Endocannibinoid System and It’s Role in Relieving the Burden of the Soul

How Does the Endocannabinoid System Influence Stress?

Everyone has an endocannabinoid system in their body. The purpose of this system, in short, is to facilitate homeostasis in the body.

“The Endocannbinoid System (ECS) is believed to help modulate a wide range of physiological processes, including pain sensation, body temperature, memory, mood, appetite… sleep, metabolism, immune function, and reproduction.” (3)

In this system, neurotransmitters called “endocannabinoids” communicate and regulate homeostasis. Cannabidiol (CBD) interacts with and fuels this system. While stress can prompt the body to engage in the “fight or flight” state, the ECS can actually step in to slow the roll of the release of stress chemicals.

Can Hemp Support this Process and  Homeostasis?

By feeding your ECS, you can potentially increase your threshold to deal with stress. This can potentially increase your ability to calmly engage in situations that might otherwise stress you out. By feeding this system that pumps the brakes on stress responses, the ECS has the potential to take unnecessary stress and anxiety away. (4)

There is currently a lot of research being done to support these ideas, but the research that has already taken place, coupled with the anecdotal stories of thousands experiencing success in using this plant to manage stress and panic attacks, is promising. Check out this study for further readingCannabidiol as a Potential Treatment for Anxiety Disorders“:

 

What Product is Right For Me?

While we can’t diagnose or prescribe, we do have a few favorites (and fam faves!) for getting through feeling overburdened and overwhelmed.

Day Time

Cherry Blossom is a hybrid lady and amazing support to help manage homeostasis without making us too sleepy. Try her in a Diffuser or Preroll

 Pack of seven, ½ gram Cherry Blossom hemp CBD Flower pre rolls.  by Appalachian Standard

Evening Time

Cherry Uno & Cherry Mom are OG Indica (Chill) strains, who are known for taking the edge off when you need it.

Cherry Uno Prerolls

Cherry Mom Diffuser Kit

Day & Night

Our Greenhouse Tincture is our strongest blend of our ladies. It’s a no-nonsense, straight to the point. Taken sublingually, it enters the bloodstream directly and starts working magic in 30 minutes.

Extra Strength Tincture- CBD Full Spectrum Hemp Oil Greenhouse Blend

The best way to use CBD  is to use it every day so your body can build up its endocannabinoids in the system.

If you have questions regarding the various methods of taking CBD, reach out to our Customer Service Angels at customerservice@ross.farm, and we will be happy to support you on this journey!!!

 Additional Reading:

  1. National Institute of Mental Health,
  2.  “Beware High Levels of Cortisol, the Stress Hormone” Premier Health
  3. Cherney ,Kristeen. “12 Effects of Anxiety on the Body” Healthline
  4. Scherer, Liz, “Can CBD Really Help Relieve Anxiety?” Every Day Health.
  5. Blessing, Steenkamp, Manzanares,& Marmar “Cannabidiol as a Potential Treatment for Anxiety Disorders” NCBI

 

3 Steps to Creating The Ultimate Hemp Infused Spa Night

Trying to step up your self care game, planning a girls get together, or just need to alleviate pain after a physically or mentally hectic work week? Appalachian Standard’s new spa bundle might just be what the health and wellness expert ordered! This bundle combines spa quality body care products with our full spectrum hemp goodness to achieve ultimate relief and relaxation. 

Self Care Spa Bundle

How do hemp body care products work?

Topical hemp products work through endocannabinoid receptors found in the skin. Topical and body care products are especially helpful for folks who experience recurring pain and inflammation in specific areas of the body. Hemp works with the endocannabinoid receptors in the skin found in the areas that the products are directly applied to. Relief is typically felt within about 15-30 minutes after application and often lasts for about 2-4 hours. Using topical products consistently can help with keeping chronic pain and inflammation at bay. 

 

What is in the spa bundle?

 

Appalachian Standard’s new spa bundle contains three of our most popular  body care products. Each of these products is made with all natural ingredients, including our hemp extract which is derived from our craft grown hemp flower and processed directly in house. These goodies will provide you with the proper tools to make every night a 5-star spa experience in the comfort of your own home. 

