About the Heart of Health Exchange

The Heart of Health Exchange is an educational initiative designed to introduce the public to their endocannabinoid system and how to care for it. 

At Hempsley, we believe that the heart of health is the endocannabinoid system (ECS) since it is responsible for keeping all of our other systems in balance. Learning what this system is and how we can take care of it, just as we learn how to take care of every other system in the body, is crucial to our long-term health and wellness.

All photos are by Matt Boness unless otherwise noted

The Heart of Health Exchange was a nationwide initiative for and by the wellness community, put on with the help of over 50 different companies across the country who are all dedicated to responsible consumer education — and we’re proud to say that this list included over 20 local businesses in our hometown, Columbia, Missouri! This event was a blend of online and in-person education designed to teach you about natural approaches to wellness while showcasing what it can look like to live a healthy, responsible and nationally accessible cannabis-enhanced lifestyle.

This initiative had two parts:

1. Online education hosted on the @hempsleyhealth Instagram Stories, making information about the ECS and natural wellness tools available for FREE to our international following through short, graphic narratives that were also available on our app. By hosting them on Stories, we created a unique learning experience where viewers could join in when it was convenient for them, click through at their own pace, and even screenshot and share things that they found interesting! 

   • We sent out 45 kits to ambassadors and influencers in 23 different states

   • We had 101K impressions on our Instagram Stories the week of the Exchange

2. We then combined all of that information into an in-person, educational experience at Logboat Brewing Co in Columbia, Missouri. The event created a fun, safe, and supportive environment for attendees to learn how they can utilize nationally accessible products such as hemp and CBD, essential oils, herbs, and more alongside local wellness services to help care for their endocannabinoid system.

The Heart of Health Exchange Team, after our event at Logboat! Pictured (from back to front, left to right): Gary Kanning (420 Science), Jessica M (volunteer), Austin B (intern), Patrick M (intern), Brett W (Hempsley CFO), Justin McDaniel (volunteer), Felicity Chen (Potli), (Canna Curious Club), Melissa Glaze (Holistica Wellness), Vinnie DeBono (intern), Kristen Williams (Hempsley CEO), Geraldine Mae Cueva (The Art of), Raelina Krikston (Haiikuu Design), Photo by Joyce Chen, Shirts by One to One Print Shop

A Cannabis-Inspired Event in Prohibition Missouri

Hempsley was founded in Columbia, Missouri in January 2017 after efforts to get medical cannabis on the Missouri ballot in 2016 failed. After her seemingly futile attempts to fundraise and gather petition signatures, founder Kristen Williams decided that her strength was educating her most conservative friends, family, and peers about the therapeutic and non-intoxicating benefits this plant has to offer so that when the opportunity to vote did roll around, people would be able to make informed decisions.

With 4 states voting on cannabis laws this November (Missouri included!), the Heart of Health Exchange was designed to be an educational initiative that was relevant to any community, whether cannabis is legal in that area or not.

Rather than making this a “CBD” or “Cannabis Event,” the Heart of Health Exchange was a wellness event dedicated to introducing the endocannabinoid system, with cannabis and CBD being just one part of the larger conversation about this very important system in our bodies. The goal of this event was to make learning about cannabis approachable in a fun and professional environment.

This event was inspired by Kristen’s experiences over the past 5 years of being immersed in the cannabis industry, from her time in LA helping with Canna Curious Club’s event series in 2017 to her partnerships with Mason Jar Event Group since 2016 and other unforgettable experiences with industry pioneers including The Herbal Chef and Ganja Yoga’s Dee Dussault. Kristen wanted to find a way to bring the heart of these experiences to her own community in a way that would resonate with a Midwestern audience, as well as bring her national and local communities together.

Building photo by Matt Boness, aerial photo by Gary Kanning of 420 Science 

Below is an in-depth look at the Heart of Health Exchange event on October 13 in Columbia, Missouri!

The Logboat Brewing lawn was still wrapped in darkness when the first few members of the team arrived at 6:00am to begin setting up, with the temperature barely above 40°F.

We had over 150 guests who traveled from across the country to join us for this special day, including all the way from Nebraska, Colorado, California, Tennessee, Kansas, and more!

CBD-enhanced Yoga

We started the morning bright and early at 8:00am with CBD-enhanced yoga led by Moon Yoga’s Amber Treece. This was a gentle, 40-minute flow designed specifically for any experience level — making it a great introduction for anyone new to yoga, and a relaxing flow for anyone more experienced.

About Yoga & Your ECS

Yoga is a mind-body practice that focuses not only on the physical side of wellbeing, but also taps into the mental, emotional & spiritual components of pain & healing.

