Nature’s Superfood for Better Health CBD and Other Cannabinoids

Nature’s Superfood for Better Health

CBD and Other Cannabinoids

VALERIE ALOISIO, FOUNDER, HEMP LIFESTYLE

We all have a self-regulatory system in our bodies called the endocannabinoid system (ECS), and that system is responsible for homeostasis, or balance, between all bodily functions like pain, sleep, mood, appetite, immunity, and recovery. Researchers believe that the major cause of many ailments, particularly those related to the immune system and inflammation, could be a disorder called clinical endocannabinoid deficiency syndrome.

So how do we feed this critical system within our bodies? With plant-based cannabinoids found in hemp. Hemp and marijuana are different varieties of Cannabis Sativa, a flowering herb indigenous to many parts of the world. Marijuana is cultivated for high levels of THC. In contrast, hemp is cultivated mainly for its fiber and has trace levels of THC and comparatively higher levels of CBD and other cannabinoids that will not make you high. Hemp has been grown and cultivated worldwide for thousands of years for industrial and medical purposes, making useful items like rope, clothing, sails, paper, fuel, building materials, and thousands of other products.

As laws are changing, millions of people around the world are now experiencing all the health benefits associated with consuming cannabinoids found in hemp, like CBD, CBG, and CBN, and this opens many entrepreneurial opportunities in the industry. Even though it seems like cannabidiol (CBD) is something new, it has been used by humans since the dawn of civilization. CBD is a natural constituent of cannabis, a plant that has been utilized for centuries as medicine. CBD itself was first identified in the 1930s, and its specific chemical structure was not documented until 1963. Many scientists now consider CBD to be the single most important cannabinoid ever discovered. We may hear more about THC (Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol) in the news—it’s the cannabinoid that gets you “high”—yet CBD is the real cannabinoid superstar. CBD is responsible for most of the health and wellness benefits of the cannabis plant without the psych activity of THC. And new benefits are being discovered every day.

Let’s talk about some newer cannabinoids that are making headlines that many people are not yet aware of.

Cannabigerol (CBG), known as the “Mother” Cannabinoid, has several nicknames. It’s been called the “Rolls Royce of cannabis," the "stem cell cannabinoid," and even the “mother of all cannabinoids ."While it's been historically ignored for more popular cannabinoids like CBD and THC, new research has unveiled that it, too, has unique benefits that deserve to be recognized.