Senior citizens, in particular, have become a loyal base for CBD products as they have begun to trade their conventional medications for naturally-derived CBD. But, what exactly is CBD?
CBD is currently one of the fastest-growing industries in the United States because of products like CBD infused oils and edibles which can deliver remarkable benefits to users of all ages and backgrounds. Senior citizens, in particular, have become a loyal base for CBD products as they have begun to trade their conventional medications for naturally-derived CBD.
But, what exactly is CBD? And why are senior citizens turning to this hemp-derived product?
THE STATUS OF CBD IN 2019
Cannabidiol, or CBD, is a natural compound found in hemp. Despite its close relation to psychoactive cannabis (better known as “marijuana”), hemp and hemp-derived products don’t make you “feel high.” As a result, hemp-derived CBD is legal in the United States. With the recent passage of the 2018 Farm Bill, CBD products can now be purchased in stores or online nationwide.
CBD offers numerous benefits for senior citizens, from reducing inflammation to easing anxiety.
CBD OIL BENEFITS
Research suggests CBD can have an extensive array of health benefits as a result of its natural analgesic properties. Over time, CBD can help promote wellness by interacting with endocannabinoid receptors located throughout our immune and nervous systems. Among many things, endocannabinoid receptors are responsible for regulating vital biological functions such as pain sensitivity, sleep cycles, and anxiety levels.
Here are some reasons CBD has become such a popular supplement for senior citizens:
Anxiety and Stress
Anxiety disorders are often more common and severe in older adults. There are many triggers that manifest as they get older. In many cases, anxiety disorders in the elderly can turn into more serious conditions like chronic panic attacks and depression.
When it comes to our mental health, studies suggest CBD can be particularly beneficial because of its ability to boost levels of the neurotransmitter anandamide. Anandamide promotes feelings related to happiness and relaxation; however, in many individuals, anandamide is rapidly degraded by the enzyme FAAH (fatty acid amide hydrolase). CBD inhibits FAAH enzymes slowing down the degradation process of anandamide and allowing it to stay longer in our systems.
Some benefits of CBD for the elderly include reducing pain and symptoms of stress. (Photo: Green Roads)
There is also conclusive evidence that CBD helps activate the 5-HT1A serotonin receptor. Serotonin receptors play an important role in mental health as they modulate anxiety and mood which is why serotonin receptors are usually the primary target of antidepressant medications.
Fitness and Mobility
Muscle and joint pain can drastically change the everyday routine and overall lifestyle of people as they get older. Simple tasks like playing with grandchildren, walking the dogs, or going for a swim may be difficult to enjoy due to excruciating chronic pain in the back, hips, and other parts of the body. Over time, limited mobility can influence our sense of independence and lead to severe consequences for our physical endurance and immune functions.
Because of its natural anti-inflammatory properties, CBD oil for pain can be an effective treatment for pain and physical discomfort. When it interacts with our nervous system, CBD helps generate pain-resisting responses from cells, thus increasing our pain threshold. That is why professional athletes, like UFC champion TJ Dillashaw, are using CBD to aid them in their daily workout routines for recovery purposes. Whether you are looking to stay committed to an exercise regimen or just trying to spend more time playing with your grandchildren, a daily dose of CBD oil for pain can help you stay active and independent well into your golden years.
Better Sleeping Patterns
Another common reason seniors are adding CBD products to their daily routine is to balance their sleep and wake cycles. As we age, medical conditions and common sleep disorders can prevent us from getting quality sleep at night. In the long run, lack of sleep in older adults can lead to serious medical conditions such as heart disease and significant weight gain.
CBD can offer numerous improvements to quality of life, like promoting better sleep and reducing inflammation. (Photo: Green Roads)
Because CBD can reduce anxiety and pain, thousands of users across the country choose to use CBD as a nighttime sleep aid. Some CBD products for sleep even contain melatonin which is the hormone responsible for regulating sleep in humans. A nightly dose of CBD and melatonin can be particularly successful for patients with recurring sleep problems as their combined effects produce a relaxing and calming effect that can improve overall quality and quantity of sleep.
A NATURAL ALTERNATIVE
Probably the most important reason CBD has become a popular alternative for seniors is that it produces no significant side effects and is non-addictive as opposed to many pharmaceutical drugs. CBD also gives users a wider range of options as it can be found in a wide variety of forms such as CBD oils, CBD edibles, and even CBD coffee.
If you are over the age of 50, CBD can prove to be an excellent ally for your health and wellness needs. If you are considering CBD for your daily routine, make sure extracts are obtained from industrial hemp grown in the United States. Most importantly, look for CBD products formulated by licensed pharmacists and tested by independent labs to ensure they meet all industry standards and regulations.
Terpenes give hemp and cannabis, along with many other plants from citrus fruits to lavender, their unique scents. They offer unique benefits too, especially paired with cannabinoids like CBD and THC.
Terpenes are natural compounds found in all forms of hemp and cannabis that give the plant its bouquet of smells.
In addition, terpenes work in concert with the better known compounds found in the plant such as the cannabinoids THC and CBD to provide their own unique health benefits.
One reason we enjoy writing about hemp is the opportunity to learn new cannabinoid science and then get to share it with our readers. We’ve said it before, but it bears repeating, there really is so much more to the cannabis plant than just CBD and THC.
Of course, both of these two cannabinoids, along with the other hundred or so cannabinoids, are instrumental in the healing and feel better properties of the cannabis plant. But increasingly researchers believe other parts of the hemp plant work synergistically with the cannabinoids to maximize the healing properties, Today’s article focuses on one of those parts: terpenes. While all forms of hemp contain terpenes, some are especially prevalent in psychoactive cannabis (“marijuana”), which we’ve noted below.
WHAT ARE TERPENES?
Cannabis isn’t the only plant that produces terpenes. According to Wikipedia, terpenes “are a large and diverse class of organic compounds, produced by a variety of plants, particularly conifers.” Terpenes give these plants their unique scents and assist plants in a variety of ways.
Terpenes attract pollenating insects for plant reproduction. They also ward off or even kill predators. They slow plant maturation and regulate metabolism. Terpenes are a major component of plants’ essential oils. Aromatherapy treatments frequently use terpenes due to their medicinal properties. Some terpenes develop because of stress to a plant, like excessive heat.
The exact number of terpenes found in the cannabis plant ranges between 100-200 depending on different variations in scientific classification.
Limonene is a terpene that creates the unique smell of citrus fruits.
For example, the popular terpene limonene gives citrus fruits their unique smells. It is found in both lemons and oranges, but in different concentrations thus creating a different scent, or variations.
Here we discuss nine primary terpenes found in hemp and share the healing properties of each.
DIFFERENT TERPENES EXPLAINED
Below, we look at 9 of the most prominent terpenes: mycerne, limonene, carophyllene, pinene (Alpha/Beta), terpineol, borneol, linalool, eucalyptol, and nerolidol.
Mycerne
Mycerne is the most common terpene found in hemp. In some strains, over 60% of the essential oil is made up of mycerne. It smells very similar to cloves. Scientists consider myrcene a potent analgesic, anti-inflammatory, and antibiotic.