 

Step 1: Lavender Eucalyptus Bath Bomb

Start your spa night out with an aromatic and deeply relaxing bath. Our lavender eucalyptus bath bomb packs a punch with a whopping 150 mg of full spectrum goodness. The notes of calming lavender and eucalyptus in combination with our all natural hemp flower extract are sure to transport you to a place of calmness and serenity! Just pop the bomb right into a bathtub full of warm water, put on your favorite playlist or grab a book and let those aches and pains melt away! We promise you won’t be leaving that tub for quite a while!

Step 2: Sugar Scrub Body Polish

Who doesn’t love a scrubbed and polished bod? Our sugar scrub body polish tins contain 500mg of full spectrum hemp extract. To use during a shower or bath, apply a generous amount all over the skin and rub using your hands, a loofa, or a bath sponge. Bask in the heavenly scents of lavender and chamomile and rinse to reveal healthy, glowing, exfoliated skin. 

Step 3: For the Love of Flowers Body Oil 

Our handcrafted body oil is the perfect ending to your self-care spa night. This luxurious oil contains 250mg of extracted hemp oil, along with a blend of cinnamon, sandalwood, damiana and rose essential oils, combined with olive and avocado oils for maximum hydration. We recommend using the oil similarly to a lotion. After a bath or shower, apply to areas needing a little more love and moisture and rub in to achieve silky, smooth skin! 

The CBD Beginner Bundle from Appalachian Standard

Starting a hemp regimen can be a daunting task – there are so many methods of taking hemp, different “strains”, and so many different products on the market! Add in the fact that many hemp products in the market are made with low standards/quality and it can be really difficult for a novice to know where to begin. This leads many people to not choose any hemp product at all or to mistakenly take lower quality (usually cheaper) products and decide based on them that hemp is not effective for their needs. At Appalachian Standard, by far our most frequently asked question is a beginner wondering where to start which is understandable considering how many options there are.

 

The main thing we try to emphasize to new customers is that taking hemp in any form, on a consistent basis, is the most important thing for getting results. Feeding the body’s endocannabinoid system takes time and consistency over time really seems to have a compounding effect. Therefore, the best hemp product is one that will be easiest for you to integrate into a consistent daily routine! With that in mind we created the Beginner’s Bundle to provide customers with everything they need to successfully start a regimen.

 

The first thing we knew we needed to include in a beginner’s set is a bottle of our Extra Strength Greenhouse Blend tincture. Tinctures are perfect for using consistently for a few reasons. Because you know exactly how much hemp extract is in the bottle, it is simple to measure a precise dose every time you use it. Our Extra Strength has a whopping 100mg of active cannabinoids in every mL so .25mL is 25 mg, .50mL is 50 mg, etc. Taking tincture is as easy as measuring a dose and letting the tincture sit under the tongue for 30 seconds to a minute to allow for maximum absorption before swallowing. This tincture is made from a blend of our strains which makes it extremely well balanced and suited for using morning, day, or night depending on your needs! Don’t be fooled by the small bottle, the Extra Strength Greenhouse Blend tincture contains 60 25 mg doses!

 

Another absolute necessity is our famous Appalachian Standard Boujee Bears, the delicious gummies that are our best selling product! These contain a 15mg dose of active cannabinoids and are made with the same hemp extract that is in the Greenhouse Blend tincture. These are a great way to take some goodness on the go or just enjoy a little treat that provides calming relief.

 

Last but definitely not least is our topical menthol salve. This is a topical that is used on the skin to help with achy joints and sore muscles by applying hemp extract directly to the target areas. Using topical hemp in addition to ingested forms of hemp like the tincture and bears is a great approach for those who are dealing with persistent recurring pain. This salve is also perfect for athletes as it soothes muscles with a tingly menthol sensation while also delivering serious relief via the 500mg of hemp extract in the container!

 

Using this kit is a great way to dip your toe into the world of hemp to see if it is right for you. These are our most tried-and-true products that have helped thousands of customers find relief. It is a great stepping stone to all of the other types of products and different strains/cultivars that are available as well!

