Tennessee Tim
Well-Known Member
It's good to still be about these parts, as we Tennesseans might say! And very good to hear from you!Hi @Tennessee Timlong time no see
SweetSue's Class Notes
- Thread starter SweetSue
- Start date
Tennessee Tim
Well-Known Member
I'm kind'a stuck on the nanomulsions thing! Makes me desire to tinker with a new rub/balm//lotion/spritzer!? How about a rub down with cosmic glue shatter made nanolotion, followed by a smoke of white widow, a lambs breath ale and a coconut oil, ginger spice champagne, Jamaican shatter infused nanoemulsion gel, served in the center of a dark chocolate confection
Now you have my heart go 
and I will dream of that for a long time.
and I will dream of that for a long time.- Thread starter
- #464
It's always good to see you around Tim.
I think nanoemulsions are the future. panacea's interested too, and he's dropped himself into an immersive study. When we figure out how to make it work in our kitchens it'll forever change the way we dose.
Tennessee Tim
Well-Known Member
It's always good to see you around Tim.
I think nanoemulsions are the future. panacea's interested too, and he's dropped himself into an immersive study. When we figure out how to make it work in our kitchens it'll forever change the way we dose.
I can't wait to hear more about this! My thank's to panacea and to you! I can think of so many ways to use a better topical and edible that we could make at home! Fizzies to drink/eat, what fun! A new wound therapy compound with nano cannabis oil emulsions ,emu oil, and poly/neomycin/zinc? Wow! the list grows by the moment.It's always good to see you around Tim.
I think nanoemulsions are the future. panacea's interested too, and he's dropped himself into an immersive study. When we figure out how to make it work in our kitchens it'll forever change the way we dose.
- Thread starter
- #466
I share your excitement for the future Tim.
Hey.... Let's lean a little more about essential fatty acids.
HEMP SEED
From: Hemp Line Journal, pp. 12-13,21 Vol. I No. 2
Fat is the second most abundant substance in the human body (water is first). The exact percentage varies with diet, exercise, genetic disposition, age and gender. The average is 15% to 22% of body weight as fat. The average adult American eats 135 lbs. of fat each year. That works out to over 50% of all calories consumed. The percentage and types of fats eaten are 34% saturated, 40% monounsaturated and 15% polyunsaturated fatty acids (fats are really fatty acids). Many U.S. health organizations recommend fat consumption be reduced to 30% of calories in the diet, with the fats divided equally between saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids. Some private researchers believe this is still to much fat in the diet and it will not help to reduce the incidence of fatty degeneration and cardiovascular disease (CVD).
Ideally, one third of the fat consumed should be EFAs. At least 10% of daily calories should be LA and at least 2% LNA. The optimal ratio of LA to LNA in the diet is between 2 to 1 and 5 to 1. The 2 to 1 ratio of LA to LNA is more advantageous in stemming fatty degeneration diseases. Flax seed oil is 58% LNA, possibly making it the best seed oil to combat degenerative disease, but it contains only 14% LA. Hemp seed oil is 55% LA and 25% LNA, or 2.2 times more LA than LNA, making it the best seed oil for optimal health and prevention of fatty degeneration.
The distinction between saturated and unsaturated fatty acids makes a world of difference to the body. Both are made up of carbon atoms connected to each other in chains with a CH3 methyl group at one end. That is the fat portion. The other end of the chain is finished with a COOH carboxylic group. That is the acid portion. And there the similarity between saturated and unsaturated fatty acids ends.
Saturated fatty acids (SFA) are not essential to the human diet. The body can make them from proteins or carbohydrates. Saturated fatty acids are straight line molecules consisting of carbon atoms connected to each other in single bond chains with a hydrogen atom at every bonding site on the carbon chain. Since all available bonding points on the carbon atoms are filled the chain is said to be saturated.
SFAs are sticky. The longer the chain the more readily the fatty portions tend to dissolve into each other. SFAs longer than ten carbons are solid at body temperature. Saturated fatty acid chains with 16 or more carbons can interfere with normal metabolic functions and clog arteries when consumed in excess. They are found in animal fats; primarily in beef, lamb and pork; and in coconut and palm kernel oil.
Unsaturated fatty acids are also made up of carbon atoms connected to each other like the saturated fatty acids, but at certain places along the chain two carbon atoms are connected by double bonds. To accomplish this two hydrogen atoms must be removed, one from each of the two carbon atoms forming the double bond. Because hydrogen atoms are removed to make the double bond between carbon atoms the fatty acid chain is said to be unsaturated.
These molecular diagrams illustrate the structural differences between saturated fats and the essential dietary oils. The bent shape of the essential fatty acids keeps them from dissolving into each other. They are slippery and will not clog arteries like the sticky straight shaped saturated fats and the trans-fatty acids found in cooking oils and shortenings that are made by subjecting polyunsaturated oils like LA and LNA to high temperatures during the refining process.
LA and LNA possess a slightly negative charge and have a tendency to form very thin surface layers. This property is called surface activity, and it provides the power to carry substances like toxins to the surface of the skin, intestinal tract, kidneys and lungs where they can be removed. Their very sensitivity causes them to break down rapidly into toxic compounds when refined with high heat.
Plants have enzymes capable of inserting these double bonds starting at the third carbon atom. Human enzymes can make double bonds starting at the ninth carbon atom only. If the fatty acid has just one double bond it is called a monounsaturated fatty acid. Oleic acid (named after olive oil) has one double bond between the ninth and tenth carbons. Human enzymes make oleic acid from stearic acid (an 18-carbon SFA found in beef, lamb and pork) in an attempt to keep body fats from solidifying.
If the fatty acid has more than one double bonded carbon pair it is polyunsaturated. Linoleic acid has two unsaturated pairs in its 18-carbon chain. Linolenic acid has three pairs in its 18-carbon chain. Naturally unsaturated fatty acids always have their double bonds three carbon atoms apart.
These unsaturated bonds cause the normally straight line shape of the carbon chain to bend at the double bonded pair because nature always removes the hydrogen atoms from the same side of the fatty acid molecule. This greatly changes the fatty acid's physical and chemical characteristics. Biochemists call this cis- configuration.
The bent structure keeps the EFAs from dissolving into each other. They are slippery, not sticky like the SFAs, and they are liquid at body temperature. EFAs possess a slightly negative charge and have a tendency to form very thin surface layers. This property is called surface activity, and it provides the power to carry substances like toxins to the surface of the skin, intestinal tract, kidneys and lungs where they can be removed. EFA surface activity also helps disperse materials which react with or dissolve into the EFAs. Essential cis- unsaturated fatty acids do not clog arteries like SFAs.
The cis- configuration allows de-localized electron clouds (pi-electrons) to form in the bend produced on the chain. The resulting electrostatic force enables the EFAs to capture oxygen molecules and hold proteins within cell membranes. And because of the pi-electron clouds in the cis- bonds, EFAs are able to form phase boundary electrical potentials between the water inside and outside the cells, and the oils within the cell membranes. Like static electricity in a capacitor these charges can produce measurable bio-electric currents important to nerve, muscle, heart and membrane functions. EFAs are extremely important to the body's overall energy exchange potential -- the flow of lifeforce.
LA and LNA are involved in transferring oxygen from the air in the lungs to every cell in the body. They play a part in holding oxygen in the cell membrane. There it acts as a barrier to invading viruses and bacteria, neither of which thrive in the presence of oxygen. Oxidation is the single most important living process in the body.
Linoleic acid and linolenic acid are precursors to the prostaglandins, a short-lived hormone-like family of substances that regulate many functions in all tissues. About thirty prostaglandins have been identified. They are divided into three series. LA is the starting material for series 1 and 2; series 3 is derived from LNA.
Prostaglandin E1 (PGE1) is the best known in series 1. Some of the series 2 prostaglandins have the opposite effect of PGE1, and the series 3 prostaglandins have properties similar to series 1. PGE1 helps prevent heart attacks and strokes associated with cardiovascular disease by keeping blood platelets from sticking together and forming clots in the arteries. PGE1 retards cholesterol production and improves circulation by dilating blood vessels. It controls series 2 prostaglandin production. It is involved with T cell functions in the immune system and may well help to prevent cancer growth by regulating the rate of cell division. PGE1 improves nerve action and gives a sense of well being.
LA, LNA and the highly unsaturated fatty acids the body makes from them, are necessary in the most active energy and electron exchanging and oxygen requiring tissues; especially the brain, retina, inner ear, adrenal and testicular tissues. They carry the high energy required by the most active tissues, and ensure very high oxygen availability to them. Life force travels through the body via the essential fatty acids and their derivatives.
Over half the oil found in dark green plant leaves is Linolenic acid (green leaves contain 1% or less oil). It is even more concentrated in the membranes of the chloroplasts where photosynthesis takes place. The pi-electron clouds of the cis- double bonds in LNA absorb photon energy from sunlight striking the plant leaves and become excited like electrons in laser materials. The pi-electrons transform the solar energy into chemical energy and LNA transports that energy wherever it is needed.
LNA is about five times more reactive to light than LA. Light increases LNA's ability to react with oxygen by a thousand times. The unsaturated fatty acids with more cis- bonds are extremely sensitive to light and will spoil rapidly when exposed to it. The oils quickly become rancid and unfit to eat. So the special nature of the EFAs that make them essential to life -- absorption of oxygen and transformation of solar energy -- causes them to decompose when exposed to air and light.
When the EFAs and their highly unsaturated cousins are exposed to sunlight, free radical chain reactions begin. A single photon may be caught by an electron on a carbon next to the cis- bonded pair. That excited electron leaves orbit and crashes into another one or takes off with a hydrogen nucleus causing a chain reaction that continues for 30,000 cycles. Bonds break along the chain. New and different molecules are formed. Many including, ozonides and peroxides which destroy lung tissue, hydroperoxides, polymers and especially hydroperoxyaldehydes are toxic to the body.