Mycerne blocks cytochrome, aflatoxin B, and other pro-mutagenic carcinogens. It has a relaxing, calming, anti-spasmodic, and sedative effect. Myrcene works synergistically with THC and may also increase the psychoactive potential.
The essential oil of citrus fruits contains high levels of myrcene. Many claim that eating a mango 45 minutes before consuming psychoactive cannabis results in a faster onset and greater intensity.
Limonene
Limonene is often the second, third or fourth terpene found in cannabis resin and produces the smell we find in citrus fruits. Like mycerne, limonene contains anti-fungal, anti-bacterial, and anti-carcinogenic properties. It is also said to protect against Aspergillus and other carcinogens found in smoke.
Even more, a cancer study from 2013 revealed that terpene reduces tumors in women with early-stage breast cancer. Limonene quickly and easily penetrates the blood barrier, which increases systolic pressure. What’s more, some experts say limonene increases attention, mental focus, well-being, and sex drive.
Citrus fruit rinds, rosemary, juniper, peppermint, and several pine needle oils all contain limonene.
Caryophyllene
Many herbs and spices contain caryophyllene. Black pepper contains high amounts, giving it that spicy flavor.
As with the previous two terpenes, caryophyllene has anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and anti-fungal properties. It has affinity for our bodies’ CB2 receptors making it a common ingredient for anti-inflammatory topicals and creams. Topical application of caryophyllene also relieves toothaches.
The terpene Caryophyllene gives black pepper its spicy scent. It also has anti-fungal and anti-inflammatory properties.
One interesting note about this terpene is its promising role in alcohol rehabilitation. In a study on mice, scientists found that caryophyllene reduces the voluntary intake of alcohol.
In addition to black pepper, Thai basils, cloves, and cinnamon leaves have caryophyllene. Lavender also produces caryophyllene in small quantities.
Pinene
Pinene, as the name implies, creates the smell associated with pine and fir trees. Doctors use pinene in medicines as an expectorant, bronchodilator, anti-inflammatory and local antiseptic. Pinene also improves concentration, personal satisfaction, and energy. Patients suffering from arthritis, Crohn’s Disease, and cancer may benefit from pinene.
A unique fact about pinene: Smoking cannabis with high levels of Pinene may give the sensation of sucking more air, which can lead to coughing or hyperventilation.
Many conifers and non-coniferous plants, balsamic resin, pinewoods, and some citrus fruits produce pinene.
Terpineol
Terpineol smells of lilacs, crabapple, blossoms, and lime blossoms. Plants with high-levels of pinene often also produce terpineol. If you’ve ever enjoyed Lapsang souchong tea, part of the flavor came from the terpineol in the pine smoke used during processing.
Terpineol creates a sedative effect often connected to indica strains of psychoactive cannabis. During tests on mice, terpineol reduced mobility by 45 percent. Experts also believe terpineol has antibiotic and antioxidant properties.
Commercial producers of terpineol often derive this terpene from Monterey cypress trees.
Borneol
Borneol smells like mint and camphor. Chinese herbalists use borneol in medicines against fatigue, stress, lingering illness.
Some researchers believe this terpene’s natural insect repellent properties and could be used against diseases caused by ticks, fleas, and mosquitoes such as West Nile Virus. One study published even show that borneol kills breast cancer cells.
Linalool
Linalool has a floral smell similar to lavender and spring flowers. It is currently being used in the treatment of various cancers.
Linalool has a calming action, antianxiety, and produces sedative effects. Linalool is responsible for the sedative effects of certain psychoactive cannabis strains. In tests on mice their activity decreased by 75%. It also has analgesic and anti-epileptic properties.
Often found in hemp and cannabis, the mint family of plants also produces the terpene linalool.
Patients suffering from arthritis, depression, seizures, insomnia and cancer have all found relief with this terpene.
The Lamiaceae plant and herb family, which includes mints, laurels, cinnamon, rosewood, and Birch trees, all produce linalool. Linalool is a precursor in the formation of Vitamin E.
Eucalyptol
Eucalyptol is the main ingredient in eucalyptus essential oil. It has a minty smell and found in small amounts in psychoactive cannabis.
Eucalyptol relieves pain, improves concentration, and inner balance. Plants containing eucalyptol enhance meditation and concentration. It is showing promise as a treatment for Alzheimer’s, but it’s still in early stages of research.
The Eucalyptus plant, bay leaves, sage, sweet basil, and cardamom contain notable quantities of eucalyptol.
Nerolidol
Nerolidol has a unique woody and fresh bark aroma. Nerolidol contains anti-fungal, anti-cancer, and anti-malarial properties. It may prevent certain kinds of parasites.
Neroli, ginger, jasmine, lavender, and tea tree oil contain nerolidol.
UNDERSTANDING AND USING TERPENES
Again, these are just some of the most common terpenes found in hemp and cannabis. There are many more. These profiles were summarized from Alchimia and Greencamp, where you you can read more on terpenes.
After reading this article, we hope you understand how the benefits of terpenes and pair so perfectly with the benefits of CBD, and all the other cannabinoids. We hope you start incorporating them into your daily CBD regimen.
If you can’t find the terpenes you want in your hemp supplements, you may be able to supplement by adding other natural plants like lavender, which is high in nerolidol.
More and more CBD supplement companies recognize the importance of terpenes and now add different terpenes to their products to supplement those already found in hemp. Some brands even sell terpene concentrates for customers to incorporate on their own.
However, if you’re unable to find the terpenes you want through your local CBD store or online, try looking to a non-cannabis plant type or spice and simply combine with your CBD. You might not achieve the same synergistic effect as when the terpenes are naturally present, but you should still receive the healing properties of the terpenes themselves and the healing properties of the CBD.
Start your night off with a toast with a twist of CBD. This sparkling cocktail combines the natural terpenes of high-quality CBD oil with tart cranberry and sweet citrus.
Editor’s Note: Our sparkling CBD cocktail recipe marks our third collaboration with John Korkidis, better known as Chron Vivant. It’s also a chance for us to wish all of our readers a very Happy New Year!
On New Year’s I typically start my night with a glass of something sparkling. But instead of simply reaching for champagne, I like to challenge myself to be a bit more creative seeing as we are celebrating another trip around the sun.
This riff on a lower ABV (alcohol by volume) sparkling cocktail is elevated by the addition of a full-spectrum CBD tincture to help get the party started. The flavonoids and terpenoids found in most high quality CBD tinctures play well with the tart cranberry and sweet citrus notes and are easily washed down by the sparkling wine.
Elegant and perfect for any celebration, this dead simple champagne cocktail only contains a few simple ingredients and takes less than a minute to build.
Our sparkling CBD cocktail mixes the terpenes and flavonoids of CBD oil with sweet citrus and tart cranberry for an elevated New Years. (Photo: Ministry of Hemp / Chron Vivant)
And if you’re looking to save some money after all of your holiday shopping, you can easily substitute an Italian prosecco or Spanish cava in place of the traditional French bubbly in this recipe (you don’t need to use the good stuff when making sparkling cocktails).
