Eventually, the lessons got more complicated. You soon learned that dietary choices, physical habits, and sleep quality all play a significant role in cardiovascular health. Once you understood that heart health is also affected by inflammation, free radical damage, and hormone levels, you recognized the importance of maintaining a balance between essential bodily processes.
A relatively short time ago, researchers identified a regulatory system that influences nearly every essential function in the body, including processes directly impacting cardiovascular health. They also discovered that this universal regulatory system responds to the phytocannabinoids, terpenes, and flavonoids in hemp. Of the more than 100 cannabinoids in Full-Spectrum Hemp Oil, it’s the therapeutic potential of CBD(cannabidiol) that has people talking. CBD is a phytocannabinoid with anxiolytic, analgesic, anti-inflammatory, and anti-spasmodic properties (1).
If you’re intrigued by the therapeutic potential of Hemp Oil, it’s important to understand that the composition of the oil you select will have a considerable impact on your health. For the best experience, you’ll need to know how your body will react to hemp. You’ll also need to know the differences between CBD oil and Whole-Plant Full-Spectrum Hemp Oil™.
Investigating the Health and Wellness Potential of Phytocannabinoids
If you’ve been investigating the therapeutic potential of phytocannabinoids, you may already have a basic understanding of how these plant elements relay urgent messages to the receptors of the endocannabinoid system (ECS)(2), the largest regulatory system in the body. What you may not realize is how essential this communication is to your overall health and wellbeing.
Modern researchers believe the main purpose of ECS signaling is to regulate the processes involved in homeostasis (the internal balance all living organisms must maintain to survive). When internal or external forces threaten that balance, homeostatic processes restore equilibrium (3).
That equilibrium affects nearly every essential function in your body. The ECS messengers (endocannabinoids) are produced by your body as needed and then broken down by metabolic enzymes once their messages are delivered to cannabinoid receptors. The response initiated by the receptors depends on the chemical composition of the message received. Just a few of the numerous processes regulated by ECS signaling (4) include:
- Cardiovascular function
- Stress responses
- Perception of pleasure and pain
- Endocrine system function
- Sleep and sleep cycles
- Immune system function
- Digestive processes
- Moods and emotions
- Memory and learning
- Thermoregulation and metabolism
Ideally, your body would make all the ECS messengers needed to ensure that all internal processes run efficiently. But, this is an ideal scenario. Under the influences of stress, illness, or injury, the demand for endocannabinoids can exceed the available supply.
When demand exceeds supply, essential communication between endocannabinoids and cannabinoid receptors becomes less efficient. Important messages may not be received. Since phytocannabinoids mimic the effects of the endocannabinoids produced in your body, supporting ECS function with Hemp Oil can potentially restore essential balance.
How Supporting ECS Function Can Protect Cardiovascular Health
Today, many cannabinoid researchers believe endocannabinoid deficiencies cause disease. Current research appears to support the connection between the lack of ECS messengers and fibromyalgia, IBS, migraine, several neurodegenerative disorders, and other treatment-resistant syndromes (5).
The evidence supporting the therapeutic potential of phytocannabinoids for a number of health concerns is based on animal studies, laboratory tests, clinical trials, and user reviews. In particular, the studies investigating the cardiovascular benefits of CBD and other phytocannabinoids are particularly intriguing.
Preliminary research suggests the phytocannabinoids in Hemp Oil may be beneficial in reducing the risk of heart disease for people with diabetes (6). The research also shows that cannabidiol may protect the heart from ischemic damage. In animal studies, the CBD in Hemp Oil shows potential for stabilizing cardiac arrhythmia, a condition that causes the heart to beat too fast or in an irregular pattern (7)
Of course, far more testing needs to be done before reaching a universal consensus on hemp. That’s why It’s important to note that CBD and other phytocannabinoids in Hemp Oil are not intended to be used as a preventative, treatment, or cure for any known health conditions. However, animal studies, lab results, and user testimonials suggest Hemp Oil products may be beneficial for heart health. To help determine how Hemp Oil can help you, consider the value of the following observations.
