If you have fibromyalgia, there’s a good chance you’ve heard of cannabidiol (CBD) by now.

Maybe you’ve even wondered if it could help you. After all, one of the things hemp extract is best known for is its ability to alleviate different types of pain. But does it actually work?

WHAT IS FIBROMYALGIA?

Fibromyalgia is a chronic condition that causes widespread pain, fatigue, sleep problems, and a variety of other symptoms.

Despite affecting around 10 million adults in the U.S., it’s a poorly understood condition, with no known cause or cure. Risk factors for fibromyalgia include autoimmune diseases, traumatic events, and central nervous system problems.

Although there is no cure for fibromyalgia, some people successfully manage symptoms through exercise, acupuncture, physical therapy, and anti-depressants. However, these limited treatment options don’t work for everyone, and leave many frustrated and desperate for relief. As a result, cannabis is a popular alternative.

But while it’s a safer – and often more effective – choice than opioids and other pain medicines, cannabis causes mind-altering effects that can make it hard to function. Not to mention, it’s illegal or highly regulated in most places.

Enter CBD: a legal way to experience many of the health benefits of cannabis, without the high.

WHAT IS CBD?

CBD belongs to a family called cannabinoids, which are substances derived from the cannabis plant. There are over 100 cannabinoids, including the infamous THC, and others that are gaining in popularity, like CBG and CBN.

THC and CBD are by far the most concentrated cannabinoids, making them easy to extract and sell as stand-alone products. Together, these two cannabinoids are responsible for many of the effects attributed to marijuana, although CBD offers purely therapeutic benefits. In other words, it won’t get you high, unlike THC.

At first glance, cannabinoids seem too good to be true. But there’s a scientific explanation for why they produce so many effects: the endocannabinoid system. Despite the name, the endocannabinoid system is actually found in the human body, not the cannabis plant. This network of receptors and neurotransmitters (called endocannabinoids) regulates mood, digestion, pain, and other processes.

Like other neurotransmitters, though, endocannabinoid levels can become unbalanced. In fact, endocannabinoid deficiencies have been linked to fibromyalgia and many other health problems. That’s where cannabinoids come in; they mimic these neurotransmitters and normalize endocannabinoid levels. As a result, CBD and other cannabinoids offer an impressive list of health benefits.

CAN CBD RELIEVE FIBROMYALGIA SYMPTOMS?

With symptoms that range from cognitive to digestive, fibromyalgia is a condition that can affect the entire body. With that in mind, it’s no surprise that many people with fibromyalgia find relief with cannabis, including marijuana and hemp extracts like CBD.

Unfortunately, there isn’t abundant research on the direct effectiveness of CBD for treating fibromyalgia specifically. However, there is plenty of anecdotal evidence from people with fibromyalgia who use cannabis and its related products, as well as research supporting the use of CBD for many problems that are associated with fibromyalgia. Most notably, CBD can provide strong pain relief for muscle, joint and nerve pain, as well as headaches. Pain is often one of the most debilitating symptoms of fibromyalgia, and often doesn’t respond well to medication.

Sleep problems, CBD and fibromyalgia

Along with pain, sleep problems are one of the diagnostic markers of fibromyalgia; in other words, just about every fibromyalgia sufferer has difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, or both. Waking up feeling unrefreshed is another common issue. To add insult to injury, lack of sleep can worsen other symptoms of fibromyalgia, such as pain, fatigue, depression, brain fog, and digestive problems.

The good news is that CBD can improve sleep quality and duration, and even help you fall asleep faster. If your lack of sleep is the result of nightmares due to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) – a condition frequently found alongside fibromyalgia – then you’ll be glad to hear that CBD can also relieve many symptoms of PTSD, including nightmares. The sleep benefits of CBD are significant for people with fibromyalgia, since better sleep can lead to a reduction in symptoms, while improving overall health.

Fibromyalgia, IBS, and beyond

Along with its sleep benefits, CBD is helpful for gastrointestinal disorders such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), which is linked to fibromyalgia. Not only does CBD reduce stomach pain, but it can also improve digestion, reduce nausea, and stimulate the appetite – a particularly helpful effect if you’re unable to eat due to pain, spasms, or nausea.

If you’re still not convinced, CBD is also an antioxidant with antidepressant and anti-anxiety properties as well as benefits for your heart and bones. Considering that fibromyalgia is associated with depression, anxiety, heart disease, and osteoporosis, these benefits make CBD even more appealing. All in all, CBD has strong potential for managing the symptoms of fibromyalgia and improving quality of life.

USING CBD AND OTHER SUPPLEMENTS TOGETHER

One of the lesser known facts about fibromyalgia is that it often comes with vitamin deficiencies, which can worsen symptoms. It’s estimated that at least 25% of fibromyalgia patients are deficient in vitamin D, which can cause symptoms like fatigue, depression, and widespread pain – sound familiar? But even if you don’t have a deficiency, taking certain supplements can be beneficial for fibromyalgia.

Folic acid, for example, can alleviate depression, lower blood pressure, and enhance cognition, making it especially useful for managing brain fog. Similarly, zinc is a powerful supplement to include in your fibromyalgia treatment regimen; studies show it can boost brain function, reduce pain, and improve sleep. It also has antidepressant properties, and may be able to prevent heart disease.