As always, if you are a novice, please feel free to reach out to customerservice@ross.farm for more guidance in choosing hemp products that are right for you. We are limited in some of the advice that we are legally allowed to give (no medical advice etc) but we will do our best to help you navigate the exciting world of hemp!

3 Ways Hemp Might Help with Quitting Nicotine

 

January is a great time for many to cut out old, unhealthy habits and replace them with healthier ones! Every year, quitting smoking or vaping nicotine is among the top most popular resolutions for the new year, and for good reason. Quitting nicotine not only saves an excess of money, but can also help to save lives! What better way to start the new year than to kick nicotine dependence to the curb? 

 

Statistics on Nicotine Use

According to the CDC, smoking cigarettes is the leading cause of preventable death in the United States, accounting for more than 480,000 deaths every year. In recent years, vaping nicotine has become increasingly popular, especially among younger generations. In 2022, an astounding 1 in 4 high and middle school students claimed to use e-cigarettes, according to data from the National Youth Tobacco Survey. 

 

Why is it so hard to quit nicotine?

Nicotine is a highly addictive substance that is extremely difficult for users to quit. According to the Addiction Center, nicotine addiction is the most common addiction among Americans. Similar to hard drugs, nicotine use creates dopamine production and serotonin release within the brain, causing mood to be enhanced and the user to feel good within about 20 seconds. Also similar to hard drugs, once nicotine levels decrease, users begin to feel withdrawal symptoms that intensify until nicotine is reintroduced into the bloodstream and brain. 

3 Ways Hemp Might Be Able to Help by…

  1.  Reducing anxiety 

Anxiety and irritability are among the most common symptoms users experience when withdrawing from nicotine. Serotonin and dopamine levels are directly impacted by nicotine, so when those levels decrease during withdrawal, moodiness and anxiety often kick in. These fluctuations in mood can be overwhelming for the user going through withdrawal and are difficult to overcome. 

Scientists believe the main receptors in our body that hemp interacts with are the CB1 and CB2 receptors. These receptors are primarily found in the nervous system and it is believed that hemp may affect these specific receptors by altering serotonin. Research has shown that hemp products have been beneficial in improving mood and reducing stress for many. 

A study published in 2020 focused on the effects of hemp on patients who experienced pain as well as neurological and mental health issues. The findings were that after 3 weeks of hemp use, patients with non-cancer pain and mental health symptoms reported improvements in pain and mood levels. 

 

2.  Easing physical withdrawal symptoms

Along with mental and emotional symptoms, nicotine withdrawal also manifests itself as pesky physical symptoms. Physical discomfort including headaches, nausea and insomnia are all common during the quitting process. These physical symptoms can be debilitating for folks in the midst of withdrawal and can often prompt users to give up on quitting. 

Research has shown that hemp can be beneficial in reducing pain, inflammation and symptoms of insomnia for many. In a scientific study published by the Permanente Journal,  evidence shows that hemp helps tackle the root causes of insomnia, whether it be anxiety, or pain. The correlation between hemp and its effects on sleep is still being researched, but it is thought that hemp lowers cortisol levels in the body, thus acting as a sedative for those who struggle with sleep and experience high levels of cortisol at night. 

 

3. Altering the ritual

As mentioned previously, nicotine use greatly impacts the brain. Because so many smokers/vapers partake ritually before or after certain day to day activities, the brain begins to link certain actions with nicotine consumption. These specific day to day activities that are not avoidable (such as finishing a meal or a cup of coffee, taking breaks at work, driving for extended periods of time, etc.) and can often be triggering for people going through nicotine withdrawal. 

Replacing nicotine with all natural hemp products might be helpful in making it through withdrawal, especially for those experiencing frequent triggers throughout the day. Oral stimulation is commonly missed during withdrawal, therefore keeping candies and mints on hand when cravings arise can be especially helpful. Our edibles such as boujee bears or dream drops can aid in keeping hands and mouths busy, promote calmness and peace, all while potentially decreasing cravings.  In a study published in 2013, participants who were given hemp inhalers reduced their cigarette consumption by 40% whereas there was no change with those who received a placebo. 

Conclusion

Non-addictive and straight from mama earth, hemp might just be the answer in helping achieve quitting nicotine goals! We at Appalachian Standard are encouraging folks to embrace this year as the year of self-love, 2023 is becoming the year of 2020-me! We hope to be an ally and supporter for achieving all the health and wellness goals this year! 

