In the world of plant-based therapy, no crop has a longer, more complicated history than hemp. Long prohibited in many places throughout the world due to its relation to marijuana, hemp has been used for medicinal purposes since the beginning of time. With the medical cannabis wave recently sweeping the globe, people now realize that hemp can be used in a variety of ways … all without getting you high. Let’s take a look at full spectrum hemp oil and its many benefits for you.
What is Hemp and Can Hemp Get You High?
With almost half the United States legalizing medical marijuana, people are now realizing they’ve been missing out on the greatness that is hemp. Both marijuana and hemp are members of the Cannabis sativa family. Much like butternut and acorn are both squashes. Also like butternut and acorn squash, hemp and marijuana have many differences.
What makes these plants so unique is that as members of the Cannabis sativa genus, they have a rare army of molecules that not many other plants do. These little troopers are called cannabinoids. Cannabinoids are the chemical compounds that give marijuana and hemp their distinct characteristics.
In the Cannabis sativa family, marijuana is the female plant. It contains a high dosage of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). This is the psychoactive component element of marijuana that initially prompted the Marihuana Act of 1937.
On the other hand, hemp is the male Cannabis sativa plant. All hemp plants contain less than 0.03% THC. Instead, their cannabinoid of choice is cannabidiol (CBD). This cannabinoid has no psychoactive qualities.
Despite this fact, when the prohibition on cannabis was levied, hemp felt the effects, too. It’s like a sister stealing from the cookie jar and the brother getting part of the blame.
While CBD doesn’t have psychoactive qualities, it has a load of benefits. Let’s take a look.
Hemp Oil and Hemp Benefits
Cannabis use goes as far back as 2000 B.C. Pictures of a flower were etched into stone scrolls in an area that was known as Kemet. Today, we know this land as Egypt.
What our ancestors didn’t know then, we can confirm now. Throughout our system lies a complex maze of receptors and neural pathways. Cannabinoid receptors have a direct line to a government within our body known as the endocannabinoid system.
The endocannabinoid system regulates so many essential functions of everyday lives. This includes:
- Mood
- Body temperature
- Hormone production
- Sleep cycle
- Appetite
- Pain perception
- Sexual desire
- Inflammatory response
This doesn’t even scratch the surface when it comes to all the benefits of hemp. Let’s take a look at the top three benefits of hemp oil.
Full Spectrum Hemp Oil and Pain Perception
What set the ball in motion to recognize hemp as a viable form of therapy is how cannabinoids interact with our ability to feel pain. Behind all physical pain in the body is an inflammation. That means foreign substances have set up shop in an area of the body. These antibodies create an acidic environment where good bacteria can’t thrive.
Gaseous vapors created by free radicals are picked up by neural receptors in your system. Upon this negative reaction, receptors send out a distressed signal the endocannabinoid system. As a response, it secretes a protein known as substance P.
This is our pain perception. Your brain is telling you that there’s something brewing in your joint or it’s letting you know that maybe you should get your knee checked out.
The purpose of cannabinoids is to bring homeostasis to the system. When these chemical compounds enter the bloodstream, they search and destroy the cannabinoid receptors screeching in agony. As they sedate the receptors, the signal to the brain becomes a more tranquil line of communication.
As a result, you don’t fixate on the pain you perceive that you have. This has made full spectrum hemp oil an excellent supplement for those with:
Oh, and the hits keep on coming. Let’s go to the second top benefit of hemp oil.
Full Spectrum Hemp Oil and Mood
One of the most significant benefits of hemp is regulating our mood. The primary reason behind most of our strife is an angry hormone known as cortisol. Cortisol is affectionately known as the “stress hormone.”
When we are in a situation where we are feeling a bit out of place, our adrenal glands secrete this dastardly hormone. While this is a natural and healthy body function, chronic stress (like work, relationship issues, money) means the machine won’t turn off. Then you end up on an episode of I Love Lucy and all the chocolates are falling onto the ground. It’s a mess! In turn, you become a mess.
As we mentioned before, the goal of cannabinoids is to bring homeostasis to the system. Studies show that CBD has a sedative effect on the system. When your receptors calm down, your adrenal gland will slow up on pumping out the cortisol. In turn, you produce happy neurotransmitters, reproductive hormones, and even some melatonin for a good night sleep!
One last journey down this trip. Let’s take a look at the third in the top three benefits of full spectrum hemp oil.
Full Spectrum Hemp Oil and Beauty Needs
If you question the versatility of full spectrum hemp oil, look no further than how it handles your beauty needs. The therapeutic benefits of hemp oil lie in the plant’s terpenes. These are the aromatic molecules behind the science of aromatherapy.
Inside the genetic makeup of terpenes is not just cannabinoids. They also contain a litany of potent antioxidants. Antioxidants are essential for the body because they fight off free radicals, help clean up dead tissue, and rejuvenate cells.
With cannabinoids off strengthening other areas of your body, antioxidants are free to do their thing. That means using full spectrum hemp oil may assist in ramping up healing time on wounds, strengthening hair follicles, and fighting off eczema.
While all three top benefits of hemp oil sound great, you must remember one thing. Not all hemp is created equal. Let’s take a look at the importance of using full spectrum hemp oil.
What is Hemp Oil Good For?
As the use of medical cannabis becomes growingly accepted, studies on how to increase its potency and bioavailability are continuing to grow. With this increased research, they have found that cannabinoids have an entourage effect on other minerals.
An entourage effect is nothing as clique and jerkish as the HBO show. Instead, it’s a group of cannabinoids being awesome together for the greater good of the system. What it means is that these molecules enhance the benefits of one another.
This also suggests that full spectrum hemp oil also brings out the therapeutic benefits of other phytochemical-rich supplements such as Tranquilene for anxiety and stress. Full spectrum hemp oil also compliments the omega-3 fatty acids within CogniDNA Fish Oil for better focus and memory.
Having this entourage effect is why full spectrum hemp oil is far superior to getting hemp seed oil. While hemp seed oil has a litany of benefits, it doesn’t include the green plant matter. When you get a full spectrum hemp oil, rich phytocannabinoids and antioxidants that are unique to the hemp flowers are also included in the formula. So, be sure when you are looking for the highest-quality hemp oil, it is full spectrum hemp oil.
Have you ever used full spectrum hemp oil? Let us know in the comments below.
