We’re excited to launch a brand new gummy called Faith in Delta-8. To kick off this product launch, we’re putting it ON SALE for $40/tin (regularly $52) through the end of February. We think it’s great and we think you will feel the same way and here’s why.
What is Delta-8?
Delta-8 tetrahydrocannabinol (Delta-8 THC) is most commonly known as simply Delta-8. It is a psychoactive substance found in the Cannabis sativa plant, of which hemp is one variety. Pro tip: All TLCBD products are hemp-derived.
Yes, there’s THC after Delta-8, and I’m sure that has many of you raising an eyebrow in suspicion because THC is most commonly known as the ingredient that gives you that high feeling. Here’s the difference, though. Delta-8 will produce a high, but it’s different from the Delta-9 THC cannabinoid, which is the federally illegal substance that you’re thinking this might be like. In the same way CBD, CBG, and CBN are all cannabinoids with a different chemical structure, Delta-8 THC and Delta-9 THC are also both cannabinoids with differences in the chemical structure. These structure differences result in different effects on the body. With Delta-8 THC, users report a more subtle high that comes without paranoia Also, all of TLCBD’s products are hemp-derived, and meet the requirements of the Farm Bill.
Delta-8 will be more intense than our standard CBD-only gummies, like This Could Be Love Gummies or This Could Be Love Sour Gummies. This means that the paranoia that is often associated with traditional THC is NOT reported with our new Delta-8 gummies.
There are over 100 cannabinoids and we love Delta-8 THC because it helps with relaxation and sleep, particularly in times of anxiety or stress. It may be helpful for some people who don’t seem to get enough “oomph” from CBD. As with anything, Delta-8 works better for some people than others and, as it works for so many of us, want to share it and make it available.
How And When Do I Use Delta-8?
We like to think of this as CBD-plus — instead of having to increase your current dose of our current CBD gummies for times when you need some extra help with your anxiety, you’re having trouble sleeping, your chronic pain is flaring up more, or you’re recovering from an injury or other trauma to the body, this is where Delta-8 can come in handy. We recommend starting with a quarter of a gummy and working your way up until you find the right dosage for you because everyone’s body processes CBD at different rates.
You can find our new Faith in Delta-8 on our site here. We hope you enjoy it. Let us know if you have questions in the comments and after you try it, leave us a review on our page. We wish you good health.
These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
October is National Pet CBD Month, and we thought we’d dedicate this month’s blog to this very topic. We get questions about CBD for pets all the time – how do I use it? Why don’t you sell it in a treat form? Why only liquid? What conditions can I use it on for my pet? We’re going to tackle these questions and give you some peace of mind when you’re looking for something to help your fur baby to be calm and health.
The most important thing to remember is that in order for CBD to benefit your pet the most, consistency is key. Giving your pet a regular dose or doses is important because CBD isn’t like a pain med in that you take it only when you’re in pain. Most animals have an endocannabinoid system similar to humans. The only known animals with no endocannabinoid system include insects and single-celled creatures called Phyla Protozoa. Other than these animals, it is believed that mammals, fish, birds, reptiles and nematodes have at least a primitive endocannabinoid system. Because of this, the same CBD that humans use can be used on your pet as well.
Anxiety in Pets
Let’s talk about anxiety for a moment. What is it? Anxiety stems from an underlying fear or trigger and your pet is no different. For your pet, they could come from a few different sources:
A change of environment (like a recent move or boarding situation)
Separation from owner(s) (like going to work or running many errands)
Diet changes
Loud noises
Recent injury or trauma
Anxiety can be seen in pets most frequently through one or more of these behaviors:
Pacing
Repeated barking
Howling
Hiding
Shivering
Unable to settle down
Frequent urination
Digging
Many owners find that once the trigger(s) subside, the anxiety does as well. Sometimes this is not the case, unfortunately, and it can increase over time. When anxiety continues over time, it can turn into aggressive behavior like chewing, biting people, or harming itself. Since our pets can’t talk to us, this is where some veterinarians will advise medication like sedatives or other medications to calm your pet. If you’re looking for a natural therapy, this is where CBD can come into play and help your pet.
