Is it time to give CBD a try?
You’ve probably heard whispers (turning to shouts) about the potential life-enhancing properties of CBD. It’s the new buzzword in health and beauty and is often promoted as having an abundance of supposed benefits from anti-ageing to anti-anxiety and almost anything in between. But is CBD the magic bullet, cure-all, in wellness that we’ve been waiting for?
It’s probably worth pumping the breaks here. Research into the possible safe and practical uses of CBD is still relatively young, and there is a lot that is uncertain. Like anything, it may have some side effects which are not yet fully understood. The most robust knowledge we have is around its effectiveness in treating epileptic seizures. In fact, in 2018, the FDA approved the prescription CBD medicine, Epidiolex, for the treatment of seizures. This is the first and, so far only, FDA-approved product on the market. Further scientific research is needed into various other claims around CBD, however, anecdotally there appears to be a growing number of CBD advocates who are convinced it’s a game-changer.
THC vs CBD
If you’re considering giving it a go but are not keen on taking a psychedelic trip on the couch, you needn’t worry. The psychoactive experience you’re thinking of is derived not from CBD but from THC, another compound found in cannabis plants. While it may produce a feeling of relaxation and has been associated with a possible reduction in anxiety and stress, CBD is non-psychoactive, so you won’t experience the ‘high’ or feeling of intoxication you might traditionally associate with all things cannabis-related. Hemp, a particular strain of the Cannabis plant, contains only 0.3% THC or less. You can buy CBD hemp seed cultivated to contain no more than this trace amount of THC, ensuring that you’re compliant with legal guidelines. The law around CBD cultivation may differ by state or country so do your research to ensure that you’re in-keeping with local laws.
Suggested benefits of CBD
While both CBD and THC may interact with your nervous system, they do so differently, and the effect of THC compared to CBD has prompted much discussion. CBD has largely been thought to have a potentially positive interaction with the nervous system and may help with pain relief (in particular it is praised for its possible use in the relief of chronic pain), anxiety relief, insomnia relief and reducing inflammation. It may even help to treat psoriasis and dry scalp. The list of possible benefits is lengthy and growing quickly, and the compound can now be bought in a variety of forms from vapes, gummies and capsules, to hair masks, moisturizers, and bath bombs.
Science hasn’t yet caught up to the furor surrounding CBD, and on-going research is needed around many of its suggested benefits. However, this hasn’t prevented the CBD market from skyrocketing in recent years. Many celebrities have jumped on the movement and publicly endorsed CBD concerning a variety of beauty and wellness products. Gwyneth Paltrow has probably been one of its loudest Hollywood advocates, and CBD products are now endorsed within her famous GOOP health brand. The website even offers fans a CBD gin and Tonic recipe. It seems the sky’s the limit for CBD and you could be left wondering, ‘is there any product that can’t be given a CBD twist?’