Phytocannabinoids May Help You Get the Rest You Need
While occasional sleeplessness is unlikely to cause irreparable damage, chronic sleep deprivation can take a considerable toll on your overall health. Current research shows that adults who sleep less than seven hours each night have an increased risk of Type 2 diabetes, weight gain, high blood pressure, and other chronic health conditions that can contribute to a higher risk of heart disease (8) Numerous Hemp Oil users claim nightly use improves sleep quality. That’s not entirely surprising. Sleep and sleep cycles are regulated by the endocannabinoid system. The CBD in Hemp Oil is shown to stabilize sleep cycles and improve REM sleep. Plus, the anxiolytic and analgesic properties of cannabidiol have the potential to provide mood and nervous system support (9).
Hemp Oil May Help Your Body Manage the Impact of Stress
Stress initiates a cascade of events that can compromise your health. In response to physical or emotional stress, your body increases the production of adrenaline and the stress hormone cortisol. The longer the duration of the stress-inducing experience, the longer it takes for your body to restore balance. Prolonged stress can result in chronic inflammation, high blood pressure, stroke, and heart attack. For women, the risk increases after menopause due to estrogen loss (10).
Unresolved stresses can also trigger insomnia and anxiety. Researchers have found that CBD and other minor cannabinoids in Hemp Oil interact with receptors directly involved in stress responses. These receptors include endocannabinoid, GABA, dopamine, and serotonin receptors (11). That interaction explains the anxiolytic properties of CBD and other plant-based cannabinoids. Essentially, plant cannabinoids may be critical in providing nervous system, balanced mood, and neuroprotective support.
Phytocannabinoids May Reduce Your Risk of Developing High Blood Pressure
When doctors measure blood pressure, they are evaluating the amount of force exerted on arterial walls as blood flows through them. When this force remains unnaturally high for long periods of time, it can cause considerable damage to blood vessels. This can result in a long list of potential complications, including atherosclerosis, chronic kidney disease, angina, and heart attack. Most people with high blood pressure never experience symptoms until problems develop (12).
Pre-clinical studies suggest that the CBD in Hemp Oil helps reduce blood pressure by initiating blood vessel dilation. Once blood vessels expand, there is less stress exerted on the arterial walls. A 2017 randomized study revealed that a single dose of CBD reduced the resting blood pressure and the stress-induced blood pressure increases of nine healthy volunteers (13). While the results of initial investigations are intriguing, further study is needed.
Hemp Oil Has the Potential to Calm Systemic Inflammation
Inflammation is a defense mechanism, a healing response initiated by your immune system. The reaction is a sign that an army of white blood cells is responding to an injury or fighting an infection. However, the same immune system response that protects your body from harm can also cause significant damage. Modern researchers believe chronic inflammation contributes to diabetes, arthritis, various cancers, and heart disease (14).
While several medications can alleviate inflammation caused by medical disorders, there are currently no pharmacological treatments for the low-level inflammatory responses triggered by sugar, trans fats, stress, and free radical damage. Research shows that CBD and several lesser-known phytocannabinoids have the potential to neutralize inflammation by inhibiting COX enzymes(15), delaying the breakdown of anandamide (16), and activating vanilloid receptors. The latter, vanilloid receptors, influence pain perception and temperature regulation.
Phytocannabinoids May Enhance Post-Workout Recovery
Regular exercise helps modify the risk factors for developing heart disease. As strength and endurance build, decreased strain on the heart is promoted by reduced blood pressure, improved fat to muscle ratios, and reduced inflammation. But, while exercise benefits your heart, it can take a significant toll on the rest of your body. The resultant sore muscles, joint stiffness, and temporary loss of muscle strength can derail even the strongest wills. Most post-workout pain is caused by microscopic tears to over-worked muscles (17).
The analgesic, anti-inflammatory, and anti-spasmodic properties of the many phytocannabinoids in Hemp Oil show considerable therapeutic potential for enhancing post-workout recovery. Using Hemp Oil before or after a strenuous workout may help your body recover faster, so the pain and discomfort of increasing the intensity of your workouts won’t keep you on the sidelines.
The Significant Differences Between the Three Main Types of CBD Oil
CBD (cannabidiol) is the most abundant of the many phytocannabinoids found in Hemp Oil. When a manufacturer puts “CBD Oil” on a product label, that description tells you far less than you may realize. Not all CBD products contain the full spectrum of phytocannabinoids, terpenes, and other plant-based nutrients found naturally in the original plant source.