CBD Benefits and Conditions it Can Help Treat
CBD is a natural and effective chemical that is derived from the cannabis plant, but has little to no THC, which is the compound responsible for producing the high in many psychoactive drugs. Your pet can enjoy the benefits without getting loopy.
Studies are emerging that show that CBD is well-tolerated by many animals and has minimal to no interactions with other medications.
Like in people, when taken regularly, CBD can help regulate other systems in your pet, like digestion, emotions, your pet’s overall development and growth. This is known as homeostasis and keeps your pet’s biological systems stable and healthy.
CBD is also a strong anti-inflammatory and helps with conditions involving pain and joint issues like arthritis or the aches and pains that come with the change of seasons
Treats vs. Liquid
TLCBD sells only tinctures, or CBD in liquid form. I’m sure you’ve seen a variety of soft chew-type CBD treats on the market and are wondering why we don’t sell them in this form.
When you add CBD into food, whether it’s a chew or a biscuit, there’s a chemical process that happens during baking that can reduce the potency of the CBD and this has to be balanced out by the amount of product that’s added to the treat.
We like to keep things simple for everyone, so we sell only the liquid tinctures of our Love Your Fur Baby products. It’s easy to administer to your pet. Dosages are based on weight, so make sure you know the weight of your pet and then simply drop the liquid onto your pet’s food. You can even mix it into your pet’s wet food if you like to make sure that it doesn’t run to the bottom of the bowl. One of our fans created a short video showing how she gives her pug, Buddy, his daily dose. You can watch the video here: www.instagram.com/tv/CN5jSW5HJO7/?igshid=17z2ehuuod3se
We recommend giving the CBD to your pet twice a day, which should coincide with mealtime. If your pet is going through a short-term episode of pain, like an injury or a surgery, or you’ve recently moved or have gone back to the office to work and your pet isn’t dealing well with it, you can always give an additional dose as needed until the situation or condition resolves itself.
Other Factors to Keep in Mind
As always, before your pet starts taking CBD products, we recommend you:
Speak with your veterinarian
Bring information on the specific products you’re considering using, including the product description, strength, and the recommended dosage amount (if listed)
Ask about possible interactions between CBD and any medications your pet is taking
Make sure that the products are verified by a third-party lab
We also recommend that when you start your pet on a new CBD regimen that you be home (like on your days off from work) to ensure that there are no side effects.
We hope that this information is helpful and remember that when we have product sales that this includes our Love Your Fur Baby Tinctures in both regular and ultra strength. We want your pets to live their best, happiest lives with you for as long as they possibly can. As always, we wish you good health.
These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
CBD is so versatile in what it can help alleviate in your body – stress, anxiety, it can help with eating disorders, depression, seizures, and Autism among other conditions, but one area that we’ve been getting questions about is the immune system – particularly since the pandemic started. So this month, we’re talking about how CBD can affect your immune system and how it can help you rebuild your immune system, specifically.
Before we dive into the main topic, though, let’s talk a little about what your immune system is, what it does, and where it’s located in your body. This is a very simple explanation to establish a base of knowledge because the immune system is a complex system of organs, cells, and systems throughout your body. The immune system defends against infection and keeps a record of every germ or microbe it has ever defeated so it can recognize and defeat it again quickly if it comes back into your system. Sometimes, your body has to fight infections over and over again, like the cold and flu, because there are different strains because it has mutated. When a virus mutates and it creates a new strain, it’s technically not the same germ that your body previously fought, so it’s like starting all over again and your immune system then records the new microbe from the strain. Catching a cold or flu from one virus doesn’t give you immunity against the other strains, unfortunately.
The main parts of the immune system are your white blood cells, antibodies, the lymphatic system, the complement system, the spleen, the thymus, and bone marrow. These systems and organs actively fight infections, but they’re not located in a singular place – they’re located throughout your body because your immune system also has other defenses against germs, like: the lungs, digestive tract, and bodily fluids. Your lungs create mucus (phlegm), which traps foreign particles and such and allows you to cough it up and get rid of it. Your digestive tract has a lining that contains antibodies as well as stomach acid, which can kill most germs and microbes. Your bodily fluids, like skin oil, saliva, and tears) contain antibacterial enzymes that contribute to reducing infection.
