CBD - HAPPY HEALTHY HEALING HEMP
Hopefully CBD helps the feet become more aesthetically pleasing too! 😂
ON THE WEED? No, I’m ‘crazy enough without the gear’ ‘I’m just a cheerful Buddha’, ‘man’.
‘Mum try this for helping with your arthritis and to improve sleep’. ‘I' don’t want to get on the weed Andrew’
‘Mum it’s not drugs it’s just the healthy part of the Hemp plant. In fact it’s much better for you than Alcohol or Ibuprofen and it may help your arthritis’
All research concurs that CBD is 100% natural and safe. It’s chemical free, not addictive or habit forming, there’s no toxicity, no psychoactive properties and no negative health effects. The addictive, psychoactive , hunger inducing, paranoia, laughing like a lunatic and forgetting the end of your sentences before you’ve finished them elements of marijuana come from the chemical THC which is non detectable (0.004%) in most CBD oils.
It’s fair to say that CBD has exploded into the health and wellness industry. The problem with this explosion is by law it doesn’t have to be regulated. This means that not all CBD products are created equal and it’s hard to know if what you’re buying is good. CBD researcher Taylor Bright suggests that if a company is transparent it can be trusted. This means sharing a certificate of analysis on their website and proof that it has been third party tested. The Cheerful Buddha do both these and from testing the product in the last week I can say I was very impressed with how well it worked alongside meditation and breath work to help access the bodies parasympathetic recovery state.
Other questions seem to be whether the body can easily absorb it and how it’s extracted from the plant. As with vitamin B and C it is thought that CBD may not easily be absorbed in water and requires fat. Cheerful buddha have tackled by carrying it in MCT coconut oil which means it can be absorbed more readily into the bloodstream and with peppermint and chocolate really improves the taste.
CBD works on the endo cannabinoid system we all have naturally in our bodies. This means we all will respond slightly differently with different doses. A bit like coffee, If I drink too much coffee I’m dancing naked on a table, whereas my dad can drink it before going to bed without needing to wear a helmet. Check out our inspirational friend Dr Lauren Macdonalds latest podcast on CBD and for more info on the endo-cannabinoid system. Going back to the conversation with my mum, I often tell her that the most important elements of health alongside movement and mind fitness are managing blood glucose levels, reducing inflammation in the body, and gut health. Research suggests CBD can benefit all these.
So why take CBD? Why not? seems to be more of a relevant question. Here’s some of the impressive claims which are being backed up by current empirical and anecdotal research:
Manage stress
CBD can influence the way we manage stress. It has been shown to reduce the stress hormone cortisol and decrease activation of the stress inducing HPA axis. This ability to access the rest and recover state and change our relationship with stress is becoming more and more important in todays fast paced, high stress, society of constant and continuous stimulation. Anything to help manage our response to our Amygdala helps us manage fear, stress and anxiety (See my latest post on this here).
Manage pain
The endo cannabinoid system is involved in the pain pathways in the nervous system.
Reduce inflammation
CBD has been shown to reduce inflammation in the body, the joints and the cells. To this end it can also be used for athletes to enhance physical as well as mental recovery.
Improve sleep and recovery
A lot of people have reported CBD to help greatly with sleep. Again this ability to change the state of the body to rest and repair is key to improving sleep and rest. Much healthier and less addictive than sleeping pills or diazepam.
Gut health.
The endo cannabinoid system is involved in helping in the reduction of colonic inflammation and irritable bowel disease or irritable bowel syndrome. So, if you have a sensitive gut, a leaky gut, irritable bowel syndrome, bloating, gas, constipation, CBD can help with the inflammation.
Boost immunity
Cannabinoids reduce oxidative stress in the body which help combat free radical development from exercise and inflammation.
Improve blood sugar regulation
CBD can help to stabilise insulin levels, regulate appetite, and decrease cortisol. This means it could actually help you lose weight and better regulate your metabolism. Lower insulin release means less likelihood of blood sugar related problems in later life such as heart disease and type 2 diabetes. It is that naughty THC element of cannabis that increases appetite.
Anti depressant
We can change the chemistry of our mind through meditation, gratitude, and more efficient use of our bodies endocrine system. An integral part of this endocrine system is the endo cannabinoid system so improving this will naturally elevate mood and feel good hormones.
Inhibit cancer cell development
Ok that’s a big claim. However there are studies which have demonstrated that Cannabinoids can help kill dead cells. This is known as apoptosis. It’s these senile cells which become inflamed then lead to disease. If we can flush and regenerate them in a healthy manner we can help reduce the likelihood of disease.
COVID
Oh not that again! But yes there is some evidence emerging that cannabinoids can help tame the cytokine storm. When the inflammatory response of the body to a virus such as Covid gets out of control, a cytokine storm occurs which can lead to cell death and pneumonia. This is why with Covid some people are going quickly downhill even up to 10 days of after contracting the virus.
BREXIT
Only joking nothing to do with Brexit. Although Nigel Farage could probably do with getting on the weed? THC and CBD.
In conclusion CBD won’t get you high, but it will get you high. High on life. Even if it doesn’t have all of these extraordinary effects on you individually, it will not do you any harm, and will help you with the most important aspect of health and wellness. The mind. The ability to down regulate and calm your nervous system so you can be better equipped to manage stress when it comes.
If you want to train your mind with cotty and I , we have just announced a 2 day Mind, Body, Breathe course on 21 September.
Just to note I have no affiliation or bias with the Cheerful Buddha’s I’m just trying the CBD oil and the CBD coffee. I love coffee and the coffee is really delicious and organic too! If you’d like to win 2 bottles of cheerful Buddha CBD oil. They are very kindly giving away in our Instagram competition , enter now!
Buddha, Chocolate & Hazelnut CBD oil, CBD coffee and Agave plant
Tops off CBD balance in Velvet shortsanasana