What is CBD?

Cannabidiol, or CBD for short, is a Cannabinoid found in Hemp and Cannabis. You might ask, “Well what is a Cannabinoid?” Cannabinoids are microscopic compounds commonly found in plants, but the human body produces them as well, and they help us to promote wellness and balance. Carrots, broccoli, ginseng and black pepper all have cannabinoids and the reason they help us is because we have a system of health inside of us designed to interact with these natural compounds.

How does CBD Work?

When all systems in your body are working together, your body is able to naturally flow into a state of harmony and equilibrium. The key to achieving such balance starts by unearthing the collective aspects of your endocannabinoid system (ECS).

“Endocannabba what?!” We know it’s a lot and,believe it or not, even though science identified it in the 90’s as a system that was primary in promoting balance or “homeostasis”(it actually regulates our bodies other systems) it was widely ignored because of harmful stigmas. That is until people looking for healthy alternatives with less harmful side effects started using “green remedies” and seeing results so we wanted to understand why.

Think of the ECS as the body’s primary regulatory mechanism that puts things like your immune and nervous system in balance, and there is one very special compound that has been found to work extraordinarily well with this primary regulatory system.

That compound is CBD.

Piecing it together

CBD is a rather illustrious compound found in the hemp plant. It has rapidly gained a large and wonderfully diverse of consumers, making it one of the most widely used herbal extracts today! If you know about CBD and have been using it have you ever thought about how it’s working in your body? The ECS and CBD work together to harmonize the body and mind into a state of balance that is unattainable from any other supplement.

Cannabinoid

A cannabinoid is a diverse compound produced naturally by the body, hemp, cannabis, and myriad other plants. Think of cannabinoids as messengers. They help the body by binding to and communicating with receptors. There are more than 100 known and studied cannabinoids that all fall into two categories: endogenous and exogenous.

Endogenous

Sometimes referred to as endocannabinoids, these are simply cannabinoids that are produced by you inside your body. Anandamide and 2-AG are the most common. The body produces them to regulate functions like sleep or pain and to trigger other balancing physiological functions. They are only synthesized when you arein need and are broken down by naturally occurring enzymes quickly after.

Exogenous

These are cannabinoids that come from outside of the body, like from CBD or hemp oil. The well-known compounds, CBD and THC, are both exogenous. They can be found in hemp and cannabis as well as in other herbs. In contrast with endocannabinoids, exogenous cannabinoids stay in the body for much longer after entering and aren’t broken down by enzymes as quickly.

CANNABINOID RECEPTORS

The two types of receptors within our ECS are the CB1 and CB2 receptors. The biggest difference between the two is where they reside in the body.

CB1

CB1 receptors are primarily found in the brain, although they are also present along the spinal cord and in some organs. Especially high amounts are located in cortical regions, the cerebellum and the hippocampus, which helps to explain their pharmacodynamic functions.

CB2

CB2 receptors are dense in immune cells and in the peripheral nervous system. For this reason, they are thought to play a significant role in the maintenance of inflammation and immune function support.

The ECS is essentially a network of both CB1 and CB2 receptors and the cannabinoids that communicate with nearly all flowing parts of the body and mind.

CBD works indirectly with receptors as it doesn’t directly bind with the CB1 and CB2 receptors. The ECS is primarily designed to bind with endogenous cannabinoids. CBD signals receptors and triggers them into synthesizing endogenous cannabinoids while inhibiting the enzymes that break them down. CBD acts as a messenger while the receptors deliver that message to the rest of the ECS. Once exogenous cannabinoids like CBD enter the body, they have the ability to unlock the most balancing potential that the ECS offers.

In order to regulate the ECS, it can be extremely beneficial to supplement with a source of CBD that can work with the body’s naturally producing compounds – giving the ECS the support it needs to run smoothly.

For a heavy read on your ECS click here

For a medium read on your ECS click here

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