So now that we know a bit more about your immune system, let’s talk about what happens when you introduce CBD into your system, As always, because we’re at the beginning stages of learning about the effects of cannabis on the body, there are no long-term studies at the time of this writing, but this is what we know right now.
CBD is a great anti-inflammatory agent. What this means is that when you experience an illness or injury, your immune system starts an inflammatory response. This is why you get feelings of pain, swelling, and even a fever. Taking CBD when you experience an inflammatory response sends in agents to help reduce the pain, swelling, etc. Think of it as sending in backup to help your body fight whatever is going on. When you take CBD regularly, you help your body to maintain a healthy inflammatory response. The CBD interacts with your brain and interferes with the CB1 & CB2 receptors, which helps to control inflammation more quickly. You can always take more when you have pain or an injury, but if you’re taking it regularly, you’re making sure that your body has enough help to deal with what comes along unexpectedly.
Your body has a variety of cells and some cells, like T cells, B calls and Natural Killer cells prevent diseases from progressing. If your immune system is weak, you aren’t as able to fight off an infection as well as someone with a healthier immune system. What is a Natural Killer cell (or NK cell), you’re wondering? It’s a type of white blood cell that can kill tumor cells or cells infected with a virus1.
You’ve probably heard this before – part of your immune system lives in your gut. Well, it’s true. There are several microbes in your gastrointestinal tract (GI Tract) that control the majority of immune functions. CBD can help maintain the gut. Taking CBD regularly helps maintain GI tract flora levels and keeps immune functions working. It also helps to increase the volume of microorganisms in your intestines. Your endocannabinoid system also lives partially in the gut and controls emotions, motility, mood, and immunity, so taking CBD helps keep things stable and happy.
We’ve talked previously about anxiety and CBD and as we all know, stress goes hand-in-hand with anxiety. When our body is stressed or anxious, this also affects our immune system and our ability to fight infections. We all know the routine, everyone tells us to control our stress, and while we know it’s important, it can be a challenge. When we take CBD, it works on the CB1 cells and releases more serotonin in our brain. Serotonin is the key hormone that stabilizes our mood and feelings of well-being and it impacts our entire body. It also allows brain cells and other nervous system cells to communicate with each other. When we have enough serotonin in our system, we feel level, stable, and things flow better. When we’re feeling level and things are flowing, we’re generally less stressed and our immune system is stronger.
So what’s the bottom line? Right now, everything indicates that CBD helps to strengthen the immune system, bringing it into balance and helping you to fight whatever may come your way. While you can take CBD when an injury or illness happens, there seems to be plenty of evidence showing that taking it regularly to get your system into good working order and then adding as needed based on the situation is the best way to ensure you’re strong before the injury or illness happens.
As always, let us know if you have questions and we will do our best to answer. We wish you good health, as always.
These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
Asthma is a chronic lung condition that’s caused by inflammation of the airways with flare-ups that cause breathing problems like coughing and wheezing. And when you can’t catch your breath, it can be scary. Like so many conditions, there are differing levels of severity and some are more manageable than others. There are a variety of things that can irritate asthma – physical activities, pollen, dust, animal dander, and so on. The more irritants you’re exposed to (either type or quantity), the more severe a flare-up can be. While there are many treatment options, people are wondering if CBD can play a role in treating asthma.
CBD is known for its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. CBD is also a bronchodilator, which means that it relaxes the muscle bands that tighten around your airways (think rescue inhaler). This lets your airways open and lets more air move in and out of your lungs, and when you’re fighting to breathe, all you really want is more air. There’s also research that indicates it may provide more neuroprotective benefits than Vitamin C and Vitamin E.
CBD oil can also decrease hyperresponsiveness in your airways, which means that your lungs may become less sensitive to asthma triggers, which can also lead to fewer flare-ups and symptoms like coughing and wheezing. A 2019 study found that CBD decreased airway inflammation and hyperresponsiveness in mice that were induced with allergic asthma. More research needs to be done on humans to determine whether or not CBD is an effective treatment for allergy-induced asthma, but we’re optimistically crossing our fingers.
