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Top 5 CBD Oil Benefits

CBD oil is a concentrated extract that is essentially derived from two types of cannabis plants, namely: hemp and marijuana. In the recent past, there has been extensive research that has been carried out by scientists on CBD oil benefits and the result is that these publications have sought to establish it as a plausible alternative to the already accepted conventional forms of treatment for a wide variety of problems for consumers looking for immediate relief with common health issues As a result of this mind shift and widening acceptance amongst the general society, it is expected that your next-door dispensary will most probably be stocking up products infused with CBD oil for a variety of uses.

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Let’s get into this hype about CBD oil, what is it, and what makes it so popular. We can answer these two questions by understanding how it works so head over to this page for details. When CBD is ingested by a person, it is absorbed by the body and flows into the bloodstream and it finally lands up in the brain where the magic usually happens. There, it is able to influence receptors into responding in certain ways thereby alleviating symptoms that a person may be experiencing. It has definitely received a boost from various famous people turning to its use to help alleviate feelings of discomfort and achieve general wellness and vitality in their lives.

CBD Oil Benefits for Cannabis Enthusiasts

CBD Oil for Skin Care

It is said that thousands of years ago, before CBD was known as its current name, it was used by the old civilizations for its healing properties for the skin. It therefore comes as no surprise that currently, there are numerous skin care products that have been stocked up in stores containing it as an active ingredient for solving a number of skin problems.

CBD has been found to actually have a significant effect on the sebaceous glands in the skin. This is the oil producing gland that secretes a matter called sebum. Over production of this substance leads to the occurrence of acne, which is when simply put, a result of hair follicles, dirt and bacteria getting stuck in the sebum.

It was discovered that CBD prevents the production of sebum naturally thereby decreasing significantly the possibilities of an acne breakout. Unlike other products that may affect the natural production of sebum to stall completely, thereby causing reverse effects that lead to dryness of the skin that may cause patches, CBD works in conjunction with your body. This makes it one of the few products that reduces oil production if you’re over producing sebum whilst also working to keep your skin supple if you’re on the other side of the spectrum experiencing dry skin.

Another well celebrated property of CBD is its anti-inflammatory properties. It has been known to reduce redness and swelling that is caused by a variety of skin conditions. CBD works hand in hand with internal systems in the body in this regard to increase the proper functioning of skin cells in the body resulting in soothing effects on the overall skin leading to great healthy-looking skin.

The last and perhaps one of the most loved qualities of CBD is that it is a powerful antioxidant. Antioxidants are what are used in anti-ageing skin care products and we all know that everyone is subject to aging and at the same time want to age gracefully. CBD helps with retention of moisture in the skin and this prevents the signs like wrinkles and fine lines that are associated with aging.

CBD Oil to Achieve Calmness and Relaxation

A person experiences feelings of restlessness and uncertainty when the levels of serotonin in their body have reduced. Serotonin is a chemical in the body that is known to play a significant role in the altering of one’s mood amongst a myriad of other things. Recent research has brought about findings that reveal that CBD has the capability of affecting serotonin levels in the brain.

This is a bandwagon that seems like a definite one to hop on as it has been evidenced by a number of world-renowned artists and content creators who have turned to its use to induce feelings of relaxation when faced with highly stressful situations.

Numerous studies carried out have shown that people who may experience unprecedented levels of nervousness before engaging in any public speaking activity, have been seen to gain improved levels of calmness and ease once exposed to CBD. It’s like a little boost of confidence that allows the individuals to just be themselves and be present in the moment without having their minds run on overdrive.

The most recommended dosage that has been found effective in achieving this status has been between 300mg-600mg, but it is always advisable that a health practitioner be consulted before embarking on any self-treatment.

CBD Oil for Restful Sleep

Poor sleep patterns and sleep deprivation is a phenomenon that has plagued the world over in the very recent past and has had people flocking into hospitals trying to get a possible relief that would allow them to get the adequate sleep that they desperately need. It’s obvious that the current pace of the world has led to high stress levels amongst various individuals and in turn affected their sleeping patterns.

We already spoke about CBD and its interaction with serotonin in the body and how it affects mood. One of the other major things it affects is sleep. It is able to help an individual achieve healthy and restful sleep.

Our body has a super system which is known as the endocannabinoid system. This system has been dubbed the meta-system because it has the ability to infiltrate all the other eleven systems in the body and sort of assist in conducting their proper functioning. In a way, it can be said that this system is absolutely essential in achieving the overall general well-being of our bodies. But how specifically, you might ask, does sleep come into context? Let’s explore that.

We’ll get a little into science and explore the sleep cycle. There are basically 4 stages of sleep and they are divided broadly under two terms, non-rapid eye movement which covers 75% of the stages and rapid eye movement which covers the remaining 25% of it.

