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reserve your ad hereResearch shows that historically, “healing with medicinal plants is as old as mankind itself. The connection between man and his search for drugs in nature dates from the far past, of which there is ample evidence from various sources: written documents, preserved monuments, and even original plant medicines.”- the National Library of Medicine
Plants as medicine, holistic healing over hospitals, and plant based lifestyles were the way of the world before colonization. Before Columbus got here to cause wreckage and horror, plants were the way for much of life on Earth: food, medicine, housing, healing, and more. Back then, there were no grocery stores or restaurants selling and feeding people GMO’s, cloned animals, or sugar as a meal.
Earth shifted from more nature to more machines, more natural to more processed, more health to more illness, and this made humans shift from overall health to overall unhealthy. In research published in the National Library of Medicine, it states:
“The prevalence of obesity in American adults (age 20–74, both genders) rose from 15.0% in 1976–1980, to 23.3% in 1988–1994, and to 30.9% in 1999–2000. What is especially noteworthy is that this fast-rising prevalence among American adults was similar in all age groups, in both men and women, and in all major ethnic groups including Caucasian Americans, African Americans, and Mexican Americans. This rise in the prevalence of obesity continued in both genders during the period 1999 to 2016.”
To treat anything covered by insurance, humans find themselves treating in a system that went from nature to manmade pills and injections, that cause more illness in the mind and body, so then there are more transactional visits with doctors, that lead to more manmade pills and injections.
The only way out and back to the original human way of true healing, is to shift back to holistic remedies and plants. Someone getting back to nature, teaching people along the way, and providing products made with plants that lead to healing is Ellise Nikki Johnson, the owner of Higher Maintenance LLC.
About Higher Maintenance CBD, LLC; a Holistic Plant Medicine Company
A holistic approach as described by Ellise means: “to provide support that looks at the whole person, not just their mental health needs. In helping a person get healthier, their support should also consider: physical, emotional, social, and spiritual wellbeing.”
Through Higher Maintenance LLC, Ellise offers organic plant based and plant infused products manufactured in a certified organic facility. The company is based in Indiana where Ellise founded the company and was born from her personal healing journey with plants and herbs. Higher Maintenance believes in transparency and they guarantee their premium products.
All ingredients used are meticulously sourced and lab tested. Higher Maintenance LLC, offers a line of CBD infused, plant based products such as: full spectrum vegan gummies, broad spectrum vegan gummies, and full spectrum CBD tinctures.
Learn more about Ellise, the business woman, healer, doula, lobbyist, and owner of Higher Maintenance LLC, in the interview below.
Q & A with Ellise N. Johnson; Founder and Owner of Higher Maintenance LLC
You’re a multi business owner, quite the chef, and a leader in the movement toward cannabis legalization; can you provide readers with a quick view of your resume?
Greetings, my name is Ellise N. Johnson, and I was born and raised in Gary, IN. I attended Indiana State University where I earned a Bachelor of Science and a Master of
Science in Criminology. I learned early in life the importance of “knowledge” and how to successfully apply it; I believe it is the foundation to cultivating dreams, accomplishing goals, and building wealth.
I am the mother of three sons, and I currently reside in Indianapolis, IN where I have launched several successful businesses starting with: Small Wonders Daycare Centers for more than 20 years. In 2018 I committed to living naturally and holistically by adopting a vegan lifestyle and using food and herbs as natural remedies in lieu of western medicine. After healing myself, I realized I needed to help others and so, I became the/a:
- Alkaline Electric Chef and Owner of the Alkaline Electric Goddess Restaurant in Indianapolis, In
- Certified Culinary Cannabis Chef
- Holistic Health Innovator
- Cannabis Alchemist
- Natural Beauty Alchemist
- Doula
- Cannabis Birth Worker
- Spark Learning Lab Advisory Board Chair
- Connecticut Social Equity Head Coach and Mentor
- BCB Mastermind Cohort Participant
- Indiana’s 1st Cannabis Restaurant License Holder
- Indiana’s 1st mobile herbal dispensary and CBD cafe
- Minorities for Medical Marijuana, Indiana State Director
- Member of the Minorities in Cannabis Business Association
- Member of the Vegas Chamber of Cannabis.
When did you launch Higher Maintenance LLC?