Though life cannot flow without the light and oxygen sensitive EFAs, they quickly become toxic when handled incorrectly. Nature solves this paradox by making powerful antioxidants and free radical scavengers that control the oxidation rate and trap free radicals before chain reactions get out of control. Two of the best are vitamins A and E. Nature designed them to dissolve into her remarkable polyunsaturated oils and shield them while they enable life energy to flow.
Plants have created the perfect container to safely store the EFAs and protect them from light and oxygen damage. It is the seed. And as long as we get our essential fatty acids by eating whole seeds the lifeforce within us is charged with vitality. Hemp seeds contain the perfect balance of the essential fatty acids required by the human body. Hemp seed oil is indeed the oil of life.
References:
Hey.... Let's lean a little more about essential fatty acids.
HEMP SEED
From: Hemp Line Journal, pp. 12-13,21 Vol. I No. 2
HEMP SEED: THE MOST NUTRITIONALLY
COMPLETE FOOD SOURCE IN THE WORLD
Part Two: HEMP SEED OILS AND THE FLOW OF LIFE FORCE
Hemp seed oil comprises 35% of the total seed weight. This oil has the lowest amount of saturated fatty acids at 8%, and the highest amount of the polyunsaturated essential fatty acids at 80%, total oil volume. Flax seed oil comes in second at 72% combined total essential fatty acids.
COMPLETE FOOD SOURCE IN THE WORLD
Part Two: HEMP SEED OILS AND THE FLOW OF LIFE FORCE
- by Lynn Osburn
Hemp seed oil comprises 35% of the total seed weight. This oil has the lowest amount of saturated fatty acids at 8%, and the highest amount of the polyunsaturated essential fatty acids at 80%, total oil volume. Flax seed oil comes in second at 72% combined total essential fatty acids.
Linoleic acid (LA) and linolenic acid (LNA) cannot be made by the human body and must be obtained through the diet, so they are called essential fatty acids (EFA). LA and LNA are the most important fatty acids in human nutrition and health. They are involved in producing life energy from food and the movement of that energy throughout the body. EFAs govern growth, vitality and state of mind. Still, much is unknown about their functioning in the body.
Fat is the second most abundant substance in the human body (water is first). The exact percentage varies with diet, exercise, genetic disposition, age and gender. The average is 15% to 22% of body weight as fat. The average adult American eats 135 lbs. of fat each year. That works out to over 50% of all calories consumed. The percentage and types of fats eaten are 34% saturated, 40% monounsaturated and 15% polyunsaturated fatty acids (fats are really fatty acids). Many U.S. health organizations recommend fat consumption be reduced to 30% of calories in the diet, with the fats divided equally between saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids. Some private researchers believe this is still to much fat in the diet and it will not help to reduce the incidence of fatty degeneration and cardiovascular disease (CVD).
Ideally, one third of the fat consumed should be EFAs. At least 10% of daily calories should be LA and at least 2% LNA. The optimal ratio of LA to LNA in the diet is between 2 to 1 and 5 to 1. The 2 to 1 ratio of LA to LNA is more advantageous in stemming fatty degeneration diseases. Flax seed oil is 58% LNA, possibly making it the best seed oil to combat degenerative disease, but it contains only 14% LA. Hemp seed oil is 55% LA and 25% LNA, or 2.2 times more LA than LNA, making it the best seed oil for optimal health and prevention of fatty degeneration.
The distinction between saturated and unsaturated fatty acids makes a world of difference to the body. Both are made up of carbon atoms connected to each other in chains with a CH3 methyl group at one end. That is the fat portion. The other end of the chain is finished with a COOH carboxylic group. That is the acid portion. And there the similarity between saturated and unsaturated fatty acids ends.
Saturated fatty acids (SFA) are not essential to the human diet. The body can make them from proteins or carbohydrates. Saturated fatty acids are straight line molecules consisting of carbon atoms connected to each other in single bond chains with a hydrogen atom at every bonding site on the carbon chain. Since all available bonding points on the carbon atoms are filled the chain is said to be saturated.
LA, LNA and the highly unsaturated fatty acids the body makes from them, are necessary in the most active energy and electron exchanging and oxygen requiring tissues; especially the brain, retina, inner ear, adrenal and testicular tissues. They carry the high energy required by the most active tissues, and ensure very high oxygen availability to them. Life force travels through the body via the essential fatty acids and their derivatives.
The body burns SFAs up to 14 carbons long to produce energy much like we burn hydrocarbon fuels to power automobiles. Only the body's biochemical engines burn clean, leaving no "smog" as long as the body is in good health. Enzymes (globular proteins) within the cell break SFAs into successive 2-carbon fragments (acetates) starting from the acid end. The acetates are then burned (oxidized) in the cell's energy furnace, the mitochondria. The chemical energy produced is stored in ATP (adenosine triphosphate) molecules and can be released to fuel chemical reactions whenever the cell needs it. The remaining energy dissipates as heat and that keeps the body warm. (The first law of thermodynamics says energy cannot be created nor destroyed, but can change forms. Heat radiation is a form of kinetic energy; the bonding energy that holds chemical compounds together is called chemical energy. Heat can make or break chemical bonds, and chemical reactions can absorb or release heat.)
SFAs are sticky. The longer the chain the more readily the fatty portions tend to dissolve into each other. SFAs longer than ten carbons are solid at body temperature. Saturated fatty acid chains with 16 or more carbons can interfere with normal metabolic functions and clog arteries when consumed in excess. They are found in animal fats; primarily in beef, lamb and pork; and in coconut and palm kernel oil.
Unsaturated fatty acids are also made up of carbon atoms connected to each other like the saturated fatty acids, but at certain places along the chain two carbon atoms are connected by double bonds. To accomplish this two hydrogen atoms must be removed, one from each of the two carbon atoms forming the double bond. Because hydrogen atoms are removed to make the double bond between carbon atoms the fatty acid chain is said to be unsaturated.
These molecular diagrams illustrate the structural differences between saturated fats and the essential dietary oils. The bent shape of the essential fatty acids keeps them from dissolving into each other. They are slippery and will not clog arteries like the sticky straight shaped saturated fats and the trans-fatty acids found in cooking oils and shortenings that are made by subjecting polyunsaturated oils like LA and LNA to high temperatures during the refining process.
LA and LNA possess a slightly negative charge and have a tendency to form very thin surface layers. This property is called surface activity, and it provides the power to carry substances like toxins to the surface of the skin, intestinal tract, kidneys and lungs where they can be removed. Their very sensitivity causes them to break down rapidly into toxic compounds when refined with high heat.
Plants have enzymes capable of inserting these double bonds starting at the third carbon atom. Human enzymes can make double bonds starting at the ninth carbon atom only. If the fatty acid has just one double bond it is called a monounsaturated fatty acid. Oleic acid (named after olive oil) has one double bond between the ninth and tenth carbons. Human enzymes make oleic acid from stearic acid (an 18-carbon SFA found in beef, lamb and pork) in an attempt to keep body fats from solidifying.
If the fatty acid has more than one double bonded carbon pair it is polyunsaturated. Linoleic acid has two unsaturated pairs in its 18-carbon chain. Linolenic acid has three pairs in its 18-carbon chain. Naturally unsaturated fatty acids always have their double bonds three carbon atoms apart.
These unsaturated bonds cause the normally straight line shape of the carbon chain to bend at the double bonded pair because nature always removes the hydrogen atoms from the same side of the fatty acid molecule. This greatly changes the fatty acid's physical and chemical characteristics. Biochemists call this cis- configuration.
The bent structure keeps the EFAs from dissolving into each other. They are slippery, not sticky like the SFAs, and they are liquid at body temperature. EFAs possess a slightly negative charge and have a tendency to form very thin surface layers. This property is called surface activity, and it provides the power to carry substances like toxins to the surface of the skin, intestinal tract, kidneys and lungs where they can be removed. EFA surface activity also helps disperse materials which react with or dissolve into the EFAs. Essential cis- unsaturated fatty acids do not clog arteries like SFAs.
The cis- configuration allows de-localized electron clouds (pi-electrons) to form in the bend produced on the chain. The resulting electrostatic force enables the EFAs to capture oxygen molecules and hold proteins within cell membranes. And because of the pi-electron clouds in the cis- bonds, EFAs are able to form phase boundary electrical potentials between the water inside and outside the cells, and the oils within the cell membranes. Like static electricity in a capacitor these charges can produce measurable bio-electric currents important to nerve, muscle, heart and membrane functions. EFAs are extremely important to the body's overall energy exchange potential -- the flow of lifeforce.
LA and LNA are involved in transferring oxygen from the air in the lungs to every cell in the body. They play a part in holding oxygen in the cell membrane. There it acts as a barrier to invading viruses and bacteria, neither of which thrive in the presence of oxygen. Oxidation is the single most important living process in the body.
Linoleic acid and linolenic acid are precursors to the prostaglandins, a short-lived hormone-like family of substances that regulate many functions in all tissues. About thirty prostaglandins have been identified. They are divided into three series. LA is the starting material for series 1 and 2; series 3 is derived from LNA.
Prostaglandin E1 (PGE1) is the best known in series 1. Some of the series 2 prostaglandins have the opposite effect of PGE1, and the series 3 prostaglandins have properties similar to series 1. PGE1 helps prevent heart attacks and strokes associated with cardiovascular disease by keeping blood platelets from sticking together and forming clots in the arteries. PGE1 retards cholesterol production and improves circulation by dilating blood vessels. It controls series 2 prostaglandin production. It is involved with T cell functions in the immune system and may well help to prevent cancer growth by regulating the rate of cell division. PGE1 improves nerve action and gives a sense of well being.
LA, LNA and the highly unsaturated fatty acids the body makes from them, are necessary in the most active energy and electron exchanging and oxygen requiring tissues; especially the brain, retina, inner ear, adrenal and testicular tissues. They carry the high energy required by the most active tissues, and ensure very high oxygen availability to them. Life force travels through the body via the essential fatty acids and their derivatives.
