Difficult to treat diseases, especially pain, anxiety, depression, stress and others, pose a different kind of challenge to us all. This particularly vexing challenge is ‘Opioid Abuse’. Medical and nonmedical overuse of opioids is an international crisis. More than 2 million Americans abuse opioids. On average, close to 100 Americans die by opioid overdose every day. In 2020, the opioid crisis claimed the lives of 4,395 people in Canada.
Yet, there is a light at the end of the tunnel.
Cannabidiol (CBD) and hemp oils hold immense potential in the future for playing a vital role in the management of numerous difficult to treat diseases especially in the crucial context of the opioid crisis.
In fact, there is an overwhelming body of convincing preclinical evidence pointing towards a time when phytocannabinoids exhibiting antinociceptive effects (pain numbing) in inflammatory and neuropathic rodent pain models will finally become the norm of a reliable treatment.
CBD and hemp oil with many other properties hold a significant importance at this critical moment of our evolutionary progress in health and happiness.
Knowledge is power. Knowledge can harm you or it can save you. Knowledge is lifesaving.
So, it is absolutely imperative that we deepen our understanding of medicinal hemp oil. If we do know all about medicinal oil, then we must check, re-check and have greater clarity on it.
What is a hemp plant?
The hemp plant belongs to the cannabis sativa family. The hemp plant contains more than 140 different cannabinoids in total.
The primary point of difference being the THC content. Technically a hemp plant contains less than 0.3 percent of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).
Grown specifically for industrial and medicinal use, hemp plants are also called industrial hemp. A plant of the family Cannabaceae; hemp is cultivated for its fibre and its seeds. Although the seeds may not have the same concentrations of phytocannabinoids (THC and CBD), however, they do contain a diverse range of minerals, fatty acids, and bioactive substances.
As a result, hemp-derived products are mostly utilized for therapeutic purposes. Hemp products including hemp oil are unlikely to provide a “high.” Additionally, hemp seeds offer several health advantages.
What is Medicinal Hemp Oil?
Hemp oil is oil extracted by cold-pressing the hemp seeds. The oil extracted is omega-rich. It contains omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids, gamma-linolenic acid, and other nutritional antioxidants. It is also high in B vitamins and vitamin D.
Is Hemp Oil different from CBD Oil?
Yes, the two are different. Though the two are used interchangeably on the internet, yet the two are different entities.
The primary distinction between hemp and pot is that while marijuana contains up to 30% of the psychoactive compound called tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), hemp contains negligible (ordinarily beneath 0.3%). Hemp oil is squeezed from hemp seeds, which contain high volumes of protein and fibre.
On the other hand, CBD oil is manufactured by first extracting CBD from the cannabis plant. The concentrated CBD obtained is then diluted and mixed with a carrier oil. Mostly coconut oil is used as carrier oil.
Use of CBD Oil too has gained acceptance due to many benefits CBD can provide. Hence CBD Oil is increasingly used in a variety of products including dietary supplements, bath soaks, drinks, and food. One can buy CBD products online in Canada.
What are the health benefits of medicinal hemp oil?
Hemp Oil with a host of medical and health benefits earns the distinction of being labelled as medicinal hemp oil.
It is the appreciably high concentrations of three polyunsaturated fatty acids: linoleic acid, alpha-linolenic acid, and gamma-linolenic acid that makes Hemp Oil almost medicinal. Medical experts agree that the magical 3:1 fatty acid ratio of omega-6 (linoleic acid) to omega-3 (alpha-linolenic acid) fatty acids qualifies Hemp Oil as an ideal health booster.
Consider the long list of medical benefits to take home with Hemp Oil, and decide how to reap the goodness of hemp oil.
Safer Blood Pressure
People with hypertension can use omega-3 fatty acid rich hemp oil to lower the elevated blood pressure. Omega-3 fatty acid is known to aid in lowering blood pressure.
Healthy Heart
The amino acid arginine is present in hempseed oil. Studies have shown that this ingredient contributes to a healthy cardiovascular system. Consuming foods with high arginine levels can help decrease the risk of heart disease.