 

Hemp Infused Golden Milk — A Healthy Winter Time Cocktail Alternative!

Trying to kick the booze this year, but dreaming of holding a delightful beverage that still greases the social gears?

Look no further! Did you know that hemp can actually help reduce anxiety (including that pesky social stress)? Imagine getting to socialize in your most lighthearted form, and still being able to remember it all the next day! What if you could get all of the relaxing benefits from a delicious drink while nourishing your body and soul?

This creamy, nutty delight will having you feeling warm and fuzzy!

Hemp Golden Milk Non Alcoholic Cocktail Recipe

Golden Milk at its most basic is milk that is infused with turmeric. Turmeric is known to have potent anti inflammatory properties due to a compound called curcumin – these benefits are well-known, as turmeric has been used in ayurvedic medicine for centuries!

Modern science has also backed this knowledge up by discovering specific antioxidant properties as well as antimicrobial properties of this amazing root.

This Golden Milk recipe brings in another heavy-hitter in the anti inflammatory world – full spectrum hemp tincture! By combining the health effects of turmeric with those of hemp, we get a drink that nourishes head to toe while tasting great, resulting in a relaxing calm and sense of well being.

This is the perfect drink for those January resolutions, whether that is taking a break from alcohol or simply part of a resolution to consume more food that is a gift to our body. The anti-inflammatory effects make it great for helping with pain or helping the body to heal itself, and the mood boosting properties of the hemp will have you feeling blissed out even on the dreariest winter day!

Hemp infused golden milk with turmeric non-alcoholic cocktail

The Appalachian Standard Greenhouse Blend tincture  is a perfect fit for this recipe because it is made with MCT oil derived from coconut oil which blends perfectly with the creamy coconut and almond milk base of this Golden Milk. The slightly earthy taste of the tincture works perfectly with the subtle spices of the other ingredients as well.

Hemp’s active compounds are only soluble in fats or solvents such as alcohol so a creamy drink like this is one of the best ways to metabolise these compounds for optimum effects!

Similarly, turmeric works best when bonded to a fat so the healthy fats in this drink are doing a lot of heavy lifting!

This recipe also adds in some other delicious and healthy ingredients like ginger, honey, cinnamon, and black pepper which all bring their own benefits to the party – black pepper notably contains piperine which is a compound that has been shown to synergistically increase the absorption of the curcumin in the turmeric.

RECIPE (makes 24 oz/ 3 Cups)

The recipe makes 24 oz and I like to drink it in 3 8 oz cup servings but you may want to drink 2 12 oz servings, etc. Dose based on how many servings you think you will get out of 24 oz.

I like to use a dose of tincture that contains 250mg spread out over 3 servings for roughly 80mg per cup.

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 Can of Light Coconut Milk, unsweetened
  • 1 ½ Cups Almond Milk, unsweetened (you can use sweetened but may want to lower the additional honey sweetening accordingly).
  • 2 Teaspoons turmeric powder
  • ½ Teaspoon Ginger powder
  • 2 Cinnamon sticks
  • 1 Pinch of ground black pepper
  • 2 Tablespoons of your finest honey 🙂
  • Appalachian Standard Greenhouse Blend tincture**

DIRECTIONS

To make the drink, all you will need is a saucepan and whisk or other stirring device.

  1. Simply combine all of the ingredients, except the tincture, and warm over medium heat for about 5 minutes. Keep stirring to mix everything up and prevent burning.
  2. Don’t bring it to a boil or even a simmer, just heat it up enough that all of the ingredients can make friends, without degrading the healthy goodness of its components. You will actually be able to see the drink turn a deep golden yellow as the powdered turmeric “wakes up” and binds to the fats in the drink!
  3. Once it is heated thoroughly, add the tincture and whisk well until fully combined (no oil floating at the top).

Tincture is added at the end because the active ingredients are already chemically bound to the MCT oil – all we need to do here is fully incorporate that goodness into the rest of the drink, without degrading the active ingredients with too much exposure to heat!