Incorporating CBD Into Your Treatment Regimen
You’re probably asking yourself, so how does it work? How do I take CBD for asthma? Our answer is just like you would for any other condition. Tinctures or gummies – whatever your preferred delivery method is. The nice thing about a tincture is that you can always incorporate it with your food or just drop it down the back of your throat and chase it with your favorite juice, coffee, or other beverage. If you prefer a gummy, that will work just fine as well. We find that taking CBD by mouth, rather than smoking or vaping CBD oil, is more effective, particularly for asthma because the smoke can irritate the airways.
As always, you know your body best. You know how mild or severe your asthma is. We do NOT recommend replacing CBD with an existing treatment method, but it may be wise to supplement your existing treatment(s) with it, particularly if you’re looking for a natural way to treat this condition.
As always, here are a few things we think you should consider before starting your CBD journey:
Speak to your health expert before starting a CBD regimen
Bring information on the specific product(s) you’re considering, including product description, strength and the recommended dosage amount (if listed)
Ask about possible interactions between CBD and any medications you’re taking
Take your weight, body mass, and metabolism into consideration – these determine how quickly you will metabolize the CBD
Check the potency of the CBD products you’re considering trying – stronger products mean you won’t have to take as much
Make sure the products are verified by a third-party lab
Record your response to each amount of CBD you take so you can make adjustments
As always, we want you to live your happiest, healthiest life and if CBD can help you do that, then we’ve done our job. As always, consult your medical expert before trying anything new. We hope this information is helpful and we wish you good health. Still have questions? Ask us in the comments and we’ll do our best to find you the answer.
CBD oil is being used to treat many conditions – depression, anxiety, eating disorders – the list goes on. But what about for cancer patients? Well, we’re here to answer that question for you based on all of the information available at the time of this writing.
Cancer is a complex condition and we’re still trying to figure out what causes it and how to cure it. It has many forms and this article will speak about cancer in general terms and not about specific types of cancer. There are different treatments for different types and even these treatments can wreak havoc on a person’s body.
If you’re new to the blog, let’s take a minute and talk about the difference between hemp and marijuana, because I’m sure you’re saying, “But people take marijuana for cancer treatment all the time!” Yes, this is true. Marijuana is used by many cancer patients to help treat the side effects of chemotherapy. But what if you’re in the situation where you can’t use marijuana because of the THC contained in it? Marijuana and hemp are both come from the cannabis sativa plant. They both contain cannabidiol (CBD) and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). These are the two most common and active ingredients.
There are two main differences between hemp and marijuana: 1. Hemp has far less THC than marijuana and 2. CBD is does not have any psychoactive agents, unlike THC. Because of the lack of psychoactive agents, CBD allows you to keep a clear head when you need it.
Now that we know that, let’s get to the nuts and bolts of this post. Can CBD cure cancer? At the time of this writing, no, there is no scientific evidence that CBD can cure cancer. You’re probably wondering what the point of this blog post is then. Well, CBD can, like marijuana, help ease the side effects of cancer treatments. This can be particularly beneficial if you want an all-natural alternative to another prescription being added to help counteract the side effects of your cancer treatment meds. Each person is different and each cancer treatment program is different, so we can’t definitively say that it will work. As always, there are factors to take into consideration and a little trial and error on your part is required.
We know that CBD has been proven to help alleviate nausea, vomiting, eating disorders, pain, neuropathy, anxiety and depression, and even insomnia. All or some of these symptoms can be present during cancer treatment. You know your body best – if CBD works well with CBD, there’s no reason to stop using it during your cancer treatment as an additional component to your treatment regime. If you haven’t used CBD before, there’s no reason why you can’t add it in.
Where do you start if you haven’t used CBD before? There are a few things we think you should consider before starting your CBD journey or increasing your dose:
Speak to your health expert before starting a CBD regimen
Do your research! Bring information on the specific product(s) you’re considering, including the product description, strength, and the recommended dosage amount (if listed)
Ask about possible interactions between CBD and the medications you’re currently taking or will be taking in conjunction with your cancer treatment
Take your weight, body mass, and metabolism into consideration – these determine how quickly you will metabolize the CBD
Check the potency of the CBD products you’re considering using – stronger products mean you won’t have such a high dosage
Make sure the products are verified by a third-party lab
Record your response to each amount of CBD you take so you can make adjustments
Because cancer medications can be different from other medications, I strongly recommend talking with your doctor before you incorporate it into your regimen because CBD can potentially inhibit the metabolization of certain drugs, so you want to make sure that this is not a concern.