Research shows that yoga can effectively reduce levels of the stress hormone cortisol, and with regular practice can diminish the part of the brain where panic and fear originates. Yoga also increases the presence of beneficial hormones and neurotransmitters, like GABA, serotonin, and dopamine, which are natural antidepressants. It can also improve levels of melatonin, which promotes higher quality sleep.

With its ability to regulate stressful chemicals and encourage beneficial neurotransmitters, yoga perfectly complements the endocannabinoid system’s mission of helping us “relax, eat, sleep, forget, and protect.” Click here to learn about yoga and your endocannabinoid system.

Paired Products

At the beginning of the yoga flow, participants were invited to pull their Wildflower CBD Vaporizers and Papa & Barkley Essentials CBD balm out of their gift bags. Amber led everyone in taking two draws from their vaporizer at designated times during the flow (for a total of 4mg CBD), and at the end invited everyone to tune into their bodies and identify areas that may need a little extra support, rubbing the CBD balm into those locations.

We chose to utilize this vaporizer during the yoga flow because they help bring you back to and focus on your breath. It’s recommended that you exhale this vapor through your nose so that the blended essential oils can better reach your olfactory bulb, putting an even greater emphasis on the importance of paying attention to your breath — a critical component of any yoga practice.

Papa & Barkley Essentials’ CBD balm was utilized at the end of the flow to help enhance and extend the relaxation that this practice provided. We find that it is easier to identify areas that are still tense or sore after completing a yoga practice since we are better tuned into our bodies, making this balm the perfect end-cap to the yoga flow.

Infused & Paired Farm-to-Table Breakfast

Following yoga was a CBD- and herb-infused farm-to-table breakfast by Peachtree Catering. We began working with Peachtree all the way back in May to develop the perfect menu for this morning, providing them with some of the highest quality products available on the market from Potli’s CBD Honey, Evo Hemp’s hemp oil and seeds, Rosebud’s CBD, Papa & Barkley Essentials’ CBD, and herbal-infused oils made with the LEVO Oil Infusion Machine.

We asked Peachtree to develop four courses with these ingredients, utilizing our 8 different herbs and considering the terpenes along the way. As an extra challenge, we had MONQ’s Active personal aromatherapy diffuser and Steepfuze’s CBD coffee and tea to pair with the meal.

A key component of this breakfast was responsible dosing.

While CBD is safe in high doses with only minor reported side effects, we recognized that those who had joined us for the full Experience including yoga, breakfast, and all DIY workshops would be exposed to quite a bit of CBD. Because of that, each course was between 1.5-3.5mg CBD for a total of 9mg CBD ingested at breakfast.

By bringing awareness of dosing to this event while using only non-intoxicating CBD, we hope to set a precedent for future events that may include THC once it is legal, encouraging guests to always be mindful of their consumption.

Breakfast was served with Steepfuze’s CBD-infused limonene-rich & non-caffeinated Hibiscus Berry tea and energizing New Mountain Blend coffee, and all of our breakfast guests got to take home a custom mug courtesy of 420 Science! 

All of the breakfast recipes were developed and made by Peachtree Catering.

Egg Endo Muffin Made with Rosebud CBD oil and fresh thyme, paired with MONQ’s “Active” personal diffuser with black pepper, bitter orange & sage essential oils. Click here to see the recipe Sweet and fluffy on the outside with an egg core, these protein-filled muffins give your body the fuel it needs to repair damage it accumulates throughout the day.  The relieving terpene caryophyllene is found in both the muffin’s thyme and diffuser’s black pepper, complimenting the uplifting terpene limonene that is abundantly found in orange.	Energizing Avocado Toast Made with CBD-rich hemp seed oil from Evo Hemp, infused with dried peppermint using a LEVO oil infusion machine. Loaded with protein and omega 3 & 6 fatty acids, this dish will help keep you full and functioning at your finest through the morning.  The peppermint in this dish is rich in limonene and pinene, two energizing and stimulating terpenes to get you ready to take on the day!
Calming Overnight Oats Made with Papa & Barkley Essentials’ CBD tincture, rose-infused coconut oil made using a LEVO oil infusion machine, and hemp protein from Evo Hemp. Click here to see the recipe Fiber-dense oats soaked in almond milk, Greek yogurt, chia seeds, hemp protein, rose-infused coconut oil & honey and topped with toasted almonds, raisins, dates, coconut & berries. The rose in this dish is rich myrcene, a relaxing terpene to help you navigate the day with ease.	Fresh Fruit Dip Made with Potli CBD-infused honey and served with fresh, local apples. Click here to see the recipe Honey contains glucose that our brain cells use to think, learn, and create new memories, helping jump start your focus for the day ahead!
Recipe Photos by Kristen Williams

 

DIY Workshops

Following breakfast, our DIY workshop stations opened up for all ticket levels. We took over all of Logboat Brewing Co, including their entire lawn, inside at their bar area, and even upstairs in their loft!