Another supplement to consider is bacopa, an herb with a long history in ayurvedic and ancient Chinese medicine. Bacopa’s main appeal for fibromyalgia is its ability to help with brain fog. In fact, it’s so good at enhancing cognition – especially memory, learning, and concentration – that bacopa is often used in managing ADHD symptoms. Bacopa also shows promise as a potential anti-depressant and sleep aid.

Anecdotes from doctors and patients point to cannabidiol (CBD) as a potential treatment for withdrawal and craving associated with opioid addiction, also known as opioid use disorder (OUD). Although medical advancements have made withdrawal easier, patients in recovery still have a 40-60% chance of relapsing into addiction.

Between January 2014 and January 2018, the annual number of drug overdose deaths in the United States rose 47%, with the majority caused by opioids. Successful withdrawal and relapse prevention plays a vital role in reducing the growing number of fatalities, and preliminary research supports the alleged beneficial effects of CBD.

NEUROBIOLOGY OF OPIOID USE DISORDER

Opioids are a class of drugs that include prescription medications (i.e., morphine), synthetic drugs with medicinal value (i.e., methadone), and the illegal drug heroin. Opioid molecules closely resemble naturally occurring endorphins and cause similar reactions. Endorphins and opioids bind to the same receptors in the brain and spinal cord, suppressing pain responses and enhancing mood.

Life-sustaining activities, such as eating, release endorphins into the brain, promoting a positive association and desire to repeat these activities. The brain learns to associate circumstances and environmental cues with these activities. In the case of eating, these positive associations could be a mouth-watering smell or favorite restaurant that triggers hunger.

Opioids act on the same areas of the brain, tricking the natural reward system designed to maintain life into promoting continued drug use. By the time an addiction develops, the brain has undergone fundamental changes that cause it to function normally with opioids and abnormally without them. At this point, drug use is no longer a choice; treatment is necessary to manage and reverse these changes.

THE STAGES OF OPIOID ADDICTION TREATMENT

Treatment for opioid addiction begins with detoxification, commonly referred to as withdrawal. This part of recovering from addiction has tremendous effects on the mind and body, including but not limited to nausea, fever, muscle cramping, body aches, agitation, insomnia, anxiety, and depression.

The second stage of treatment for opioid addiction is relapse prevention. Cravings are often managed with medication, while psychotherapy can help treat any underlying issues that contribute to excessive drug use. Exposure to circumstances and environmental cues (i.e., a friend that misuses drugs) also need to be controlled or effectively managed.

ESTABLISHED METHODS OF TREATING OPIOID ADDICTION

Treatment for opioid use disorder usually consists of psychotherapy, medication, and evaluation for underlying health issues. Medical devices may also be used, such as the NSS-2 Bridge that delivers electronic signals to the brain areas responsible for addiction.

Medications are the most common form of treatment, with 80% of patients taking a pharmaceutical during withdrawal. Many of these medications, such as methadone and buprenorphine, are opiate-based and carry their own set of risks. There have been deaths involving these medications, with methadone showing potential to be six times as lethal as buprenorphine.

Other drugs commonly used included clonidine and the fledgling medication lofexidine, approved for use by the FDA in May 2018. Both lofexidine and clonidine belong to a class of drugs that includes high blood pressure and some anti-anxiety medications.

It is important to note that opiate-based treatments can be safe and effective under medical supervision. Belonging to a different class of drugs does not necessarily make clonidine or lofexidine safer.

USING CBD TO MANAGE ADDICTION WITHDRAWAL SYMPTOMS

CBD may be beneficial in influencing many of the symptoms caused by opioid withdrawal. For nausea, multiple human and animal studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of CBD, possibly due to the presence of cannabinoid receptors in the areas of the brain that induce vomiting.

A pharmaceutical medication that contains a 1:1 ratio of THC and CBD, called Sativex, already exists to treat pain and muscle spasms/cramping in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). Currently approved for use in Canada, Sativex shows potential for pain management in other patients, such as those withdrawing from opioids.

Studies have consistently found CBD has the potential to alleviate insomnia by boosting levels of tryptophan, a chemical required in the production of melatonin. For symptoms of anxiety and depression, CBD is thought to encourage the production of serotonin in a similar way to prescription SSRIs, a type of antidepressants.

USING CBD TO PREVENT RELAPSE

The endocannabinoid system is a target for treatments that prevent relapse due to its potential to control cravings. CB1 receptors may influence opioid receptors, due to their location in the brain. CB2 receptors possibly affect dopamine and may reduce its rewarding effects that encourage opioid use.

Preclinical trials in rats and mice have reinforced the theory that CBD helps to control cravings, although why it works remains a bit of a mystery. Mice and rats given CBD in conjunction with morphine showed a lower reward response, making the morphine less appealing.

A similar study of rats addicted to heroin found CBD prevented relapse. Daily doses of 5 mg/kg or 10 mg/kg kept the rats from relapsing for up to two weeks following their final dose of CBD.

A third preclinical trial shows rats addicted to cocaine and alcohol experience similar effects from CBD treatment. Another trial using rats addicted to amphetamines found evidence that supports using CBD to prevent relapse.

CBD COULD BE A BENEFICIAL ADJUNCT TREATMENT

Overall, CBD shows a strong potential as an additional treatment for opioid addiction when combined with psychotherapy and pharmaceuticals. Preclinical trials using animals consistently find CBD can be beneficial in preventing relapse, although further clinical trials in humans are needed to confirm this.

