Hard to believe, but with the exception of HempLand® USA,
neither the public not companies selling CBD realized that CBD was not the real
hero in the continuing CBD saga. The real hero is your endocannabinoid system
(ECS). As stated in a previous chapter, your ECS is responsible for keeping
your body and mind in balance, vitally important. Many health problems are
related to an out-of-balance body and/or mind. The healing stories associated
with CBD, pain reduction, anxiety and stress reduction, better sleep, clearer cognition,
actually happen because of what CBD does for you ECS.
Let’s
now look deeper at you ECS. Cannabinoids are molecular neurotransmitters that
fit perfectly into your ECS receptors. When cannabinoids activate these receptors,
information is transferred between cells in an effort to maintain or restore
balance. CBD is a cannabinoid. THC is a cannabinoid. Here’s the strange part,
CBD doesn’t activate ECS receptors, THC does. CBD actually inhibits an enzyme
that breaks down something called anandamide.
The
name anandamide comes from the Sanskrit word for bliss, ananda. Anandamide is your body’s “bliss” molecule. That’s right
your body makes a bliss molecule! Anandamide is also your body’s primary
endocannabinoid, and it activates ECS receptors. When anandamide levels are
raided, as CBD does by inhibiting the enzyme that breaks it down, your ECS
functions better. All kinds of good things happen. For instance, pain reduction
and anxiety reduction are related to higher level of anandamide.