Over half the oil found in dark green plant leaves is Linolenic acid (green leaves contain 1% or less oil). It is even more concentrated in the membranes of the chloroplasts where photosynthesis takes place. The pi-electron clouds of the cis- double bonds in LNA absorb photon energy from sunlight striking the plant leaves and become excited like electrons in laser materials. The pi-electrons transform the solar energy into chemical energy and LNA transports that energy wherever it is needed.
LNA is about five times more reactive to light than LA. Light increases LNA's ability to react with oxygen by a thousand times. The unsaturated fatty acids with more cis- bonds are extremely sensitive to light and will spoil rapidly when exposed to it. The oils quickly become rancid and unfit to eat. So the special nature of the EFAs that make them essential to life -- absorption of oxygen and transformation of solar energy -- causes them to decompose when exposed to air and light.
When the EFAs and their highly unsaturated cousins are exposed to sunlight, free radical chain reactions begin. A single photon may be caught by an electron on a carbon next to the cis- bonded pair. That excited electron leaves orbit and crashes into another one or takes off with a hydrogen nucleus causing a chain reaction that continues for 30,000 cycles. Bonds break along the chain. New and different molecules are formed. Many including, ozonides and peroxides which destroy lung tissue, hydroperoxides, polymers and especially hydroperoxyaldehydes are toxic to the body.
Though life cannot flow without the light and oxygen sensitive EFAs, they quickly become toxic when handled incorrectly. Nature solves this paradox by making powerful antioxidants and free radical scavengers that control the oxidation rate and trap free radicals before chain reactions get out of control. Two of the best are vitamins A and E. Nature designed them to dissolve into her remarkable polyunsaturated oils and shield them while they enable life energy to flow.
Plants have created the perfect container to safely store the EFAs and protect them from light and oxygen damage. It is the seed. And as long as we get our essential fatty acids by eating whole seeds the lifeforce within us is charged with vitality. Hemp seeds contain the perfect balance of the essential fatty acids required by the human body. Hemp seed oil is indeed the oil of life.
References:
- Fats and Oils: The Complete Guide to Fats and Oils in Health and Nutrition Udo Erasmus, Alive Books 1986.
- Life and Energy: An Exploration of the Physical and Chemical Basis of Modern Biology. Isaac Asimov, Avon Books 1962.
- The Nervous System: Circuits of Communication, Marshall Editions (editorial group); Dr. John J. Caronna, Dr. Samuel J. Potolicchio, consultants, Torstar Books Inc. 1985.
- Textbook of Medical Physiology, Arthur C. Guyton, MD., W. B. Saunders Company 1971.
- Textbook of Organic Chemistry, E. Wertheim, The Blakiston Company 1945.
- Thread starter
- #467
- Thread starter
- #468
From ProfofPot
Activation and Metabolism of Cannabinoids
Cannabinoids are a class of molecules produced by the cannabis plant, several of which are psychoactive or have medicinal properties. But as soon as you ingest cannabinoids, your body starts modifying them and making them less active (or in some cases, more active) in an attempt to remove them from your body.
The metabolism of cannabinoids is complex compared to most drugs. It can be easy to get lost in the alphabet soup of metabolites, so I created this guide to help.
I focus on the two main cannabinoids, which are the most well studied both from a recreational and medicinal point of view:
Back in the day when we were hunter-gatherers, we were eating all kinds of random shit. If a plant looked tasty, that was your meal for the day. But guess what? Many plants can have toxins in them. The cannabis plant most likely started creating cannabinoids in order to avoid being consumed. Oh, the irony.
In order to not be killed off by our breakfasts, our bodies have the ability to detoxify and eliminate plant toxins. Detoxification is done by a few groups of enzymes which are mostly in our liver and our GI tract.
We are no longer eating random, potentially poisonous plants, but we are still consuming the drugs that come from them. Because these enzymes were discovered for their ability to metabolize drugs, they were called drug-metabolizing enzymes.
It is a misnomer that your body is “breaking down” a drug such as THC. It is actually more likely that your body is adding more molecules to it. The larger the drug becomes, the easier it is for your body to remove it.
There are two important ways to metabolize drugs (called Phase I and Phase II):
Activation of Cannabinoids
In the cannabis plant, cannabinoids are mostly in the pre-active acid form (i.e. they have a carboxylic acid group attached). The abbreviation of the acid form will have an “A”, so for example, the acid form of THC is designated THC-A (the chemical name: tetrahydrocannabinolic acid). Although THC-A may have anti-inflammatory activity, it is not psychoactive (or in other words, it will not get you high).
In order for THC-A to become active, it must be decarboxylated (i.e. the carboxylic acid group shown in red must be removed). However, your drug-metabolizing enzymes will not do this. This is why eating raw, unprocessed cannabis will not get you high!
You are responsible for your own decarboxylation, which is typically done by heating. When you burn or vaporize marijuana, it gets hot enough to decarboxylate the THC-A. Recipes for cannabis edibles will also heat the THC-A enough to decarboxylate it.
However, if you heat THC too much, it can degrade and if you don’t heat it enough, the decarboxylation process will be incomplete. In either case, you are not getting the full dose of active THC!
A similar activation process occurs for CBD. Although it is not highly psychoactive, CBD is partially responsible for the entourage effect. The entourage effect is where CBD changes how THC interacts with your body to produce a different effect than if THC were given alone.
Metabolism of Cannabinoids
So you’ve activated your THC-A to THC and consumed it….what happens next? Every time your heart pumps, it sends a certain fraction of your blood to your liver (at rest, it’s about 25%). The cannabinoids in this fraction of your blood are able to be metabolized by hepatocytes(liver cells) that contain most of your drug-metabolizing enzymes. The new molecules formed from this process are called metabolites.
Metabolism of cannabinoids generally happens in several sequential steps. There are actually many different pathways that cannabinoid metabolism can follow, but I will only describe the main one:
Phase I: Oxidation
One of the most common ways the human body metabolizes cannabinoids is for a CYP enzyme to hydroxylate (add an oxygen and hydrogen molecule to) a specific part of the cannabinoid. This results in a hydroxy (OH) form of the cannabinoid. Using THC as an example, it is metabolized to 11-OH-THC by the CYP2C9 enzyme.
Hydroxy metabolites of THC and CBD are both active metabolites, meaning they retain their psychoactive or medicinal properties. In fact, 11-OH-THC is even more active than THC. Although this is rare, it is not unique. For example, there is a metabolite of morphine that has even more potent pain-relieving properties than morphine itself.
In the next step, the same CYP2C9 enzyme causes further oxidation, leading to a carboxylic acid form, THC-COOH. This carboxyl group causes the molecule to lose activity since it can no longer bind tightly to cannabinoid receptors. Therefore, THC-COOH is an inactive metabolite.
The enzymes which perform this metabolism have genetic variants. Some people are genetically predisposed to metabolize THC and CBD faster or slower, which has implications for how long you stay high and also how likely you are to fail a drug test.
Phase II: Glucuronidation
With the Phase I oxidation process complete, there is now an oxygen molecule where UGT enzymes can easily connect a glucuronide molecule. The glucuronide is like a tag that marks a molecule to be excreted.
The THC-COO-glucuronide molecule can be easily excreted by your body into the urine or bile. Incidentally, it is also the most important molecule measured in urine for detecting cannabis use
Quick Guide to Activation and Metabolism
For those of you who just want a quick guide and not the full explanation, the cheat sheet is below. This guide shows the 4 main steps to the activation and metabolism of THC and CBD:
Activation and Metabolism of Cannabinoids
- Pharmacology
- August 2, 2016
- Prof of Pot
Cannabinoids are a class of molecules produced by the cannabis plant, several of which are psychoactive or have medicinal properties. But as soon as you ingest cannabinoids, your body starts modifying them and making them less active (or in some cases, more active) in an attempt to remove them from your body.
The metabolism of cannabinoids is complex compared to most drugs. It can be easy to get lost in the alphabet soup of metabolites, so I created this guide to help.
I focus on the two main cannabinoids, which are the most well studied both from a recreational and medicinal point of view:
- THC: Tetrahydrocannabinol
- CBD: Cannabidiol
Back in the day when we were hunter-gatherers, we were eating all kinds of random shit. If a plant looked tasty, that was your meal for the day. But guess what? Many plants can have toxins in them. The cannabis plant most likely started creating cannabinoids in order to avoid being consumed. Oh, the irony.
In order to not be killed off by our breakfasts, our bodies have the ability to detoxify and eliminate plant toxins. Detoxification is done by a few groups of enzymes which are mostly in our liver and our GI tract.
We are no longer eating random, potentially poisonous plants, but we are still consuming the drugs that come from them. Because these enzymes were discovered for their ability to metabolize drugs, they were called drug-metabolizing enzymes.
It is a misnomer that your body is “breaking down” a drug such as THC. It is actually more likely that your body is adding more molecules to it. The larger the drug becomes, the easier it is for your body to remove it.
There are two important ways to metabolize drugs (called Phase I and Phase II):
- Phase I: Generally involves adding an oxygen molecule to the drug. The group of enzymes that does this is the CYPs(cytochrome P450s).
- Phase II: Links another larger molecule to the drug. Most often, this is a sugar-like molecule called a glucuronide. The group of enzymes that does this is the UGTs (uridine-diphosphate glucuronosyltransferases).
Activation of Cannabinoids
In the cannabis plant, cannabinoids are mostly in the pre-active acid form (i.e. they have a carboxylic acid group attached). The abbreviation of the acid form will have an “A”, so for example, the acid form of THC is designated THC-A (the chemical name: tetrahydrocannabinolic acid). Although THC-A may have anti-inflammatory activity, it is not psychoactive (or in other words, it will not get you high).
In order for THC-A to become active, it must be decarboxylated (i.e. the carboxylic acid group shown in red must be removed). However, your drug-metabolizing enzymes will not do this. This is why eating raw, unprocessed cannabis will not get you high!
You are responsible for your own decarboxylation, which is typically done by heating. When you burn or vaporize marijuana, it gets hot enough to decarboxylate the THC-A. Recipes for cannabis edibles will also heat the THC-A enough to decarboxylate it.