CBD may also help treat many of the withdrawal symptoms during detoxification from opioids. However, CBD alone does not replace the vital role of medically assisted treatment for addiction. Anyone suffering from OUD, or any form of substance use disorder should contact their primary care physician to establish a treatment plan.

There is no one-size-fits-all solution to ending the opioid crisis, but CBD oil products may prove to be a valuable tool. At this point in time, while millions of Americans battle addictions and tens of thousands die, anything that may help deserves further investigation.

Here’s some hemp clothing we love! Hemp is more fashion forward than ever and brands are doing amazing things with hemp fabric. Hemp fabric is more sustainable too, thanks to the use of fewer pesticides and other harmful chemicals.

We did some searching and picked out some awesome hemp pieces from clothing brands that everyone needs to check out!

HEMP FASHION BRANDS IN THIS VIDEO

• The Hemp Temple
• Jungmaven
• WAMA
• Toad & Co.
• ANARA Hemp Denim
  

MORE ABOUT SUSTAINABLE FASHION AND HEMP

Here are more articles about hemp and sustainable fashion:

• Hemp Fabric Lab & Hemp In India
• Hemp Horizon Brings Flowing Elegance To Women’s Hemp Fashion
• How Cotton Is Killing The Earth
• How Hemp Fabric Is Made & Why It’s Better

 

We recently asked a passionate hemp advocate how people can support hemp and help it spread.

Cait Curley is quickly becoming a name to know among hemp enthusiasts and cannabis fans of all kinds. We noticed that whether she’s exploring the potential of hempcrete or winning hearts and minds at hemp expos, Curley seemed to be everywhere we went and interested in the same topics we were. In November, she created a “Women of Cannabis” photoshoot, highlighting the diversity of the industry. Now she’s expanding her hemp media brand and, after years of partnering with other hemp companies, getting more involved in self-driven hemp projects.

She told us she sees hemp as key to solving our environmental crisis.

“This plant can overturn the synthetic world we live in, and save our planet,” Curley declared, when we caught up with her by phone.

Impressed by her passion and energy for hemp in all its forms, we wanted to know how she got involved and how other people can support hemp too.

CANNABIS BROUGHT FREEDOM FROM ‘BURNOUT’

“Until 2005, I believed all ‘drugs’ were dangerous and dirty,” Curley recalled. “I got high one night, for the very first time, and changed my perception on cannabis right then and there.”

That night, Curley realized she’d bought into the social stigma around cannabis without learning the real facts about the plant. That moment set in motion a major journey of discovery and transformed her into a hemp and cannabis advocate.

“If you have a connection to the plant, then you already are involved and part of the community.” — Cait Curley

Curley was always drawn to entertaining and inspiring people from a young age. She even participated twice in the world championships for Irish dance. In 2010, she moved to New York to pursue acting and modeling. However, she wanted to find ways to help people on a deeper level.

She switched to a career in audiology, the science of studying hearing and treating hearing disorders. The position she took led to a corporate style job. Success meant good money but also working incredibly long hours.

“I understood what the term ‘burnout’ meant.”

MOVE TO COLORADO ALLOWED FULL-TIME SUPPORT OF CANNABIS

Although she hid her recreational use of cannabis for a long time, due to the stigma around it, her experiences changed her life.

Just spending time in nature while high helped Curley gain a new perspective. She decided she needed to get more involved, and become someone that could openly support cannabis access and legal reform. She also wanted to leave her corporate job.

In 2015, Curley packed up her life and moved to Denver. She started attending meetups and networking and immediately found herself part of an incredibly welcoming group of cannabis/hemp supporters. Now, in addition to creating cannabis/hemp-related media, Curley works with the NoCo Hemp Expo, Southern Hemp Expo, Tree Free Hemp, One Planet Hemp, and Let’s Talk Hemp Media. She also appears at hemp events and collaborates with various other brands that reach out to her.

Curley passionately supports the cannabis plant in all its forms, from psychoactive cannabis (“marijuana”) to industrial hemp, believing both are integral to making a better world.

HOW TO BE A HEMP ADVOCATE AND SUPPORT HEMP

“If you have a connection to the plant, then you already are involved and part of the community. Curley emphasized during our chat. “There is no official stamp.”

However, she also offered a few additional tips for how anyone can support hemp and become a hemp advocate:

• Use hemp. Hemp goods are often better for you, more durable, or otherwise better than the alternatives. They can also be more expensive, meaning it’s not simple to transform your whole wardrobe from cotton to hemp overnight. Start small: wear a hemp t-shirt, add hemp hearts to your diet, or switch to hemp lip balm. Every hemp product you use supports this growing industry. It’s also an opportunity to start a conversation.
• Educate others & yourself. The first step is to understand hemp and its potential, then help those around you learn. Many people still misunderstand hemp and cannabis, and their many potential benefits for humanity. Even people familiar with CBD, thanks to its incredible popularity at the moment, may not be aware that hemp and “marijuana” can be made into clothing, food, even Farm Bill legalized hemp, there’s still a lot of room for improvement especially in local laws and regulations.

While the hemp industry is growing by leaps and bounds, even more importantly Curley describes hemp advocates as a “family and a community.”

When you make hemp a part of your life, Curley believes that “not only are you bettering yourself, you’re supporting a movement.”

We couldn’t agree more!

