Hello readers and happy monday.
Today I’m bringing you the wise voice of Alex Mevs, a kickass mom I connected with this summer who has a lot of info to share about CBD and hemp wellness. I absolutely love that she always comes from a place of education rather than promotion, offering support and information to so many mamas in need. But don’t take my word for it, check out what she has to say below and then head on over to her IG for more.
Finding your way back to you
CBD is not what you think it is
I am not one for cliches. I do not care for big, bold, fluffy statements. That being said, supplementing with clean, high-quality CBD can bring you back to the person you are meant to be, the person you know you are deep down. That is a big, bold, fluffy statement. I am now going to back that statement up with science.
All animals have a system in their body called the endocannabinoid system or ECS for short.
The ECS could arguably be the most important system for our health and well-being. The endocannabinoid system was not discovered until the 1990s and it is still only taught in about 13% of medical schools. Needless to say, the ECS is not talked about a lot, YET. The ECS can be found all throughout our body. It is responsible for balancing out all of the other systems such as the immune, nervous, and reproductive system. If you are saying to yourself at this point that this all sounds too unbelievable, hang with me.
If you haven’t already dissected the word endocannabinoid, it simply means our bodies own cannabinoid system. Our bodies produce their own endocannabinoids that keeps this system operating correctly which in turn keeps everything else in our bodies functioning at its best. Our bodies naturally can start to run low on our own endocannabinoids. The hemp plant produces its own phytocannabinoids that closely resemble our endocannabinoids so much so that they can fit into the receptors in our ECS. Supplementing with a clean, high-quality hemp flower extract aka CBD can nourish your ECS and allow your body and mind to perform at its highest level. This is why you may have heard that hemp flower extract or CBD can help people manage a wide range of struggles such as stress, anxious thoughts, pain, or sleep issues. What does this mean exactly? For example, if your cells are constantly sending signals of stress, a properly functioning ECS will manage those signals and put them in check. This will allow your body to actually relax, be able to properly fall asleep, remember to eat, and basically function as it should. If your ECS is depleted then it will not put those signals of stress in check and you may start to think that being stressed is actually part of personality, part of who you are.
Supplementing with a clean, high-quality hemp flower extract is not the only way to support your ECS.
Here are just a few more options:
-Consuming actual extra-virgin olive oil
-Cold exposure
-Omega-3 Fatty Acids
-Exercise (The runner’s high is thought to now be attributed to a release of endocannabinoids, not endorphins)
-Positive social interaction
-Yoga
-Breathing exercises
-Acupuncture
-Massage
I used the phrase hemp flower extract earlier because that is what the majority of people are talking about when they are referring to “CBD”.
CBD is actually just one of hundreds of cannabinoids found in the hemp flower (the flower of the hemp plant is the most phytocannabinoid rich part of the plant). Although CBD itself is beneficial, the most effective way to support your ECS is by using the entire hemp flower and all of its cannabinoids as nature intended. This is called the “entourage effect”. The single cannabinoid CBD just became a generic term for hemp flower extract. THC is also one of these cannabinoids which can be found in low concentrations in the hemp plant (one of the main differences between the cousin plants of hemp and marijuana). At the end of 2018, the Farm Bill was passed making hemp derived “CBD” with .3% or less THC content federally legal. Most hemp flower extract comes in two different options, full spectrum or broad spectrum. Full spectrum hemp flower extract contains the entire hemp flower and all of its cannabinoids including THC. Broad spectrum hemp flower extract contains the entire hemp flower and all of its cannabinoids excluding THC for folks who are not able to have any THC in their system at all. Although hemp derived CBD with .3% or less THC content is federally legal, current drug tests do not identify the source of THC if it pops up on a screening.
I made the decision to give hemp flower extract a shot to help manage my postpartum sleep deprivation and anxiety at the suggestion of a good friend.
