Harmony Hub Health
Functional Medicine, Hormone Health and Weight Loss with Michele Postol, CRNP
Harmony Hub Health
Skip the Gummies - CBD Infusions are HERE!
Dive deep into the fascinating world of your body's hidden health hero: the endocannabinoid system. As your functional medicine guide, I'm pulling back the curtain on this remarkable regulatory network that governs everything from your mood and stress responses to pain perception and sleep quality. Despite its crucial role in maintaining bodily balance, most people have never even heard of it—until today.
The buzz around CBD is everywhere, but there's a critical distinction between the mass-produced products lining convenience store shelves and medical-grade cannabinoid therapy. Through evidence-based explanation, I break down exactly how CBD interacts with your endocannabinoid system without creating psychoactive effects. Unlike THC, which directly binds to CB1 receptors in the brain, CBD works through subtle modulation of multiple pathways, enhancing your body's natural ability to achieve homeostasis.
What truly sets CBD infusions apart from oils or gummies is their unmatched bioavailability. When delivered directly to your bloodstream, CBD bypasses the digestive system entirely—meaning you receive nearly 100% of the therapeutic compound compared to just 10-20% with oral consumption. This translates to faster, more effective relief for chronic pain, anxiety, sleep disturbances, and inflammatory conditions. Backed by compelling research from reputable journals, these infusions represent the cutting edge of personalized wellness support, delivered with precise dosing that meets your unique health needs. Ready to reset your body's internal balance? This might be the therapeutic approach you've been searching for.
Welcome to Harmony Hub Health, where my mission is to provide comprehensive, affordable, integrative care that addresses the root cause of health issues. At the Hub, the focus is on individual patient journeys. I strive to optimize health, vitality and longevity, fostering a community where each person can thrive in body, mind and spirit. As a functional medicine nurse practitioner, I'm all about looking at the body through a big picture lens. I don't just focus on symptoms, I want to find root causes. And when it comes to CBD infusions, I want to give you the science, the details and why they might be a game changer for your health. It's not just for chill vibes. So I'm going to break it down.
Speaker 1:Cbd has exploded in popularity over the last few years, with everyone from celebrities to wellness enthusiasts touting its benefits, from reducing stress and anxiety to easing chronic pain. Cbd is suddenly everywhere. But here's the catch Not all CBD is created equal. The stuff you find at gas stations and corner shops. Well, just proceed with caution when it comes to CBD. You want medical grade products that are rigorously tested and backed by science, not something mass produced with little oversight, because quality matters and medical grade CBD is carefully formulated to ensure purity, potency, consistency, to deliver the benefits you're looking for without all of that guesswork. Even big pharma has taken notice. There are over 15 different synthetic CBD formulations currently undergoing clinical trials. Well, the science behind CBD is too compelling to ignore. From reducing inflammation to regulating mood, cbd has proven potential, but only when used correctly and in the right formulation. So if you're looking to unlock the full benefits of CBD, don't settle for anything less than the best Medical grade.
Speaker 1:Cbd can help you tap into the power of your endocannabinoid system, known as your ECS it's your body's hidden health hero and restore balance. Naturally, if you're ready to dive in and learn more, let's get into the science behind the ECS and why it's key to better health. So what is CBD anyway? Cbd, or cannabinoidol, is one of the many compounds called cannabinoids. It's found in a cannabis plant, but unlike THC, which is tetrahydrocannabinol, the compound that gets you high, CBD doesn't cause any psychoactive effects. It won't make you feel like you're floating in a cloud of euphoria, but it does work its magic on your body and mind in some really profound ways, and I swear I'm not trying to give you the munchies so I can enroll you in one of my weight loss plans.
Speaker 1:I do want to get into the nitty gritty of the ECS, or the endocannabinoid system. It's the unsung hero of your body's internal regulation system. It's pretty much like your body's control center for maintaining balance or homeostasis, and it's involved in regulating everything from your mood to your metabolism. It may sound complex, but I'm going to break it down in simple terms, while keeping the nerdy detail still in there, because you know how I am. The ECS is a biological system in the human body composed of three main components that work together to regulate a wide range of bodily functions. It's found in every organ system, including the brain, your immune system, even your skin. Despite its importance, the ECS wasn't fully understood until relatively recently, especially when compared to the other systems like the nervous system or cardiovascular systems, though we've known for a long, long time.
Speaker 1:There's three key components of the ECS. One of them is the endocannabinoids. These are naturally occurring compounds in your body that act as messengers. They are similar in structure to the cannabinoids found in the cannabis plant, such as THC and CBD, but your body produces them as needed to keep things in balance. The two most well-known endocannabinoids are the anandamide, often called the bliss molecule. It helps with mood, pain regulation and appetite. Then we have the 2-AG. It's 2-arachidonylglycerol. It plays a role in immune function and inflammation.