SUPPORT HEMP AND HELP CHANGE OUR WORLD

Curley sees the hemp movement as part of global progress towards sustainability and renewed recognition of our common humanity.

“A huge shift is coming, and cannabis has a huge part to play in that.”

Projects like her “Women in Cannabis” photo shoot help to illustrate that shift by countering the idea that only white men work with hemp. She partnered with prAna hemp clothing, Silver Mountain hemp guitars, and The Original Jack Herer to create the photos.

For Curley, hemp is a gateway to a better world, one that emphasizes both people and planet, through practices like regenerative agriculture, more responsible use of resources, and other alternatives to our current “synthetic” way of life.

“This is my purpose, this is my life,” she told us. “I can’t see myself doing anything else.”

This week on the show Matt is talking to Jenn Price from Golden State Govt. Relations and Chris Fontes from Hempexchange.com about the problems with today’s hemp supply chain and what’s being done in the private sector to compensate for the lack of government oversight.

We want to hear from you too. Send us your questions and you might hear them answered on future shows! Send us your written questions to us on Twitter, Facebook, email [email protected], or call us and leave a message at 402-819-6417.

Don’t forget to subscribe to the show on iTunes or your favorite podcast app. If you really want to help out, we’d love for you to leave a short written review or even just a rating of our podcast.

MORE ABOUT THE HEMP SUPPLY CHAIN

As always, you can find download the complete show transcript here:

• Transcript: Ministry of Hemp Podcast, Episode 5, “The Lowdown Dirty Hemp Supply Chain”

Here are some articles which explain more about the hemp industry:

• CBD Supply Chain: How the Hemp Industry Is All Connected
• The Challenges Of Growing Hemp in America
• Full Traceability — From Seed to Shelf™: The Key to Finding the Best Hemp CBD Product

CBD is not a miracle cure, but many people report using CBD for PTSD offers relief of some of its most troubling symptoms.

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) affects millions of people worldwide. Some of its main symptoms include anxiety, insomnia and depression. Since it causes rapid fluctuations in mood, PTSD can lead to reckless behavior, issues with concentration and even hypervigilance.

Many PTSD patients have reported CBD as being a very effective alternative to helping with some of these symptoms. CBD shows tremendous potential to reduce the negative impact of PTSD, with minimal adverse reactions. In addition, CBD has very few side effects compared with other PTSD treatment methods.

In this article we will discuss how CBD oil can be a part of safe, effective PTSD treatment. We’ll take a look at the most prevalent symptoms associated with this condition and what CBD does to counteract them.

USING CBD MAY HELP EASE PTSD-INDUCED ANXIETY

Anxiety is sometimes not viewed as a serious condition given how prevalent it is. By definition, it’s just a natural response to stress and other stimuli that we may perceive as threats to our well-being. But there is a distinct difference between a reaction that is necessary to avoid a risky situation and one that is detrimental to our own peace of mind or relationships.

Approximately 40 million adults in the US suffer from anxiety disorders each year. People that are part of this large segment are six times more likely to be hospitalized for psychiatric conditions when compared to those who do not suffer from anxiety disorders. Yet, less than 40% of these people receive treatment.

Conventional options for anxiety include going to therapy or using prescription drugs, which may come with strong side effects. Now, CBD oil is becoming a vital tool for fighting anxiety Studies conducted on both animals and humans indicate that cannabidiol may be effective in significantly reducing anxiety. Its positive impact has been attributed to the influence on receptors responsible for regulating serotonin levels, thereby improving mood. According to a 2013 study, CBD may also play a role in regenerating neurons in the hippocampus region of the brain, which can also aid in reducing anxiety levels.

CBD CAN PROMOTE DEEPER, MOST RESTFUL SLEEP

Sleep is one of our most vital bodily functions, that helps us to heal, recuperate and perform at our best. But, for millions of people worldwide, sleep can be quite difficult to come by.

It is estimated that one in four Americans develop insomnia each year. This prevalent sleep disorder has been associated with other health conditions, a major loss in productivity and even vehicular crashes. Perhaps the most common form of treatment for insomnia is sleeping pills. While some may be effective as sedatives, prolonged use may possibly lead to addiction. To make matters worse, when hopping off the medication, some people experience “rebound insomnia,” which is even worse than when they began taking the drug.

Given these potential hazards, it comes as no surprise that some people are looking for safer forms of treatment. One of the earliest uses of hemp was to help induce sleep. CBD has been the main element associated with this effect and is proven to be useful in managing sleep disorders. Through CBD’s interaction with the endocannabinoid system, it can help to address symptoms that may cause a loss of sleep such as anxiety and promote more calmness. It also shows the potential to be a natural remedy for insomnia by aiding the production of melatonin, which promotes a deeper, better quality sleep.

Though research is still in the early stages, the limited studies and mounting user testimonies suggest that CBD is a safe, effective sleep aid, with little to no potential for abuse.

CBD MAY EVEN EASE DEPRESSION

Depression affects millions of people worldwide and is a leading cause of disability.

This condition should always be treated with some form of professional support. However, because of its stigma some people choose to tough it out or even turn to drugs or alcohol to get relief. These choices usually compound the problems even more. Experts suggest that effective treatment of depression usually involves a combination of structured therapy as well as holistic lifestyle changes. An increasing amount of people with depression are turning to CBD oil products to help support their self-care routines.

