CBD oil and hemp extract continue to dominate health and wellness news. These health supplements are getting attention for a variety of reasons, namely because many people are seeing positive effects.

Hemp:  CBD, no THC

Hemp oil contains phytocannabinoids. Phytocannabinoids are the primary chemical compounds produced by the cannabis plant. The two most well-known phytocannabinoids are THC and CBD. THC is the phytocannabinoid that produces the “high” sensation associated with marijuana. CBD is known as the “health and wellness” phytocannabinoid.

Hemp, unlike marijuana, is extremely low THC so its psychoactive properties are nonexistent.  Hemp is rich in CBD, as well as naturally occurring terpenes, flavonoids, and other valuable hemp compounds that work synergistically to heighten positive effects.

 

The Endocannabinoid System

The CBD in hemp oil interacts with the body’s endocannabinoid system, which regulates homeostasis.   The word homeostasis comes from the Greek words for the “steady.”  For our purposes, it means providing a state of internal stability necessary for survival, despite fluctuations in our external environment.

The ECS is involved in many physiological processes like:

• Appetite
• Sleep
• Digestion
• Mood
• Memory
• Metabolism
• Neuro-protection
• Hormones
• Heart function
• And more!

The ECS is found throughout the entire body.  It works to communicate with our cells, sending messages that help bring our body back to balance.

CBD’s Interaction with Our Body

The ECS has a series of receptors on cells throughout the body designed to accept cannabinoids, which can be created either by our bodies or ingested via phytocannabinoids (like the ones found in CBD). Anandamide is a cannabinoids produced by our body – it is released during exercise (the so-called “runner’s high”) – and is a perfect example of a cannabinoids  with a stress-reducing effect. The phytocannabinoids in hemp can help fill the same receptor sites as these and even help us build up our own reserves.  The way CBD interacts with our body is truly unique to many other herbs and pharmaceuticals.

Anecdotal evidence and growing studies are showing that CBD may improve conditions such as:

• Anxiety
• Depression
• Insomnia,
• Epilepsy
• Irritable bowel syndrome
• Inflammation
• Pain

Alternative to Pharmaceutical Drugs

While many people are searching for an alternative to pharmaceutical drugs and the myriad of side effects that accompany them, hemp extract offers a new horizon of possibilities. Cannabidiol may be at the forefront of emerging science and the future of integrative medicine, but it serves as a powerful reminder that some of our best remedies were here before us.