However, if you heat THC too much, it can degrade and if you don’t heat it enough, the decarboxylation process will be incomplete. In either case, you are not getting the full dose of active THC!
A similar activation process occurs for CBD. Although it is not highly psychoactive, CBD is partially responsible for the entourage effect. The entourage effect is where CBD changes how THC interacts with your body to produce a different effect than if THC were given alone.
Metabolism of Cannabinoids
So you’ve activated your THC-A to THC and consumed it….what happens next? Every time your heart pumps, it sends a certain fraction of your blood to your liver (at rest, it’s about 25%). The cannabinoids in this fraction of your blood are able to be metabolized by hepatocytes(liver cells) that contain most of your drug-metabolizing enzymes. The new molecules formed from this process are called metabolites.
Metabolism of cannabinoids generally happens in several sequential steps. There are actually many different pathways that cannabinoid metabolism can follow, but I will only describe the main one:
Phase I: Oxidation
One of the most common ways the human body metabolizes cannabinoids is for a CYP enzyme to hydroxylate (add an oxygen and hydrogen molecule to) a specific part of the cannabinoid. This results in a hydroxy (OH) form of the cannabinoid. Using THC as an example, it is metabolized to 11-OH-THC by the CYP2C9 enzyme.
Hydroxy metabolites of THC and CBD are both active metabolites, meaning they retain their psychoactive or medicinal properties. In fact, 11-OH-THC is even more active than THC. Although this is rare, it is not unique. For example, there is a metabolite of morphine that has even more potent pain-relieving properties than morphine itself.
In the next step, the same CYP2C9 enzyme causes further oxidation, leading to a carboxylic acid form, THC-COOH. This carboxyl group causes the molecule to lose activity since it can no longer bind tightly to cannabinoid receptors. Therefore, THC-COOH is an inactive metabolite.
The enzymes which perform this metabolism have genetic variants. Some people are genetically predisposed to metabolize THC and CBD faster or slower, which has implications for how long you stay high and also how likely you are to fail a drug test.
Phase II: Glucuronidation
With the Phase I oxidation process complete, there is now an oxygen molecule where UGT enzymes can easily connect a glucuronide molecule. The glucuronide is like a tag that marks a molecule to be excreted.
The THC-COO-glucuronide molecule can be easily excreted by your body into the urine or bile. Incidentally, it is also the most important molecule measured in urine for detecting cannabis use
Quick Guide to Activation and Metabolism
For those of you who just want a quick guide and not the full explanation, the cheat sheet is below. This guide shows the 4 main steps to the activation and metabolism of THC and CBD:
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Tapping Basics
PART I For Everyone: The EFT Tapping Basics
How to do the EFT Tapping Basics - The Basic Recipe
The Basic Tapping Procedure - The Centerpiece of EFT
The EFT Tapping Basic Recipe is an easy to use healing tool that provides the very foundation for expanding your emotional freedom. It is the tapping procedure that we use in every round of EFT … it is easy to learn and easy to apply, which is why EFT has become well known as a tool that anyone can use. By itself, the EFT Tapping Basic Recipe can be applied to any issue you want, and although it is still only the first step to EFT’s full potential, it continues to provide results that range from encouraging to impressive. The rest of the benefits come when you learn how to aim the tapping procedure at the best targets, but you will need to know the basics before learning the rest, so let’s get started!
A recipe, of course, has certain ingredients which must be added in a certain order. If you are baking a cake, for example, you must use sugar instead of pepper and you must add the sugar before you put it in the oven.
Otherwise....no cake.
The EFT Basic Recipe is no exception. Each ingredient must be introduced precisely as described and they must be added in the proper order.
Although I am going to some length to describe it in detail, The EFT Tapping Basic Recipe has only 5 brief steps (ingredients) and takes very little effort to learn. Once memorized, each round of it can be performed in about 30 seconds. It will take some practice, of course, but after a few tries the whole process becomes familiar and you can do it in your sleep (millions have done this, including children). You will then have a permanent tool that you can use for a lifetime.
Remember our Discovery Statement?
"The cause of all negative emotions is a disruption in the body’s energy system.”
It follows, then, that energy disruptions are the reason we have any kind of emotional issue like grief, anger, guilt, depression, trauma, and fear. Since both physical and performance issues often have emotional roots, it also follows that clearing energy disruptions can be useful for those as well.
Once we find those energy disruptions, we use the tapping process to correct them. The EFT Tapping Basic Recipe blends focused wording with a 9 point Tapping sequence. The focused wording tunes us in to the issue and this, in turn, points us to the energy disruptions (zzzzzts) that we need to address.
This wording is an essential part of the process because it tells our system what we are working on. Negative emotions come about because we are tuned into certain thoughts or circumstances which, in turn, cause our energy systems to disrupt. Otherwise, we function normally. One's fear of heights is not present, for example, while one is reading the comic section of the Sunday newspaper (and therefore not tuned in to the problem).
Once tuned into the issue, the Tapping stimulates the energy pathways thereby balancing the resulting energy disruptions (zzzzzts). Also, for clarification, the points we use are at or near the end points of the energy pathways (meridians and vessels) … OR … at points along these pathways that are close to the body’s surface.
You may be aware that acupuncturists study and use over 300 meridian points on the body instead of the mere handful that are used by the EFT Tapping process. Further, unlike EFT, acupuncturists associate each of the energy pathways with body organs (kidney, stomach, spleen, etc.) and emotions (anger, fear, sadness, etc.). We are not denying the validity of this approach but we are ignoring it. EFT Tapping represents a different use of these pathways that allows someone with no formal training in Chinese medicine to realign disruptions on their own with a simple process.
You may learn the intricacies of the Chinese meridian system if you wish, but this knowledge is not necessary to generate first class results with EFT. In practice, the 12 meridians and 2 governing vessels are interconnected and thus sending balancing energy down one pathway influences other pathways. That is why we usually need to address only a few pathways to get the job done.
Before I demonstrate The EFT Tapping Basic Recipe on a video, let's (1) take a look at the Tapping Points, (2) set the stage with some useful Tapping Tips and (3) review the 5 Steps in The EFT Tapping Basic Recipe.
The EFT Tapping Points
These illustrations, together with the written aids below them, are self-explanatory and are explored in detail later (including videos). For now, just locate each of these points on your own body and touch each of them with your fingertips.
Written aids to locating the EFT Basic recipe Tapping Points
KC: The Karate Chop point (abbreviated KC) is located at the center of the fleshy part of the outside of your hand (either hand) between the top of the wrist and the base of the baby finger or....stated differently....the part of your hand you would use to deliver a karate chop.
TOH: On the top of the head. If you were to draw a line from one ear, over the head, to the other ear, and another line from your nose to the back of your neck, the TOH point is where those two lines would intersect.
EB: At the beginning of the eyebrow, just above and to one side of the nose. This point is abbreviated EB for beginning of the EyeBrow.
SE: On the bone bordering the outside corner of the eye. This point is abbreviated SE for Side of the Eye.
UE: On the bone under an eye about 1 inch below your pupil. This point is abbreviated UE for Under the Eye.
UN: On the small area between the bottom of your nose and the top of your upper lip. This point is abbreviated UN for Under the Nose.
Ch: Midway between the point of your chin and the bottom of your lower lip. Even though it is not directly on the point of the chin, we call it the chin point because it is descriptive enough for people to understand easily. This point is abbreviated Ch for Chin.
CB: The junction where the sternum (breastbone), collarbone and the first rib meet. To locate it, first place your forefinger on the U-shaped notch at the top of the breastbone (about where a man would knot his tie). From the bottom of the U, move your forefinger down toward the navel 1 inch and then go to the left (or right) 1 inch. This point is abbreviated CB for CollarBone even though it is not on the collarbone (or clavicle) per se. It is at the beginning of the collarbone and we call it the collarbone point because that is a lot easier to say than "the junction where the sternum (breastbone), collarbone and the first rib meet."
UA: On the side of the body, at a point even with the nipple (for men) or in the middle of the bra strap (for women). It is about 4 inches below the armpit. This point is abbreviated UA for Under the Arm.
Tapping Tips
These tips answer the most common questions.
These simple steps are also given in the video below. For now, just familiarize yourself with the concepts. The video will walk you through this Tapping process so you can memorize it easily.
1. Identify the Issue:
All you do here is make a mental note of what ails you. This becomes the target at which you "aim" the EFT Tapping Basic Recipe. Examples might be: Sore shoulder, my father embarrassing me at my age 8 birthday party or hitting that high singing note. Be sure you are only targeting one issue at a time. As you will learn later, trying to combine issues in the process will compromise your results.
2. Test the Initial Intensity:
Here you establish a before level of the issue's intensity by assigning a number to it on a 0-10 scale where 10 is the worst the issue has ever been and 0 is no problem whatsoever. This serves as a benchmark so we can compare our progress after each round of The EFT Tapping Basic Recipe. If, for example, we start at an 8 and eventually reach a 4, then we know we have achieved a 50% improvement. The number of possible issues we can address with The EFT Tapping Basic Recipe is endless and they don't all fit into neat testing boxes. That is why we have an entire segment later on dedicated to Testing Your EFT Tapping Work. For this stage of your learning, however, here are some useful methods to help you access your issue(s) and arrive at your 0-10 numbers. They apply to most issues.
The Setup is a process we use to start each round of Tapping. By designing a simple phrase and saying it while continuously Tapping the KC point, you let your system know what you’re trying to address.
When designing this phrase there are two goals to achieve:
1) acknowledge the problem
2) accept yourself in spite of it
We do this by saying:
“Even though I have this _______________, I deeply and completely accept myself”.
The blank above represents the problem you want to address, so you can just insert things like:
This sore shoulder:
“Even though I have this sore shoulder, I deeply and completely accept myself.”
This fear of spiders:
“Even though I have this fear of spiders, I deeply and completely accept myself.”
This humiliation at my eighth grade graduation:
“Even though I have this humiliation at my eighth grade graduation, I deeply and completely accept myself.”