The biggest takeaway I can give you from this is that we’re still learning a lot about CBD, the endocannabinoid system, and how CBD interacts with the body. Make sure you talk to your medical expert before using it to make sure it doesn’t inadvertently cause any problems. As always, I hope this information is helpful and I wish you good health.
If you suffer with depression and / or anxiety, you know that it’s not always an easy journey. Once you have a diagnosis, you may feel some relief because now you know what you’re dealing with. However, finding medication to treat either or both is not as straightforward as we’d like it to be. Everyone reacts differently to different medications and trying to get back to “normal” (whatever that is) can be difficult if you’re struggling with finding a medication that works for you. It can be expensive and time-consuming if you don’t find one that works quickly.
While there are different types of depression and a wide variety of factors that cause depression, it basically boils down to prolonged stressful situations that lead us to depression and worsen anxiety in most cases. Stress comes in all types and sizes, so again, there’s no one stress fits all here, so to speak.
But there’s hope. The University of Buffalo has released new research that found that the endocannabinoid chemicals in the brain work the same way as the cannabinoids that you find in cannabis. So this reaction means you get an improved mood, which can help ease depression and anxiety.
CBD And Your Body’s Stress Response
CBD is definitely growing in popularity as a way to deal with regular or even chronic stress. But you’re probably wondering how it works. It reduces your body’s sensitivity to stress and possibly eliminates the severe effects of anxiety and depression by promoting brain function and protecting your body from damage caused by stress.
When you get nervous or anxious, your hypothalamus becomes less sensitive to cortisol. What is cortisol? It’s a hormone that regulates many processes throughout the body, but it plays an important part in helping the body respond to stress. So if your cortisol levels start to drop, you will need higher levels of cortisol to get a normal response. If your cortisol levels stay low too long, stress remains in the body for a longer period of time. CBD works with the hypothalamus to improve its sensitivity to cortisol and bring levels back to the normal range.
We all know that stress can cause damage to our bodies. When oxygen in our body splits into a single atom it’s missing an electron, which prefers to be in pairs. These unpaired electrons are called free radicals (which I’m sure you’ve heard of). These free radicals seek out other electrons so they can become a pair and in the process, they wreak havoc on our bodies, causing damage to cells, proteins, and even DNA. CBD is a powerful antioxidant and when you ingest it, it helps to counter the free radicals, which protects your body from damage.
Studies have shown that CBD can help ease anxiety in patients with a generalized social anxiety disorder, which is a common form of anxiety that impacts a person’s social life (hello, global pandemic!). When CBD was used, the study found that it helped ease stress and calmed the brain’s response to this anxiety.
As always, before you start taking any CBD products, we recommend you:
Speak to your doctor
Bring information on the specific product(s) you’re considering using, including product description, strength, and the recommended dosage amount (if listed)
Ask about possible interactions between CBD and any medications you’re taking
Make sure the products are verified by a third-party lab
If you’re just starting CBD, you want to make sure you know how much to take. What happens if I take too much? Will it leave me feeling funny? What if I don’t take enough? Will it do anything? These are questions that we get all the time and we’re here to help you feel more comfortable figuring out the appropriate dose of CBD.
The short answer is that everyone is different and as of right now, there isn’t a clear-cut answer. Some people find effectiveness at lower doses, while some find effectiveness at higher doses. Some feel the effects in a shorter amount of time, while others find that it takes longer. This has to do with how your body processes the CBD – your weight, metabolism, and body chemistry affects how quickly your body breaks down the product and gets it into your endocannabinoid system. Whether or not you take a liquid or solid form of CBD can also determine how quickly you feel the effects. Generally, liquid products, like tinctures, will absorb the quickest, while gummies, hard candies, or other forms of edibles will take longer for your body to process.
Where Do I Begin?