I have been a legacy entrepreneur now for 6 years. I launched Higher Maintenance nationally during Covid after the death of my father. If I had the courage to share my cannabis use at the time, I could have made his transition easier.
I hid my cannabis use for many years due to me owning multiple childcare facilities for over 25 years. I vowed to never hide my usage again and to educate as many people as possible on the use of cannabis as plant medicine.
I reversed my lupus and the use of pharmaceuticals with cannabis, a vegan lifestyle, and herbs for healing.
What’s the mission at Higher Maintenance LLC?
To educate as many people as possible on the use of cannabis as plant medicine and the proper, responsible ways to use plant medicine in correlation with a healthy vegan lifestyle.
Who are Higher Maintenance products made for and great for?
Higher Maintenance products are made for people who wish to get healthier and heal with the use of cannabis. Higher Maintenance products are medicinal and made with simple organic ingredients. Many products have tons of sugar and unhealthy ingredients so for the person wanting to cut those ingredients out but still consume cannabis, Higher Maintenance is great for them.
We inspire our customers to be healthy with a top tier holistic lifestyle. Higher Maintenance was launched by an educator, and someone that healed with the use of cannabis. The products are for those that truly want to clean up their diets and want to use all plants as medicine.
What product is a best seller?
Our sleep gummies and tinctures!
Any new products coming to market 2024?
Yes! We will offer vegan balms, oils, and bath bombs in 2024.
Where can ppl catch you nationally in 2024? Where will Higher Maintenance be?
In 2024 we hope to have our mobile cafe on the road as SAFE banking continues to make strides. We hope to receive funding to help raise capital. As we know, capital in cannabis is a current pandemic for BIPOC people like me. I’ll also be doing more with pairing cannabis and doula work in this space. My first canna birth was amazing, and I look forward to many more canna birthing experiences.
You’re not in a legal state, Indiana to me is like the Texas of the Midwest. What does the fight for legalization look like in IN and how is Higher Maintenance involved?
The fight has been a hard one. Although CBD is legal, it’s not regulated so, we still have laws that don’t allow us to dose food with CBD. Also, we face the SAFE banking problems that everyone faces nationwide.
We have had our vegan restaurant business POS accounts shut down twice with no explanation even though they are separate entities and use separate processors as well. We are slow to legalize, but I plan to have all in place to lead the way for all those coming after me once legalization is in place in Indiana.
Please tell me about your work with Minorities for Medical Marijuana/M4MM.
I travel all over the United States advocating for social justice, social equity, and diversity in the cannabis industry. I do whatever our CEO needs while visiting different cities and states. For instance, I may have to run a booth, oversee setup, attend meetings, meet with interested parties, interview with various podcasts, and help facilitate workshops.
Final Words
In one of our chats, Ellise said to me: “I’m out here putting in the work for the cause under my businesses and other organizations. People see me at events, but I want those that don’t to hear that: I’m definitely in the mix and in the trenches doing everything I can to educate and heal the masses.”
The passion that exuded from Ellise was majestic. I asked her to shine some more light on the mix and the trenches so readers can have a direct view into her purpose and mission:
“I curate my own products and recipes, I have my own product line, I mentor other entrepreneurs and cannabis enthusiasts, and I attend conferences and conventions. If you’ve seen me at any you know I’m always at the table trying to educate our people on what we do.
I don’t go for networking like most people. I love to organically connect with people to network. I use convention times to have real conversations face to face with people on social equity, diversity, and social justice in this space. I’m a hard core advocate and now a lobbyist.
I have made my mark as a go-to person here in Indiana and nationwide as a cannabis advocate, entrepreneur, and now lobbyists and educator. I have learned from the best in the industry and will continue to contribute all of my time and energy to plant medicine.
I am also meeting with lawmakers and decision makers in my local area regarding regulation and licensing for food and beverage. I am out here doing the work on all sides”.
Learn more and follow Ellise and Higher Maintenance LLC, through her website and social media pages:
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reserve your ad hereVeronica Castillo is known as the Traveling Cannabis Writer. Her body of work includes educational and informative insights on cannabis and various plant medicines, and she travels the country to provide insight on cannabis friendly travel. She is a collaborator, connector, content creator, and traveler that specialized in bringing to light the hidden gems in the plant space. Follow her journey: #travelingcannabiswriter.