Linoleic acid present in hemp oil works to reduce low-density lipoprotein (LDL), or “bad” cholesterol. Lowering of total cholesterol levels results in significant reduction of chances of a stroke.
Promising Pregnancy Supplement
Pregnant women need omega-3 fatty acids acting as vital supplements for ensuring a healthy brain of the baby developing in the womb.
Relieve Inflammation
Hemp oil is rich in Gamma-linoleic acid (GLA). It can be effective in managing symptoms of inflammatory conditions including multiple sclerosis (MS), rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
Pain Relief
Anti-inflammatory properties of hemp oil applied directly to the painful area can bring pain relief.
Promises Healthy Skin
Nutritious fatty acids present in hemp oil may make it a nourishing agent for the skin. Hemp oil protects skin from infections, inflammation and oxidation, Hemp oil saves skin from eczema, dermatitis, psoriasis, varicose eczema, acne rosacea, and many other skin related issues.
What is a Full-spectrum hemp oil or Broad-Spectrum Hemp Oil? How Full-Spectrum Hemp Oil Help?
A full-spectrum hemp oil is derived from the full hemp plant. The oil extracted contains other plant matter, hence Full-Spectrum or Broad-Spectrum Hemp Oil or extracts. Hence, a full-spectrum hemp oil contains other compounds, such as CBD, terpenes. The full-spectrum hemp oil is more beneficial than hemp oil owing to the phenomenon of “Entourage effect”.
Entourage effect means that all the components of full-spectrum hemp oil – CBD, Fatty Acids, Terpenes; work synergistically together resulting in production of better outcome than when isolated.
Some of the benefits of full-spectrum medicinal hemp oil are: Relieve unmanageable Pain, help in managing opioid addiction and substance abuse, Reducing PTSD Symptoms, nullifying negative effects of anxiety and depression, alleviation of ALS Symptoms, easing diabetic complications, Neuroprotection, Inhibition of symptoms of arthritis, relief from chemotherapy side effects and many more are being discovered.
Full spectrum hemp oil is available in many forms such as capsules, creams & salves, edibles. You can buy hemp oil, full spectrum hemp oil, hemp wraps and oil extracts online.
What are the negative side effects of hemp oil?
Hemp oil is generally safe and does not produce any life-threatening side effects. However, hemp oil may produce mild to moderate side effects such as upset stomach and or diarrhoea, skin irritation and or rashes, and changes in appetite. Therefore, it is always safe to consume hemp oil in smaller amounts when using it for the first time.
Do hemp oil or other hemp products produce a positive urine drug screen for marijuana?
Technically, hemp is a cannabis plant, but hemp a plant has little to no THC. So, first of all, consuming hemp is legal. Even if you consume hemp, it will not make you high.
Ideally, hemp products shouldn’t contain over 0.3% THC. Hemp products with incorrect product information are available in the market, so always be careful. Using a hemp product that contains THC or THCA could result in a positive on a urine drug screen test.
So, two commercially accessible tests used to screen for “marijuana use” will not test positive for “marijuana use” when hemp oil or hemp products are not adulterated with THC or CBD.
Is it safe to consume Hemp Oil every day?
Yes, it is not only safe but healthy too to consume hemp oil daily. For best results, consume three tablespoons of hemp seed oil per day. Three tablespoons provide the 3:1 fatty acid ratio needed for a healthy diet.
You can drink hemp seed oil straight or mix it into salad dressings or other foods. You can also use hemp seed oil in place of olive oil for cooking.
Does Hemp Oil make you sleepy?
Let me clear the fog.
Hemp and Marijuana plants belong to a class of cannabis plant, cannabis sativa to be precise. Hemp plant in particular contains 0.3 percent THC and 12-18% CBD. However, hemp seeds do not contain any CBD. So, hemp oil extracted from hemp seeds does not contain either CBD and THC. While full-spectrum hemp extracts may contain some amount of CBD. Therefore, hemp oil extracted from hemp seeds does not make you sleepy.
Summary
With the advancements in science and technology, we are learning more and more about hemp plants. Honestly, there is so much more to this wonderful plant. Since we are different in our own ways, hemp oil can open different doors of possibilities for each one of us. Here’s to your good health.