Though large-scale clinical trials are still underway, the experimental evidence seems to support CBD’s usefulness in helping to treat depression. Research has shown that the region for the brain responsible for regulating emotions, (hippocampus) shrinks when people experience depression. Some studies indicate that CBD may possibly protect and even regenerate the cells in this part of the brain.

CBD is also known to restrict the breakdown of the so called “bliss molecule” or Anandamide. This compound is an endocannabinoid produced by our body, and is considered a natural antidepressant. Although CBD should not be considered the first choice for handling something as serious as depression, it can certainly add value on the road to recovery.

PEOPLE WITH PTSD MAY FEEL CALMER WITH CBD

Hypervigilance is not really considered a condition but more like a behavior. It happens as a result of dealing with a traumatic situation, and usually involves someone being overly sensitive to their environment. The affected person’s senses are typically on high alert, as they subconsciously anticipate danger or some imminent threat.

This is a common symptom of PTSD, and can lead to physical and mental exhaustion, issues in relationships, obsessive behavior and other social problems. CBD can be great alternative to treating hypervigilance. Apart from its calming effects and mood regulation mentioned earlier, studies have shown that cannabidiol reduces learned fear. It may also contribute to the extinction of aversive memories which are usually linked to traumatic experiences.

CONCLUSION: CBD A VALUABLE TOOL FOR EASING PTSD SYMPTOMS

Professional medical advice should always be the first line of treatment for a serious condition like PTSD.

However, CBD has proven to be a valuable asset in helping to relieve many of the associated symptoms. It provides a safe, natural, alternative for relief, and as such should be considered as a useful supplement which can be combined with other forms of therapy.

Did you know many pro-athletes are now using CBD for recovery?

Whether you’re a pro-athlete, a retired athlete, or someone who spends their nights and weekends pushing their physical potential to the max, you’re intimately familiar with the variety of things that can throw off your game.

Delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMS), injuries, pain, trouble sleeping, and illness are just a handful of the factors that can get in the way of you and what matters most: being able to recover and perform at your very best. This is why we all spend countless hours learning … How much protein should I get? Should I be intermittent fasting every day? What are the best supplements that I can take to expedite muscle synthesis?

These kinds of questions lead athletes to discover the trendy supplement from hemp that comes from the same plant species as medical marijuana: CBD.

Early research and plenty of stories around the internet suggest that CBD might be a sort of panacea for athletes. From mood regulation to fighting inflammation, this wonder-molecule is being used by some of the fittest people around in the hopes of supporting healing and optimal performance.

WHAT IS CBD?

CBD (cannabidiol) is a type of phytonutrient (a compound found in plants that supports human health) found in the Cannabis sativa plant. Specifically, it’s one of around 100 cannabinoids in cannabis. These compounds, which include the well-known mind-altering compound THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), are unique when it comes to how they interact with the bodies of humans and other vertebrates.

Over the last many years, hundreds of studies have been published on cannabinoids, particularly THC and CBD. By interacting with a system in our bodies known as the endocannabinoid system, these phytocannabinoids (cannabinoids that come from plants) can reach cells throughout our bodies, including those in our brains and our immune systems.

Thanks to this interaction, CBD and THC are capable of impacting vertebrate health in many ways. These range from helping with pain and seizures to impacting cognitive function and mood.

Unlike THC, which is the compound that causes you to get high if you smoke weed, CBD is non-psychoactive. This means you can take CBD without feeling “high.”

THE UNIQUE PROPERTIES OF CBD

To understand how CBD might be able to benefit athletes, it’s helpful to have a foundational knowledge as to how CBD works in the body. Studies have found CBD to be: (Sources: 1,2,3,4,5)

• Anti-inflammation: CBD might be able to reduce inflammation in the body, such as that from chronic inflammatory diseases or injuries.
• Analgesic: This means that CBD can reduce the sensation of pain.
• Antioxidant: Free radicals are molecules that can damage our cells, with damage leading to conditions like cancer. Antioxidants reduce free-radical induced harm.
• Anti-psychotic: This type of compound may be able to help those with mental health conditions.
• Anxiolytic: CBD has shown potential in reducing the subjective feelings and physiological manifestations of anxiety and stress.
• Antiseizure: For some types of seizure disorders, CBD can help to reduce the frequency of seizures.
• Neuroprotective: Neuroprotective compounds protect the health and function of our brains and the resulting cognitive abilities.
• Blood flow enhancer: CBD may be able to boost blood flow, therefore increasing the delivery of oxygen and nutrients throughout the body, including to the brain and muscles.

It’s important to understand, however, that most of the properties listed above have been found in preliminary animal studies, not human clinical trials. While these studies provide clues as to what CBD might do in the human body, more studies in humans themselves are needed to confirm if these benefits carry over.

As researchers continue to investigate CBD, we will learn which of these benefits apply to the human body, and exactly what kinds of effects it can have.

WHY ELITE ATHLETES ARE TURNING TO CBD FOR RECOVERY

CBD may help speed recovery

There are many times when our bodies need to recover. The most common is after a game or a hard workout, but we also have to recover physically from injuries like concussions or sprained ankles.

The one thing that our bodies need to do to expedite recovery is to slow down an overactive inflammatory response. This is why we do things like ice injuries, get sports massages, and use compression tape.

Because CBD has demonstrated an ability to combat inflammation, it might be able to help us heal faster. This can be particularly important if you are struggling with DOMS, an injury, or when you have back-to-back games that necessitate rapid recovery.