**Note: the amount of tincture needed is fully customizable depending on how much of the Golden Milk you plan to drink at once and what dosage you want to get out of each drink.

There are different concentrations of tinctures available but don’t fret – the label of tincture will tell you how much of the active ingredient is in each mL (one full dropper) and you can customize your dosage from there!

Easy as that! You can refrigerate this drink for up to a week to be reheated as needed. Enjoy while snuggled up under the blankets while winding down at night or as a hearty replacement for the morning coffee if that is something you are trying to cut back on this year. Hemp also greatly helps with sleep so this is a great nightcap drink as well, but it is so good for you that there is really no bad time to have a cup!

3 Ways CBD Can Help Make 2023 Stress Free

A Guide to Hemp Ingestibles

Hemp ingestible products are derived from the hemp plant and are either absorbed sublingually (under the tongue), or through the digestive tract. Many scientific studies show promising results regarding the daily use of hemp products and their effect on the endocannabinoid system which regulates many major systems and functions in the body. The idea is that compounds in the hemp plant interact with receptors in the endocannabinoid system (or ECS) and promote the ECS to remain in homeostasis causing improvement in symptoms of certain chronic ailments and helping bodily systems function seamlessly and at their highest potential. 

Different types of Hemp Ingestibles

 

Tinctures: Tinctures contain hemp extract oil and a carrier oil (such as MCT oil) that helps the hemp to be more bioavailable, or more easily absorbed by the body. Tinctures are absorbed fastest when dropped and held under the tongue for 30-60 seconds before swallowing. 

 

Softgels/capsules: Softgels resemble over the counter liquid gels that one might find in a drug store and are filled with hemp tincture. The only differences between tinctures and softgels are going to be that softgels are pre-dosed, and flavorless, whereas tinctures must be measured for the dosage and have a slightly hemp-y flavor unless other flavors are added. 

Edibles: Edibles are foods (usually candies) that are pre-dosed, made with extracted hemp oil and are absorbed through the digestive tract. They come in a wide variety of flavors and textures. Some of the most popular edibles are made in the form of gummies, lollipops, hard candies, and chews.

 

Ingestibles might be a good option for someone who…

 

-Has a chronic condition.

Consistency is key when it comes to taking hemp products and achieving desired effects. For folks who deal with ongoing chronic symptoms, taking an ingestible hemp product daily might help maintain homeostasis in their endocannabinoid system and to keep pesky symptoms at bay. Results are most effective when products are taken consistently, similar to a daily multivitamin or supplement. Pain, insomnia and anxiety are some of the most common conditions hemp products are sought after to help relieve. 

 

-Needs longer lasting relief.

 

Although every body metabolizes hemp differently, most effects from ingestible products last anywhere from 6 to 8 hours. For most people, the effects of combustible methods such as vaping and smoking typically kick in quickly (within about 10-15 minutes), but only last about two hours. People experiencing pain or needing help with sleep tend to prefer products that last longer. 

 

-Has asthma or other respiratory conditions that prevent one from smoking or vaping.

 

Unlike smoking and vaping, ingestible hemp products pose absolutely no risk of harm to the lungs. This is especially helpful for folks who deal with asthma, other chronic lung conditions, or who are simply sensitive to smoke. Ingestibles are also more discrete and convenient as most public spaces are not smoke or vape friendly and can be offensive to others.

 

-Needs a specific dosage.

 

All ingestible hemp products are either pre-dosed or easy to measure a specific dose (like tinctures). This can be helpful for someone who has just begun their hemp regimen journey to pinpoint their ideal dose for relief and stick to that dose consistently. Ingestibles are the only method where individuals can be fully aware of the dosage as it is difficult to accurately determine a specific dosage amount when someone is smoking/vaping hemp or applying a hemp topical product. 

Final Thoughts

Ingestible hemp products are some of the most popular ways in which people choose to incorporate hemp into their daily lives. In addition to their convenience, longevity in effects, and precise dosage, they boast a lengthy list of possible benefits and relief from several ailments and conditions which make them a great choice for hemp novices and experts alike. 

 

Here is what some of our customers have to say about our full spectrum hemp tinctures:

 

“I use this blend for chronic pain, and it helps lessen the aches. 10/10 recommend. I’m able to do a bit more than I used to, and I’m forever thankful.”

