"Sometimes the best medicine grows from weeds"
Beginners guide to CBD. What is all the fuss?
By Laura Murphy, Owner & Herbalist behind Velvet Roots Apothecary
CBD, which is short for cannabidiol (pronouced ka-nah-beh-die-all), is the second most sought after active ingredient produced by the cannabis plant, especially in hemp. Its popularity has skyrocketed over the past couple years and to be honest, its for good reason. So let me help reduce the stigma of the word Cannabis and start you down the right path of discovery.
So, the million dollar question, right? What is CBD?
A naturally occurring chemical compound amongst hundreds of others in the cannabis plant, CBD is known as THC's non-psychoactive sister molecule.
Yup, thats it folks. A simple molecule found in the cannabis plant.
Article done, right? Well no, there is more to be discussed! So let's continue.
Hemp vs Marijuana derived CBD:
Hemp and marijuana both are in the botanical family Cannabaceae. What this means is that they both come from the cannabis plant. The only difference between the two is that hemp typically contains very low amounts (less than 0.3%) of THC, while marijuana plants have higher levels. Its important to note that any cannabis product with a higher than 0.3% of THC is currently only legal for sale at licensed dispensaries.
Knowing the difference between CBD that is derived from hemp vs. marijuana is very important because marijuana derived CBD can cause psychoactive effects, and will show up on a drug test. Meanwhile, Hemp derived CBD only contains the small 0.3 percentage of THC, which is not enough to cause psychoactive effects and is less likely to show up on a drug test, although to be clear it still has the possibility to do so.
Now, why is it being talked about everywhere? Well, because it has incredible benefits to our natural endocannabinoid system (don't worry, we'll get to what that is in a moment), and helps to keep our bodies in a state of homeostasis. The anti-inflammatory properties of CBD work both in the brain and the body, and can have a huge impact not only on your health, but overall well-being; helping with things like a simple mid day headache, anxiousness, even your grandfathers serve arthritis pains.
Curious about what is an endocannabinoid system? Its a complex molecular system responsible for regulating and balancing many processes in the body including pain, memory, mood, appetite, stress, sleep, metabolism, and immune function. For example, when you are experiencing high levels of stress, taking CBD can help with relief by coating receptors in your ECS which is assisting your body to maintain homeostasis. CBD acts upon our CBD1 and CBD2 receptors inside the ECS. Not directly binding to either of the receptors, but instead impacts them indirectly.
Now that we talked about what, where and why, let's talk about the different types of CBD that you can find on the market today. Full spectrum: the ultimate charcuterie board of all the naturally occurring compounds, including 0.3% content of THC. Broad-spectrum: Has all the same compounds as full spectrum, but THC has been removed CBD isolates: best known as pure CBD. The only compound found in this form is CBD and should contain no trace of THC.
I am sure you're now wondering, how do I choose? Well, a lot of people prefer full spectrum because of what we call the entourage effect - meaning, you're getting that array of cannabinoids and compounds working together, targeting more areas of your endocannabinoid system for a more therapeutic effect.
Broad spectrum is chosen by people who want all the benefits of the terpenes and flavonoids, but where consuming THC is undesirable.
Lastly, those who prefer CBD isolates may do so because its tasteless and orderless. All beneficial in their own ways, choosing a type of CBD is based on you and your bodies needs, because all of our bodies are different.
I can hear you thinking, "okay, now, what are terpenes and flavonoids?"
To touch on them briefly, Terpenes are the aromatic compounds found in the cannabis plant that are reported to have therapeutic and health boosting benefits. There re some who say that the scent you're most attracted to is the one your body needs the most. To be honest, I can't prove this, but I really like the idea. Flavonoids are naturally occurring pigments found in many plants. They are known for giving a plant, vegetable, fruit and/or herbs its colors and flavors, and are powerful antioxidant agents.
How to read the ingredients on your CBD products. You've finally chosen your product and now you're wondering is this really CBD? Make sure to check the ingredient list closely. When checking, it should be listed as CBD or hemp extract. If your product says hemp seeds or hempseed oil, these ingredients are not the same as CBD.
All CBD companies should be able to provide a Certificate of Analysis,otherwise known as a COA. An outsourced third-party test is performed by a laboratory that provides a full composition of a product. For CBD products, this should include a total list of cannabinoids. If the product contains heavy metals or pesticides, you can find this report on the companies website, or in some cases you can even access the COA while in store by scanning the QR code on the product with your smartphone.
Reading a COA can be overwhelming but here are some key factors to look for: First, double check that the CBD and THC content on the COA matches what is on the product label. Second, if purchasing a broad or full spectrum product, look for the list of other cannabinoids and other compounds such as CBDA, CBN, CBG, CBC, etc. Third, always check the date on the COA. If the date of testing was done a long time ago the COA may be invalid.
How to find the CBD product for you and how much should I take? There are so many options available when looking for CBD products. Between oils, topicals and edibles, companies have done an amazing job of making them their own. If you live in a CBD friendly state with cannabis dispensaries, start there. by asking the staff their favorite CBD companies.
If dispensaries aren't accessible, you may want to consider online resources, forums and even social media to point you in the right direction. As long as you do a little homework on how reputable the source of the information you are getting is, the internet is definitely your friend here!
I did want to note that just because a gas station has CBD doesn't mean you should buy it. You really want to put in the time and research of the CBD company you want to try. Also, Amazon has a policy that prohibits the sale of CBD products, so unfortunately, no you cannot get prime delivery for your CBD. Though there are endless amounts of smaller businesses that have so many wonderful CBD products to offer.
So there you have it! Now that you know the basics, I hope that you will start to explore the wonderful world of cannabis and it's array of medicinal possibilities.
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