Issue link: http://www.bodysensemagazinedigital.com/i/1225677
Defi nitions Cannabis—a flowering plant (Cannabis sativa L.) that has been used for fiber, food, and medicine for the last 12,000 years. CBD (cannabidiol) —a naturally occurring compound found in the resinous flower of the cannabis plant. Generally assumed to be safe and nonaddictive, CBD is one of more than a hundred phytocannabinoids in cannabis. To be classified as CBD and sold legally, and across state lines, it must not have more than 0.3 percent THC within its formula. Hemp—cannabis plants with 0.3 percent or less tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). Marijuana—cannabis plants with more than 0.3 percent THC. Information provided in part by Project CBD: www.projectcbd.org/cbd-101/what-is-cbd Why I Use CBD for My Massage Clients "A female client of mine, in her mid- 50s and living with multiple sclerosis, responded favorably to the CBD topicals we used in her massage. For the previous five years, this was a client I would see weekly for symptom mitigation. When we started using the topicals, many of her symptoms declined significantly. She reported that the feeling of pea gravel in her legs, and her neuropathy, diminished greatly. A retired stone mason in his late 80s was another one of my "a-ha" clients. He testifies that my massages have always been helpful, but now he swears he won't ever get a massage without CBD topicals again. Between the success of these clients, in particular, and my own personal alleviation of pain in my hands and wrists, the results of using cannabis-infused topicals kept me interested in learning more." Julie Crispin, massage therapist and CBD educator Most massage-oriented CBD products are derived from hemp, and, as a result, have minimal—less than 0.3 percent—THC. CBD Benefi ts • Reducing pain and inflammation • Reducing or eliminating seizures • Treating anxiety • Managing mental illness as an antipsychotic agent • Reducing muscle spasms and spasms of the small intestines • Protecting the nervous system—managing dementia and Parkinson's disease • Use with THC in autism and poststroke care • Reducing the undesirable effects of THC, such as inebriation, sedation, and racing heart 13