This difficulty making free throws:
“Even though I have this difficulty making free throws, I deeply and completely accept myself.”
Not all of the issues will fit neatly into “Even though I have this ____________,” so you can use some flexibility when designing your Setup phrase. For example, instead of “this sore shoulder” you could say “Even though my shoulder hurts, I deeply and completely accept myself”. Or instead of “this humiliation at my eighth grade graduation” you could say “Even though my dad humiliated me at my eighth grade graduation.”
By using “Even though I have this _______________,” you will automatically choose something that represents your experience, your reaction, or a problem that you recognize as something that belongs to you, and that is an important feature.
We do not want to use EFT on someone else’s problem. For example, rather than, “Even though my son is addicted to drugs, I deeply and completely accept myself,” it’s better to focus on your own reaction which might be, “Even though I’m frustrated by my son's drug addiction.” Or instead of “Even though my husband works too much…,” better to try something like, “Even though I feel alone when my husband stays late at the office…” We want to aim EFT at our part of the problem rather than trying to fix someone else’s problem.
By identifying the problem with this phrase, you “set up” the initial zzzzzt behind the scenes so the Tapping has something to resolve.
Important, Important, Important:
The language that we use always aims at the negative. This is essential because it is the negative that creates the energy disruptions (zzzzzts) that The EFT Tapping Basic Recipe clears (and thus brings peace to the system). By contrast, conventional methods and popular self-help books stress positive thinking and preach avoiding the negative. This sounds good but, for our purposes, it does little more than cover over the negative with pleasant sounding words. EFT, on the other hand, needs to aim at the negative so it can be neutralized. This allows our natural positives to bubble up to the top.
4. The Sequence:
This is the workhorse part of The EFT Tapping Basic Recipe that stimulates/balances the body's energy pathways. To perform it, you tap each of the points shown in the Sequence Points diagram (see above) while saying a Reminder Phrase that keeps your system tuned into the issue. I list the points below followed by a description of the Reminder Phrase:
Top of the Head (TOH)
Beginning of the Eyebrow (EB)
Side of the Eye (SE)
Under the Eye (UE)
Under the Nose (UN)
Chin Point (CH)
Beginning of the Collarbone (CB)
Under the Arm (UA)
The Reminder Phrase is quite simple as you need only identify the issue with some brief wording. Depending on your issue, you might say the following at each tapping point....
"This sore shoulder",
"My father embarrassed me",
"This difficulty in singing that high note."
5. Test the Intensity Again:
Finally, you establish an "after" level of the issue's intensity by assigning a number to it on a 0-10 scale. You compare this with the before level to see how much progress you have made. If you are not down to zero then repeat the process until you either achieve zero or plateau at some level. You can also include some additional Tapping points that will be introduced in the next section of this article. Otherwise, you will likely need to "get to the roots of the issue" (see Intro to Part II of The Gold Standard EFT Tutorial).
Now follow along with this video as I demonstrate The EFT Tapping Basic Recipe live. It assumes you have familiarized yourself with the Tapping Points, Tapping Tips and the 5 Steps to the EFT Tapping Basic Recipe given above. Accordingly, you may want to review them again before proceeding with the video.
THE EFT BASIC RECIPE - WATCH VIDEO
Note to EFT’ers with training prior to this Tutorial: The EFT Tapping Basic Recipe has been streamlined in the following ways: (1) What was formerly known as The EFT Shortcut is now The EFT Basic Recipe. Other Tapping points and methods as well as the 9 Gamut procedure have been recategorized and put “on the shelf” for use when one may be stuck on an issue (to be discussed later). (2) The term Psychological Reversal (PR) has been eliminated because, after years of experience, I think it was mis-named. In practice, PR is a form of secondary gain/loss or a new aspect of the original problem. While the correction for PR remains in the EFT Basic Recipe, I have found that PR can be handled effectively with the proper treatment of Aspects, Specific Events, and Detective Work (see later articles). (3) The Sore Spot, The Collarbone Breathing Technique and Floor to Ceiling Eyeroll have been eliminated because of their rare use.(4) The idea of “subsequent round adjustments” wherein we formerly addressed the “remaining” problem is no longer considered essential. You will see it, however, in the other videos simply because it was considered useful when they were filmed. It's use does not add or detract from the process.
Also, to allay any scientific concerns, this streamlining has not changed the previous protocol from a research point of view. The basic Tapping points and language remain the same. The EFT Tapping Basic Recipe protocol, for convenience and ease of use, has merely been divided into smaller parts and thus one need only reassemble the individual parts to arrive at the original used in previous research. Thus all past research is still valid and remains unaffected by this Tutorial. New research can use this streamlined update.
Test Drive:
Now let’s give The EFT Tapping Basic Recipe a test drive. Just pick an issue of your own and tap along with me in the next video. With a few practice rounds you will embed the process into your memory and will then be able to apply it to a wide variety of issues. Please remember, though, that you are still a beginner at this so you may or may not experience relief this first time. That’s OK. Our goal at this point is to acquaint you with the process. Results follow as you expand your use of it. There is much more to learn if you wish to pursue this Tutorial further (recommended).
TEST DRIVING THE EFT BASIC RECIPE - WATCH VIDEO
Other Tapping Points and Routines
The standard EFT Tapping Basic Recipe points you learned above are the ones you will use over 90% of the time. In addition, there are some other points you may find useful under certain circumstances. If your initial rounds of the EFT Tapping Basic Recipe have not brought the intensity to zero, you can include any of these into your next Tapping round to see if they help. They are worth learning, even at this early stage, so I describe them next as well as in a video a few paragraphs below.
The Finger Points:
These are useful when you’d like to extend the EFT Tapping Basic Recipe and try a more thorough round on stubborn aspects. They also come in handy when any of the regular Tapping points are hard to reach or become irritating. They can be very effective on their own and I sometimes use them instead of the standard points. Also note that you tap the facial and torso points with your fingertips and, in so doing, you also stimulate the finger points.
The Tapping point is in the same location for each finger and each thumb. On the index finger (IF), tap on the side of the finger that is closest to the thumb, even with the base of the nail. Once you have located that one, you can find the similar MF (middle finger), BF (baby finger), and Th (thumb) points on each hand.
Just for simplicity, the Ring Finger has not been included in this sequence. For those who may be curious, the meridian involved runs on the opposite side of that finger. I may occasionally include a point on the ring finger while I’m tapping because it’s easier than explaining why I leave it out. However, the EFT process and all of its power were built without this point and our results have not been affected by either including it or leaving it out.
The Below Nipple Point (often called the Liver Point):
You won't see this one on our Art of Delivery videos or elsewhere in our materials. This is because it is socially awkward for women to tap. For the male, it is located one inch below the nipple. For the female it is where the underskin of the breast attaches to the chest wall. For some women the breast must be lifted so that the point can be tapped. I include it for completeness as you may find it useful under some circumstances. I use it on rare occasion. The diagram to the right shows the BN Point on both sides of the body. As mentioned earlier, you only need to tap one of them.
The Wrist Point:
This point is also rarely used but I acquaint you with it because you may see it in our videos. It is located on the underside of the wrist at the mid-point of where a watch band would normally reside. Please refer to the diagram for clarification.
In general, it is most effective to tap this point with several fingertips, or you can hold your hand flat and gently slap the area on the inside of the wrist. There is a twin point on each wrist and sometimes these points are "tapped" by gently banging the inside of the wrists together.
The 9 Gamut Procedure:
Originally developed by Dr. Roger Callahan, the purpose of this nine step process is to engage both sides of the brain. This is accomplished by continuously tapping a particular point on the hand while performing specific eye movements, humming and counting. It can seem like a strange process, but through connecting nerves, certain parts of the brain are stimulated when the eyes are moved. Likewise the right side of the brain (the creative side) is engaged when you hum a song and the left side (the digital side) is engaged when you count.
The 9 Gamut Procedure was a standard feature in the Basic Recipe for many years, but is now optional, and I rarely use it. I've found it helpful when there is a clear brain disorder (e.g. Cerebral Palsy) and I will include it occasionally when progress seems to be halted.
It is very difficult to explain this procedure in words and pictures. It is easier to understand when you can see a demonstration, and you will find a video link for that purpose following the written explanation.
The 9 Gamut Procedure is a 10 second process wherein a gamut of 9 "brain stimulating" actions are performed while continuously tapping on one of the body's energy points (the Gamut Point). To do the 9 Gamut Procedure, you must first locate the Gamut point.
Gamut Point:
To locate the Gamut Point, which is on the back of either hand, put a finger between the ring and little finger at the base. From this location, move your finger about a half inch toward your wrist and this is where you’ll tap the Gamut Point. Please see the illustration for clarity.
9 Actions:
While facing forward and keeping your head still, tap the Gamut point continuously while performing the following nine actions:
* For some people, humming Happy Birthday causes resistance because it brings up memories of unhappy birthdays. In this case, you can either use EFT on those unhappy memories and resolve them … or … you can side step this issue for now by humming some other song.
Now, in the interest of being thorough, here is a video where I demonstrate the Finger Points, Below the Nipple or BN Point (often called the Liver Point), Wrist Point and the 9 Gamut Procedure. The video assumes you have thoroughly familiarized yourself with the above descriptions.
OTHER EFT TAPPING POINTS & PROCEDURES - WATCH VIDEO
Review:
In this article, you learned the EFT Tapping Basic Recipe with the following components:
PART I For Everyone: The EFT Tapping Basics
How to do the EFT Tapping Basics - The Basic Recipe
The Basic Tapping Procedure - The Centerpiece of EFT
The EFT Tapping Basic Recipe is an easy to use healing tool that provides the very foundation for expanding your emotional freedom. It is the tapping procedure that we use in every round of EFT … it is easy to learn and easy to apply, which is why EFT has become well known as a tool that anyone can use. By itself, the EFT Tapping Basic Recipe can be applied to any issue you want, and although it is still only the first step to EFT’s full potential, it continues to provide results that range from encouraging to impressive. The rest of the benefits come when you learn how to aim the tapping procedure at the best targets, but you will need to know the basics before learning the rest, so let’s get started!
