In 2009, The Burning Bush Podcast host Tyler Hurst became an intentional cannabis consumer. He used the medicinal benefits of the plant to transition off 16 different pharmaceutical medications, including Lexapro and Adderall, that were prescribed over the course of 17 years for anxiety and depression. Years of mental health woes began to take a toll on his relationship and physical health. By 2016, Tyler had cut back on work to focus more on running, meditation and cannabis.
That year, he was chosen to judge Portland’s esteemed craft cannabis competition, the Cultivation Classic. After sampling 99 grams of weed from his judge’s kit and consuming 48 hours worth of cannabis-infused meals, amazing realizations about his health issues were illuminated. He began to experience visual and somatic flashbacks, realizing they may be connected with his mental health issues. During the course of his journey that year, Tyler shed 45 pounds and was inspired to confront a stress disorder that had been giving him much trouble, which lead to a diagnosis of Complex PTSD.
To stave off weeks of physical withdrawals from prescription medications, including brain zaps and brain fog, and a month of mental adjustments that lead to extreme moodiness and emotional regression, Tyler infused his own coconut oil and found relief with products like Luminous and Hermetic Botanicals. Then, in 2017, Tyler discovered the wonders of creating his own cannabis infused products using the MagicalButter (MB2e) machine. He appreciates being able to make his own medicine and enjoys the convenience of infusing oils and butters with the MB2e, leaving more time to focus on his health and various projects.
During the past few transformative years, Tyler experienced so many changes and felt the calling to document them and began making plans to start his podcast, The Burning Bush. “In my fragile state, I knew I wouldn’t be able to handle any sort of negative feedback, so I figured only people super interested in what I had to say would listen,” shares Tyler. “Also, I wanted a way to catalog any outward changes I was going through like voice inflection, tone, etc. with the desire to counsel and learn from myself as my brain healed.”
The Burning Bush is a place where Tyler shares live event broadcasts, lessons he’s learned about dosing cannabis, product reviews, interviews with industry insiders in his home state of Arizona, and discussions on current affairs with his cannabis industry friends. You can catch up on old episodes and tune into new ones on Soundcloud, Stitcher, Overcast, iTunes, and Android.
Today, Tyler is a yoga teacher in training, podcasting about cannabis, and working on projects with members of the Arizona cannabis industry. Inspired by Tyler’s courageous story, THE WEED BLOG asked the popular podcast host to share his favorite recipe using the MagicalButter machine, the “At Least I Got My Nutrients In” Smoothie.
“My anxiety often keeps me from eating, as my throat gets tight and my stomach rejects a lot,” admits Tyler, “but after losing so much weight last year I knew I needed to eat something good for me, so I could continue to run daily and function as a person.”
“I figured if I ate fruits, veggies, fats, and protein in a smoothie every morning, I’d have enough nutrition in my body to stay active.” About his favorite MagicalButter smoothie recipe, Hurst has this to say, “Tastes like waking up on a sunny day ecstatic to be alive.” Cheers to that!
The “At Least I Got My Nutrients In” Smoothie
Ingredients:
1 kiwi
1 banana
1 tbsp. peanut butter or coconut oil/peanut butter blend
2 peach slices, frozen
2-4 mango pieces, frozen
2-4 pineapple pieces, frozen
1 small handful blueberries, frozen
1 cup unsweetened almond, vanilla almond, cashew, and/or coconut milk
1-2 pieces spinach
1 tsp. hemp seeds
1 oz. cannabis juice, non-activated juice squeezed from fresh leaves
2 tsp. MagicalButter infused coconut oil, made with AVB (already vaped bud)— My THC dose is typically less than 7.5mg per teaspoon
1 tsp. MagicalButter infused MCT (medium-chain triglycerides, a form of saturated fatty acid that has many health benefits) oil— My batch is made using CBD isolate, typically 15-20mg CBD.
Instructions: Peel and add kiwi and banana to blender. Add peanut butter, peach, mango, pineapple and blueberries. Cover with a milk halfway. Add spinach and hemp seeds. Add cannabis juice, infused coconut oil and infused MCT. Top off with milk. Blend mixture. Pour into chilled glass. Enjoy!
The effect: “It makes me feel like I have enough energy to run as far as I’d like, while soothing the anxiety that’s trying to keep me in the house.”
Pro-tip:
- I use the 16 oz (smaller) NutriBullet to feed 1 1/2 people.
- Wash out the blender immediately after making the smoothie, so the fruits don’t stick to the sides.
What can we look forward to? Tyler will be creating more more podcasts. He’s especially excited about an upcoming collaboration with Hempful FarmsFlourish Cannabis’ Payton Curry to produce hemp CBD-based food recipes.