We had 4 activity stations each dedicated to a different method of consumption:

Topical Station

Where you could make your own CBD-enhanced:

• Relief Roller with Rosebud CBD and essential oils from Makes Scents

• Lip balm with rose-infused coconut oil made in the LEVO Oil Infusion Machine and enhanced with Evo Hemp’s hemp-oil based CBD tincture, customized with essential oils from Makes Scents

• Massage oil with Rosebud CBD and essential oils from Makes Scents

Upstairs, we had fresh rose-infused lip balm made with Evo Hemp’s CBD-rich hemp oil in the LEVO Oil Infusion Machine, a wonderful double-broiler substitute. Guests could dispense their lip balm on the spot and customize with their choice of essential oils from Makes Scents.

We worked with Makes Scents, a local custom fragrance shop, to decide what essential oils would be used at each station. Makes Scents owner Christina Kelly, a certified aromatherapist, helped us choose oils with scents that would blend well together and had minimal contraindications, providing us with a complete list of terpenes, precautions, properties, and uses for every essential oil.

Clover’s Natural Market, a local all-natural grocery store that also sells CBD, donated all the herbs and carrier oils we needed for our DIY activities!

Ingestion Station

Where you could sample hemp & CBD snacks and beverages from Peachtree Catering & Nourish, featuring:

• Trailmix made with Potli’s CBD honey (recipe by Peachtree)

• CBD Beet Shrub made with American Shaman’s Water Soluble tincture (recipe by Peachtree)

• Turmeric Chai Hemp Milk made with Evo Hemp’s hemp seeds (recipe by Nourish)

• Linalool Truffles made with lavender-infused coconut oil in the LEVO Oil Infusion Machine and enhanced with Evo Hemp’s hemp-oil based CBD tincture (recipe by Nourish)

• Rose Shortbread Cookies made with rose-infused coconut oil in the LEVO Oil Infusion Machine and enhanced with Rosebud CBD (recipe by Peachtree)

• Vegan Jerky made with tofu, rosemary, and Papa & Barkley Essentials’ brand new CBD tincture, launched to the public with this event! (recipe by Peachtree)

Inhalation Station

Sponsored by 420 Science where you could

• Learn the pros and cons of different tools used for inhaling

• Test our herbal smoking blends in high-quality glass pieces and vaporizers

• Make your own herbal blend that can be made into tea, added to a bath, or even smoked/vaporized with herbs from Clover’s Natural Market

• Sample vaporizers from MONQ, Wildflower, Intrepid Botanicals, and American Shaman

• Make your own mister diffuser with essential oils from Makes Scents

Mucosal Station

Where you can make your own tincture plus sample tinctures from

• Papa & Barkley Essentials’

• Hari Om Hemp

• American Shaman

• Rosebud

• Evo Hemp

• Hakuna Supply

Other Event Activities

Guests could read about their endocannabinoid system, terpenes, and more in our display areas, plus browse our products in the booth with Wandering Bud’s classy smoking accessories.

Fun fact: The “easel” displays were custom built by founder Kristen Williams and her father!

Terpene Testing Station

Across from the bar, guests had the opportunity to smell a variety of herbs in custom jars courtesy of Hakuna Supply CBD and Oui Fresh essential oils to become familiarized with terpenes that their body likes with the help of a custom activity sheet created by Haiikuu Design. Guests sniffed each item, marking how well they liked the scent, then could see what terpenes this meant their body craves on the other side. They could then take this information with them to other stations to utilize when creating products personalized for them.

 

Massage Station

Experience ticket guests all got a 5-minute CBD massage with Kiskanu’s brand new CBD skin rub, launched at this event!

About Massage & Your ECS

Massage is a healing modality that has evolved with humans for thousands of years and which uses touch as a way to heal the body. 

One of our own endocannabinoids, anandamide (nicknamed “the bliss molecule” for its euphoric effects) is created by our bodies to help us relax and to ease the stress which can threaten our health and wellbeing. In one study, body-based practices like massage “increased anandamide 168% over pretreatment levels” (McPartland et al). Click here to learn more about how massage supports your endocannabinoid system.

The Vintage Photo & Reading Lounge

E. Clare Vintage generously donated vintage furniture for a beautiful lounge corner where guests could hang out and relax, take pictures for social media and with our disposable cameras.

Guests could also browse and take home a Broccoli magazine, a publication that offers a new perspective on cannabis culture by encouraging the “discovery and intelligent appreciation of cannabis through creative and inclusive explorations of art, culture, and fashion.”

