GUIDE TO CBD

What is CBD?

Cannabidiol (CBD) is one of the main phytocannabinoids found in Cannabis plants. In contrast to tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), CBD is not psychoactive, so it won’t give you the ‘high’ that is commonly linked to cannabis use. CBD can actually lower the side effects of THC consumption. This molecule interacts with the endocannabinoid system, which is crucial to maintaining the balance of your system and regulates important physiological functions in the body.

CBD is totally legal to trade, consume, and possess in the UK.

How does CBD work?

When consuming CBD oils in the form of your choice you might feel more relaxed, focused, sleep better or feel relief. It’s due to the effects CBD has on your endocannabinoid system that is deeply embedded in your body, mainly in your brain, guts, and immune cells. In a nutshell, the role of the system is to regulate the activity of the cells, so if any cell is sending too many signals or too little, natural cannabinoids in your body send a signal to bring homeostasis back. Experts in the field suggest that CBD can act as a tonic on the ECS, improving its balancing properties.

Our bodies and the endocannabinoid system are remarkably advanced and complex. Several studies alongside a myriad of stories from our community have shown amazing effects on the quality of our lives. It all comes from the fact that CBD can modulate the endocannabinoid system which is crucial for keeping your bodies organised and in balance.

However, thousands of smart scientists are trying to figure out the precise biological mechanism that is behind the interaction between our bodies and this amazing plant - cannabis. Since the discovery of the endocannabinoid system about 30 years ago, the scholars have made enormous progress and keep coming up with more detailed explanations on how CBD works.

ENDOCANNABINOID SYSTEM

What is endocannabinoid system?

Despite playing a huge role in general health and well-being, the Endocannabinoid System (ECS) had been mostly unknown to people until the early 1990’s.

The ECS can be found in the human body, mostly throughout the nervous system, and plays a key role in homeostasis or in balancing the body’s system by regulating many natural body processes, such as:

• appetite

• sleep

• inflammation

• pain sensation

• mood, memory

• reproduction and fertility

 The ECS is made of many different factors, including endocannabinoids, receptors, and enzymes. 

Cannabinoids receptors 

Two major cannabinoid receptors found throughout your body are CB1 and CB2. The majority of CB1 receptors are located in the brain (central nervous system), but also in the lungs, liver, or gastrointestinal tract. CB2 receptors are mostly present in the immune system.

Endocannabinoids activate CB1 and CB2 receptors by binding to them. This is based on a key-lock mechanism. The effects vary based on the location of the receptor and type of endocannabinoid. For example, activation of CB1 receptors in the brain have a pain relieving effect, and CB2 would activate a specific part of the immune system which is designed to defend the organism against disease or injury.

Endocannabinoids

Endocannabinoids are molecules naturally produced by your body. They’re similar to cannabinoids (compounds found in cannabis).

Two key endocannabinoids have been identified:

• Anandamide (AEA)

• 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG)

These take part in helping to regulate the body’s systems. Your body produces them as necessary.

Enzymes

Enzymes are responsible for breaking down endocannabinoids once they’ve carried out their function.

There are two main enzymes responsible for this:

• fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH), which breaks down AEA

• monoacylglycerol acid lipase (MAGL), which typically breaks down 2-AG

THC vs CBD

Both CBD and THC are chemically similar to the body’s own endocannabinoids. This allows them to more efficiently interact with your cannabinoid receptors. Although they have similar chemical structures, CBD doesn’t produce the sort of ‘high’ common to the use of THC, which binds directly to the receptors, mimicking the effect of natural endocannabinoids. If you ingest too much too often it may produce negative effects, such as anxiety or a condition similar to aggregate psychosis. Conversely, CBD doesn’t attach directly to the receptors, in the manner of THC, but allows your body to produce more of its own natural cannabinoids. Therefore, CBD doesn’t evoke the negative psychological effects often associated with THC, and it might even ameliorate the anxiety commonly linked to its use or abuse.

Phytocannabinoids

The Cannabis plant consists of more than 200 different terpenes and over 110 cannabinoids that are unique to this plant.

What are terpenes you may ask?

Terpenes are a large group of organic compounds, found in many plants mainly in essential oils or resins. They often create intensive smells in plants. One of them, limonene, creates the characteristic smell of lemons, or pinene - signature smell of pine tree. Both of them can be found in cannabis as well. Terpenes also have a positive effect on your body functioning, for example pinene boosts your short term memory or limonene enhances your mood. CBD can be extracted from cannabis plant as a single component (isolate), however there is scientific evidence suggesting that combinations of all terpenes increases balancing properties of CBD. When you supply yourself with the full spectrum oil that contains all the terpenes instead of one isolated component, they all cooperate together in what is known as ‘the entourage effect’.

What does CBD do to you?

When your ECS is imbalanced your whole body, mood, appetite, digestion, and your daily productivity can be affected and dysregulated. It is more difficult to progress and achieve all your daily tasks when you’re feeling out of the loop. Though we attribute the positive effects to CBD it is more accurate to say that CBD allows your body to balance itself. Cannabidiol does not attach to cannabinoid receptors therefore there isn’t any high effect from using it. CBD is believed to allow your body to produce more of its natural cannabinoids that last longer in your system. As you already know endocannabinoids are related to important functions of your body.

How is HOIL made?

1. Sawing

Our industrial Hemp is grown on ecological soils using specially selected varieties of hemp, thanks to which our products are free from contamination.

2. Harvesting

We select only cannabis sativa varieties that are naturally low on THC (less than 0.2%) and high on precious CBD and other valuable terpenes. After 3 months of growing, once the plants ripen, we carefully harvest them to begin oil extraction.

3. Low pressure extraction technology (LPE)

Simply put, cannabis oil made using Low Pressure Extraction is as true to the original product as possible. Our oil extracted from the fresh plant is pure without any traces of solvent. One of the unique parameters characterised by LPE extraction is that 90% of unwanted plant waxes are not extracted. This allows us to avoid the purification processes needed by CO2 extraction which would allow terpenes contained in the hemp to escape. Oil extracted with supercritical CO2, that uses high pressure and high temperature, contains almost everything from the plant including elements you don’t want in your oil and this is why more purifying processes are required afterwards.

4. Bottling & labeling

Ready Full Spectrum CBD oil is bottled under sterile conditions and prepared to be delivered to restore your balance.