By now, unless you’ve been exiled to some remote village you’ve probably heard of CBD. And if you’ve ever taken a toke of “that good”, you’ve probably ingested CBD without even knowing. Here’s everything you need to know before trying the popular health and wellness trend for yourself.
CBD 101
The cannabis sativa plant (yep, marijuana, the sticky icky, herb, ganja, the magic dragon, ooh wee) produces chemical compounds called cannabinoids—cannabidiol, or CBD, is one of them. The cannabinoid that most of us are familiar with is THC, the chemical that makes you feel high.
While THC plugs in directly to the body’s cannabinoid receptor like an a/c adapter, CBD works indirectly (like a charging pad). CBD doesn’t work with the same receptor that THC does, which is why you don’t experience the psychoactive effects (feeling baked) when taking CBD. It has a much broader reach, that’s why it has the potential to treat a variety of mental and physical ailments.
CBD in your everyday life
You may have heard about professional athletes using CBD products for pain relief in the news recently. But, bet you didn’t know that CBD could be used for something more relevant to your everyday life. Board-certified dermatologist, Dr. Debra Jaliman recommends the use of CBD for hair and skin. “It’s rich in vitamins A, C, and E,” says Dr. Jaliman. She goes on to say, “The anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties of CBD naturally help improve irritating skin conditions including rosacea, eczema, and psoriasis.”
And CBD isn’t just the go-to for your skin. It’s rich in fatty and amino acids, which makes it beneficial to your hair and nails too. CBD and hemp oil stimulate and enhance the growth of hair through the scalp’s absorption of the main fatty acids (found in CBD and hemp), omega-3, omega-6, and omega-9.
So there it is. A snack-size science lesson on cannabinoids; now you’re a CBD genius. Good day.