Celebrate responsibly and be sure to tag your NYE cocktails: #ChronVivant #Hempgrams
RECIPE: CRANBERRY SPARKLING CBD COCKTAIL
Our fizzy CBD drink will help elevate your New Years Eve, or any special occasion! (Photo: Ministry of Hemp / Chron Vivant)
Serves: 1 Prep time: 5 min
Ingredients
½ oz orange liqueur (Cointreau or triple sec work well)
Nothing is more comforting than a cup of hot cocoa and nothing quite hugs the soul like CBD oil. So, there may be no better way to spend a cold winter’s day than snuggled up to a crackling fire with with a mug full of CBD hot cocoa.
Nothing is more comforting than a cup of hot cocoa and nothing quite hugs the soul like a broad spectrum of cannabinoids. So, there may be no better way to spend a cold winter’s day than snuggled up to a crackling fire with with a mug full of CBD hot cocoa. And if you don’t have a fireplace, this recipe will make you feel like you do.
Hemp-derived cannabinoids and terpenes enhance the spices and bitter chocolate notes. Plus, the added fat of the milk and whipped cream helps increase the bioavailability of the drink.
Our CBD hot cocoa recipe will warm you up and soothe away the stress of chasing the perfect gifts. (Photo: Ministry of Hemp / Chron Vivant)
Fun Fact: The first chocolate beverage is believed to have been created by the Mayan peoples around 2000 years ago, and much like cannabis, the cocoa beverage was an essential part of Aztec culture. I wonder if they ever mixed the two?
Garnish: Whipped cream or marshmallows and a candy cane
(Photo: Ministry of Hemp / Chron Vivant)
Preparation
In a small saucepan, mix the chocolate, cocoa powder and 1/2 cup of milk over low heat.
Stir continuously until the chocolate is completely melted. Add the remaining milk, a dash of cinnamon, and a dash of sea salt.
Stir in organic sugar to taste and add a few drops of the CBD tincture of your choice.
Pour CBD hot cocoa into your favorite mug and top with whipped cream or marshmallows.
Take a candy cane and place in a ziplock bag. Gently crush the candy cane with a mallet or similar object and sprinkle the remaining candy cane bits on top of your whipped cream or marshmallows.
In order to live a balanced lifestyle, we know it’s important to exercise, eat a healthy diet, and take quality supplements. We should expect the highest standards from hemp CBD supplements, which means full traceability from seed to shelf, with care at every stage of the process.
In order to live a balanced lifestyle, we know it’s important to exercise, eat a healthy diet, and take quality supplements.
Part of the appeal of shopping at a farmer’s market is the luxury of following our produce from farm to table. Wouldn’t it be nice to have that assurance for all of the supplements we take? These days, with growing popularity around hemp CBD, many new CBD brands are launching daily. It can be difficult to find one that you can trust. So, what is there to know before choosing a hemp CBD supplement?
We’ve got the answer for you: Find a company dedicated to full-traceability, from seed to shelf.
FULL TRACEABILITY OF CBD — FROM START TO FINISH
A fully traceable company must be involved in every step of the manufacturing and supply chain process. A fully traceable company should be able to provide information on a specific process or component of their product, given that information is not proprietary. This transparency is exactly what is needed from hemp CBD companies.
It is no secret that CBD can be obtained from more than one source aside from agricultural hemp, such as high-THC recreational or medicinal cannabis. While the body does not recognize the difference between CBD from hemp or CBD from psychoactive cannabis (“marijuana”), not knowing the source of a product, how it was made, or the levels of the other cannabinoids could make a huge difference if the products are not formulated properly. Being able to track and trace the source of hemp CBD supplements can be empowering and give peace of mind.
GOOD MANUFACTURING PRACTICES (GMP) AND QUALITY MANAGEMENT
While tracking the source and controlling manufacturing process are important for transparency, having quality systems in place really shows that the brand is dedicated to quality, safety, and consistency.
Part of this commitment means following guidelines for Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP). Brands should test their product for cannabinoid content and contamination. Without test results, there is no way to know if the CBD levels match the claim on the label or if the THC levels are too high (pun intended). This mistake would be like drinking green tea and finding out later it was green colored water containing the equivalent of 5 shots of espresso.
So what can we do to ensure we’re getting CBD? ALWAYS ASK FOR TEST RESULTS.
There are very few companies that have proper quality systems in place and their own in-house laboratory to test their products. At the very least, all hemp CBD companies should have their products tested by an independent third-party laboratory for all cannabinoids (not just CBD and THC), pesticides, heavy metals, and molds and bacteria. In Indiana, a CBD company cannot even sell products in the state without visible test results. Looking for a company to trust? Ask them for the certificates of analysis (COAs) for their products. Bonus if their quality management provides in-house test results, too!
FULL TRANSPARENCY FROM THE FARM TO THE LABEL
The hemp can be traced back. Check. The test results are available. Check. Now, does the product list CBD on the label, and if so, does it match the COA?
The final component of a fully-traceable product is checking product labeling. Make the label clearly lists CBD content and make sure that information matches their lab tests. Responsible communication about the products and what’s in them should be paramount for all CBD companies. If the label reads 10mg of hemp CBD per 1 capsule, the test results should reflect that same amount.
Following a hemp CBD supplement from the moment the hemp is planted in the ground to when it is placed in our hands is not a luxury, it’s a necessity. Our bodies are the best instrument we’ll ever own and it is time to take control of our health. Start a healthy life by not only demanding fully-traceable hemp CBD products but transparency for all things our body needs to promote wellness.
DISCOVER THE TOP CBD BRANDS
The market is getting saturated with many different CBD brands. We’ve compared the top brands to help you with your decision. Check it out.
When Haddayr Copley-Woods injured herself cycling, she started to research whether CBD could relieve her pain. It did, but she also discovered that vaping CBD offers almost miraculous relief to her anxiety, too.
Editor’s Note: In the second part of our series of first-person accounts about CBD oil, author Haddayr Copley-Woods explains how she learned to research CBD oil. In the previous installment, Annalise Mabe told us about using CBD for Crohn’s disease. -KO
“You’ve turned into a filthy hippy,” my son told me as I drove him to school yesterday morning. “You think weed cures everything.”
“I don’t think it cures everything,” I said.
“And,” I added with the enormous dignity appropriate to my age and station in life (48, crippled, insane, living paycheck-to-paycheck), “I’m too young to be a hippy. Also, it’s not weed. It’s hemp.”
“It’s the same plant,” he said with obnoxious adolescent assurance.
“No, it isn’t,” I said.
“It’s a different strain, but the same plant,” he said, rolling his eyes. Moms don’t know anything.
“No, it isn’t — infinity plus one,” I said.
When Haddayr Copley-Woods injured herself cycling, she began to research CBD in order to understand how it could help her chronic pain and anxiety.
“Okay,” he said, getting out of the car, “but there is no such thing as infinity plus one. And maybe look it up. Ya damned hippy.”
HOW TO RESEARCH CBD WHEN YOU DON’T LIKE MARIJUANA
So that’s how I wound up writing YOU WERE RIGHT I WAS WRONG on the Facebook page he only keeps to humor me a few days later.
