Welcome to My World – Cannabis – Hemp – Pain – Anti-Inflammatory
Hello World! Hope you are doing well today. All is good here. Today I’m
sharing some interesting info I found on something controversial to many – Cannabis or Pot or Marijuana (what you call it depends on the generation you come from). This information is a rather long read, but well worth the time if you suffer from any kind of chronic pain, inflammation, etc… It is NOT addictive, nor will it get you high.
This Cannabis Compound Eases Pain & Anxiety (& Won’t Get You High)
“There were never so many able, active minds at work on the problems of diseases as now, & all their discoveries are tending to the simple truth — that you can’t improve on nature.” –Thomas Edison
Over a century later, Edison’s words still ring true. With 28 states having legalized marijuana in some capacity, it’s clear that more & more of us are looking towards nature to restore our health. But it is lesser known that anyone can reap the medicinal benefits of cannabis—regardless of their state’s marijuana laws.
Cannabis for Health: Americans are more concerned about health than ever, with
the US supplement industry growing in recent years to be worth a $37 billion. People want more natural supplements, fewer corporate pharmaceuticals & fewer side effects. For many, cannabis is the answer. Whether you are pro-marijuana or not, it’s important to know that cannabis has dozens of different powerful medicinal compounds (called cannabinoids), most of which won’t ‘get you high’. One picking up steam in the wellness industry is cannabidiol (CBD). Hugely medicinal & completely non-psychoactive, CBDs can legally be derived from hemp to support your overall health.
CBD’s: Why are CBDs so therapeutic? Enter the endocannabinoid system. It turns
out our bodies are loaded with cannabinoids & cannabinoid receptors that are constantly working to maintain homeostasis within the body. When things get stressful, intense or inflamed, this system works to keep everything balanced. Even sea squirts have an endocannabinoid system—it’s that important.
Researchers first discovered the system in the mid 1990s, so our knowledge on the endocannabinoid system is relatively new & research is evolving. But, studies have shown that by supplementing the body with small doses of the plant-based cannabinoids in cannabis (which includes marijuana or hemp), we can promote balance of the endocannabinoid system, & by association, our overall wellness. What’s more intriguing is that CBDs bind to different receptors than THC, meaning CBDs won’t get you high but still offer loads of therapeutic benefits like pain-relief, anti-inflammatory action, seizure suppression, anti-cancer activity, antipsychotic activity and more.
Unlike other manufactured supplements in the industry, CBD has no known side effects. While most manufactured options for stress, anxiety, inflammation & pain relief often come with a disturbing list of potential side effects, CBD is a natural compound which functions naturally & seamlessly in the body without any known undesirable effects. This is huge & so important for people who need relief on a regular basis. CBDs & other cannabis-based medicines have the potential to give millions much needed natural relief from chronic, looming ailments.
For this reason, CBDs are fast becoming a flourishing facet of the wellness industry. I
had the opportunity to discuss CBDs with 2 growing companies, Aceso & Mary’s Nutritionals. Both companies utilize CBDs (among other compounds) to create wellness & pain relief products that are nationally legal, completely natural & hugely health promoting.
When discussing CBDs with Aceso’s marketing director, he explained that perhaps the biggest misconception in the industry is that hemp is just another euphemism for marijuana. Regardless of how you feel about marijuana, it is important to know that hemp & marijuana are not the same thing.
Hemp & marijuana are both part of the cannabis plant, but hemp contains virtually no
psychoactive THC, meaning hemp-based products will absolutely not get you high & are legal in all 50 states. For this reason, all of Aceso’s products are hemp-based so that everyone & anyone has the opportunity to experience the therapeutic powers of CBDs.
Healing Properties: Named after the Greek goddess of healing, Aceso works to combine the natural compounds in hemp with reputed healing superfoods & herbs like turmeric & lavender. The formulations they create target the everyday ailments that plague so many of us, including anxiety, pain & poor immune function.
Their innovative, hemp-based product line of beverage powders & sprays come in 3 distinct formulations (Calm, Soothe & Wellness) to specifically target unique concerns with powerful combinations of plant-based extracts. Aceso currently offers the first & only powdered cannabinoid beverage formula on the market, making it a great wellness tonic on the go, post workout, or in the middle of a taxing day.