 

“Taken nightly, this has changed the game with my fibro pain. This helps me wind down at night and keeps my pain in check. If I go without it, I can definitely tell.”

 

An ESSENTIAL!! Can’t live life without it. I take this every night and it has changed my life. I struggle with severe OCD and anxiety and since using the tincture, my mental health has improved so much! Highly recommend!”

 

What is a COA and how do I read them?

One thing that really sets good CBD companies apart from the not-so-good ones is transparency regarding their products. Since there are not a lot of quality regulations in the CBD industry, not everyone follows best practices and standards. One way to know exactly what you are getting is to buy from a company that provides Certificates of Analysis for their products. Certificates of Analysis, or COA’s for short, are tests run by third party companies to test a CBD product and report exactly what is (and isn’t) in that product. Since the tests are done by separate companies that operate certified labs there is no way to cheat these tests or alter the results/findings. There are many types of these tests but arguably the most important would be a Cannabinoid Profile test. This tells you exactly what cannabinoids (the active compounds in a CBD hemp plant) are present and in what amounts. Armed with this information, customers can know exactly how much of the product to use to achieve the results they are looking for! At Appalachian Standard, we pride ourselves on testing all of our products and making that information available to all on our website.

Reading one of the results findings from these tests can seem daunting but it’s very straightforward. For reference, here is the cannabinoid profile results from Abacus flower. There are two columns, % and mg/g, which refer to how much of a specific cannabinoid is in the sample. % and mg per gram are functionally the same thing except that % refers to a number from 0-100% while mg/g references how many milligrams are in a gram of the sample (one gram is 1000 mg). Therefore the numbers are actually the same thing, just different by a multiple of 10. For example, Abacus contains 16.31% Max Active CBD which means that there are 163.1 grams of Active CBD in each gram of flower. Using this information, a user can extrapolate how much CBD is in a certain amount of the flower – half of 163.1 is 81.55 so that’s the amount in a half gram of flower. ¼ of 163.1 is 40.78, etc etc. Some CBD is lost in the process of smoking but this is a great way to have a baseline understanding of how much of the cannabinoid you will be consuming!

One thing you will notice is that there are lines for CBD as well as CBDA, and there are lines for THC and THCA. The -A on the end refers to Acid. CBD is cannabidiol and CBDA is Cannabidioilic Acid. You will find that CBDA is more present on the plant by far. CBDA and THCA are the chemical precursors to CBD and THC respectively. To convert them, some kind of energy is needed to break bonds which change them to their final form. This is why you have to smoke flower instead of just eating it, for example. The heat breaks down the molecule and allows the conversion to take place. Therefore the lines for CBD and CBDA and THC and THCA are functionally interchangeable. The CBDA number should be added to the CBD number to calculate the amount of total CBD on the plant. The COA also lists a number for “Total Cannabinoids” which is the sum of all of the different cannabinoids that are measured in the test.

One other thing to keep in mind is that there is a column for the “LOD (mg/g)” as well. This refers to the Level of Detail of the test. In the Abacus COA, this is either 0.2 or 0.4 mg per g (which means 0.02% or 0.04%). The LOD is the smallest detectable amount of the particular cannabinoid that the test can measure. If something is less than the LOD it means there is less than 0.02% or 0.04% present in the sample so it’s a functionally non-existent amount. For example, Delta 8 THC is one such molecule on the Abacus sample (and all of our strains actually).

Now that you are armed with the knowledge of how to read these scientific test results, you can really dial in which products work best for your needs and how much of them you will need to use to achieve desired results. Of course, please always feel free to reach out to customerservice@ross.farm if you have any questions about any of our products or our COAs!

Health & Wellness Tips and Tricks

Here at Appalachian Standard, we believe that everyone deserves to reach their highest potential of happiness and health in life. Sometimes all it takes is implementing small changes or additions to your daily routine to help better support your wellness journey. We are here to guide and support you every step of the way! Here are some quick ways you can get started on becoming the best YOU you can be!