Because I’m now using CBD oil regularly, it was SO important to me that it not be the same. Because, you see, my mom was actually a hippy. And years ago, when a traitorous sister told her that I’d tried pot, she called me on the pay phone at my college dorm, weeping with joy. “You know,” she said. “Now you understand.”
“I was stoned,” I said. “I understand that I was stoned.”
And I hung up on her.
See, my mom likes to feel altered. While pot is what she thought made me Deep and understand the Mysteries of the Universe, she mainly prefers alcohol.
Related: I have complex PTSD from a rough childhood. And I HATE feeling out of control in any way. When your childhood feels like one big mess you’re endlessly failing to clean up, and the adults are so out of control that you feel that you have to create order yourself (but you have no skills to do it), when you experience gaslighting so thorough that you can’t even trust your own instincts or memories — you sometimes become a control freak.
Well, I did, at any rate.
The feeling I got the first time I tried pot: that I couldn’t control the hysterical laughter, like I couldn’t trust my eyes or my thoughts or my sensations — it was far too familiar of a feeling.
I don’t want to feel that way ever again.
Not a hippy. Not by a long shot.
WHY I NEEDED CBD: HOW I GOT MYSELF INTO THIS
The accident happened so slowly that I was able to think: “I’ll bet this is going to be fun to watch,” before I fell.
A cycling accident left Haddayr Copley-Woods hurting, and started her on a journey towards discovering CBD oil’s benefits.
I was biking illegally on US Bank Plaza in downtown Minneapolis, like you do, looking around for an address which wound up being (duh) the US Bank Building. I was biking so slowly I could barely stay upright, keeping my eyes peeled for pedestrians and craning my neck at addresses, which is why I missed the very short yet very solid concrete driving barrier directly in front of me.
“Huh,” I thought. “I’m going to crash. Maybe I should put down my foot or brake or something.”
Instead, I hit the barrier with a delicate bump that could hardly be called a crash and then verrrrryyyyy slooooooooow w w w w lyyyyy fell to the ground, twisting so that I fell on my back.
I lay there for a while, contemplating my folly and looking up at the beautiful blue sky with perfect puffy cartoon clouds framed by skyscrapers.
“Wow,” I said aloud. “Wow. Even for me, that was impressive. Wow wow wow.”
Very soon, a small group of people surrounded me, asking if I were all right.
“If you have some liniment.” I quoted from the classic science fiction novel “A Wrinkle in Time” as I scrambled out from under the bicycle and onto my feet, then continued, “I’ll put it on my dignity. I think it’s sprained.”
I have this quote well in-hand not only because I am a giant nerd but also because I fall down in public a LOT. In addition to PTSD, I have a mobility disorder, and I love to bike, and I apparently make bad decisions.
“Well,” said a man whose outstretched hand I’d declined as I rose, “It was a very graceful fall!”
See? I told you. Fun to watch.
HOW LINGERING PAIN LEAD ME TO RESEARCH CBD
I could tell I had a very minor concussion (my Very Storied Past has made me a connoisseur of concussions) based on the sort of pixelated overly-bright world around me. My butt hurt.
After sitting down on a hard plastic chair for three hours of instruction, I requested a standing desk at work.
After a while, I was rocking and letting out teeny tiny moans much like I had years ago when in the early stages of labor.
So I took some Advil and Tylenol, which are the drugs I used to combat my post-C-section pain sixteen years ago because I hated the experience of Vicodin so much. Anyway, they were enough. I am not macho about this; I just have a very high pain tolerance. Usually, they take care of anything life can throw at me.
This time, they didn’t even make a dent in my pain.
“I’m friends with a lot of potheads, and they love me very much and want to help.”
My doctor, who is excellent, told me to ice it, referred me to physical therapy, and sent me home. (We had already rejected opiates — she knows my background and my need to feel alert at all times. Hypervigilance, they call it.)
So I asked friends for pain control advice.
DANG I’m friends with a lot of potheads, and they love me very much and want to help.
I turned them down for the reasons outlined above, and I was very skeptical when some suggested hemp oil. But after several people suggested CBD oil for my pain and my anxiety, I started to google.
Although CBD is widely recognized as safe, many medical professionals are still reluctant to recommend it. Patients are often forced to research CBD for themselves.
“Do your research!” Everything I read told me.
So, first I turned to the experts.
WHAT MEDICAL EXPERTS SAY ABOUT CBD OIL
Does CBD oil help anxiety?
Cincinnati-area psychiatrist Andrew Nachum Klafter, MD, HATES pot.
“Marijuana is a terrible drug for your brain,” he says. “Absolutely awful. It saps all your motivation. It’s incredibly addictive. It messes up your brain really badly.”
Except he didn’t say ‘messes.’
While I’m not quoting him as stating a fact (studies are conflicted on this one), I wanted you, Dear Reader, to understand that he hates pot even more than I do.
“It’s figuring out what’s going to work for you. When it comes to ways to helping people feel better, why wouldn’t we want to do that?”
And yet, Klafter feels differently about CBD oil. Some patients tell him that it helps with anxiety. “There aren’t good studies on efficacy,” he says, “but the studies I have seen have convinced me that CBD oil, assuming that’s what they are buying, is probably relatively safe.”
St. Louis Park-based Kathleen Mathews, LICSW, is also concerned about her patient’s safety, and has found online research bewildering.
“That said, I’ve seen enough anecdotal evidence that it’s something that I probably will suggest to some people with sleep issues, PTSD, and anxiety,” says Mathews.
She is quick to say she doesn’t believe it’s a miracle cure.
“I know it doesn’t work for everyone. But (psychiatric) meds don’t work for everybody. It’s figuring out what’s going to work for you. When it comes to ways to helping people feel better, why wouldn’t we want to do that?”
Does CBD Oil help pain?
Since my primary concern at first was pain, I turned to a family practice doc to talk about that.
“I have heard from patients that the use of cannabidiol is somewhat effective for pain relief and anxiety,” says Minneapolis doctor Jared Frandson, MD, “so I have suggested that patients could seek this out as an alternative to medical cannabis from a dispensary … which is very expensive.”
Outside of this specific application, Frandson is not so sure about recommending it to clients. “There are few large randomized trials on cannabidiol and the ones that I’ve seen are relatively small and have mixed results,” he says.
How much CBD Oil should I take?
Because the supplement industry is not regulated by the FDA, Frandson also doesn’t know where to tell his patients to get quality CBD oil or how much they should take — although one interesting study suggests that a middling dose rather than a very high or very low one is best for anxiety.
Why aren’t there large studies on CBD oil?
“I think the larger barrier is the fact that it’s still considered a Schedule I controlled substance,” says Frandson.
Outside of one very narrow and recent exception to this rule, this designation places hemp and CBD in the same category as drugs such as heroin and meth, and puts a near halt to most studies in the U.S. Applying for permission has been extremely cumbersome if not impossible over the past decades.
Scientists are reluctant to research CBD due to legal and regulatory barriers, but that’s beginning to change.
Part of Frandson and Klafter’s worries are about whether or not their patients are getting actual CBD oil. “I would want to have some reassurance that the product itself is what it says it is and that it is pure,” says Frandson.