This is a great question. First, let’s look at why you are taking CBD. Is it for pain, like arthritis or post-workout recovery? If that’s the case, then a topical may be best for answer. If you’re taking it for an ongoing condition, like anxiety, depression, fibromyalgia, etc., a tincture may be the right answer for you. This is because the tincture can be absorbed into your endocannabinoid system more quickly, allowing you to feel the effects faster. If you are looking for something to carry with you for an “as needed” basis or in case you have some unexpected anxiety while you’re out and about, gummies or throat lozenges may be the answer. These can be absorbed quickly and will allow you to feel the benefits quickly as well.
Here are a few things we think you should consider before starting your CBD journey or increasing your dose:
Speak to your health expert before starting a CBD regimen
Bring information on the specific product(s) you’re considering, including product description, strength and the recommended dosage amount (if listed)
Ask about possible interactions between CBD and any medications you’re taking
Take your weight, body mass, and metabolism into consideration – these determine how quickly you will metabolize the CBD
Check the potency of the CBD products you’re considering trying – stronger products mean you won’t have to take as much
Make sure the products are verified by a third-party lab
Record your response to each amount of CBD you take so you can make adjustments
Next, you’ll need to work on determining the dose. Remember – using a high-quality product is important because it ensures there won’t be any unexpected side effects and that you’re getting the most benefit out of each dose.
Let’s use our Keeping The Faith Tincture for an example. We recommend that customers start at 0.25ml and allow 90 minutes for complete activation. If after waiting 90 minutes you don’t notice a change (reduction in symptoms), take another 0.25ml and wait another 90 minutes. With a little trial and error, you’ll find the right dose for you. With our products, 1ml is one full squeeze of the dropper when using a tincture. Look at that amount, and then split it in quarters to find your starting dose. With a little practice, you’ll quickly find your ideal dose and frequency.
What if I Take Too Much?
We understand that taking too much is a concern. No one wants to take too much of anything. The good news is that if you take too much, the side effects are not lethal. You may notice drowsiness, lethargy, upset stomach, diarrhea, or other disorienting side effects. Because of this, we recommend finding your baseline dose when you’re in a comfortable environment where you can be at ease. We recommend scheduling some self-care time – maybe a quiet evening after work or a weekend day where you plan to relax at home would be a good time to start determining your ideal dose.
How Long Does It Last?
This is another question we often get. Again, this can vary from person to person and this is why we recommend finding your baseline dose when you’re in a comfortable environment. Generally, the effects of CBD can be felt for 12-24 hours. You can adjust the frequency of your dose as you see fit. You know your body and how it works better than anyone else.
As you know, we’re big fans of CBD and the benefits we’ve seen in our health. We hope this is a good starting point for you to begin your CBD journey. Still have questions? Let us know in the comments and we’ll do our best to answer them.
Endometriosis is abnormal growth of cells that are similar to the ones in the lining of the womb. It affects 1 in 10 women of reproductive age, which adds up to approximately 176 million women worldwide.
What causes endometriosis is still not completely understood. The endometrial tissue grows outside the uterus and gathers around the fallopian tubes, ovaries, bladder, and bowel. The main problem with this condition is that the bleeding phase of a woman’s menstural cycle provides an exit for the blood; when the endrometrial cells grow, there is nowhere for them to go. This is what causes pain, inflammation, and even the formation of scar tissue.
While the severity of the symptoms can vary from woman to woman, even in less severe cases, endometriosis can lead to infertility if left untreated. Getting treatment, however, can be challenging for many women. Endometriosis can be misdiagnosed or getting an accurate diagnosis can take time, and can consist of a great deal trial and error.
Endometriosis can be a stubborn and tenacious condition. Even if scar tissue is surgically removed, it does not mean that the tissue will not regenerate. Unfortunately, it almost always returns, along with all of the other symptoms, including terrible pain.
How Can CBD Help?
Research shows that women are given sedatives more often than actual pain medication. It’s likely that this goes far back in history to when women were diagnosed with hysteria as far back as the Ancient Greeks. Crazy, right?
For so many women, then pain of endometriosis is unbearable and can be the most challenging aspect, because when you’re in pain, you can’t focus, you can’t accomplish what you need to, and you’re tired. Pain is EXHAUSTING.
An online survey in Australia interviewed women from an endometriosis support group and found that cannabis and CBD oil were the most effective of all of the self-care techniques for endometriosis pain. Other self-care methods include breathing techniques, yoga, and stretching.