The first 3 stages which constitute 75% of the sleep cycle are when your body is transitioning from wakefulness to actual sleep, moving slowly to relaxation of the muscles, lowering of the basal body temperature, drop in blood pressure, slowing of breathing and the eventual progression into deep sleep. The last stage also known as REM, which usually occurs 90 minutes after falling asleep is the time when the brain cements information into memory. At this stage, the brain is lit up with activity and breathing is faster and irregular. It is also at this stage and the very last stage of NREM where repair work is done by the body. Cells repair and rebuild and at the same time, hormones are secreted to promote bone and muscle growth. Immunity to fight against illness and infection is also strengthened at this time.

These stages in the sleep cycle don’t follow a perfect sequence and a full night of uninterrupted sleep will have the cycle repeat itself a few times over just to help an individual achieve all the benefits that come with a good night’s rest. Hopefully our science detour has succeeded in showing just how vital it is to achieve proper rest and why poor sleep is an absolute injustice to one’s own body.

Back to the meta-system. One of its main receptors, when activated, increases sleep stability during the third stage of NREM sleep, which we have seen as one of the most crucial stages of sleep. When CBD oil is incorporated it helps to extend this crucial third stage of sleep hereby enabling the meta-system to achieve its goal of ensuring restful and adequate sleep for the concerned individual.

CBD Oil for Better Gut Health

The composition of bacteria in an individual’s gut greatly influences the functioning of a number of different functions in their bodies. This is a fact that is little known by individuals. Studies undertaken by scientists have shown that CBD is potentially effective in promoting healthy gut bacteria thereby avoiding the occurrence of unwanted health challenges that may emanate from the gut.

Take for example weight management, a gut with healthy bacteria will function in a way that allows the gut to communicate to the brain that the individual has had their fill and has no need to eat anymore for that specific time. An unhealthy gut bacteria will act contrary to the situation in the gut, inhibiting the production of particular substances and inevitably send out the wrong signals out that indicate a false narrative such that probably the person is still hungry and that they need to eat even more. This simple mismatch between good and bad bacteria causes obesity in the long run and a whole lot of dissatisfaction in an individual.

Delving deeper into matters digestive system, the endocannabinoid system which is a regulatory system and which we established as the meta-system, relies on neurotransmitters that are cannabinoids to relay messages between the gut and the brain to maintain the essential functions of the body running as needed.

In an ideal situation, these messengers that ensure that there is constant communication between the gut and brain would be sufficient to ensure work runs efficiently. However, with the evolving dynamic changes in the world causing a myriad of lifestyle challenges, the body sometimes requires more cannabinoids to communicate to their corresponding receptors than it can naturally produce and this leads to unwanted breakdown in communication. When the meta-system is not able to efficiently regulate because of missing links, issues and health challenges start stemming up in an individual’s body.

CBD is able to replicate the effects of bodily secreted cannabinoids and thereby fill in the gap by supporting the meta-system through ensuring proper communication occurs between the brain and the gut.

In addition to maintaining healthy bacteria in your gut, the anti-inflammatory properties ensure that your digestive health is kept at a prime state.

CBD Oil for Muscle Relaxation

Muscle aches, cramps, muscles pulls while at the gym, whilst in deep sleep or simply just carrying out routine tasks are daily problems experienced not only by athletes but by millions of people around the globe doing normal activities. It has become quite exhausting to rely on pain killers to rid the pain as it’s common knowledge that the long-term effects of this choice on the liver are quite dire. In comes CBD, an alternative mode of treatment.

CBD affects the body by interacting with chemical receptors in the nervous system. The brain has receptors that respond to neurotransmitters called endocannabinoids which are essential for the proper working of the meta-system. Endocannabinoids are produced naturally in the body and are transmitted through the peripheral and central nervous system to the brain. Since Cannabis has cannabinoids that are remarkably like those produced naturally by the body, it is also able to influence the receptors. There are therapeutic benefits associated with the ability to control or at least influence the meta-system by mimicking the actions of these neurotransmitters.

Having explored the top 5 CBD oil benefits, I believe that it is now left up to you to visit your nearest cannabis dispensary and indulge your budtender into advising you on the best brands to try out. I will however leave you with a small nugget of wisdom on how to ingest it.

Take a dropper out of the bottle, measure desired amount and squeeze the oil under your tongue, hold it there for up to 60 seconds. The benefit of this method is that it gets absorbed faster to the bloodstream through the mucous membrane. Its effects will last for up to 6 hours and you can expect to feel the strongest effects after about 1 and ½ hours after you’ve ingested it.

April and Dave are the creators of Skinny Over 40 which is about living a healthy lifestyle over 40, and under. We give you the skinny on detoxing and weight loss.

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