Answering the questions that CBD beginners are asking
So you’ve been learning about the health and wellness benefits that cannabidiol can produce. All the ways it can help people.
And your friend (let’s call her Tammy) noticed you pop a gummy in your mouth as you approached the roadside cafe where the two of you had agreed to have lunch.
After greeting each other, and Tammy saying how well you’re looking these days, and you telling her that color is just perfect for her, Tammy can't contain her curiosity any longer.
“I saw you pop something in your mouth when you pulled up outside. What was it?” she asks.
How would you answer? - knowing that one answer will trigger the next question. And the next. And the next.
“It’s a delicious CBD gummy.”
Tammy: “CBD? What’s that?”
And so the questions have started.
How ready are you to give her the information she needs?
You’ve mentioned CBD so now you start to explain.
Over the years, Tammy has heard some terrible things about cannabis (she calls it “pot”) and all those negatives start bubbling up to the surface.
Suddenly, in her mind’s eye, she has visions of you turning into a wild-eyed hippie, smoking a joint and dancing in the street with other dropped-out friends.
(My word, the anti-cannabis propaganda machine has done a job on her, hasn't it? She’s accepted it hook, line and sinker. Well, she had no reason not to. And now, you are being presented with an opportunity to help Tammy to better understand CBD and what it is - and what it isn't!)
So let’s talk about… TALKING ABOUT CBD.
Tammy asks: “Isn't CBD just another name for marijuana?”
You: No actually. Sure, they come from the same plant family but there’s a big difference. Marijuana makes you high. CBD doesn't.
Tammy: “How come, when they’re from the same plant?”
You: The active ingredient is different. One makes you high, one doesn't.
“Okay, so what is CBD?”
You: CBD is short for cannabidiol. And what’s that? It’s a chemical compound you find in hemp and other cannabis plants. When CBD is extracted from the plants, it contains all the nutrients and compounds that were growing in the plant. But, and this is the key, Tammy, it contains nothing psychedelic.
“So it doesn't make you high, like marijuana?”
You: Correct. CBD is, as they say, non-psychoactive. It can’t make you high. The compound that causes cannabis intoxication is a different one, called THC, which stands for… let me think… tetrahydrocannabinol.
“Wow, well done, you! You’ve really been getting into this.”
You: Yep, it’s been a whole new world to me. (I was on a roll now, let me tell you, so I took a deep breath and hit her with another big word I’d learned… endocannabinoid!) So CBD doesn't make you high. What it does do is talk to your body’s endocannabinoid system.
“My endo-what system? I did biology in school and I’ve never heard of it!”
You: Neither had anyone until the early 1990’s. That was when they discovered it.
We know that medical knowledge continues to advance, and some of the things we know now were once completely unknown.
Like the circulation of blood. Today everybody knows that your heart pumps blood all around your body, but before William Harvey discovered it 500 years ago, people had no idea.
My point is… the circulatory system was doing its important work long before doctors knew about it.
Same with the endocannabinoid system (or ECS for short… it’s a bit of a mouthful, isn't it?)
The ECS has been there all along, doing its life-saving work, but it was only discovered recently. The doctors and scientists who are studying it now are making some amazing statements about how important it is to your health and happiness.
Tammy: “Really?”
You: Yes, it’s a brilliant thing. I’ve been learning about the ECS online. Once you know the name of it, the endo-cannabinoid system, you can look it up and see how brilliant it is.
It’s like the conductor of the whole orchestra. All the different systems in your body… like your digestive system, your endocrine system, your central nervous system, your body temperature, your blood oxygen levels, etc… they’re all monitored by your ECS.
And if one of them goes out of balance, like it’s too high or too low, or too slow or too fast, the conductor sends an instruction to the system that manages that sort of thing.
And those health maintenance instructions go out over a messaging network that covers your whole body. There are message receptors all over your body. In your brain, in your skin, all over.
Tammy: “So where does CBD fit in here? What’s it good for?”
You: Well, the amazing thing is… CBD can talk to those message receptors. It can influence a surprising number of health issues, like sleep if you’ve got insomnia. And inflammation, it can settle that down. Pain, too. And just your overall health - things like your metabolism, your immune system. Even your memory.
Tammy: “I had no idea.”
You: Me either. It’s been kinda mind-blowing that one plant extract can help with so many conditions. And such seemingly diverse conditions, too. Including stress too. I’ve read about it helping soldiers deal with PTSD, too.
Tammy: “So why do you take CBD? You don't have PTSD.”
You: Several reasons. Apart from the exciting information I’m learning about it, here’s why I like it.
I tap my index finger and say, For one thing, it’s natural, from a plant. Second finger. It makes me feel better, more relaxed, less stressed, more calm. I get a feeling of wellness that I haven't had before. Three, as I tap my ring finger, I’m sleeping better these days. And four, the CBD pain cream really works.
Do you remember I was into long distance running back in the day? Pounding the pavement for mile after mile. Well, my knees are paying for that now but I get relief from the cream.
And there’s a lovely anti-aging cream that I’ve also used. Not that you’d need it, Tammy! You have such lovely skin.
Tammy: “You’re too kind. So let me get this right. There’s gummies and pain cream and face cream. What else?”
You: Some folks smoke it or vape it, but I’m not a smoker and I’m not about to start. And anyway, several of the sites I’ve found are against that, which suits me nicely. I don't want to damage my lungs while I’m trying to feel better.
CBD also comes in liquid form. It’s the actual CBD oil, extracted directly from the plant with nothing added. You can use it in your food or drinks, or you can take it via a dropper to get an exact amount.
Tammy: “You do that?”
You: No, actually. I’m happy with the gummies and the cream.
Tammy: “Tell me honestly. What are the downsides? Any risks?”
You: Not many, it seems. The World Health Organization says it’s safe, which is good news. Sometimes people may experience a slight headache, if that is the case they should just try taking less. Others may experience abdominal issues. Both side effects are extremely rare.
Are you on any blood thinner? Tammy shakes her head sideways.
You: Because CBD can interact with some meds including blood thinners.
Tammy: “Good to know. So where do you get your CBD from?”
You: Well, one place you don't want to get it from is your local gas station or corner store.
“Tammy: “Why not?”
You: Because you don't know the quality or where it was grown in the first place. If you’re going to put something in your body, these days you want to know where it came from. You want to know the grower did not use some kind of poison on the crop. That’s why I only buy organically grown, from American hemp farms that are government regulated.
Tammy nodded. It was making sense to her.
You: These days there are independent assessment companies that issue certificates of authenticity to the folks that sell CBD. And the best of them will include a scannable QR code on the bottle or box you get, so you can know what their testing shows about the product and its integrity. Helps you avoid the shady companies out there.
Tammy: “So where do you buy yours?”
I buy mine online at GoHempUSA.com
The products mentioned in this advertorial are available in our store:
GUMMIES
PAIN CREAM
ANTI-AGING CREAM
CBD Anti-Aging Moisturizing Cream
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By WriterGary.
*These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. These products are not intended to diagnose, cure, treat or prevent any disease.*
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