For some, they may wonder if CBD made a difference in their pain levels, but some found that if they stopped taking CBD for a week, they realized how much more severe the pain was without CBD. This change encouraged them to return to their CBD regimen so that they could carry on with their daily routines.
Reducing / Alleviating Pain and CBD
The reason patients find pain relief or reduction from CBD oil may be tie4d to the CBD’s activation of the TRPV1 vanilloid receptor. TRPV1 is a gated ion-channel that generally causes pain when it’s stimulated. So when CBD is introduced to these receptors, they no longer respond anymore and pain is no longer registered. Think of when you use a heating pad on your body. The soothing relief is a mild activation of the same TRPV1 receptors. CBD provides a stronger activation of these receptors.
CBD is also thought to slow or even prevent the spread of endometrial tissue because of how it reacts with the GPR18 receptor because cannabidiol was shown to be an antagonist of the GRP18 receptor, which means it should help prevent the abnormal spread of the endometrial tissue.
Because this research is young, there are often more questions than answers and additional research needs to be done to have a more complete understanding of these reactions. While we don’t fully know CBD’s potential to halt cell migration in endometriosis, its effectiveness as a painkiller is a potent option appreciated by many who struggle with this condition.
*This information should not be used for diagnostic purposes. Please consult your doctor if you believe you could be suffering from endometriosis so that testing, diagnosis, and a treatment plan can be determined.
The facts are staggering in the United States. The National eating Disorders Association says approximately 20 million women and 10 million men will develop an eating disorder at some point in their lives. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, about 25 percent of U.S. college students suffer from a variety of eating disorders. Many people don’t realize that eating disorders can be fatal which is additionally concerning.
When it comes to treatment, there’s no universally approved medical treatment because nothing has been proven to be effective. Physicians often provide a treatment plan for eating disorders that includes antidepressants for underlying mental health issues like depression or anxiety.
Since CBD is becoming more accepted and studied for its full benefits, it’s currently being studied for its efficacy in treating eating disorders.
The Most Common Eating Disorders
The root cause of an eating disorder can vary from person to person, but let’s talk about the three most common eating disorders: Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa, and Binge Eating Disorder.
Anorexia Nervosa is characterized by abnormal thinness and an extreme fear of gaining body weight. The sufferer usually has a distorted perception of weight and shape. People dealing with Anorexia generally restrict their diet to very dangerous levels, misuse laxatives, and exercise excessively. Frequently, they directly equate a thin body to their self-worth. People dealing with anorexia regularly continue losing weight even after their desired shape or weight has been achieved.
Bulimia Nervosa, most commonly referred to as Bulimia, is different from Anorexia. People dealing with Bulimia often maintain a normal weight, but they have an unhealthy attitude toward eating. Bulimics often eat large amounts of food and will often overeat. Afterwards, they purge themselves of the excess calories in harmful ways, such as misusing laxatives and weight loss supplements, self-induced vomiting, or strict dieting. Like Anorexia, Bulimia often has a lot to do with a distorted perception of weight and shape and they tend to tie their self-worth to their body shape.
Binge Eating Disorder has to do with losing control of eating habits in the short-term. Usually, someone with Binge Eating Disorder (BED) will lose control at least twice per week for up to six months. Quite often, this happens with people of standard weight, but it opens the door for obesity to develop. Those with BED struggle with guilt and disgust, which are also tied to their binge eating. Food is often used to cope with their mental state and creates a vicious cycle.
Current Eating Disorder Treatments
Current treatment for eating disorders usually involves therapy, dietary plans, and antidepressants to treat the psychological aspects that often accompany these disorders. These treatments can happen at home or in clinical environments with others who struggle with eating disorders. However, the efficacy of these treatments have not shown to be effective enough to deal with the underlying mental health or the individual habits that drive the disorders. Other treatments include making lifestyle changes and including more social activities to boost confidence, but the success rates of these vary greatly from person to person.
How Can CBD Help?
Now that we’re on the same page about what we mean by an eating disorder and how they’ve been treated for so long, you’re wondering how CBD can make a difference in treatment.
