Hemp/CBD 101

Hemp, or industrial hemp, is a strain of the Cannabis Sativa plant species that is grown specifically for the industrial uses of its derived products.It  is one of the fastest growing plants and was one of the first plants to be spun into usable fiber. 10,000 years ago. It can be refined into a variety of commercial items, including paper, textiles, clothing, biodegradable plastics, paint, insulation, bio fuel, food, and animal feed.Although cannabis as a drug and industrial hemp both derive from the species Cannabis sativa and contain the psychoactive component tetrahydrocannabinol  (THC), they are distinct strains with unique phytochemical compositions and uses. Hemp has lower concentrations of THC and higher concentrations of cannabidiol (CBD), which decreases or eliminates its psychoactive effects. The legality of industrial hemp varies widely between countries. Some governments regulate the concentration of THC and permit only hemp that is bred with an especially low THC content.

 Cannabidiol, or CBD, is a phytocannabinoid commonly found in high concentrations certain strains of hemp. It is one of at least 113 cannabinoids discovered in the cannabis plant and is non-intoxicating in its effects. CBD can actually lessen or neutralize the psychoactive effects of THC, depending on how much of each compound is consumed. Many people want the health benefits of cannabis without the high – or with less of a high.The fact that CBD is therapeutically potent as well as non-intoxicating, and easy to take as a CBD oil, makes it an appealing treatment option for those who are cautious about trying cannabis for the first time. 

 While hemp seed oil is extracted from the seeds of the hemp plant, hemp oil is a product derived from the leaves, flowers, and stalks of the hemp plant. Hemp seeds rarely contain minute detectable quantities of cannabinoids but typically, hemp seeds contain non-detectable levels of cannabinoids. By contrast, detectable levels of cannabinoids can be found in the stalks and leaves of hemp, with the highest concentrations of cannabinoids being found in the flowers of the hemp plant. CBD/hemp oil products have a much greater concentration of CBD than hemp seed oil products, while hemp seed oil products commonly contain no therapeutically viable levels of cannabinoids.

Many people are seeking alternatives to pharmaceuticals with harsh side effects – medicine more in sync with natural processes. By tapping into how we function biologically on a deep level, CBD can provide relief for chronic pain, anxiety, inflammation, depression and many other conditions!Extensive scientific research – much of it sponsored by the U.S. government – and mounting anecdotal accounts from patients and physicians highlight CBD’s potential as a treatment for a wide range of maladies, including (but not limited to):

• Autoimmune diseases (inflammation, rheumatoid arthritis)
• Neurological conditions (Alzheimer’s, dementia, Parkinson’s, multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, Huntington’s chorea, stroke, traumatic brain injury)
• Metabolic syndrome (diabetes, obesity)
• Neuropsychiatric illness (autism, ADHD, PTSD, alcoholism)
• Fut disorders (colitis, Crohn’s)
• Cardiovascular dysfunction (atherosclerosis, arrhythmia)
• Skin disease (acne, dermatitis, psoriasis)

CBD has proven neuroprotective effects and its anti-cancer properties are being investigated at several academic research centers in the United States and elsewhere.

 CBD and THC interact with our bodies in a variety of ways. One of the main ways they impact us is by mimicking and augmenting the effects of the compounds in our bodies called “endogenous cannabinoids” – so named because of their similarity to the compounds found in the cannabis plant. These “endocannabinoids” are part of a regulatory system called the “endocannabinoid system”.The discovery of the endocannabinoid system has significantly advanced our understanding of health and disease. It has major implications for nearly every area of medical science and helps to explain how and why CBD and THC are such versatile compounds – and why cannabis is such a widely consumed mood-altering plant, despite its illegal status.

 The endocannabinoid system (ECS) is a biological system composed of endocannabinoids (cannabinoids produced by the body) and the receptors they bind to, cannabinoid receptor type 1 (CB1) and cannabinoid receptor type 2 (CB2). The endocannabinoid system has been shown to be involved in the regulation of a number of physiological and cognitive processes throughout the human body.

 The endocannabinoid system (ECS) is a biological system composed of endocannabinoids (cannabinoids produced by the body) and the receptors they bind to, cannabinoid receptor type 1 (CB1) and cannabinoid receptor type 2 (CB2). The endocannabinoid system has been shown to be involved in the regulation of a number of physiological and cognitive processes throughout the human body.