By now, you’re well aware of the fact that a potentially dangerous virus is spreading throughout our country. Many of us are experiencing quite a bit of anxiety as we stay glued to the news in order to find out whether or not COVID-19 has entered our community. We’re also anxiously awaiting new instructions from our leaders as to what must be done in order to slow down the spread as effectively as possible.
Needless to say, we’re all wondering what we can do to prevent infection of the virus. Even if we’re in a low-risk group, we acknowledge that we must be extremely careful in order to avoid passing the virus to someone who could experience severe complications from the disease. Now, the reality is that practicing social distancing and maintaining good hygiene practices can dramatically reduce your risk of catching the coronavirus, and many of us are already doing these things as preventative measures.
What Else is Out There that Could Possibly Help us as the Virus Continues to Spread?
If you’re reading this article, there’s a good chance that you’re at least familiar with CBD. During this time of heightened concern regarding our health, we recognize that we have the responsibility to only share with you factual, science-backed information regarding hemp and what it can potentially do in terms of the immune system. So, today we will be focusing on a number of studies that relate to the situation at hand.
CBD: What it Is and How it Works
Before we get into the studies that are out there, we want to quickly discuss the endocannabinoid system so that you can get a better picture of how CBD works when it’s consumed. CBD is just one chemical compound native to the hemp plant, and most CBD products actually contain a variety of hemp compounds. So, when we discuss CBD today, we’re actually referring to the full variety of compounds native to hemp.
CBD belongs to a class of compounds called cannabinoids, of which there are many in hemp. Cannabinoids are highly unique because they feed the body’s endocannabinoid system which can potentially regulate the function of bodily systems. There are cannabinoids within the immune system, as well as other systems like the endocrine system, the cardiovascular system and the digestive system. Each cannabinoid seems to offer something unique and potentially useful to the endocannabinoid system, which is why many hemp users seek out the full variety that occurs in nature.
Then, there are terpenes and flavonoids, which are two other classes of compounds that offer a wide array of unique properties. It’s believed that when all of these hemp compounds are consumed at once as nature intended, so to speak, we can experience the entourage effect, which means that each compound essentially multiplies the efficacy of the others’ properties. So, how do we consume all of these compounds at once? By taking full spectrum hemp extract, which is widely available in most CBD product formulations.
CBD for Viruses? What the Studies Say
Now, let’s talk about the potential relationship between CBD and viruses. Like we said earlier, there are cannabinoid receptors in the immune system, and that in and of itself is a fascinating bit of information.
Next, let’s move onto the clinical studies that are widely available. One particularly interesting study discussed the way in which CBD may have an effect on the body’s response to viruses on a cellular level. And, there have been peer-reviewed studies on CBD’s potential effects on specific viruses such as viral hepatitis.
So, here’s the thing – as of now, there have been no studies testing CBD on viruses in humans, only animals. And, as you would expect, there is currently no scientific evidence that shows a link between CBD and COVID-19. In times of anxiety, many businesses like to profit off of public fears by making claims that they cannot scientifically back up. Simply put, we don’t do that, because it’s irresponsible. Instead, we aim to provide what information is available, and allow readers to take it from there.
Taking CBD Properly: What You Need to Know
Now, if you’re going to start a daily hemp regimen, it’s important that you do it right. So, we’ve provided some useful tips for getting started.
Tip #1: When it Comes to CBD, Quality is Everything
First things first – not all CBD is equally high in quality. Luckily, almost every company offers third-party lab reports where you can easily verify the purity and overall quality of the CBD that’s being sold.
Tip #2: Consistency Tends to Yield More Desirable Results
We know that CBD seems to be more useful to the body when it’s taken consistently as part of a routine, with daily use being ideal. So, if you can, try to take the same dose each day, at least for a couple of weeks.
Tip #3: Your Milligram Strength Makes a Difference
The milligram strength of your CBD product refers to how potent it is, and higher milligram strengths are better for more severe situations as well as higher body weights.
Tip #4: Full Spectrum is the Way to Go
Like we said earlier, each compound that occurs in the hemp plant offers something unique thanks to its individual variety of plant properties. So, we suggest going with full spectrum CBD, as this provides you with the full array of hemp compounds at once.
Final Thoughts
We know that CBD has the potential to do many fascinating things within the body, and this is because of the unique variety of cannabinoids, terpenes and flavonoids found within the hemp plant. Given the potential that CBD does have, we believe that it can never hurt to make it part of your daily routine if you’re trying to do all that you can to stay healthy. Use the guide above to ensure that you use CBD properly to get the most out of what its array of compounds have to offer.