Live Well: Why a cannabis oil-infused massage is better than a traditional rubdown -...

[massage]

Caption + Jennifer Mulson staff mug Thursday, June 12, 2014. Michael Ciaglo, The Gazette
The legalization of marijuana is adding another dimension to massage therapy.

At least two local clinics offer cannabis-infused lotions, creams and oils during massages in place of the usual offerings.

Rian Gufarotti and Zebrina Piper, co-owners of Natural Therapeutics Massage and Wellness, saw which way the wind was blowing when Colorado first legalized the drug.

"I've done massage for 16 years and seen a lot in the field," Gufarotti said. "Living in this town and seeing where the laws are going and seeing how therapeutic cannabis is on so many different levels, it almost became a no-brainer."

While in Denver, the two experienced a cannabis-infused massage that sealed the deal.

"I was able to melt a lot quicker and relax deeper and my muscles were worked. I felt great," Gufarotti said.

That was 18 months ago. Now, after much research into the cannabis oil market, they've launched Natural Therapeutics Canna Club, a separate business from their massage clinic and school, and developed their own brand of cannabis oil for use during their Swedish and deep-tissue massages.

Cannabis oil comes from the cannabis plant and consists of cannabinoids (chemical compounds). Different strains of cannabis can contain THC (the stuff that gets you high) or CBD (cannabidiol), compounds found to provide medical benefits without the psychoactive effect.

Gufarotti and Piper concoct a solar-infused cannabis oil and then lace it with a number of herbs including lavender, cayenne pepper, calendula, wintergreen and arnica. The oil they use is a recreational strain with less than 5 percent THC and a high amount of CBD, said to help with pain relief, inflammation and increased immune system function.

"Massage is good no matter what, but it (cannabis- infused massage) super relaxes you and loosens up your muscles even more," said Brolin McConnell, a member of the Canna Club. "It's not a high. It's almost like sitting in the sun for a long time."

Gufarotti has found that using a topical cannabis product instead of the usual lotion or oil makes a big difference in helping a client relax.

"From our standpoint, we're working smarter, not harder," she said. "It's not easy to do what we do in the time we have. Sometimes it takes people 20 minutes to just relax because they're either uncomfortable or stressed out or they can't turn their mind off. When we use cannabis topicals, that whole process is enhanced."

She believes it's better than a regular massage, especially for those who have a hard time relaxing or those with tender muscles.

"We're trying to remove the stigma of cannabis and legitimatize it in so far as it being a topical you can buy at Walgreens like Biofreeze or Epsom salts," she said. "I feel that topicals shouldn't be underneath the same scope in recreational marijuana with edibles, buds, flowers, hash. It should be removed from that category so people have more access to it and can use it on a regular basis."

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