CBD and How It Can Contribute to Your Health

​You can’t go down a street or into a local grocery store, shopping mall, or gas station without seeing displays for CBD.  It is all over your Instagram feed and your friends may be talking about it as well.

This blog will go over the following:

1. The Endocannabinoid System – What is it?
2. How CBD and other cannabinoids positively affect your health
3. The difference between CBD and THC (marijuana)
4. Not all CBD is created equal!

CBD (cannabidiol) is one of over 100 different cannabinoids that interact with the endocannabinoid system in the human body.   This system was first discovered in 1990, and it plays a crucial role in regulating various physiological processes and helps to maintain homeostasis, or balance, in the body.

It is made up of 3 main parts:

• Endocannabinoids are naturally occurring, neurotransmitters that are found in the body.  They are chemical messengers in the body that send signals between nerve cells.
• Endocannabinoid Receptors are on the surface of cells throughout all the organs in the body. Endocannabinoids attach or bind to the receptors, which sends a message to the ECS to elicit a response.
• Enzymes are responsible for breaking down the endocannabinoids after they carry out the needed response. 

CBD ingestion can help in the following ways:

1. Pain Relief and Anti-Inflammatory Effects: Creams, tinctures, nano-jellies
2. Anxiety and Stress Reduction: Calming, full and broad-spectrum CBD
3. Sleep Regulation: CBN is what makes you feel sleepy. CBD is NOT good before bed!
4. Immune System Support: Antioxidants are present and help to optimize the immune system
5. Appetite and Digestive Health: Curb appetite and help with digestion

 
CBD vs. THC: What is the difference? There is a lot of confusion about whether they are the same.  The answer is “no”.

They both come from the same type of plant (cannabis), but hemp has very high amounts of CBD, and extremely low amounts of THC. Marijuana has a much higher concentration of THC but is low in CBD.

Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is the naturally occurring substance in the cannabis plant that produces the “high” or the hallucinogenic effects of marijuana. These bind to the receptors in the ECS and produce the effects. 

Cannabidiol (CBD) is a cannabinoid compound found in the cannabis plant. It does not produce a high because it has an extremely low level of THC in it. It can produce relaxation or sleepiness. It has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.

Buy USDA Certified Organic:  Not all CBD products are created equally!
Due to its natural filtering properties, hemp absorbs much of the soil’s elements, meaning any pesticides, heavy metals or other contaminants found in planting soil could infiltrate the plant’s natural chemistry.

Green Compass has created a farm in which they grow all their own hemp.  Without the use of pesticides and with nutrient rich soil. We carry a number of their products in our office and can assist you with what form of Hemp is best for you in your wellness journey. Please reach out to us at Healthy Living Chiropractic for more information!