Additionally, the antioxidant and blood-flow enhancing effects of CBD could help to reduce exercise-induced oxidative stress and deliver oxygen and nutrients to healing muscles.

CBD might reduce pain

If you’re an athlete, you understand the constant battle between performance and pain. Much of the pain that you experience is inflammatory pain, which is pain that occurs from microtears in your muscle or from an injury.

The most common way to treat inflammatory pain are a class of drugs known as NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs). With long-term or excessive use of NSAIDs tied to a variety of health concerns, many athletes do without or try to limit their use.

In animal studies, CBD has demonstrated an ability to reduce inflammatory pain in rats. Because there have been no human clinical trials, it’s up to each of us to determine whether or not CBD helps to relieve pain. You will find many first-hand accounts of people using CBD oil for pain.

CBD may help some people sleep

Getting enough shut-eye is critical when it comes to optimal athletic recovery. It’s during deep sleep that our bodies are capable or diverting resources to allow the healing needed following a vigorous workout.

Anxiety, stress, and sleep disorders like insomnia can hinder sleep. When you’re unable to sleep for any reason, you won’t be able to recover as quickly. Some researchers have hypothesized that CBD might be able to help those with anxiety and sleep disorders sleep better.

A small human study found that CBD helped those with REM sleep behavior disorder, allowing them to sleep better throughout the night. Another study published this year found that CBD helped to reduce anxiety in those in a psychiatric clinic over three months, but the effect on sleep was not as definitive.

Even though there is no conclusive evidence supporting CBD’s role in human sleep, the research so far suggests that CBD doesn’t negatively impact sleep in the healthy population, and that some people might benefit from using CBD for sleep.

CBD might help those with chronic traumatic encephalopathy

Athletic recovery isn’t just about performing well in the next competition. For some, damage that adds up over the years can lead to chronic conditions. This is especially true for retired professional football players, as years of head injuries can take a toll long after they’ve stopped playing football.

Chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) is a condition caused by repetitive head trauma. The chronic inflammation and neurodegeneration can lead to cognitive difficulties like memory troubles, mood disorders like depression, and eventually, to motor dysfunction similar to that in Parkinson’s disease patients.

In a study that examined the brains of deceases football players, it was discovered that 99% showed signs of CTE. And it’s not only football players, but boxer and those in the military, that are at risk of this disease.

Researchers have found that a combination of THC and CBD can help to treat CTE symptoms, such as psychosis, headache, nausea, and mood difficulties. And some believe that CBD itself might be helpful thanks to its neuroprotective effects.

HOW ELITE ATHLETES USE CBD OIL

Now that you know why CBD might offer benefits for athletic recovery, the question is, how do they use it?

The most common way to take CBD oil is orally by using a CBD oil tincture or a capsule. Oral CBD is particularly beneficial because it allows for distribution throughout your body, allowing a multitude of possible benefits.

This is contrary to topical CBD, which are products like salves and lotions that are applied directly to your skin. While this type of CBD might prove useful for things like an injury or arthritis, using it alongside oral CBD will allow additional effects of CBD for recovery in other areas of your body.

You can also find smokable CBD products like vape pens of hemp flower. These offer the highest bioavailability (meaning that more of the CBD is used by your body), however, its safety and dosage have not been researched as thoroughly as oral CBD.

WHAT ATHLETES ARE USING CBD OIL?

More athletes are coming out of the woodwork, sharing their experiences with their dedicated fan base. Not long ago, CBD was banned by the World Doping Agency, and thus using it could have gotten professional athletes in trouble. This all changed in 2018.

You will now find elite athletes from all arenas who are supporters of CBD. Some have started their own companies, and many are hard at work furthering the legality and understanding of CBD. These include (among many others):

• Julie Anthony (pro tennis)
• Tatum Bell (NFL)
• Brita Schwerm Bolane (pro volleyball)
• Shannon Briggs (pro boxing)
• Steve Cantwell (mixed martial arts)
• Avery Collins (Ultramarathoner)
• Julian Davidson (pro skater)
• San Juanita Fetuuaho (Rugby)
• Greta Gaines (pro snowboarding)
• Al Harrington (NBA)

As you can see, professional sports players from many backgrounds are coming together to support the use of CBD for elite athletes.

ARE YOU READY TO START USING CBD OIL?

If you would like to try CBD yourself, the first step is finding a high-quality CBD oil product. Look for a product that offers third party lab-results, also known as a certificate of analysis (COA), that show the quantity of CBD and THC as well as other phytonutrients. All CBD products should be clearly labelled, making it easy to find the full list of ingredients and amount of hemp extract in each product.

Next, you will want to decide between full-spectrum hemp oil (FSHO) and CBD isolate. The general rule is that FSHO likely offers the greatest benefits, but CBD isolates are more cost effective. Additionally, you might want to look for a CBD oil products that contains 0% THC if you do undergo any type of drug testing. Be sure to check with the company that does testing to ensure that a 0% THC CBD oil won’t show up as a false positive.

Remember, most athletes will try an oral product like a full spectrum oil or hemp extract capsules for optimal effect throughout the body. Try starting with a small amount once or twice per day, and slowly increase your dosage until you find what works best for you.