I had already waited way too long to reach out for help since it had been ingrained in me that there is always a little suffering involved for mothers during the postpartum season of life. I wore my suffering like a badge of honor, like it somehow made me a better mom. I didn’t know there were options out there that could help me manage beyond the sitz baths and frozen pads soaked in witch hazel. Exercise and eating clean have always been a part of my identity. I knew I should have been doing these things to get my mental state in better shape. However, I was so tired and so anxious, for the first time in my life I could not muster up my usually annoying discipline to cook clean meals or put my running shoes on. Hemp flower extract gave me the jump start I needed to get back to a place mentally where I was ready to make better choices for my health. Hemp flower extract takes time to balance out our system. It is not something that you take and automatically receive a “feeling” from. Hemp flower extract is addressing the root cause of our issues and therefore it is a commitment. As I mentioned, I initially wanted to see an improvement in my sleep. I was still nursing and co-sleeping with my son at this time and the thought of putting anything in my system made me nervous. Hemp flower extract is not a sleep aid as it does not provide a sleepy feeling. As you all know by now, hemp flower extract is going to nourish your ECS which will allow your body to function as it should, sleep as it should. For the first time, I was able to go into my son’s dark, quiet nursery without dreading it. I knew I would be able to fall asleep naturally and easily and be able to wake up instantly when he needed to nurse. I also knew I would be able to fall back asleep quickly in between nursing sessions and not wake up groggy in the morning. I was no longer counting the days, feeling like each night I made it through was a huge victory. I was able to settle into a routine of having two kiddos and really start to enjoy it. I was so pleased and honestly blown away by the results after a few weeks. I had no idea that it was only going to get better.
Once my sleep improved, my mood and energy skyrocketed as well.
I started exercising and eating right, therefore improving my mental health even more. My postpartum anxiety slowly improved. The only other time that I had ever experienced anxiety was situationally at night when I would be alone. I classified this more as a “fear” and it was not something I had ever seeked help for. I always just thought it was a part of me just like some people are afraid of snakes or heights. My situational anxiety was pretty significant and not many people knew about it. My husband rarely went on solo trips or out with friends unless I had someone to stay with me. On the rare nights I did end up alone, I would not be able to sleep and my body/mind would go into panic mode. About 9 months into taking hemp flower extract on a consistent daily basis, my husband had to go on an overnight work trip. He brought it up as he usually does with caution and understanding, I simply replied, “Ok, sounds good” without thinking much of it. His reaction looked confused by my response. Usually even just the thought of having to stay alone overnight would put me on edge. It turns out that my “fear” of staying home alone at night was not me. It turns out I really am the independent, strong woman I always thought I was. It turns out my negative response to staying home alone had never been regulated. It turns out taking hemp flower extract allowed me to be my true self. This does not mean that I am 100% ok staying home alone now. Do I still look up every time I hear a noise? Yes. Do I still get a little nervous? Of course. But it is 100% manageable thanks to my ECS performing at its best.
Hemp flower extract helps you to find your way back to you.
Motherhood is extreme in every sense of the word. I have moms reach out to me with the simple request of not wanting to snap at their kids on a daily basis anymore. The request may seem simple, but it can be life changing. If at the end of every single day, you feel disappointed with how you handled yourself that can really wear on you. If you feel guilt and shame after each time you lose your cool, that can really wear on you. If you feel frustrated because you know you can do better, but just can not seem to stay calm, that can really wear on you. If you feel angry because you know this is not the mom you are meant to be, that can really wear on you. I know you can be that mom but not unless your body and mind are properly supported from the inside out. I know the science behind our ECS. But, the results I have experienced still seem like magic. We are in an exciting time where more and more research is being done on the hemp plant and its cannabinoids. Jump in and do your own research. You can reach out to me with your questions about hemp wellness as well. I also love to hear success stories about CBD so please share. I always say clean, high-quality hemp flower extract use is similar to exercise, it can benefit everyone if it is used consistently and correctly over time. I make sure to include the words clean and high-quality when talking about hemp flower extract. Since this industry is booming and unregulated (as all supplements are), making sure to find a trustworthy brand is so so important. Not all CBD is created equal. If you have tried CBD and it did not work for you, there very well could be easily identifiable and fixable reasons why. I am on Instagram @alexandra_mevs or can be reached by email at alexandramevs@gmail.com.
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