Exploring Local Business Booths

We wanted to introduce our guests to the wealth of local resources available right here in Columbia! Along the perimeter of the Logboat lawn, we had 11 different local businesses that all support the ECS in some way showcasing their products and services.

Soul Seat

Enjoy a pain-free workday with the Soul Seat office chair for cross legged sitting. The Soul Seat encourages you to move and switch positions throughout your work day. Click here to learn more about Soul Seat

Liberty Family Medicine

Liberty Family Medicine is a Direct Primary Care (DPC) clinic that opened in July 2016 in southwest Columbia. The practice thrives by cutting out the middle man and welcoming you into the family; it has returned family medicine to its root values of excellent care and compassionate familiarity with every patient. Membership at Liberty Family Medicine offers the accessibility, convenience, and affordability you need, as well as the added amenities you want, including same or next day extended appointments with your personal physician and convenient access via phone, email, text, or video chat. Click here to learn more about Liberty Family Medicine

Achieve Balance Chiropractic

Achieve Balance is dedicated to offering individualized chiropractic care. Their wide range of services can match your specific conditions like back pain, migraines, posture correction & more. Click here to learn more about Achieve Balance Chiropractic

Kelly Howe Coaching

Kelly is a registered nurse with a lifelong passion for mind/body healing. Through one-on-one sessions and group workshops, Kelly helps facilitate the deep inner healing that is crucial for profound and lasting peace of mind. Click here to learn about Kelly Howe Coaching

Clarity Float Spa

The one place in the Columbia area to experience nothingness. When you remove all distractions you can expose layers of clarity, tranquility, relaxation, and creativity that you may have never noticed before. Floating can be a great practice to get to know yourself and connect with the world around you. We are committed to providing the best floating experience possible with state of the art float devices, experienced float facilitators, and an inviting facility. Click here to learn more about Clarity Float Spa

Arbonne

Arbonne skincare products, based on botanical principles, are now shared throughout the world by a growing network of Arbonne Independent Consultants. Building on these same founding principles, the product line has grown to include both inner and outer health and beauty products that are unparalleled in quality, safety, value, benefits and results. Click here to learn more about Arbonne

Nourish Cafe & Market

A downtown Columbia, MO restaurant serving organic, locally sourced, health conscious food, smoothies, cold pressed juice and desserts. Their entire menu is gluten-free, soy, corn and refined sugar free. Click here to learn more about Nourish Cafe and Market

New Territory Magazine

Founded by a journalist in 2015, The New Territory is a print magazine with a literary, anthropological, and ecological eye for the states of Missouri, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma and Arkansas. Its mission is to cultivate connections among the land, people and possibilities of the Lower Midwest. Click here to learn more about New Territory Magazine

Makes Scents

A custom fragrance shop where you can make a signature scent that’s yours and yours alone…or if fragrance makes your allergies act up you can find completely unscented products. Makes Scents is your place to revel in the wonderful world of scents and aromas. Click here to learn more about Makes Scents

Crunchi Makeup

A line of cosmetics, focused on toxin-free, organic, and clean ingredients and centered around performance. Click here to learn more about Crunchi

Clover’s Natural Market

A locally-owned grocery store with two convenient locations that offer a comprehensive selection of natural products: organic and pesticide-free produce, gourmet and specialty products, gluten-free, sugar-free, low sodium, frozen and refrigerated products, fair-trade AND local coffee, tea, books, incense, candles, as well as an extensive supplement selection — including a wide range of CBD products. Click here to learn more about Clover's Natural Market

Plus, A Special Thanks to:

• Logboat Brewing Co for allowing us to use their space

• Matt Boness for photographing the event

• Megan Casady Marketing for videoing the event

• One to One Print Shop for printing team t-shirts

• Yoga Sol and Sumits Hot Yoga for letting us borrow yoga mats

• E. Clare Vintage for supplying vintage furniture for our lounge

• The Grind Coffee House for brewing our Steepfuze coffee and tea

• Sponsors Felicity Chen from Potli for coming all the way from California and Gary Kanning from 420 Science for traveling from Texas to join us

Thank you to our sponsors!

This event would not have been possible without the support of our incredible community. These are the companies that came together in the name of responsible consumer education to make sure that you can make informed decisions when it comes to your health. Take the time to check them out, give them a follow, and and learn from what they are bringing to the conversation about wellness.

Want to see more events like this?

We are passionate about creating engaging educational experiences & content to empower you with knowledge so that you can begin taking better care of yourself and your loved ones. 

Our mission is to make entry-level wellness education fun, simple & free to the public. This requires a team to perform research, write & edit content, create original imagery & graphics, organize events, and more.

Interested in hosting an event like this one in your community, or getting involved with the next?

We’re always looking for wonderful people and companies to partner with. Shoot us a message and let’s chat!