MEDICAL EXPERTS ON THE FUTURE OF CBD
Andrew Klafter can see a future for CBD oil-derived pharmaceuticals for anxiety and PTSD.
“I’m confident that sometime in the next ten years we will see FDA-approved medications,” he says.
There are a few reasons for that.
First, the DEA has attempted to smooth its application process for large research institutions seeking to study Schedule I Drugs as of January of this year. Due to the popularity of CBD oil and explosion of the industry, it’s hard to imagine Big Pharma won’t salivate over that market.
Third, America is just getting fed up with the illegalization of cannabis. State after state is flouting the federal law, and it seems only a matter of time before the ban is lifted completely.
So if you prefer your medicines to be pharmaceutical, in ten years you just might be in luck.
Here’s the thing, though: I don’t prefer my medicines to be pharmaceutical. While I think there is a time and a place for the Medicine Industrial Complex (namely: emergency care, birth control, antibiotics, and vaccinations), a lot of this distillation and studying and patenting and distributing sounds a lot like barring me from what will help me NOW.
And even Frandson and Klafter, both MDs who are heavily invested in Western Medicine, suggest that people try CBD now, because they are both convinced at the very least that it is safe.
I get acupuncture for tendonitis and depression and I take goldenseal tincture to prevent colds, I use slippery elm bark for sore throats and dandelion root for bloating. I figured all of this stuff out without help from drug companies, and I found I could research CBD oil and safely try it without them, too.
In addition, the pharmaceuticalization of a plant could threaten existing growers and distributors, many of whom prefer to sell the whole plant (I will get into that later). There are reasons people search for healing on their own.
One of those reasons is cost: the oil I wound up buying is around $50-75 a month for what I needed. When this plant is ground down and separated and synthesized and someone puts a patent on it, you can bet your sore butt it will be many, many times that cost.
Yes — all the talk about how impossible it is to know what you’re really getting is intimidating. But it’s not really true.
HOW TO RESEARCH CBD OIL FOR YOURSELF
1. Search for scientific studies online
First, I googled the obvious: “CBD oil and pain studies,” “CBD oil and anxiety studies,” “CBD oil and PTSD studies.”
One way to research CBD for yourself is by searching online for studies and articles about using CBD oil to treat your symptoms or conditions.
Nearly everything else I found was exactly what the MDs had told me: relatively small studies, mainly outside of the US, that were not double-blind or long enough to satisfy my science brain. Still, it was hopeful enough to make me want to try it anyway, because my butt HURT, man.
Vaping oil that did not contain Polyethylene or propylene glycol as thinning agents
3. Where to buy?
What company is reputable? How soon can I get my hands on some?
I mean by butt was on FIRE.
Knowing I wanted oral oil for pain (slower acting but longer lasting) and the vape for anxiety (shorter-lasting but nearly instantaneous), I googled Top Ten CBD Oil Companies, and I started inputting dates. Who was on several lists for multiple years? Why?
I created a list of companies that were on multiple lists for multiple years, or companies that had a long track record, and then narrowed down my search by my checklist above. I did some pricing comparisons (see ‘paycheck-to-paycheck’ above), I sent the companies I’d like to buy from questions and noted how complete and how fast their responses were, and decided who I’d buy from.
HOW CBD OIL WORKED ON MY PAIN
Then, I experimented on myself.
I’m going to admit that I had high hopes. I have always been the friend who helped loved ones with cancer find psychoactive cannabis, and I saw what pot did for their pain. It seemed like a miracle. (Oh, dang. Is my kid right about me being a hippy, too?)
But when I took the CBD oil — a nice big mouthful of the oral oil — it didn’t even make a dent in the pain. Not after I waited patiently for the hour several places online recommended.
Aw, damnit, I thought. I guess it has to have THC in it. I’ll take my equally useless Advil/Tylenol cocktail for reasons I can’t articulate and call it a night, even though I can’t sleep with this pain.
But somehow, the combination of Tylenol, Advil, and CBD oil DID make a dent in my pain. I was able to stay at my desk (still standing; I am not a superhero) without lamaze breathing. The pain stopped waking me up. I was just a lady with a pretty damn sore butt.
Googling around, I found a few other anecdotal stories of CBD oil making other pain relievers far more effective, and one or two studies saying the same thing. It was an enormous relief for me.
So I would say if you are a middle-aged mom who hates the feeling of being stoned because you have Issues and constantly have to drive your obnoxious, insulting kids around so you need to stay sharp and also probably the illegality of pot in your state gives you pause, go ahead and try some CBD oil with your Tylenol and Advil.
If CBD doesn’t help and, depending on the laws around you, you may need to investigate THC or other cannabinoids, which may have more effect on some kinds of pain.
After doing her research CBD, Haddayr Copley-Woods discovered that vaping CBD offered instant and profound relief to symptoms of anxiety caused by Complex PTSD. (Photo: Flickr / Electric Tobacconist, CC-BY license)
HOW VAPING CBD OIL WORKED ON MY PTSD ANXIETY
This is the big OH MY GAWD moment.
My PTSD is pernicious — I am always hypervigilant, I have flashbacks in embarrassing awkward places. I freak out over stupid crap and then over nothing at all.
It affects my parenting, because I become so anxious I start snapping at my kids, or I freak out and tremble and freak them out. It affects my partnership, because living with someone who has PTSD has been likened to living with an alcoholic — despite my six years of treatment, you never know which person I’m going to be from minute-to-minute.
I take an antidepressant which helps the anxiety in a rather nebulous sort of way. I sometimes can control things with yogic breathing, but often it’s too late and I’m punching myself in the head, hyperventilating, and crying.
“Oh, honey,” she said. “You just don’t know what calm feels like.”
So I got the vape pen, and on my first incredibly anxious night I tried it.
Went out on the porch. Clicked the thing five times to activate the battery. Inhaled. Held it in my lungs for a long time. Exhaled.
And it was like an anvil came down out of nowhere and squashed the panic. It was just blocked. It was just gone.
“Are you sure I’m not high?” I asked my partner, five minutes later as I sat at the dinner table wondering if I had the munchies.
“Oh, honey,” she said. “You just don’t know what calm feels like.”
And that was it. The vape didn’t fog my brain. It didn’t draw a cloud of cotton over my hurt. It didn’t make me feel out of control. CBD just … stopped the panic. Instantly. And I felt calm. Peaceful. Still.
Writing this now, a month or so later, I am getting tears in my eyes over the simple fact of it.
SOME FINAL TIPS ON RESEARCHING CBD
I’ve become that person now, the one who demands her friends with anxiety try just ONE HIT off of my vape. I watch them as their faces slowly light up with amazement. As their panic just … stops.
My sample size is tiny. But for my friends and I, vaping CBD for anxiety is 100 percent effective.
If you’ve been wondering about CBD oil, and you have a complex background like I do with feeling high or buzzed, follow my steps:
Figure out the best type of CBD for you (full spectrum or isolate; edibles or CBD tinctures for slower, longer-lasting help, CBD vape for nearly instantaneous help).
Find the company by comparing ‘top CBD’ lists and ensuring quality by following my checklist above.