A recipe, of course, has certain ingredients which must be added in a certain order. If you are baking a cake, for example, you must use sugar instead of pepper and you must add the sugar before you put it in the oven.
Otherwise....no cake.
The EFT Basic Recipe is no exception. Each ingredient must be introduced precisely as described and they must be added in the proper order.
Although I am going to some length to describe it in detail, The EFT Tapping Basic Recipe has only 5 brief steps (ingredients) and takes very little effort to learn. Once memorized, each round of it can be performed in about 30 seconds. It will take some practice, of course, but after a few tries the whole process becomes familiar and you can do it in your sleep (millions have done this, including children). You will then have a permanent tool that you can use for a lifetime.
Remember our Discovery Statement?
"The cause of all negative emotions is a disruption in the body’s energy system.”
It follows, then, that energy disruptions are the reason we have any kind of emotional issue like grief, anger, guilt, depression, trauma, and fear. Since both physical and performance issues often have emotional roots, it also follows that clearing energy disruptions can be useful for those as well.
Once we find those energy disruptions, we use the tapping process to correct them. The EFT Tapping Basic Recipe blends focused wording with a 9 point Tapping sequence. The focused wording tunes us in to the issue and this, in turn, points us to the energy disruptions (zzzzzts) that we need to address.
This wording is an essential part of the process because it tells our system what we are working on. Negative emotions come about because we are tuned into certain thoughts or circumstances which, in turn, cause our energy systems to disrupt. Otherwise, we function normally. One's fear of heights is not present, for example, while one is reading the comic section of the Sunday newspaper (and therefore not tuned in to the problem).
Once tuned into the issue, the Tapping stimulates the energy pathways thereby balancing the resulting energy disruptions (zzzzzts). Also, for clarification, the points we use are at or near the end points of the energy pathways (meridians and vessels) … OR … at points along these pathways that are close to the body’s surface.
You may be aware that acupuncturists study and use over 300 meridian points on the body instead of the mere handful that are used by the EFT Tapping process. Further, unlike EFT, acupuncturists associate each of the energy pathways with body organs (kidney, stomach, spleen, etc.) and emotions (anger, fear, sadness, etc.). We are not denying the validity of this approach but we are ignoring it. EFT Tapping represents a different use of these pathways that allows someone with no formal training in Chinese medicine to realign disruptions on their own with a simple process.
You may learn the intricacies of the Chinese meridian system if you wish, but this knowledge is not necessary to generate first class results with EFT. In practice, the 12 meridians and 2 governing vessels are interconnected and thus sending balancing energy down one pathway influences other pathways. That is why we usually need to address only a few pathways to get the job done.
Before I demonstrate The EFT Tapping Basic Recipe on a video, let's (1) take a look at the Tapping Points, (2) set the stage with some useful Tapping Tips and (3) review the 5 Steps in The EFT Tapping Basic Recipe.
The EFT Tapping Points
These illustrations, together with the written aids below them, are self-explanatory and are explored in detail later (including videos). For now, just locate each of these points on your own body and touch each of them with your fingertips.
Written aids to locating the EFT Basic recipe Tapping Points
KC: The Karate Chop point (abbreviated KC) is located at the center of the fleshy part of the outside of your hand (either hand) between the top of the wrist and the base of the baby finger or....stated differently....the part of your hand you would use to deliver a karate chop.
TOH: On the top of the head. If you were to draw a line from one ear, over the head, to the other ear, and another line from your nose to the back of your neck, the TOH point is where those two lines would intersect.
EB: At the beginning of the eyebrow, just above and to one side of the nose. This point is abbreviated EB for beginning of the EyeBrow.
SE: On the bone bordering the outside corner of the eye. This point is abbreviated SE for Side of the Eye.
UE: On the bone under an eye about 1 inch below your pupil. This point is abbreviated UE for Under the Eye.
UN: On the small area between the bottom of your nose and the top of your upper lip. This point is abbreviated UN for Under the Nose.
Ch: Midway between the point of your chin and the bottom of your lower lip. Even though it is not directly on the point of the chin, we call it the chin point because it is descriptive enough for people to understand easily. This point is abbreviated Ch for Chin.
CB: The junction where the sternum (breastbone), collarbone and the first rib meet. To locate it, first place your forefinger on the U-shaped notch at the top of the breastbone (about where a man would knot his tie). From the bottom of the U, move your forefinger down toward the navel 1 inch and then go to the left (or right) 1 inch. This point is abbreviated CB for CollarBone even though it is not on the collarbone (or clavicle) per se. It is at the beginning of the collarbone and we call it the collarbone point because that is a lot easier to say than "the junction where the sternum (breastbone), collarbone and the first rib meet."
UA: On the side of the body, at a point even with the nipple (for men) or in the middle of the bra strap (for women). It is about 4 inches below the armpit. This point is abbreviated UA for Under the Arm.
Tapping Tips
These tips answer the most common questions.
- Some of the Tapping points have twin points on each side of the body. For example, the "eyebrow" point on the right side of the body has a twin point on the left side of the body. Years of experience have taught us that you only need to tap one of these twin points. However, if you have both hands free you can certainly tap on both sides for good measure.
- You can also switch sides when you tap these points. For example, during the same round of The EFT Tapping Basic Recipe, you can tap the "karate chop" point on your left hand and the eyebrow point on the right side of your body. This makes the Tapping process more convenient to perform.
- The Tapping is done with two or more fingertips. This is so you can cover a larger area and thereby insure that your Tapping covers the correct point.
- While you can tap with the fingertips of either hand, most people use their dominant hand. For example, right handed people tap with the fingertips of their right hand while left handed people tap with the fingertips of their left hand.
- You tap approximately 5 times on each point. No need to count the taps because anywhere between 3 and 7 taps on each point is adequate. The only exception is during the Setup step (explained later) where the Karate Chop Point is tapped continuously while you repeat some standard wording.
- The process is easily memorized. After you have tapped the Karate Chop Point, the rest of the points go down the body (see the Sequence Points in the diagram above). The Eyebrow point, for example, is below the Top of the Head point. The Side of the Eye point is below the Eyebrow point. And so on down the body.
These simple steps are also given in the video below. For now, just familiarize yourself with the concepts. The video will walk you through this Tapping process so you can memorize it easily.
1. Identify the Issue:
All you do here is make a mental note of what ails you. This becomes the target at which you "aim" the EFT Tapping Basic Recipe. Examples might be: Sore shoulder, my father embarrassing me at my age 8 birthday party or hitting that high singing note. Be sure you are only targeting one issue at a time. As you will learn later, trying to combine issues in the process will compromise your results.
2. Test the Initial Intensity:
Here you establish a before level of the issue's intensity by assigning a number to it on a 0-10 scale where 10 is the worst the issue has ever been and 0 is no problem whatsoever. This serves as a benchmark so we can compare our progress after each round of The EFT Tapping Basic Recipe. If, for example, we start at an 8 and eventually reach a 4, then we know we have achieved a 50% improvement. The number of possible issues we can address with The EFT Tapping Basic Recipe is endless and they don't all fit into neat testing boxes. That is why we have an entire segment later on dedicated to Testing Your EFT Tapping Work. For this stage of your learning, however, here are some useful methods to help you access your issue(s) and arrive at your 0-10 numbers. They apply to most issues.
- For emotional issues, you can recreate the memories in your mind and assess their discomforts.
- For physical ailments you can simply assess the existing pain or discomfort.
- For performance issues you can attempt the desired performance level and measure how close you come to it.
The Setup is a process we use to start each round of Tapping. By designing a simple phrase and saying it while continuously Tapping the KC point, you let your system know what you’re trying to address.
When designing this phrase there are two goals to achieve:
1) acknowledge the problem
2) accept yourself in spite of it
We do this by saying:
“Even though I have this _______________, I deeply and completely accept myself”.
The blank above represents the problem you want to address, so you can just insert things like:
This sore shoulder:
“Even though I have this sore shoulder, I deeply and completely accept myself.”
This fear of spiders:
“Even though I have this fear of spiders, I deeply and completely accept myself.”
This humiliation at my eighth grade graduation:
“Even though I have this humiliation at my eighth grade graduation, I deeply and completely accept myself.”
This difficulty making free throws:
“Even though I have this difficulty making free throws, I deeply and completely accept myself.”
Not all of the issues will fit neatly into “Even though I have this ____________,” so you can use some flexibility when designing your Setup phrase. For example, instead of “this sore shoulder” you could say “Even though my shoulder hurts, I deeply and completely accept myself”. Or instead of “this humiliation at my eighth grade graduation” you could say “Even though my dad humiliated me at my eighth grade graduation.”
By using “Even though I have this _______________,” you will automatically choose something that represents your experience, your reaction, or a problem that you recognize as something that belongs to you, and that is an important feature.
We do not want to use EFT on someone else’s problem. For example, rather than, “Even though my son is addicted to drugs, I deeply and completely accept myself,” it’s better to focus on your own reaction which might be, “Even though I’m frustrated by my son's drug addiction.” Or instead of “Even though my husband works too much…,” better to try something like, “Even though I feel alone when my husband stays late at the office…” We want to aim EFT at our part of the problem rather than trying to fix someone else’s problem.
By identifying the problem with this phrase, you “set up” the initial zzzzzt behind the scenes so the Tapping has something to resolve.
Important, Important, Important:
The language that we use always aims at the negative. This is essential because it is the negative that creates the energy disruptions (zzzzzts) that The EFT Tapping Basic Recipe clears (and thus brings peace to the system). By contrast, conventional methods and popular self-help books stress positive thinking and preach avoiding the negative. This sounds good but, for our purposes, it does little more than cover over the negative with pleasant sounding words. EFT, on the other hand, needs to aim at the negative so it can be neutralized. This allows our natural positives to bubble up to the top.
