CBD for the Modern Woman

By Leah Maurer

As more states legalize Cannabis in America, there’s room for more Cannabis research, products and consumption methods. Products that contain mostly or explicitly Cannabidiol (or CBD) are definitely on the rise and expanding rapidly in terms of production and distribution. But what are the most helpful uses of this substance, specifically for women?

To give a little background, the two main compounds in the Cannabis Sativa plant are Tetrahydrocannabinol (or THC) and Cannabidiol. There are several other kinds of cannabinoids as well, but these are the two we currently know the most about. THC produces the more psychoactive effect or “high” feeling, while CBD produces the more therapeutic, pain relieving, and anti-inflammatory effects. While it’s most effective to have a combination of both compounds, some women choose not to use THC. The good news is that CBD can be isolated and infused in products and still be very effective in a variety of ways.

is incredibly effective for helping to relieve pain in just about any muscle in the body. For myself, as well as other women I’ve talked to, this might be neck and shoulder pain (from lifting small children or carrying a large purse or laptop bag every day), or perhaps your legs needing help recovering from that 10K you’re training for. CBD topicals work very well for all of these needs.

Menstrual cramps affect half the human population, yet there’s a surprising lack of products available to effectively alleviate this specific (and reoccurring) pain. CBD has been shown to have therapeutic anti-inflammatory effects, which is often the type of medication used to relieve menstrual pain. Many women have found CBD to alleviate, or at least take the edge off, menstrual pain. Even Whoopi Goldberg is now selling medical marijuana products intended to achieve just this.

Regardless of age, many women have pain in their joints in their hands and feet. As we age, this may even develop into arthritis.

According to Medical News Today, CBD oil shows promise as a treatment for arthritis pain. The way researchers believe it affects receptors in the brain and immune system means it may reduce inflammation and pain. Again, research has been stunted in this area because of federal cannabis prohibition laws, but the initial trials and data are very promising. Again, topicals are a great way to achieve this kind of relief.

Whether you suffer from migraines, have chronic headaches, or even have some pain because you are having caffeine withdrawal (I sure do love my coffee!!),

CBD products can help relieve pain caused by headaches of almost any kind. While there’s still lots of research to be done in this area, the results we are seeing from current research are very promising. Just recently, Forbes reported on a study that found that the active compounds in cannabis are more effective at reducing the frequency of acute migraine pain than prescription migraine meds, and with fewer side effects.

PLEASE KNOW - CBD PRODUCTS WILL NOT MAKE YOU “HIGH”, REGARDLESS OF THE DELIVERY METHOD YOU CHOOSE FOR CONSUMPTION. WHILE CBD PRODUCTS CAN BE CONSUMED BY SMOKING OR VAPORIZING FLOWER OR CONCENTRATES, SOME GREAT METHODS TO TRY USING CBD FOR THE FIRST TIME INCLUDE TINCTURES, LOW DOSE EDIBLES, AND ESPECIALLY TOPICALS.

A FEW OF LEAH’S FAVORITE CBD BRANDS: EMPOWER BODYCARE / EMPOWERBODYCARE.COM

WHOOPI & MAYA / WHOOPIANDMAYA.COM TREATWELL HEALTH / TREATWELLHEALTH.COM

CANNABIS BASICS / CANNABISBASICS.COM

Leah Maurer is a mother, canna-journalist, and advocate who lives in Portland, Oregon. She was very involved in Cannabis legalization there, helping found New Approach Oregon and starting the group “Moms for YES on Measure 91” during the 2014 legalization campaign. She is one of the owners of TheWeedBlog.com, where she serves as the Editorial Lead and manages outreach for the company. Leah also does freelance outreach and marketing consulting for Cannabis companies and organizations. At the core, Leah is a Cannabis legalization activist and hopes to see the end of Cannabis prohibition on a federal level, and the Cannabis conversation normalized across America.

Have you ever smoked too much Cannabis or eaten too many edibles? It’s never fun to feel like you can’t move your legs or speak because of overconsumption!

Luckily, CBD can combat this both quickly and effectively. The Endocannabinoid System (the system with which our bodies absorb cannabinoids) is split into two types of receptors, CB1 and CB2. CB1 receptors are highly concentrated in brain regions governing the network of psychosis and cognitive function. CBD is a negative allosteric modulator (or NAM) of THC at the CB1 receptor. What this means is that CBD can sort of turn down the volume on THC activation of the CB1 receptor, creating a calming effect for those who have over-consumed Cannabis.