Google for reviews of the company, and ask customer service questions.
Start with a very small dose of CBD and go from there.
Maybe it won’t work, like half of the damn antidepressants I’ve tried. But maybe it will, and you can take some of your health care into your own hands.
Anyway, maybe that makes me a hippy. And maybe it’s the same damn plant as weed. But CBD oil is legal in all 50 states, it helps an awful lot of people, and it’s something you can do for yourself NOW.
Haddayr Copley-Woods believes everyone has a right to find relief from pain and discomfort. For her, the first step was to research CBD.
I’ve spent my life hearing from people that doing something for myself was wrong for so many reasons: because as an unlovable kid and teen I wasn’t worth being taken care of by anyone. Because moms should put everyone else’s needs before our own. Because disabled lives just aren’t worth bothering much about and we are SUPPOSED to be in pain and pretty miserable.
It has taken me many years of therapy to shout down those lying voices.
I now know that if I can get closer to a calmer and less painful place, it is all right for me to try to get there.
And you — you, reading this now — it’s all right for you to seek relief, too.
This hemp and CBD gift guide brings together some of our favorite holiday CBD specials to help you finish your shopping and share hemp with your loved ones. You can also use these special deals to treat yourself to new hemp products!
This hemp and CBD gift guide brings together some of our favorite holiday CBD specials to help you finish your shopping and share hemp with your loved ones.
Thanks to unprecedented media attention, more people are learning about the benefits of hemp and CBD than ever before. If you’ve already tried our favorite plant, then you may have experienced some of the many ways that hemp can help and heal. These special gifts are the perfect way to help someone close to you try hemp and CBD too.
You’ll even find something for your four-legged friends in MInistry of Hemp’s Holiday Hemp Gift Guide!
On the other hand, if you’ve never tried hemp, this CBD gift guide could be your chance to treat yourself. Whether used as a food, skincare product or in fabric, hemp can nourish and protect. As for CBD oil, we think this supplement is one of the best ways to beat the stress and anxiety of the season.
Continue reading for our complete hemp and CBD gift guide for 2018.
MINISTRY OF HEMP OFFICIAL HOLIDAY HEMP & CBD GIFT GUIDE
For this hemp and CBD gift guide, we’ve selected 5 great deals from some of our favorite CBD and hemp brands. Rather than just coupons, for this article we picked special offers for gift boxes or bundles that let you give (or get) a little something extra special.
Ministry Of Hemp’s Holiday Hemp & CBD Gift Guide can help you share the gift of hemp with your family and friends.
After that, we’ve selected some smaller items, for stocking stuffers or just those little gifts that inevitably end up on our lists.
Click below to jump to directly part of our hemp gift guide, or read on to see all the holiday deals.
What’s the deal? Get a special discount on Hippie Butter’s Hemp Coffee & Chocolate Gift Set which includes hemp seed coffee and hemp seed chocolate, plus a great Hippie Butter burlap gift bag.
How do I get it? Use coupon code MH15 to get an extra 15% off any Hippie Butter order!
Hippie Butter is best known for their delicious hemp seed butter, but their full product line includes much more. They offer a diverse range of “honest & healthy food” and even hemp oil soaps and skincare products.
Populum Holiday Discovery Gift Set
What’s the deal? Gift CBD oil to a loved one with Populum’s Holiday Discovery Gift Set that includes their delicious orange-flavored full spectrum CBD oil, their Zen Pets tincture product, and their Cold Therapy CBD topical.
How do I get it? Just order online while supplies last!
This Populum gift set comes in a special holiday box to make it perfect for gifting. While we haven’t tried Zen Pets yet, Populum makes some of our favorite CBD oil and CBD salve.
How do I get it? Just order online while supplies last!
Inesscents makes a wide variety of beauty products with a focus on organic, top-quality ingredients.
PhytoLogica Full Spectrum Tri-Pack
What’s the deal? Another great way to introduce a loved one to CBD is PhytoLogica’s Full Spectrum Tri-Pack, which includes their CBD oil, CBD topical salve, and CBD softgels.
How do I get it? Use coupon code HolidayMOH to get an extra 20% everything on their site including PhytoPaws products!
What’s the deal? Order from All Natural Way during the holiday season to get 25% off storewide and a free bottle of 350mg CBD oil with orders of $150 or more.
How do I get it? Order between December 15, 2018 and December 25, 2018. If you order at least $150 on December 25, 2018, you’ll get both the free CBD oil and a free 500mg CBD topical too!
All Natural Way is an experienced vendor of CBD oil that now offers their own brand of top-quality hemp extract supplements. Our review team enjoyed trying All Natural Way CBD Sleep Spray, part of a unique line of specialized CBD oral sprays.
Life’s Balance CBD Holiday Gift Baskets
What’s the deal? Life’s Balance is offering a Holiday Gummy Gift Basket and another bigger gift basket with a wide selection of their products for you to try.
How do I get it? Use coupon code MofH18 to save an additional 20% on Life’s Balance orders, and get free shipping on orders over $75!
CBDMedic Pain Relief Creams — Available in three different formulas, these make a great smaller gift; look for our complete review soon and use coupon code MOH15 for 15% off until January 10, 2019.
Hemp360 Cosmetics — Hemp360 specializes in hemp-based, organic, vegan and non-GMO skincare products.
Holisticorn CBD Popcorn — One of our favorite discoveries at HIACON, Holisticorn adds cannabidiol and turmeric to a traditional, delicious holiday treat.
Hemplete Protein Bar — These delicious energy bars are great for a stocking stuffer or for keeping you going while shopping, decorating and wrapping.
iLoveBad Organics & WAMA Hemp Undies — Because what’s holiday gifting without some (ultra comfortable, sustainable) underwear?
LifePatent Hemp Oil — These high quality tinctures come in elegant cardboard tubes that make them perfect for slipping into stockings; look for our complete review soon!
We’ve put together a quick guide to eating hemp for breakfast, so you can start your most important meal of the day with this nutritional powerhouse. Hemp hearts and CBD oil are interesting ingredients, in that they are really easy to incorporate to your everyday foods.
We’ve put together a quick guide to eating hemp for breakfast, so you can start your most important meal of the day with this nutritional powerhouse.
Hemp hearts and CBD oil are interesting ingredients, in that they are really easy to incorporate to your everyday foods. With hemp hearts, you’ll see it’s a simple additive to the dishes. It’s as easy as putting them into a batter, or even just sprinkling them on top of the dish. With the CBD oil, it’s slightly more difficult to incorporate into your dishes but we’ll give you some simple tips.
HEMP FOR BREAKFAST: THE BENEFITS OF ADDING HEMP & CBD TO YOUR MORNING
Hemp is great addition to so many dishes. It will provide you with all of the essential amino acids and is a major source for plant-based protein. The best part is that hemp is extremely easy to incorporate into your diet. You can simply sprinkle hemp hearts (hulled hemp seeds) on top of your meals like salads or rice bowls or throw it into your blender to infuse your protein-shakes with hemp power. We recently looked at how hemp is great for keto diets and explained how to make your own hemp milk. However, hemp is an easy addition to almost any diet.