  1. Stay hydrated.

It may sound simple- but did you know that up to 75 percent of Americans do not drink the recommended daily amount of water? Without adequate hydration, many major organ systems in the human body can begin to fail. According to the U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine, adequate daily hydration for men is about 15.5 cups of water per day and about 11.5 cups for women. Carrying around a reusable water bottle wherever you go can help make all the difference in getting your daily hydration in!

 

  1. Feed your endocannabinoid system.

Everyone has an endocannabinoid system that helps regulate several major bodily functions/systems. Sleep, mood, pain,  memory, stress, and immune function are all regulated by the endocannabinoid system. Cannabidiol (or CBD) and other cannabinoids found in the hemp plant interact with the endocannabinoid system and can help those bodily systems function to their full potential. Taking a CBD product daily is key in keeping that endocannabinoid system fired up. Tinctures are a great option to take daily and keep the CBD built up in your system. Check out this blog post on how to get started with a CBD regimen!

  1. Move your body.

According to the CDC, only 53% of Americans meet the physical activity guidelines for aerobic activity. Daily exercise boasts a lengthy list of mental and physical health benefits such as: managing weight, reducing risk of heart disease, helping with blood sugar management, improvement in mental health/mood, optimizing brain function, and improving the quality of sleep. It might seem daunting to carve out enough time for a full workout at the gym, but even taking short walks and using the stairs over elevators can make a big difference! It doesn’t really matter how you do it, as long as you get out there and move that bod!!

 

  1. Optimize gut health.

The largest immune system organ found in the body is the intestinal tract, where your gut microbiome is located. Digestion, inflammation and metabolism are all affected by the gut microbiome. Certain mental health and mood disorders can be caused by an unhealthy gut microbiome. You can easily improve your gut microbiome by altering your diet and incorporating more colorful fruits and vegetables, fiber, fermented foods, reducing stress and using pre-biotic and pro-biotic supplements. You might also consider our green juice powder which was designed to help fight inflammation and detoxify the liver, kidneys and gut.

  1. Stimulate the vagus nerve.

The vagus nerve is the longest cranial nerve that starts at the brain stem and runs down both sides of the neck and into the chest. It plays an important role in mood, breathing, immune response and digestion and is key in the regulation of the parasympathetic nervous system. The parasympathetic nervous system balances flight/fight/freeze responses, therefore stimulating the vagus nerve can help to switch back to the parasympathetic mode and achieve a feeling of calm during times of extreme distress when those primal instincts start to kick in. You can stimulate the vagus nerve by deep breathing, cold exposure such as finishing your shower with cold water, meditation, and massaging the feet, throat and ears.

 

If you have any questions about any of these wellness tips, or need more in depth guidance regarding any of our products, please feel free to reach out to us at customerservice@ross.farm!

The magical world of CBD Topicals!

CBD and your skin are a match made in heaven!

 

CBD can be ingested in so many ways, and a great way is through topicals! These are CBD products you apply directly to the skin and can include lotion, muscle gels, body oils, and of course salves! The Endocannabinoid System doesn’t only have receptors inside our body, but Endocannabinoid receptors are also located in our skin! This means topical application of Full Spectrum CBD can directly interact with the receptors in our skin.

Unlike regular topicals, CBD-infused topicals react with cannabinoid receptors in your body and in some cases can remove pain for longer periods of time! This is a great use of CBD’s anti-inflammatory properties which is what makes it effective for many people’s pain. Using topicals has the additional benefit of allowing a person to target a specific area that needs relief – think achy joints, sore muscles, menstrual cramps, even the neck and temples for relief from headaches!

 

Topicals generally start working 15-30 minutes after being applied, and the effects last anywhere from 2-4 hours. We have also found that these topicals have compounding effects when used on a regular basis over time.

 

In addition to relieving pain, CBD products can be especially useful after a long day of soaking up the sun! Let us introduce you to Southern Sun Body Mist, which is full of so so much goodness! One can use it year around for slightly toasty skin in the summer as well as chapped, dry skin in the winter. Southern Sun contains so many good things for the bod, including Aloe Vera, Witch Hazel, Jojoba…and of course, our full-spectrum hemp CBD goodness. So you will get relief from inflammation as well as a natural, non-oily moisturizer for your skin!