CBD looks to be a very promising treatment. While additional research is currently being done on this topic, it appears to be promising because of CBD’s anti-stress and anti-inflammatory efficacy. CBD has been proven to be effective in treating anxiety, chronic pain, depression, inflammation and stress. CBD works directly with the endocannabinoid system, which is made up of receptors that are broken into two groups – CB1 and CB2. CB1 receptors are found primarily in the brain and affect coordination, emotions, and mood. CB2 receptors are found in the immune system and influence inflammation and pain.
The endocannabinoid system (ECS) regulates human relationships with food and those people diagnosed with an eating disorder also have a poorly functioning endocannabinoid system. This means that their ECS is likely low-functioning or inactive. When CBD is introduced, it stimulates the ECS and can turn it from inactive or low-functioning to functioning again. This helps our bodies to stimulate the ECS to produce cannabinoids on its own and can correct the imbalances that have contributed to or caused the eating disorder. Because CBD also provides therapeutic help to the brain, it supports mental health by treating anxiety and/or depression that can accompany an eating disorder. CBD is also all-natural and does not cause addiction. It can also be incorporated into a person’s daily routine, and the evidence so far is very promising in helping those who struggle with eating disorders. If you’re interested in trying CBD or know someone who is, feel free to send any questions to us at info@shoptlcbd.com or visit our products page for more information.
Pain can hit us at any time. Some people deal with it all of their lives from chronic conditions, while others deal with it as they near the end of their lives. For most of us, it becomes an ever-increasing issue. There are many questions that arise about the efficacy of CBD in managing pain. Between CBD becoming more accepted as a mainstream treatment and more and more people continuing to look for alternatives to opioids and narcotics to control pain, there are many questions about how to best manage pain while minimizing the side effects.
CBD targets the serotonin, dopamine, and endocannabinoid receptors in our bodies to reduce the feelings of anxiety that very often accompany pain. The endocannabinoid system is thought to be directly related to pain regardless of its cause. This means that CBD has been found to be effective in treating osteoarthritis pain, neuropathic pain, and chronic back pain.
End-of-life Pain
If used in conjunction with narcotics, it can make the patient more alert and willing to partake in life, whereas before the person may have been more withdrawn because of the amount of pain they were in. Some people prefer to be in pain instead of being sleepy, but being in pain is very exhausting and because the CBD cannabinoids target pain and reduce or even eliminate pain, this can help people to be more present in their daily life. When someone is able to be present in their daily life, it means being able to spend more time with loved ones, making more memories together, which equates to a higher quality of life.
Often, as someone enters into end-of-life care, narcotics and benzodiazepines can be prescribed to help ease pain. These medications can also have some strong side effects and not everyone can tolerate them well. Using CBD in conjunction with these medications can reduce the side effects of these medications. On the other hand, it’s best to work with a medical professional on the dosage of CBD and opioid or other narcotic-based medications, as some people may experience either an increase or decrease in the potency of these medications. Like with all medications, not everyone will have the same reaction and working with a medical professional is ideal when other medications are involved.
Another benefit to using CBD is that there are no psychoactive effects on a person. That is to say, they don’t get high like someone who consumes THC does. CBD is considered a dietary supplement and can be used anytime during the day as needed.
Choosing the Right Form of CBD
There are several factors to consider when deciding in what form you should take CBD. There are a variety available:
Jump for Joy Pain Balm
Oil and tinctures
Edibles, like gummies or candies
Topical ointments and creams
Waxes
E-liquids
Capsules
When choosing the right form to manage pan, you should consider the level of pain. This is because different forms take longer to absorb into the body than others, and therefore take longer to activate – meaning it can take longer to get relief. Generally, edibles and capsules take the longest because they must be digested, whereas oils, tinctured, topicals and e-liquids will most likely provide faster relief, within minutes, because they are absorbed rather than digested.
Topicals and ointments can be highly effective on specific pain because the cream or ointment can be applied directly to the area of discomfort. These can be effective for arthritis or other joint pain, but it is important to remember that it will not eliminate the pain – only provide relief for a period of time.
Even though CBD is not able to cure pain, it can provide much needed relief without many of the side effects from other treatments. Pain comes in many forms and so do treatment options. CBD provides a natural, non-psychoactive alternative that is free of side-effects and continues to be a promising option in managing pain.