FINAL THOUGHTS: USING CBD FOR ATHLETIC RECOVERY

With elite athletes standing behind CBD and other cannabis or hemp products for recovery, many weekend warriors are beginning to learn about the potential benefits of this plant compound. CBD might help to speed recovery from exercise-induced stress and injuries, and might help to expedite recovery in other ways as well, such as encouraging restful sleep.

With increased legality, you can now buy CBD oil online or find it at stores throughout many states in the U.S.

This easy hemp recipe only takes 5 minutes to prepare. Our No Bake Hemp Energy Balls are both vegan and healthy!

We love hemp hearts, or hulled hemp seeds, for all their amazing hemp nutrition. This is a delicious, fun recipe you can throw together in minutes and have on hand whenever you get hungry.

NO BAKE HEMP SEED ENERGY BALLS (EASY HEMP RECIPE)

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Servings: Makes 10 energy balls

Ingredients

• 1 cup quick oats
• 1/4 cup dark chocolate chips
• 1/4 cup shredded coconut
• 1/4 cup raw hemp hearts
• 1/4 cup maple syrup (or honey)
• 1/2 cup peanut butter

Preparation

• Stir ingredients together in a bowl until thoroughly mixed.
• Roll mixture into balls.
• Chill balls on tray in fridge for 10 – 20 minutes, or until serving.

A new hemp starter kit gives families a chance to grow their own hemp at home.

We all know hemp is one of the most efficient and easiest plants to grow in the world. Yet, how many of us actually grow it ourselves?

Understandably, perception of hemp is still closely related to a psychoactive drug. While hemp is now legal, the plant isn’t very accessible. And there’s still the risk your neighbors think you’ve started a marijuana operation in your backyard.

That’s why the Back to the Roots Hemp Grow Kit can be an essential tool in spreading awareness. Not only does it supply you with everything you need to grow, but it also teaches you about the plant itself. So, if your nosey neighbors do ask questions, you’ll have the ability to explain to them what hemp truly is.

We talked with Nikhil Arora, co-founder and co-CEO of Back to the Roots, about his excitement in offering the public such a unique product.

THE ROOTS OF A COMPANY

Like many companies, Back to the Roots sees legalization as an opportunity to enter the hemp market. Their goal is to offer a product that teaches people how to grow hemp and why that matters. They want their hemp starter kit to teach the general public about the importance of this plant.

“My friend and co-founder, Alex and I started an urban mushroom farm out of college,” Arora told us.

“After a few years of growing fresh produce and talking to countless families at demos in stores, farmer’s markets, etc. we realized there was this bigger need and opportunity to not just offer fresh produce, but really reconnect people back to where food comes from — back to the land — Back to the Roots. And, over the next few years, we launched a line of gardening kits as an easy and fun way to inspire people to start growing.”

By developing a variety of kits — from little gardens that stick in your windowsill to hydroponic systems — Arora and his team found a way to get people talking. With many journalists and documentaries, such as “Food Inc.,” waking the public up to the dangers of big agriculture, a huge market was opened to more organic food sources.

People also grew more interested in harvesting their own foods.

“Our passion — our focus — is to educate & inspire a whole new generation about organic gardening & real food … to get them hands on and connected with where food comes from,” Arora said. “In that vein, just like we did with mushrooms, and aquaponics, and biochar, we’ve been diving deep into hemp and all its incredible benefits!”

HEMP’S SPROUTING INTEREST

Back to the Roots efforts would be meaningless if there wasn’t an evergrowing interest in hemp. People are finally opening their eyes to the absurdity of keeping hemp illegal.

Of course, this isn’t anything new. Over the last decade, we’ve seen a tremendous change in the public’s interest when it comes to hemp and CBD. So has Arora:

“There’s been so much activity and movement surrounding hemp and CBD. Especially, these days. And still, there’s a misunderstanding — a lack of clarity — around what’s hemp, what’s CBD, how’s this plant different than its famous cousin. The more we learned, the more fascinated we were by it and thought there was an opportunity to educate our community as well about the amazing history and uses of hemp!”

With this motivation, Arora and his team developed the Back to the Roots Hemp Kit. The kit contains garden pots, organic soil, organic legal-standard hemp seeds, and a planting guide. There’s also a discovery booklet that walks people through the 10,000-year history of hemp.

“We currently have this crazy, fun grow lab with a bunch of varieties of plants growing and hemp just captivated our creativity, our passion, and our curiosity,” Arora said. “We fell in love with it — with the history, the plant itself, and just the fun of growing it.”

“And with the recent Farm Bill, we wanted our consumers to experience that too.”

WHY CREATE A HOME HEMP STARTER KIT?

Admittedly hemp’s true effectiveness is primarily on an industrial level. Though there are plenty of at-home remedies for the plant, the majority of current growers are working under mass cultivations.

The main purpose of Back to the Root’s hemp starter kit is start a conversation. As Arora puts it:

“We talk a lot about the magic of growing. We find gardening can really bring out the kid in you and is a great way of bringing people together — there’s something so communal about it. I think, what better way to drive this [hemp] industry forward and do our small part in it by focusing on the home & educational aspect.”

Similarly to the way big agriculture made a lot of people want to grow their own food, the goal of Back to the Roots, as a company, is to teach people how to develop a successful garden. Though hemp isn’t (yet) a threat to big ag, the lack of understanding about it is the driving force for this hemp starter kit.