Up to 99% of the time, over-the-counter CBD Oil is made with a single cannabinoid blended with a carrier oil or is derived from plant oils that have been compromised by harsh extraction methods. That’s why it’s important to have a clear understanding of your options and realistic expectations about commercial CBD Oil preparations. To ensure you are selecting the best Hemp Oil for your needs, consider what you may achieve using the following products.
Understanding the Limitations of CBD Isolate
Isolating CBD from the numerous plant elements found in industrial hemp can greatly reduce its supportive potential. To produce CBD isolate, the cannabinoid-rich oil must first be separated from the plant matter. Most often, the production process begins with soaking the stalks, stems, and flowers of the plant in ethyl alcohol, a commonly used food additive. Hemp seeds don’t contain CBD or other phytocannabinoids. The concern with this extraction method is the presence of potentially harmful residues after the alcohol evaporates from the Hemp Oil.
After the extraction process is complete, the oil is heated for a certain amount of time. Any extreme temperatures can compromise product potency. Next, a third step called “winterization” is used to remove the plant’s fatty acids, terpenes, additional cannabinoids, and other plant components. All that’s left behind is a white, crystalline CBD powder lacking many of the nutrients found in the original plant source (18).
Navigating the Specifications of Broad-Spectrum CBD Oil
Hemp-derived products are labeled as broad-spectrum when they contain many of the phytocannabinoids, terpenes, and phytonutrients of the original plant. Although a considerable number of the minor cannabinoids are left intact, the trace amounts of THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) are removed through a process called chromatography (19). While hemp plants don’t synthesize enough of this somewhat controversial cannabinoid to cause intoxication, CBD users who would rather avoid THC typically select Hemp Oil products made with CBD isolate or Broad-Spectrum Hemp Oil.
Broad-spectrum Hemp Oil contains CBD and a wide array of phytonutrients but doesn’t contain the entire spectrum of nutrients from the original plant source. In some cases, individual cannabinoids are isolated and then recombined in different ratios.
Recognizing the Benefit Maximizing Effects of Full-Spectrum Hemp Oil Full-Spectrum Hemp Oil products are most often preferred by CBD enthusiasts looking to get the most benefit from their investment. Less processed than Broad-Spectrum Hemp Oil, Full-Spectrum Hemp Oil contains CBD plus the entire range of potentially beneficial phytocannabinoids, terpenes, flavonoids, and other plant components found in nature. You’ll likely find that a significant number of companies favor CO2 extraction over other methods because the resulting product is “cleaner” than oils derived from soaking plant matter in alcohol.
Full-Spectrum Hemp Oil is believed to be the more potent of the three options because of a little-known phenomenon known as the Entourage Effect that maximizes the oil’s therapeutic potential. This theory is used to explain how the combined effects of the many cannabinoids, plant terpenes, and other plant elements work together synergistically, with each plant component enhancing the impact of the others. The combined effects of each phytonutrient are far greater than those accorded by individual plant elements (20).
How a LipidTrans™ Infusion Process Delivers a True Entourage Effect™
Although many Hemp Oil companies claim their full-spectrum products contain all the phytocannabinoids, terpenes, and plant nutrients in the same ratios found in natural hemp plants, those claims may not be entirely accurate. To experience the full potential of a True Entourage Effect™, your body needs access to the full range of polyphenols, essential fats, and phytocannabinoids commonly altered or removed during conventional production methods. Thus, in order to gain the most benefit from your investment, it’s important to select Hemp Oil products crafted without high pressure, extreme heat, or chemical solvents.
Functional Remedies Synchronicity™ Full-Spectrum, Whole-Plant Hemp Oil relies on the power of nature to deliver the highest quality Hemp Oil possible, LipidTrans Infusion™. The lipid infusion process transfers all the plant nutrients, phytocannabinoids, and other beneficial compounds to a heart-healthy oil (MCT oil). This gentle process preserves the integrity of Hemp Oil, protecting the delicate balance found in nature. While Synchronicity™ Full-Spectrum Whole Plant Hemp Oil shows considerable potential for protecting heart health, the only way to know if it’s right for you is to try it. Ask Your Body™. To ensure purity and potency, all Synchronicity™ Full-Spectrum, Whole-Plant Hemp Oil tinctures, capsules, and topical products are third-party tested and produced in a cGMP certified facility. cGMP certification guarantees all production processes meet or exceed FDA enforced manufacturing standards.