Creating a delicious hemp breakfast might be as simple as adding hemp hearts or infusing CBD oil into the butter you use to make eggs.
CBD can also be incorporated into your mornings. Not to be confused with THC, the main cannabinoid compound in psychoactive cannabis, these ingredients are completely legal and will not get you high. CBD can ease symptoms of pain and anxiety and generally create a more balanced day. CBD can be found as oils, extracts, tinctures and even edibles. There are even CBD breakfast bars! You can even mix it into your morning coffee, if these recipes don’t appeal.
Since CBD is a liquid, you have to incorporate it into other liquids used. Cannabinoids also bind with fats in cooking. The easiest way to cook with CBD is to infuse the supplement into things like butter, maple syrup, and even into your cooking oil. This process is generally easy, and you can even make it ahead of time. We used Meta Hemp CBD oil for these test recipes (see our Meta Hemp review here!) but you can use any quality CBD oil you prefer.
Below are three of our favorite recipes incorporating hemp & CBD!
With this recipe, you’ll want to first make your batter to have it done so you can prepare everything else. Depending on your pancake batter, you might need to add eggs and milk, but sometimes all you’ll need is water.
When stirring, make sure to stir until the batter is smooth and all of the lumps are gone. If you’re adding milk, do it slowly as you stir. This will make your pancakes extra fluffy.
To make the CBD infused maple syrup, pour the syrup into a small saucepan and heat on low. After it’s brought up to temperature, add your desired amount of CBD/Hemp oil.
Continue heating on low for about 5 minutes and set aside.
To make pancakes, it helps to make a pancake assembly station, with batter to the left, the pan in front of you, and your serving plate to the right.
Spray non-stick spray and then pour batter until you get the desired size of pancake. Every minute or so, continuously check the bottom until it’s golden brown. Once it’s cooked, flip the pancake to cook the other side. Again, continuously check so you don’t overcook the pancake.
After that, you’re done in creating your delicious pancake with CBD-infused maple syrup! You can eat it as is, or add things like hemp hearts, berries, nuts, and whipped cream to supercharge the dish.
THE ULTIMATE CBD EGG SCRAMBLE
Ingredients:
Four eggs
¼ cup of milk
¼ stick of butter
Spinach/Kale
Full spectrum CBD oil
Handful of grape tomatoes
¼ Large Onion, chopped
Salt, Pepper, Chili Flakes, Smoked Paprika to taste
Directions:
This is an awesome recipe if you’re short on time, and you want to make a quick & easy breakfast scramble to start your day off right!
We start by preparing vegetables. Quickly chop onions, ready spinach and grape tomatoes. Set these aside.
Heating up your pan with butter over a medium heat. Add CBD/Hemp Oil with the butter. While we wait for the pan to get up to temperature, we’ll prepare our eggs.
Whip four eggs in a small bowl until they are uniform and have a little bit of foam around the edges. Mix in the milk while you whip your eggs. This allows for a fluffier and creamier omelet.
Once the eggs are whipped and vegetables ready, make sure to have your spices nearby.
With the pan up to temperature, we’ll add in our vegetables first. Cook for approximately 2-3 minutes.
After the vegetables have cooked for a little bit, add the eggs and start to scramble them.
We made a hemp breakfast: hemp heart yogurt parfait, pancakes with CBD maple syrup, and CBD-infused veggie egg scramble. (Ministry of Hemp / Ellijah Pickering)
Making scrambled eggs is fairly easy, but make sure to not overcook the eggs! The cooking process should only take about a minute or so and be sure to keep the ingredients constantly moving with your spatula.
HEMP BREAKFAST PARFAIT
Ingredients:
½ cup of yogurt
Granola
Your choice of berry (blackberry, blueberry, raspberry, etc.)
This is the easiest of all the recipes, simply gather all the ingredients and stack them in a bowl! You can add to this recipe by adding in flax seeds and chia seeds with the hemp hearts to create a trifecta of awesome plant based nutrition!
DISCOVER THE TOP CBD BRANDS
The market is getting saturated with many different CBD brands. We’ve compared the top brands to help you with your decision. Check it out.
This article breaks down two common terms used to describe CBD products: full spectrum and CBD isolate. While some preliminary research suggests full spectrum CBD is better, CBD isolate still has many uses.
This article breaks down two common terms used to describe CBD products: full spectrum and CBD isolate.
The cannabis industry is one of the most exciting and fastest growing in the natural health sector. With laws around the world relaxing on the plant and its commercial uses, we’ve seen some incredible new hemp products come to market.
The most popular of them all at the moment is cannabidiol oil, or more commonly known as CBD oil. With so many new and different CBD oil products available, the choice of which one to go with can be difficult and confusing. With terms like whole plant extract, full spectrum, broad spectrum and isolate. This article will break down the difference between two terms you’ll commonly see, full spectrum CBD oil and CBD oil isolate, in order to help make your decisions easier.
Not all CBD oil is made the same, and the terminology can be confusing, such as the difference between full spectrum CBD and CBD isolate.
Cannabidiol (CBD) is a non-intoxicating molecule found in the cannabis plant. It is one of many cannabinoids that can be extracted from the cannabis plant but it has become commercially popular beyond the others due to its wide medical applications and accessibility. As CBD does not give the consumer the famous high that psychoactive cannabis (“marijuana”) is known for, it is more readily available online and in shops. It is usually derived from hemp, the name given to cannabis plants with less than 0.3% THC which can be mass grown for CBD oil.
WHAT IS FULL SPECTRUM CBD OIL?
The cannabis plant contains hundreds of different phytochemicals including cannabinoids, terpenes, and other compounds. Full spectrum CBD or hemp oil generally refers to products that not only contain CBD but contain the other plant molecules as well. This version of CBD oil is minimally refined, leaving most of the cannabinoids and terpenes intact and in the oil.
Full spectrum, sometimes also called “whole plant,” means the full plant extract is included. Full spectrum provides more of the plant’s molecules in ratios and amounts that nature intended.
While there is still more research to be done, there are indications that show cannabinoids and terpenes work together to influence each other. This synergistic effect is called the entourage effect and has seen CBD work with THC to reduce the effects of a high and CBD to influence ones own cannabinoid receptors.
WHAT IS CBD ISOLATE?
Cannabidiol alone has been the subject of a lot of research as it stands out from the rest with what seems to be the widest therapeutic value.
CBD isolate products are generally labeled as being 99 percent or more pure CBD depending on the form they come in. As the name suggests, these products have been isolated down to just the CBD molecule. They have no other active ingredient and just aim to deliver therapeutic doses of CBD, isolated from the other cannabinoids and terpenes.
CBD isolate products often come as a white powder or a mix with a carrier oil such as MCT oil for improved absorption.
COMPARING FULL SPECTRUM CBD VS CBD ISOLATE
CBD and the other cannabinoids have therapeutic benefits to humans thanks to our endocannabinoid system, a series of cannabinoid receptors (CB1 and CB2) throughout the entire body. These receptors react to the cannabinoids our bodies produce which are molecularly very similar to the cannabinoids from cannabis and hemp.
