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Hemp products
As an integrative functional medicine practitioner, Dr. Dagmara Beine of Zuza’s Way Integrative Care is frequently asked by her patients, “If you have to choose just one daily nutritional supplement, what would be your favorite?”
Her answer is always “full spectrum hemp oil.” While cannabidiol (CBD) is one of the most commonly sought-after hemp products, Beine notes that CBD is just one of many beneficial cannabinoids in hemp. (Hemp is the cannabis plant selectively bred to contain less than 0.3% THC, the current federally legal limit.)
“Although CBD is the cannabinoid that’s been studied the most, the hemp plant has 90-plus cannabinoids that are undergoing studies, including tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), in small, legal percentages,” Beine says. Full spectrum hemp oil contains cannabinoids such as cannabigerol (CBG), which she praises as effective for acute and chronic pain.
Full spectrum hemp oil can be ingested daily to fight inflammation, but it’s also considered an adaptogen, Beine explains. “Adaptogens are classified as herbs that help the body deal with stress. I like to utilize full spectrum hemp oil as a daily supplement in smaller doses for stress relief.”
Beine has a master’s degree from Marquette University’s Physician Assistant Studies program. She has a Ph.D. in Functional and Integrative Medicine from Quantum University, based in Hawaii. Her own family has used full spectrum hemp oil for wellness. Three years ago, she and her husband Ryan—also a physician’s assistant—started Twister River Farms. They grow hemp with organic methods and have a line of products for adults and children.
Full spectrum hemp oil can alleviate nausea and anxiety for cancer patients during their course of conventional treatments, Beine says. “It’s also my go-to for helping patients fall asleep and stay asleep. There’s new research coming out to show that full spectrum hemp oil can help improve gut health.” Psychological stress can lead to dysfunction of the small intestine, and full spectrum hemp oil can help heal the gut.
The Body’s Endocannabinoid System
All mammals have an endocannabinoid system. “It’s goal is to promote balance, or homeostasis, in the body. It does that by regulating all sorts of body systems that affect sleep, mood, pain and immune response,” says Kate Johnson, a former attorney and owner of Madison-based Your Kush Coach.
As a self-professed “cannabis nerd,” Johnson has used cannabis in one form or another for more than 25 years to manage symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder and as an alternative to alcohol. She’s a Certified Cannabis Educator and a Certified Cannabis & Health Coach through the Cannabis Coaching Institute, and a Level 1 Professional Interpener—a cannabis sommelier—through the Trichome Institute.
The endocannabinoid system has receptor sites that act as locks, Johnson explains. When the body is signaling it is out of balance through pain, anxiety, digestive issues or lack of sleep, the cannabinoids from the cannabis plant act as keys that unlock the endocannabinoid system to help restore balance.
Beine adds that the body produces its own cannabinoids, but our ability to make enough healthy cannabinoids to keep body systems running smoothly are often disrupted by disease processes or life stressors.
Finding Quality Products
The hemp market remains largely unregulated. “It’s still a game of hot potato between the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Food & Drug Administration,” cautions Johnson. “To date, nobody is checking on how hemp is grown, how it’s processed, or how much CBD is actually in that $70 dollar bottle of oil.”
A certificate of analysis (COA) should come with any quality hemp product. “The COA proves that the product has been lab tested. It should match what the label says,” Johnson explains. The COA is available through a QR code or a paper copy included with the packaging. It should show that the product was tested for potency, THC content, pesticides and heavy metals.
“The hemp plant is a bioaccumulator, meaning that it readily sucks up contaminants out of the soil,” Johnson says. “Look for products grown organically and in the United States.” Johnson is an affiliate partner of Healer, founded by Maine-based Doctor of Osteopath Dustin Sulak, a renowned endocannabinoid doctor in the cannabis space.
Because there is no standard dosage for hemp-derived products, Johnson notes users have to do some math when calculating effective dosages for their individual needs and goals. Trusted cannabis experts can help guide users toward that “Goldilocks zone” to get the most effective results from their hemp products.
“Your money will go a lot farther on a product if you know how to use it,” Beine concludes.
For more information, visit zuzasway.com, yourkushcoach.com.
