What is CBD (Cannabidiol)?
What is CBD:
CBD is short for cannabidiol. It is one of the many non-psychoactive compounds found in hemp plants. These cannabinoids are known for their extraordinary therapeutic properties. The human body contains a spectacular network of receptors called the endocannabinoid system, which regulates our central nervous system. CBD fits right into those receptors and there is a wealth of information from many people that believe it promotes health and well-being in many ways.
What role do Cannabinoids play?
A phytocannabinoid is a molecule synthesized by plants. There are many known phytocannabinoids found in the hemp plant, including CBD. Phytocannabinoids are used to treat a number of human and animal ailments. In 2008, the journal of Neuroendocrinology Letters published a proposal that some of the chronic health problems many people face may be due to an underlying endocannabinoid deficiency, including migraines and fibromyalgia. As we better understand the relationship between phytocannabinoids and the human body, millions of people from around the globe now have access to treat conditions that were previously untreatable.
What are cannabinoid receptors and why are they important?
When receptors interact with a cannabinoid, they send molecular-messages throughout the cells, tissues, organs, and body. Think of a cannabinoid and a cannabinoid receptor like a lock and key. A cannabinoid “unlocks” the cannabinoid receptor by physically interacting with it, which initiates changes in cells and opens the door to enormous health benefits for the body and mind. A cannabinoid is a molecule that activates these molecular-messengers, regardless of whether the cannabinoid came from our bodies (an endocannabinoid), or if it came from a plant (a phytocannabinoid). Endocannabinoids activate the same receptors as phytocannabinoids found in Hemp. This explains why there is enormous medical potential for the use of phytocannabinoids; our bodies possess an endogenous system that responds to what is already present in our bodies and in plants.