Full spectrum CBD contains more cannabinoids and other natural compounds, while CBD isolate may be better for people who need a strong dose of just cannabidiol.
Full spectrum CBD oil products have the advantage of containing many different cannabinoids and terpenes and the potential for a wider health reach. A recent study indicated the synergistic effects of a full spectrum CBD oil were superior to an isolate in the effective treatment of inflammatory conditions. Terpenes alone have shown incredible potential for human health and should not be disregarded.
CBD isolates do allow users to easily get large amounts of CBD and know how much they’re getting. With the growing amount of evidence behind CBD and CBD alone it should definitely not be overlooked as a potential for so many conditions such as anxiety, pain, inflammation, diabetes, depression and more.
Some people find the taste of hemp extract unpleasant, which may mean they should try a CBD isolate (or another method of taking CBD such as CBD capsules or gummies). The lack of flavor might also make isolate a better choice for cooking with CBD or mixing into some CBD cocktails. CBD isolate powder can also be an appealing option for making CBD products for personal use, such as homemade CBD massage oil.
Isolates can sometimes be more expensive than full spectrum CBD. Isolates undergo more extensive refinement and require more plant matter in order to get high levels of isolated cannabidiol.
GET TO KNOW DIFFERENT CBD PRODUCTS
It’s hard to know which one is best for you without trying them both and see how you react. Different ailments might react differently a full spectrum CBD than to a CBD isolate. We recommend trying a variety of products and assessing how you feel. If you’re finding your condition is not reacting significantly to a full spectrum oil then trying an isolate may be the way to go, and vice versa.
Some research suggests full spectrum CBD can be more effective, but consumers should experiment with a variety of CBD products and, when possible, consult with a supportive medical professional for more advice.
It’s still very early in the days of cannabis research but there is a strong case for the therapeutic benefit of a less refined full spectrum hemp extract with more of the plant compounds intact. There are so many beneficial health possibilities waiting to be unlocked by further studying the combinations of these compounds found in hemp and cannabis.
Remember, it’s not all about the amount of CBD per serving you see on a bottle. A higher CBD product isn’t necessarily superior to a full spectrum oil. Leaving the plants extracts closer to the way nature intended could be a better option for most people.
DISCOVER THE TOP CBD BRANDS
The market is getting saturated with many different CBD brands. We’ve compared the top brands to help you with your decision. Check it out.
Thanks to these hemp Black Friday deals, it’s never been easier to try hemp or share hemp with a loved one. Ministry of Hemp found great offers from 9 of our favorite hemp brands.
Thanks to these hemp Black Friday deals, it’s never been easier to try hemp or share hemp with a loved one.
While countless people use CBD, the beneficial supplement made from industrial hemp, that’s only just the beginning of what hemp can do. Every part of the hemp plant is beneficial in some way. Hemp can become paper, food products, even hemp plastic containers and hempcrete homes.
While the future is going to bring amazing innovation to hemp technology, humans have been feeding, healing, and clothing themselves with hemp for centuries. With hemp returning to America at a massive scale, there’s never been a better time to add our favorite plant to your life.
Whether you’re a long time fan or new to the benefits of hemp, you’ll want to take advantage of these Black Friday hemp deals. Ministry of Hemp reached out to our favorite brands to bring you great offers and exclusive coupons to get you started on your holiday shopping. Not only that, but these hemp brands can keep you and your family stylish, well fed, and relaxed all through the winter.
Our Black Friday Hemp Guide features deals from 7 of Ministry of Hemp’s favorite hemp brands.
Below, you’ll find special offers from 7 of our favorite hemp brands. We’ve included everything you need to take advantage of these Black Friday hemp deals.
Click below to jump to a brand, or read on to see all the Black Friday hemp sales. These brands are listed in a random order, because we love them all:
Do I need a coupon code? No. Discount is automatically applied at checkout.
When is this deal available? This deal is available from Black Friday (November 23, 2018) through Cyber Monday (November 26, 2018).
WAMA are a successful Kickstarter product and it’s easy to see why. Their hemp undies are soft, comfortable to wear and durable, and a favorite pair of our editor.
Do I need a coupon code? Use coupon code BLACK FRIDAY 2018 at checkout.
When is this deal available? This deal is available from Black Friday (November 23, 2018) through November 30, 2018.
Hemp Horizon makes beautiful and stylish “conscious clothing” from hemp and blended hemp fabrics. We love how they’re expanding what’s possible in women’s hemp fashion.
Do I need a coupon code? Use coupon code MINISTRY50 at checkout.
When is this deal available? This deal is available from Black Friday (November 23, 2018) through Cyber Monday (November 26, 2018).
Hemplete Hemp Nutrition Bars are vegan, gluten-free, made from non-GMO ingredients and without added flavoring. Most importantly, they’re delicious: our editor ate one of their peanut butter bars for breakfast while working on this article.
Do I need a coupon code? Use coupon code MOHOLIDAY15 at checkout.
When is this deal available? This deal is available from Black Friday (November 23, 2018) through the following Sunday (November 25, 2018).
iLoveBad Organics also make an incredibly comfortable pair of underwear our editor loves. They also make wonderful warm hemp socks, hemp t-shirts, and life-changing hemp blankets.
Do I need a coupon code? Use coupon code ELF18 at checkout.
When is this deal available? This deal is available from Black Friday (November 23, 2018) through Cyber Monday (November 26, 2018).
Kushed Candles blends hand-poured soy wax candles with premium essential oils and fragrances, including the scent of hemp! Founder Alison Joy believes the unique properties of hemp essential oil help “relax the mind and soothe the soul.”
Do I need a coupon code? Use coupon code MH15 at checkout.
When is this deal available? This deal is available from Black Friday (November 23, 2018) until December 25, 2018.
Hippie Butter is best known for their delicious hemp seed butter, but their full product line includes so much more. They offer a wide range of “honest & healthy food” from hemp seed chocolate to hemp seed coffee and even hemp oil soaps and skincare products.
Do I need a coupon code? Use coupon code VITALHOLIDAY18 at checkout.
When is this deal available? This deal is available from Black Friday (November 23, 2018) until December 24, 2018.
Vital Hemp makes soft and luxurious hemp clothing for both men and women. We loved checking out their products at this year’s Hemp Industries Association conference. You can even use this coupon code at their retail store in Santa Monica, California.
Do I need a coupon code? Use coupon code BFHEMP20 at checkout.
When is this deal available? This deal is available from Black Friday (November 23, 2018) through the following Sunday (November 25, 2018).
Tree Free Hemp is a custom hemp printing service. Our Ministry of Hemp business cards are printed on hemp paper by Tree Free Hemp, and they always get complements when we hand them out.
We wanted to give a special mention to another of our favorite hemp brands: Dr. Bronner’s!
Dr. B is not just a great example of the power of hemp, but also an incredible leader in renewable energy and other sustainable business practices. Give Dr. Bronner’s a visit on Cyber Monday for a 20% discount on all their products.
Every Day Optimal CBD Value Packs
Hemp Horizon
Hemplete Hemp Protein Bars
iLoveBad Organics
Kushed Candles
Hippie Butter
Vital Hemp
One Planet Hemp
Tree Free Hemp