I would need to mix them with yogurt, drown in milk, or constantly wash down each bite with some water. This granola goes down easily handful after handful with out feeling heavy or too dry.

While I’ve already admitted I’m not a granola connoisseur quite a few of my friends and fellow mountain guides are. Each time I’ve shared some of my stash with them the feedback is consistent. They love it. I’ve also been able to share this tasty snack with multiple guests while out guiding and I have yet to find someone who didn’t take that first bite and pause before saying something like “That’s good granola!”.

The 9 ounce bags have 8 servings, 170 calories per serving (1,360 total), and cost $8 each when bought in a 6-pack from their website. That’s 1$ a serving for something that was literally hand-crafted, sourced ethically, baked and mixed perfectly! It doesn’t just stop at granola though. GrandyOats has a while line of trail mixes, roasted nuts (Organic Turmeric Ginger Cashews!), and hot cereal.

If you are a granola or trail mix fan you got to try these guys out. I am grateful I got to discover I actually do like granola, especially when it is made like this!

CONTEST

Win a free 9 ounce bag of Chocolate Chunk Granola! Just click the Rafflecopter link below for ways to enter the drawing and you might find yourself munching on some seriously good granola soon! Contest ends 6/30.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

See you in the mountains,

Northeast Alpine Start

Disclaimer: Product samples were provided for purpose of review. All opinions are my own. Affiliate links help support the content created at this blog at no additional cost to you. Thank you!