How Hemp Helps Humans

CBD 101

There’s a reason why CBD (the non-psychoactive compound found in hemp) is being added to products ranging from sparkling water to candy to shampoo. CBD (cannabidiol) is the missing ingredient in the modern diet that has the power to bring all the systems in our bodies back into balance.

This is just one reason why the hemp plant just might revolutionize our way of life. You’ve gotta be hiding under a rock to not have heard about CBD by now. However, you may not be aware of the science of how adding CBD to your self-care regimen can transform your health. 

Takeaways:

• CBD stands for cannabidiol, one of the many cannabinoids found in hemp
• Cannabinoids are produced naturally inside the body’s endocannabinoid system 
• The endocannabinoid system is responsible for cellular communication and regulating the body’s many other systems
• Medicinal cannabinoids like CBD help bodily systems more effectively function by stimulating proper molecular signaling that produces a state of homeostasis. 
• Hemp oil has less than .03% THC content, which means you can take CBD oil day-to-day without experiencing psychoactive effects. 
• Potency and toxicity levels found in hemp oil vary from product to product based on what strain of hemp is being used in the CBD extraction process and how it’s grown. 
• It is recommended that people who use CBD for overall well-being take less CBD than those who use it to for more severe conditions

The Endocannabinoid System 

Inside of every human exists what’s known as an endocannabinoid system (ECS). The ECS is responsible for the communication between cells that regulates the nervous system, the immune system, digestive system, respiratory system and more. 

Like everything in nature, your body is also seeking balance, what scientists call homeostasis. When the cells in your brain get overloaded with stimulus, the endocannabinoids in your body travel to the cannabinoid systems in your brain and signal them to quiet them down. When your immune system is firing to fight bacteria and other foreign invaders, the ECS tells it to fire only the right amount to antibodies. This prevents inflammation and autoimmune disorders. The ECS regulates your sleep cycles, your appetite, stress responses, metabolism and reproductive system. 

Even though endocannabinoids are considered one of the most important signaling molecules in the body, they are also a relatively new discovery. Scientists first discovered the ECS in rats in 1988 . In the 90s they began to study how the ECS works inside humans.

cannabinoids are found in both the body & nature 

Your body already produces a certain number of endocannabinoids [endo = internal/within]. However, for most people, cannabinoids need to be ingested by an outside source for the proper amount to be maintained. 

The problem is that phytocannabinoids [phyto = of a plant] have been stripped from our food sources during modern food processing procedures. Cannabinoids can be found in plants like echinacea, dark chocolate, and pepper. Flax oils are also known to stimulate the ECS. Breast milk contains naturally-occurring cannabinoids. 

But hemp, which just became legal to grow and sell in the US with the passing of the 2018 Farm Bill, is the most abundant source of CBD as well as other beneficial, lesser-known cannabinoids. These cannabinoids include cannabichromene (which reduces the body’s perception of chronic pain), cannabinol (which attaches to brain receptors, acting as a natural sedative), and cannabigerol (which is found to aid in colon and eye health).

It’s for these reasons that taking hemp oil is vital for optimum functioning day-to-day in ways that are still being revealed. 

How Much is Enough (dosing info)?

One important point that hasn’t been mentioned yet is that while hemp and marijuana are both considered the cannabis sativa plant, hemp does not contain THC (the cannabinoid that gets you “high”). This makes it safe for you to take hemp oil every day without fearing the psychoactive effects that make people who smoke marijuana feel like they’re floating on a cosmic cloud in a way that impairs their ability to be high functioning at certain tasks. Legal “hemp” must have less than .03 percent THC in it. That’s what separates it from marijuana. 

Potency of CBD in hemp ranges from strain to strain. It is impacted by how each hemp plant is grown. Hemp that is not grown organically contains all of the toxic, cancer-causing pesticides, herbicides, and fungicides found in conventional agriculture products. Hemp grown in soil that has been stripped of nutritional and microbial compounds will also have less potency. Toxicity, THC and CBD levels can be tested in laboratories, which all products from Emerald Ascent are to back our quality claims. 

That said, if you want to take CBD for mental wellness (anxiety and depression relief*) and maintenance reasons, a single serving of 20mgs (1mL of our Natural 600) is what we suggest as a starting dose. 

For people who experience severe discomfort and pain who are using CBD as a nutritional supplement then we recommend taking a single serving of 50mgs (1mL of our Natural 1500) up to two times per day.

Observe the effects throughout a course of two weeks, and then take less or more accordingly. If this is your first time taking high-quality CBD, then it’s not uncommon for your system to take anywhere from a week to a month before your ECS has been pulled out of a potential cannabinoid deficiency and begin to provide you with the desired benefits that you’re seeking.