Reduce Inflammation: When I asked why they
chose to utilize CBDs for their product line, Director of Hemp Products Kurt Forstmann replied, “Inflammation indicates an imbalance in the body, & science shows cannabinoids reduce inflammation. When this happens it frees up your immune system, making it more effective at fighting off invaders. When your body is not in a state of inflammation it is closer to homeostasis or its natural state—’balanced’—therefore healthier. The company spent 5 years on research & development before launching in 2015.
Aceso also creates a line of CBD wellness products for your dog called Therabis. All mammals have an endocannabinoid system, meaning CBDs can be hugely medicinal for your pets, too. If your canine pal struggles with joint pain, anxiety or itchiness, it is worth looking into supplementation with CBD wellness products.
Mary’s Nutritionals products are also all hemp derived & entirely legal. Focusing on pain-relief, their CBD-based products range from muscle patches to muscle freezes to tinctures & more. Although the entire product line is available to ship nationally, Mary’s also creates a line of therapeutic products known as Mary’s Medicinals, some of which contain THC (some products are still non-psychoactive) & are only sold in states who have legalized marijuana medically &/or recreationally. I had the opportunity to do a small Q & A about CBDs in the wellness industry with a representative from Mary’s.
Q: Could you speak to the power of the endocannabinoid system, for those who don’t know about it?
A: The endocannabinoid receptor system exists in every animal & is intimately involved in many functions such as mood, appetite, sleep—to name a few. Endocannabinoids (created from within) are compounds our bodies naturally produce to balance & control communication between cells to help modulate these natural functions. Researchers believe that, often times, regulation of the endocannabinoid system falls out of balance & physiological issues can arise as a result.
Cannabinoids are chemical compounds derived within cannabis that show the ability to stimulate the endocannabinoid system & give therapeutic relief to many ailments. Cannabinoids resemble endocannabinoids in that they can also bind to endo- cannabinoid receptors. When cannabis is administered, cannabinoids bind to receptor sites in the brain & body. Cannabinoids have different effects based on which receptors they bind to. For example, CBN (cannabinol) binds with both CB1 & CB2 receptors located throughout the body, which may explain why patients report that it is a powerful analgesic. With a growing understanding of the effects of cannabinoids, patients can now tailor their cannabinoid consumption to the type of relief they need.
Q: Cannabis is making a rapid surge in overcoming a lot of negative stigma. What kinds of shifts have you noticed in the wellness market in the recent years?
A: Through extensive amounts of published research, the health & wellness market
has started to widely accept the healing powers of hemp & cannabis. Education & partnering with key members of both the cannabis & non-cannabis community is paramount to our brand. We collaborate with groups from doctors to scientists to industry advocates to ensure each group & the general public is receiving accurate, helpful information on the benefits of cannabis & our products. We rely heavily on our relationships with all of our allies to get our message out to the market to help continue to shift the perception of cannabis.
People have been using cannabis for a very long time. In modern times using cannabis has had the potential for legal repercussions, thus cannabis therapies have been underutilized. Now, we find ourselves in a unique time where cannabis therapies can be explored under pseudo-legal conditions meaning a handful of states have legalized it, but it’s still illegal under federal law.
Mary’s Chief Scientist, Dr. Noel Palmer, collaborates with a team of experts to pioneer novel delivery methods, cannabinoid extractions, combinations & complementary nutritionals to better ease patients’ pain. These developments contribute to what makes cannabis medically unique.
Natural Therapies: We pride ourselves for being a part of the modern-day
resurgence of natural therapies. Our goal is to transform how people view & utilize cannabis by developing products that maximize the benefits of cannabinoids, terpenes & other plant nutrients.
Hemp-derived CBDs make a good alternative for folks looking to reap the medical benefits of cannabis, but who cannot obtain cannabis due to legality issues, or simply do not want to experience the psychoactive effects of THC.
While it is clear that the public perception of cannabis is in the midst of a radical, positive shift, hemp-based CBDs are bringing the medicinal benefits of cannabis to the forefront of the wellness industry while bypassing much of the controversial stigma surrounding the plant.
This is excellent information for anyone who experiences pain where an
anti-inflammatory would help alleviate the pain. I have back & neck issues so I will be looking into this further. I will also check out both of the mentioned companies, & will probably do another post regarding this & other natural remedies. I am a big believer. Why should we suffer all the side effects of pharmaceuticals when it may not be necessary.
I am proud to say I take no prescriptions drugs on a regular basis, as do many of my age. I am 70 years old. Nature has many miracles & we need to embrace them…
I’d love to get feed back from those of you who have experience with hemp & related products. I look forward to hearing from you…