Terpenes : The Magic in Cannabis

Ever wondered why rainy days feel relaxing? Or why a walk in the woods is invigorating? Or why the smell of homemade apple pie reminds you of Grandma? It's the terpenes! Terpenes are fragrant molecules-aromas-in plants, including in the little crystals covering cannabis flowers-trichomes-that give cannabis strains their unique scents. Often thought of as aromatherapy, terpenes can have a profound effect on health and well-being. They have been used since antiquity for medical and spiritual purposes, as well as in perfumes. Terpenes give cannabis-as well as many of our foods-their amazing flavor. Without terpenes, food would be bland and a marijuana "high" would be flat, with little taste. While terpenes are readily absorbed through the nose, which is expected since they are so fragrant, terpenes are also absorbed through pores in the skin and in the salivary glands in the mouth. Terpenes: The Magic within Cannabis reveals the many ways terpenes interact with the body and explores how they accentuate the therapeutic potential of cannabinoids through the "entourage effect". It tells sources of terpenes, both natural and synthetic, and effective ways to collect and preserve these volatile-fragile-substances. Describes how to ingest terpenes for therapeutic benefit, how to pamper yourself with terpenes, and offers tips for cooking with terpenes, along with cautionary advice for dealing with these powerful-and sometimes toxic-compounds, with special precautions for pets. Book jacket.