4. The Sequence:
This is the workhorse part of The EFT Tapping Basic Recipe that stimulates/balances the body's energy pathways. To perform it, you tap each of the points shown in the Sequence Points diagram (see above) while saying a Reminder Phrase that keeps your system tuned into the issue. I list the points below followed by a description of the Reminder Phrase:
Top of the Head (TOH)
Beginning of the Eyebrow (EB)
Side of the Eye (SE)
Under the Eye (UE)
Under the Nose (UN)
Chin Point (CH)
Beginning of the Collarbone (CB)
Under the Arm (UA)
The Reminder Phrase is quite simple as you need only identify the issue with some brief wording. Depending on your issue, you might say the following at each tapping point....
"This sore shoulder",
"My father embarrassed me",
"This difficulty in singing that high note."
5. Test the Intensity Again:
Finally, you establish an "after" level of the issue's intensity by assigning a number to it on a 0-10 scale. You compare this with the before level to see how much progress you have made. If you are not down to zero then repeat the process until you either achieve zero or plateau at some level. You can also include some additional Tapping points that will be introduced in the next section of this article. Otherwise, you will likely need to "get to the roots of the issue" (see Intro to Part II of The Gold Standard EFT Tutorial).
Now follow along with this video as I demonstrate The EFT Tapping Basic Recipe live. It assumes you have familiarized yourself with the Tapping Points, Tapping Tips and the 5 Steps to the EFT Tapping Basic Recipe given above. Accordingly, you may want to review them again before proceeding with the video.
THE EFT BASIC RECIPE - WATCH VIDEO
Note to EFT’ers with training prior to this Tutorial: The EFT Tapping Basic Recipe has been streamlined in the following ways: (1) What was formerly known as The EFT Shortcut is now The EFT Basic Recipe. Other Tapping points and methods as well as the 9 Gamut procedure have been recategorized and put “on the shelf” for use when one may be stuck on an issue (to be discussed later). (2) The term Psychological Reversal (PR) has been eliminated because, after years of experience, I think it was mis-named. In practice, PR is a form of secondary gain/loss or a new aspect of the original problem. While the correction for PR remains in the EFT Basic Recipe, I have found that PR can be handled effectively with the proper treatment of Aspects, Specific Events, and Detective Work (see later articles). (3) The Sore Spot, The Collarbone Breathing Technique and Floor to Ceiling Eyeroll have been eliminated because of their rare use.(4) The idea of “subsequent round adjustments” wherein we formerly addressed the “remaining” problem is no longer considered essential. You will see it, however, in the other videos simply because it was considered useful when they were filmed. It's use does not add or detract from the process.
Also, to allay any scientific concerns, this streamlining has not changed the previous protocol from a research point of view. The basic Tapping points and language remain the same. The EFT Tapping Basic Recipe protocol, for convenience and ease of use, has merely been divided into smaller parts and thus one need only reassemble the individual parts to arrive at the original used in previous research. Thus all past research is still valid and remains unaffected by this Tutorial. New research can use this streamlined update.
Test Drive:
Now let’s give The EFT Tapping Basic Recipe a test drive. Just pick an issue of your own and tap along with me in the next video. With a few practice rounds you will embed the process into your memory and will then be able to apply it to a wide variety of issues. Please remember, though, that you are still a beginner at this so you may or may not experience relief this first time. That’s OK. Our goal at this point is to acquaint you with the process. Results follow as you expand your use of it. There is much more to learn if you wish to pursue this Tutorial further (recommended).
TEST DRIVING THE EFT BASIC RECIPE - WATCH VIDEO
Other Tapping Points and Routines
The standard EFT Tapping Basic Recipe points you learned above are the ones you will use over 90% of the time. In addition, there are some other points you may find useful under certain circumstances. If your initial rounds of the EFT Tapping Basic Recipe have not brought the intensity to zero, you can include any of these into your next Tapping round to see if they help. They are worth learning, even at this early stage, so I describe them next as well as in a video a few paragraphs below.
The Finger Points:
These are useful when you’d like to extend the EFT Tapping Basic Recipe and try a more thorough round on stubborn aspects. They also come in handy when any of the regular Tapping points are hard to reach or become irritating. They can be very effective on their own and I sometimes use them instead of the standard points. Also note that you tap the facial and torso points with your fingertips and, in so doing, you also stimulate the finger points.
The Tapping point is in the same location for each finger and each thumb. On the index finger (IF), tap on the side of the finger that is closest to the thumb, even with the base of the nail. Once you have located that one, you can find the similar MF (middle finger), BF (baby finger), and Th (thumb) points on each hand.
Just for simplicity, the Ring Finger has not been included in this sequence. For those who may be curious, the meridian involved runs on the opposite side of that finger. I may occasionally include a point on the ring finger while I’m tapping because it’s easier than explaining why I leave it out. However, the EFT process and all of its power were built without this point and our results have not been affected by either including it or leaving it out.
The Below Nipple Point (often called the Liver Point):
You won't see this one on our Art of Delivery videos or elsewhere in our materials. This is because it is socially awkward for women to tap. For the male, it is located one inch below the nipple. For the female it is where the underskin of the breast attaches to the chest wall. For some women the breast must be lifted so that the point can be tapped. I include it for completeness as you may find it useful under some circumstances. I use it on rare occasion. The diagram to the right shows the BN Point on both sides of the body. As mentioned earlier, you only need to tap one of them.
The Wrist Point:
This point is also rarely used but I acquaint you with it because you may see it in our videos. It is located on the underside of the wrist at the mid-point of where a watch band would normally reside. Please refer to the diagram for clarification.
In general, it is most effective to tap this point with several fingertips, or you can hold your hand flat and gently slap the area on the inside of the wrist. There is a twin point on each wrist and sometimes these points are "tapped" by gently banging the inside of the wrists together.
The 9 Gamut Procedure:
Originally developed by Dr. Roger Callahan, the purpose of this nine step process is to engage both sides of the brain. This is accomplished by continuously tapping a particular point on the hand while performing specific eye movements, humming and counting. It can seem like a strange process, but through connecting nerves, certain parts of the brain are stimulated when the eyes are moved. Likewise the right side of the brain (the creative side) is engaged when you hum a song and the left side (the digital side) is engaged when you count.
The 9 Gamut Procedure was a standard feature in the Basic Recipe for many years, but is now optional, and I rarely use it. I've found it helpful when there is a clear brain disorder (e.g. Cerebral Palsy) and I will include it occasionally when progress seems to be halted.
It is very difficult to explain this procedure in words and pictures. It is easier to understand when you can see a demonstration, and you will find a video link for that purpose following the written explanation.
The 9 Gamut Procedure is a 10 second process wherein a gamut of 9 "brain stimulating" actions are performed while continuously tapping on one of the body's energy points (the Gamut Point). To do the 9 Gamut Procedure, you must first locate the Gamut point.
Gamut Point:
To locate the Gamut Point, which is on the back of either hand, put a finger between the ring and little finger at the base. From this location, move your finger about a half inch toward your wrist and this is where you’ll tap the Gamut Point. Please see the illustration for clarity.
9 Actions:
While facing forward and keeping your head still, tap the Gamut point continuously while performing the following nine actions:
- Eyes closed.
- Eyes open.
- Eyes hard down right while holding the head steady.
- Eyes hard down left while holding the head steady.
- Roll your eyes in a circle as though your nose was at the center of a clock and you were trying to see all the numbers in order.
- Same as the previous step, but roll your eyes the other direction.
- Hum 2 seconds of a song (any song will do, but I often use Happy Birthday).*
- Count rapidly from 1 to 5.
- Hum 2 seconds of a song again.
Now, in the interest of being thorough, here is a video where I demonstrate the Finger Points, Below the Nipple or BN Point (often called the Liver Point), Wrist Point and the 9 Gamut Procedure. The video assumes you have thoroughly familiarized yourself with the above descriptions.
OTHER EFT TAPPING POINTS & PROCEDURES - WATCH VIDEO
Review:
In this article, you learned the EFT Tapping Basic Recipe with the following components:
- 9 primary tapping points (KC, TOH, EB, SE, UE, UN, Ch, CB, UA)
- Setup Phrase on the KC point
- Reminder Phrase at the rest of the points
- Measuring intensity and the 5 step process
- Additional tapping points (Fingers, BN, Wr, 9 Gamut)
Beautiful and helpful
- Thread starter
- #472
Here’s another invaluable part Birdie. Here’s an entire course on EFT at that site. This part was just too good to leave behind. Think I’ll take some time and immerse myself.
EFT Constricted Breathing Technique
The EFT Constricted Breathing Technique
A Simple Tapping Technique Yet Surprisingly Effective
Now that you have learned The EFT Tapping Basic Recipe, you may already have a plan for addressing your issue. However, this simple tool can be useful no matter what issue you’re trying to resolve.
In general, stress and negative emotions can affect the quality of our breath, and although we often overlook the changes in our breath and how our emotional state can influence it, it’s easy to see as soon as we draw attention to it. By using The EFT Tapping Basic Recipe to focus on any constriction in the breath, we are indirectly targeting the underlying emotional issue(s) and the results are often clear as the breathing becomes more open and free.
This useful technique has the following advantages...
Make progress with issues you can’t articulate:
Aiming EFT at the constricted breath will usually peel layers of intensity away from the overall issue and allow you to recall Specific Events or find more clarity about the issue.
Take the edge off a highly intense issue:
Using EFT on a physical symptom is a gentler approach because we aren’t directly focused on the intense details of the underlying event.
As a relaxation tool:
You can use this tapping tool any time you feel stressed, and with a couple of rounds you should be able to breathe easier.
Help tapping newcomers or skeptics experience noticeable results:
Professionals can use this tool as a demonstration for new clients so they can see a quick result and they will often be eager to learn more.
This is how you do it....
THE EFT CONSTRICTED BREATHING TECHNIQUE - WATCH VIDEO
If the constriction in your breath comes back sooner than you expect, you may have a new underlying issue coming to the surface. You will learn more about this concept in Part 2 when we discuss Aspects.
