Daily Dose: Humboldt Infuzions, Terpene Profile

By: Sharon Letts

Finding your terpene profile for optimum health

Longtime Humboldt local, Jenny Rhae, began her foray into healing plants after presenting with Lyme’s disease, creating her own healing tinctures, salves and more, for her own personal healing.

She opened Humboldt Infuzions in the City of Arcata, right on the Plaza in the summer of 2019, filling it with local plant-based products, eventually adding her own line of topicals and tinctures made with organically sourced material.

Humboldt County has long been known for its farming of some of the world’s best cannabis flower. But Humboldt is also an agricultural hub providing for its own, with small truck farmers still offering produce and herbs to local markets and at its epic Farmers Market each Saturday on the Arcata Plaza – the city known as “60s by the Sea.”

Humboldt is sustainable in local foods and livestock because it has to be. Separated by what’s known as the Redwood Curtain, the region is five hours above the nearest major city of San Francisco and and five hours below the next largest City of Eugene, Oregon. 

Super Plants, Superfoods

Cannabis is just one superfood from the garden Humboldt produces that has myriad benefits for humans and animals alike – with more than 700 beneficial compounds and counting. Most beneficial plants have the same or similar benefits, addressing all of our 11 biological organs, with fighting inflammation, infection, warding off illness and strengthening the immune system at the top of the list. 

Each beneficial plant also has its own unique properties. For instance, chamomile is calming, moringa fights fatigue. Too much THC can trigger anxiety, not treat it. Knowing what you need from each plant is key (see Daily Dose on Superfoods).

The medicine of super plants – not just cannabis – is found in each compound profile, including cannabinoids and terpenes – just two components that make up complex compounds of each beneficial plant. 

Most beneficial spices and herbs have fragrance because we have a nose, drawing us to them, because we need them. It’s a symbiotic relationship.

Superfoods or super plants, like cannabis, address all 11 of our biological systems via the endocannabinoid system. It’s not rocket science, it’s just how plants work with our bodies to keep us in homeostasis – keeping us healthy and feeling good. 

Studies find that adding more fruits and vegetables to your diet for just two weeks helps reduce feelings of depression. Why? Because many of the compounds in beneficial plants, including cannabis, raise endorphins quicker than a morning jog, creating dopamine in the brain, giving an overall feeling of well-being.

Profiling Terpenes

How do we know what beneficial plants speak to us? What fragrances are you drawn to? Are you partial to lavender for calm? Perhaps you enjoy rosemary or citrus for a lift? 

Rhae brought in a Terpene Bioscan meter to the shop to see just what terpene profile clients might be needing.

“In order to make a personalized essential oil for our clients, this machine has been helpful and surprising,” Rhae shared. “Some of the plants are not common and clients are surprised at the types suggested for them. When you start going through the benefits of each plant, it’s apparent those benefits often match what the client is needing for whatever symptoms or ailments they may be suffering from.”

This writer had her profile done and the plants that came up for this fire sign of Aries were all woodsy, earthy, and calming – no surprise, but happy to see a list of plants I wasn’t familiar with. 

Actually, I’m always stunned to see the amount of beneficial plants out there in the world, including what we think of as weeds, actually being helpful.

Sharon’s Personal Terpene Needs

After placing my hand on a sensor, and waiting a few minutes, the following plants were suggested for my own personal terpene needs:

Black Spruce: Mentally, spruce oil in general is said to aid in meditation. With my ADD and the challenge to concentrate, I need all the help I can get in meditation. Cannabis with THC has helped me in this way since I was 16. 

The physical benefits of black spruce include bronchial help, calming inflammation, soothing sore muscles and immune support – the same benefits many healing plants have.

Petitgrain: The benefits of Petitgrain seem too good to be true, but so do the myriad benefits of cannabis. Topping the list seems to be a stress reducer – which I always need, and why I’ve used chamomile for years to combat anxiety. It seems that Petitgrain addresses the central nervous system.

It’s also an anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic, antiseptic, and helps insomnia. 

Lemon Eucalyptus: The terpene limonene, found in citrus, has always spoken to me. And while this type of eucalyptus isn’t in the citrus family, the terpene is the same, with the same lemon fragrance.  Boasting of a number of health benefits, it boosts the immune system, offers prevention for respiratory infections, prevents disease, relieves pain, soothes inflammation, heals wounds, and improves digestive issues, to name just a few. 

As a bonus, the Center for Disease Control (CDC) approved eucalyptus oil in general as an effective ingredient in repelling mosquitoes, with a study showing a formulation of 32 percent lemon eucalyptus oil providing more than 95 percent protection against mosquitoes for three hours.

Cassia: A member of the cinnamon family, cassia is said to be stronger and hotter, while also helping with menopausal symptoms and menstrual problems (ironically, mosquito repellant is also listed). I’m menopausal for sure, so this is a curious pick. 

Ceylon cinnamon is more commonly used, cassia is said to have citrus overtones – again, the limonene terpene in the mix. 

Cinnamon overall has also been found to lower blood sugar levels, treating diabetes – as well as offering cholesterol dropping benefits. I do have a sweet tooth, though I have never presented with diabetic symptoms, I’ve always wondered. Perhaps this suggestion is a precursor?

Siberian Fir: Fir is part of the extensive pine family – related to the pinene terpene, the terp with the evergreen fragrance. Said to reduce stress, it’s also said to support respiratory health, and due to its high amount of the camphene terpene, eases sore throats and open airways.

In summation, I’m always fascinated with the cross-over benefits of all plants, but most impressive is the amount of terpenes and compounds found in cannabis that mirror so many plants. 

A common thread within the plants listed for me is the ability to deal with stress, and why I use chamomile concentrate every single day. Being on deadline for more than 20 years now has worn down my central nervous system. Prior to discovering chamomile concentrate I ate valium like candy. 

Another common thread with the plants suggested is bronchial and respiratory support. This is fascinating to me, as I’m a flower burner and am greatly affected by the carbon I’ve taken in over the years. Seems as if this profile recognized the issue, leading me to believe there just might be something to this technology. 

No wonder people say cannabis is too good to be true, because it does so much. But then, so many plants help humans with so many ailments and disorders. It really doesn’t matter where you are geographically, there are plants all around you there to help. All you need to do is identify them. Look them up and match up what they offer with what ails you – you might be surprised.

For more information on Humboldt Infuzions visit, https://humboldtinfuzions.com/

Follow them on Facebook and Instagram @humboldtinfuzions 

If you go: 863 H St. Arcata, CA 95521 (707) 630-3001

Study: depression and increased intake of fruits and vegetables https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5902672/#:~:text=Research%20has%20established%20that%20people,Gopinath%20et%20al.%2C%202016%3B