Most Ministry of Hemp readers already know about the public’s misconceptions and do their part to educate. Arora hopes the Back to the Roots Hemp Kit, “will be another way to engage and share their passion.”

“I’m really excited to help your community have the opportunity to grow hemp and make them all the more passionate about this incredible plant.”

Get 20% off a Back to the Roots Hemp Grow Kit with coupon code GROWHEMP20.

One Aberdeen-based firm specialises in CBD liquor: rum and gin infused with hemp and CBD.

So, you’ve tried the UK’s best CBD beer, but now you’re keen to try something with a little more kick? Wee Hemp Spirits have exactly what you’re looking for. It’s not only a first for the UK but possibly the world at large.

THIS SCOTTISH COMPANY COMBINES CBD AND LIQUOR

The people behind the first CBD liquor are husband and wife team Calum and Rebecca Napier. They also run The Wee Hemp Company, a CBD-based firm which won Scotland’s Micro Business of the Year in 2019’s FSB Awards. We spoke to Calum about the origins, development and future plans of their journey in CBD spirits.

The Wee Hemp Company was launched in May 2018, largely thanks to Rebecca’s inspiring experiences with CBD.

“Rebecca has suffered with Crohn’s disease since she was five years old, and in 2016 she was diagnosed with fibromyalgia, a chronic illness that causes pain all over the body,” said Calum. “I did some research and found that in America many people were using CBD to help with fibromyalgia so we took a weekend trip to Amsterdam and purchased some.”

The changes were remarkable. “Over the next few months Rebecca regained her life back,” said Calum. “She changed her diet, did intolerance tests and had great success using CBD. We then trialled many different CBD products before jetting off to a lab in Europe to create our own product line and start our own company.”

In these early days the duo looked into growing four acres of hemp in Aberdeen, but the UK government made it near-impossible to gain the appropriate licenses. Then they had the idea of experimenting with hemp as a botanical in distilling spirits.

WORLD FIRST CBD LIQUOR AGING TECHNIQUE

“We contacted a local distillery and they were more than happy to let us do some experimenting with our hemp in their facility. Over the next few months we perfected the recipes and Wee Hemp Spirits was born!”

Wee Hemp Spirits currently offers hemp-infused Canna’B Gin and Canna’B Rum, with a full spectrum limited edition CBD-infused Canna’B Spirits about to be released.

“All spirits have hemp seeds and hemp plant material as botanicals,” said Calum. “The rum has been aged in charred hemp stalks. This is a world’s first aging technique that gives our rum a subtle smoky yet sweet finish, and a beautiful golden colour.”

The name ‘Canna’B’ is a smart play on Scottish dialect, pronounced ‘cannae be,’ as in ‘cannot be.’ It also serves as a neat reference to the cannabis sativa L plant and the bees which provide the honey used in these CBD liquor products.

EVEN THE WATER IS THE BEST AVAILABLE

This impressive attention to detail even goes as far as the H2O used to create the spirits.

“The water used in each of these is from the Cairngorms,” explained Calum. “It’s been filtering through the cracks and rock formations for 50 years before ending up in Canna’B.”

According to Calum, the special water gives the flavors in his CBD liquor “more depth.”

When it comes to the actual creation of these spirits, it’s a multi-layered process, simple in parts, complicated in others, that serves to create a wonderful handcrafted artisan product.

“The hemp seeds and plant material are steeped with our other botanicals to give more depth of flavour before it is distilled in small 250 litre batches,” said Calum.

“The rum is then aged in charred hemp stalks giving it the smokiness and glorious golden colour. When the spirits are ready, a percentage are infused with our full spectrum water soluble CBD and sent away for cannabinoid profile analysis, before Rebecca and I begin the process of bottling, corking, sealing, labelling and quality checking each and every bottle.”

PLANS FOR THE FUTURE

And it doesn’t stop there. The founders have big ideas for the future.

“Our plans are to expand our Canna’B product line into many more spirits, utilising our unique ageing technique,” said Calum.

“Rebecca has been experimenting with CBD-infused vegan chocolates and full spectrum CBD-infused Canna’B rum and raisin fudge — which, I might add, is next level!”

Calum has his sights set on more than just CBD liquor:

“Wee are not just a CBD company however. Hemp can be used for just about anything, so expanding our portfolio is on the horizon. We’re looking at a solution for the plastic crisis with biodegradable hemp plastic, hempcrete for sustainable housing projects with local building companies, and fashion from 100% hemp fabrics – these are just a few areas we wish to expand into. We want this ancient plant to make a big comeback. And why not, after decades of demonisation it deserves it.”

THE LEGAL TIDE IS TURNING

In a sign that the UK government is finally coming round to the idea of CBD oil products, Calum and Rebecca found the legal process of bringing their products to market surprisingly easy.

“There have been zero issues,” explained Calum. ”In fact the response has been very welcoming, and everyone is excited to try and stock Canna’B. It appears the stigma is being broken down day by day.”

The tide is certainly turning, not just in the UK but worldwide. Some of the biggest alcohol companies in the world are investing many millions of dollars in acquiring cannabis producers and research facilities. It’s clear this crossover market is on the verge of exploding and boutique companies like Wee Hemp Spirits are right at the cutting edge. If you’re a CBD user and enjoy a drink, the future is set to be very bright indeed.

You can buy Canna’B products online and in various stockists across the UK (see their website for more details). Wee Spirits are looking at expanding into other markets around the world, depending on local laws.