Also remember that this is an indirect route to the underlying issues, and may be temporary until you learn how to target those issues directly.
REVIEW:
In this article, you learned The EFT Constricted Breathing Technique.
EFT Constricted Breathing Technique
The EFT Constricted Breathing Technique
A Simple Tapping Technique Yet Surprisingly Effective
Now that you have learned The EFT Tapping Basic Recipe, you may already have a plan for addressing your issue. However, this simple tool can be useful no matter what issue you’re trying to resolve.
In general, stress and negative emotions can affect the quality of our breath, and although we often overlook the changes in our breath and how our emotional state can influence it, it’s easy to see as soon as we draw attention to it. By using The EFT Tapping Basic Recipe to focus on any constriction in the breath, we are indirectly targeting the underlying emotional issue(s) and the results are often clear as the breathing becomes more open and free.
This useful technique has the following advantages...
Make progress with issues you can’t articulate:
Aiming EFT at the constricted breath will usually peel layers of intensity away from the overall issue and allow you to recall Specific Events or find more clarity about the issue.
Take the edge off a highly intense issue:
Using EFT on a physical symptom is a gentler approach because we aren’t directly focused on the intense details of the underlying event.
As a relaxation tool:
You can use this tapping tool any time you feel stressed, and with a couple of rounds you should be able to breathe easier.
Help tapping newcomers or skeptics experience noticeable results:
Professionals can use this tool as a demonstration for new clients so they can see a quick result and they will often be eager to learn more.
This is how you do it....
- Inhale 2 or 3 maximum deep breaths. Take your time and don't hyperventilate. This step will stretch out your lungs so that any EFT improvement in your breathing cannot be attributed to a normal "stretching effect" of your lungs.
- Once you have stretched your lungs as far as they will go then take another deep breath. This time assess the deepness of your breath on a 0-10 scale where 10 is your estimate of your maximum capacity. Numbers typically vary from 3 to 9 on this. The occasional person who rates their breath at a 10 (they are usually wrong) may find that, after EFT, they will go to a 12 or 15.
- Then do several rounds of The EFT Tapping Basic Recipe with Setup phrases such as "Even though I have constricted breathing...", "Even though I can only fill my lungs to an 8..." and so on. In between each round, take another deep breath and assess the 0-10 deepness. In the majority of cases it will keep improving.
- If you are trying to find more clarity or specifics on your issue, you can ask yourself questions such as: "What does my constricted breath remind me of?", "When in my past did I feel constricted or smothered?", "If there was an emotional reason for my constricted breath, what might it be?" Often, you will hear a big clue as to an important emotional issue, and often those clues will show up after you do a round or two on the breath.
THE EFT CONSTRICTED BREATHING TECHNIQUE - WATCH VIDEO
If the constriction in your breath comes back sooner than you expect, you may have a new underlying issue coming to the surface. You will learn more about this concept in Part 2 when we discuss Aspects.
Also remember that this is an indirect route to the underlying issues, and may be temporary until you learn how to target those issues directly.
REVIEW:
In this article, you learned The EFT Constricted Breathing Technique.
- It is a great tool to get started using EFT for yourself.
- Doing a few rounds on constriction in your breath is an easy way to apply The EFT Tapping Basic Recipe for instant stress relief and to get started with bigger issues.
- A demo video was provided for additional instruction and a tap-along experience.
This is more familiar to me actually.
When I feel negativity/stress/sorrow (working on anger) I usually take 2-3 deep breaths and focus inside of me, visualising a search for the cause.
Finding why this upset me so much.
Open closed doors and letting light in.
When my mind is ready to show me what is behind those closed doors... That is when I need to be safe somewhere.
When I feel negativity/stress/sorrow (working on anger) I usually take 2-3 deep breaths and focus inside of me, visualising a search for the cause.
Finding why this upset me so much.
Open closed doors and letting light in.
When my mind is ready to show me what is behind those closed doors... That is when I need to be safe somewhere.
Damn I know what I'll be doing the rest of the day...
- Thread starter
- #475
Lol! I had to take a day to digest, and I fell into reading “The Art of Seduction” of all things.
Tomorrow I’m going back into tapping.- Thread starter
- #476
Some basics understanding:
THC is a partial agonist if the CB1 and CB2 receptors
THC will activate the receptors, but it’s never a solid, firm lock
THC inhibits adenylate cyclase activity
Adenylyl cyclase (ADCY, EC number 4.6.1.1), also known as adenylate cyclase, is an enzyme which catalyzes the cyclization of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) into cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) which requires the cleavage of pyrophosphate (PPi).
THC inhibits Ca 2+ influx
Calcium (Ca2+) is a vital element in the process of neurotransmitter release; when Ca2+ channels are blocked, neurotransmitter release is inhibited. When the action potential reaches the nerve terminal, voltage-dependent Ca2+channels open and Ca2+ rushes into the neuron terminal due to a greater extracellular concentration.
Ca2+ channels appear to be localized near the active zones of the vesicular membrane. In the giant squid neuron, it has been found that Ca2+ influx is ten times greater in the area of the active zone than elsewhere in the neuron. Furthermore, during an action potential Ca2+ concentration at the active zone can rise one-thousandfold, from 100 nM (nano-molar concentration) to 100 micro-M within a few hundred microseconds. The observation of intramembranous proteins thought to be Ca2+ channels near active zones is consistent with rapid neurotransmitter release following Ca2+ influx.
These actions
1. decrease formation of cyclic adenosine monophosphate and protein kinase activity
Protein phosphorylation
A protein kinase is a kinase enzyme that modifies other molecules, mostly proteins, by chemically adding phosphate groups to them (phosphorylation). Phosphorylation usually results in a functional change of the target protein (substrate) by changing enzyme activity, cellular location, or association with other proteins.
2. activates inwardly rectifying potassium channels
A channel that is "inwardly-rectifying" is one that passes current (positive charge) more easily in the inward direction (into the cell) than in the outward direction (out of the cell).
3. stimulates nitrogen-activated protein kinase-signaling cascades
The MAPK/ERK pathway (also known as the Ras-Raf-MEK-ERK pathway) is a chain of proteins in the cell that communicates a signal from a receptor on the surface of the cell to the DNA in the nucleus of the cell.
From University of Washington:
Cyclic AMP is an important second messenger. It forms, as shown, when the membrane enzyme adenylyl cyclaseis activated (as indicated, by the alpha subunit of a G protein).
The cyclic AMP then goes on the activate specific proteins. Some ion channels, for example, are gated by cyclic AMP. But an especially important protein activated by cyclic AMP is protein kinase A, which goes on the phosphorylate certain cellular proteins. The scheme below shows how cyclic AMP activates protein kinase A.
Need to take a break. My brain hurts. Lol![/CENTER]
THC is a partial agonist if the CB1 and CB2 receptors
THC will activate the receptors, but it’s never a solid, firm lock
THC inhibits adenylate cyclase activity
Adenylyl cyclase (ADCY, EC number 4.6.1.1), also known as adenylate cyclase, is an enzyme which catalyzes the cyclization of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) into cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) which requires the cleavage of pyrophosphate (PPi).
THC inhibits Ca 2+ influx
Calcium (Ca2+) is a vital element in the process of neurotransmitter release; when Ca2+ channels are blocked, neurotransmitter release is inhibited. When the action potential reaches the nerve terminal, voltage-dependent Ca2+channels open and Ca2+ rushes into the neuron terminal due to a greater extracellular concentration.
Ca2+ channels appear to be localized near the active zones of the vesicular membrane. In the giant squid neuron, it has been found that Ca2+ influx is ten times greater in the area of the active zone than elsewhere in the neuron. Furthermore, during an action potential Ca2+ concentration at the active zone can rise one-thousandfold, from 100 nM (nano-molar concentration) to 100 micro-M within a few hundred microseconds. The observation of intramembranous proteins thought to be Ca2+ channels near active zones is consistent with rapid neurotransmitter release following Ca2+ influx.
These actions
1. decrease formation of cyclic adenosine monophosphate and protein kinase activity
Protein phosphorylation
A protein kinase is a kinase enzyme that modifies other molecules, mostly proteins, by chemically adding phosphate groups to them (phosphorylation). Phosphorylation usually results in a functional change of the target protein (substrate) by changing enzyme activity, cellular location, or association with other proteins.
2. activates inwardly rectifying potassium channels
A channel that is "inwardly-rectifying" is one that passes current (positive charge) more easily in the inward direction (into the cell) than in the outward direction (out of the cell).
3. stimulates nitrogen-activated protein kinase-signaling cascades
The MAPK/ERK pathway (also known as the Ras-Raf-MEK-ERK pathway) is a chain of proteins in the cell that communicates a signal from a receptor on the surface of the cell to the DNA in the nucleus of the cell.
From University of Washington:
Cyclic AMP is an important second messenger. It forms, as shown, when the membrane enzyme adenylyl cyclaseis activated (as indicated, by the alpha subunit of a G protein).
The cyclic AMP then goes on the activate specific proteins. Some ion channels, for example, are gated by cyclic AMP. But an especially important protein activated by cyclic AMP is protein kinase A, which goes on the phosphorylate certain cellular proteins. The scheme below shows how cyclic AMP activates protein kinase A.
Need to take a break. My brain hurts. Lol![/CENTER]
 
em..... My brain couldn't handle all at once....
em..... My brain couldn't handle all at once....- Thread starter
- #478

Lol! My brain can’t either. That’s why I do it in bits and pieces. I give myself a few days (sometimes longer) to let it sink in and make sense.
This is just the tip of the iceberg. I want to understand receptors, homomers, heteromers. First I need this basic understanding of channels and pathways for the rest to make sense.
I don't think my brain can handle that in pieces! I read it last night and typed "completely beyond my comrehension" but forgot to post it with all the back and forth on lighting in my thread.
- Thread starter
- #480
Lol! That’s kinda why you all keep me around. Lol! Eventually I’ll make sense of it and find a way to explain it so we can all grasp what’s going on.
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