Have you ever wondered how CBD topicals, the ECS and entourage work together? You know that cliché you hear about everything being connected? Well a case in point is this combo. The sum of the whole is greater than each part. I’ve discussed this combo before in previous blogs, but today I want to get into some of the nitty gritty. Let’s start with the alphabet soup I just tossed out.
CBD from hemp
To begin, you need to understand CBD and how it works. CBD, short for cannabidiol, is one of many compounds found in the cannabis plant. Unlike THC, also found in cannabis plants, CBD is nonpsychoactive meaning it won’t get you high. All Lost Remedy products are made with hemp-derived CBD. We also use full-spectrum hemp oil (FSHO), which contains all the cannabinoids and terpenes.
In topicals, CBD, combined with essential and carrier oils, creates chemical-free products that nourish and protect skin, muscles, nerves and tissue. Used as medicine, topicals can reduce pain; relax muscles; relieve spasms; reduce inflammation; and relieve headaches and migraines, eczema, psoriasis, and burns among other things. CBD is permeable, so it can zero
in on a specific area penetrating quickly to help heal wounds or relieve pain, neuropathy, itching, burning — again, a long list. In addition, its moisturizing properties are unparalleled for use in beauty and cosmetic skin products.
ECS or endocannabinoid system
Everyone has an endocannabinoid system. It’s the keeper of balance in our bodies. The power of CBD can be associated with the endocannabinoid system, or ECS, present in everyone. The ECS is responsible for maintaining homeostasis, or balance, by regulating
various processes in the body such as appetite, pain and mood, among others. The ECS reacts to terpenes in the CBD topicals and interact with CB receptors. Terpenes, aromatic oils found within the trichomes, give the cannabis its distinctive taste and smell. CB receptors are found throughout the skin and the addition of a CBD topical can help promote healing and homeostasis.
The ECS is a relative newcomer on the scene. It wasn’t until the 1990s that scientists knew anything about it or that everyone has it. However, it is a vital element in keeping our bodies in balance.
The entourage effect
In 1998, Raphael Mechoulam, renowned CBD researcher, Israeli organic chemist and professor of Medicinal Chemistry at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem in Israel, worked with fellow researcher Shimon Ben-Shabat to understand how our ECS demonstrated the entourage effect. An October 19, 2019, article explained that, “According to the duo, various inactive metabolites and related molecules boosted the activity of the primary endogenous cannabinoids [cannabinoids that naturally occur in our bodies]: 2-AG and anandamide. They said it helped explain why botanical drugs were often more effective than isolated ones.”
Essentially, the entourage effect is when all the components of the CBD work in concert to support your health. CBD is just one of many components derived from hemp. True the others appear in lesser quantity than CBD. But they are important in supporting what CBD does in our bodies.
When you use CBD, you receive many botanical compounds. Each compound comes with its own effect and benefit, but which can change upon encountering other compounds. So, if you look at the dictionary meaning of entourage, you’ll see it is a group surrounding or attending an important person. So, think of these lesser compounds such as cannabinoids, flavonoids, terpenes and other phytochemicals in the hemp plant as the group surrounding or attending CBD. Together these compounds can amplify each other’s chemistry. They work together to make the overall plant more effective in addressing symptoms.
The best way to experience the entourage effect is to use full-spectrum hemp oil (FSHO). It contains all the cannabinoids and compounds found in the hemp plant. In addition, it contains many essential vitamins and minerals, fatty acids, proteins, chlorophyll, fiber, flavonoids and terpenes. So now that you know how CBD topicals, ECS and entourage complement each other, think about how they may help you.
Get the real deal
Now, if you’ve read this blog in the past, you know that CBD topicals that combine FSHO CBD, essential and carrier oils are your best bet. But, you need to make sure you’re getting the real deal. Don’t expect that just because the label says CBD that it’s what it claims to be. Look for CBD oil that has been extracted with all of its components using CO2 extraction. This is the most expensive, but safest method of extraction. In addition, you also need to find CBD that was grown organically. Hemp tends to clean the soil of pollutants and chemicals, so it’s best if grown on clean and chemical-free soil.
Do yourself a favor and research your CBD topicals. Find products that have organic CBD with CO2 extraction and are tested by unbiased third-party labs.