Speaker 1:The second one are the cannabinoid receptors. These receptors are like locks and the endocannabinoids are the keys. They're located on the surface of cells throughout your body, especially in your brain and your nervous system, and the two main types of receptors are CB1 receptors and CB2 receptors. Cb1 receptors are found in the brain and your central nervous system. They're involved in regulating mood, memory, appetite and motor function. Thc binds to these receptors, which is why it causes that psychoactive effect. Cb2 receptors are found mostly in the immune system and the peripheral tissues, like your spleen, your lymph nodes and your GI system. These receptors help regulate inflammation and immune responses. Cbd affects these receptors indirectly, helping to calm inflammation and immune activation. Then the third one are the enzymes. Enzymes are responsible for breaking down endocannabinoids once they've done their job. The two main enzymes involved in these are one it's your fatty acid amide hydrolase, known as the FAAH, that breaks down the anandamide. And then we have the MAGL, or the monoacylglycerol lipase. This breaks down the 2AG. Now that you know all these components, we're going to talk about how they work together.
Speaker 1:The ECS helps your body maintain balance, also called homeostasis, which is a very fancy way of saying that. It keeps everything functioning within a normal range. The ECS monitors and modulates a huge variety of physiological processes, like your mood and stress. It regulates how your body responds to stress and emotional triggers, pain and inflammation. It helps to reduce pain, swelling and inflammation by influencing immune responses and neural pathways. Sleep modulating the sleep-wake cycle. You know it affects the quality and duration of your sleep. Then there's appetite and metabolism. It helps to control hunger and regulate your fat storage. Then there's memory and learning, you know playing a role in how memories are formed and retrieved. And then your immune system function, so balancing immune responses, preventing over activation that can lead to autoimmune issues. When your body experiences disruptions like stress, injury or illness, the ECS is there to help regulate the response. It's essentially your body's built-in regulatory system that maintains balance, like a thermostat, ensuring that everything stays in.
Speaker 1:So if you're wondering how CBD and THC interact with the ECS THC or that detrihydrocannabinol it's the psychoactive compound in cannabis. It binds directly to CB1 receptors in the brain. This direct binding results in that high that people feel when they use marijuana. Thc increases dopamine release that's the feel-good neurotransmitter, and this is why it has those psychoactive effects. Cbd, on the other hand, works a little differently. It doesn't bind directly to either CB1 or CB2 receptors, instead it modulates them. So it works by enhancing endocannabinoid activity, by preventing the breakdown of endocannabinoids, like anandamide, which can boost mood and reduce inflammation. And, you know, it influences other non-cannabinoid receptors, such as those serotonin receptors, which plays a role in reducing anxiety and promoting the feelings of calm. And it helps to regulate the immune responses through those CB2 receptors, without the psychoactive effects of THC. So this is why CBD has a much more subtle effect. It doesn't create that intense high that THC does, but it supports your body's ECS function, helping to regulate pain, your mood and inflammation in a very balanced and therapeutic way.
Speaker 1:When your ECS is out of balance whether it's because you have an injury, maybe you're stressed out or you got sick it can lead to a lot of problems. So some conditions associated with ECS dysregulation are arthritis, fibromyalgia so it's that chronic pain and inflammation, anxiety and stress disorders, sleep disorders like insomnia, neurological conditions like epilepsy and multiple sclerosis, digestive issues and irritable bowel syndrome, autoimmune diseases, because ECS modulates immune responses. And in these cases, you know, supporting the ECS with compounds like CBD can help restore balance and improve symptoms. So the ECS is a critical regulatory system in your body that affects almost every aspect of your health, from mood and pain management to immune function and sleep. It's responsible for keeping things running smoothly.
Speaker 1:You know, I always like to talk about myself, but we have a really good friend that has a shop and I love these CBD bath bombs. They're a little fizzy. You put them in the bath and anytime I use one, I sleep the rest of the night. So I can only imagine putting this in an infusion for you and don't worry, I'm going to be trying it first, as well as my husband, my favorite guinea pig. But by optimizing the ECS, you're essentially hitting the reset button on your body's balance. This is where CBD and other cannabinoids comes in. It helps support your ECS and brings your body back to equilibrium. I guess, in summary, the ECS is the unsung hero that regulates how your body reacts to equilibrium. I guess, in summary, like the ECS is the unsung hero that regulates how your body reacts to stress, injury, inflammation and more, and by supporting it through things like CBD infusions, you're giving your body the tools it needs to operate more efficiently. So next time someone mentions the ECS, you can really confidently say oh, I know what that system is that keeps my body's gears running smoothly.
Speaker 1:So CBD infusions can be helpful for a variety of people and conditions. I almost don't know anybody who couldn't use one right, but I'll give you a few examples. People with chronic pain If you're dealing with ongoing inflammation or pain like back pain, fibromyalgia, arthritis or really any itis, cbd can be a powerful addition to your treatment regimen. Stress junkies so if you have a high stress lifestyle that can really wreak havoc on your body systems, and if you're feeling the weight of anxiety, cbd can be an effective tool to bring balance back to ECS. If you're having sleep issues, if you can't seem to fall asleep or stay asleep, a CBD infusion might be exactly what you need to recalibrate your body's natural rhythms. Or if you're one of those inflammation warriors from autoimmune diseases to general inflammation CBD's anti-inflammatory effects can help manage these conditions more effectively. Or anyone just looking for a wellness boost If you just want to feel more balanced and grounded, a CBD infusion can support overall wellness by optimizing your ECS.
Speaker 1:The biggest question I've had is am I going to get high from it or will it show up on a drug test. No, cbd is very well tolerated. You can enjoy the calming and therapeutic benefits of CBD without feeling stoned or impaired. It's not going to show up on a drug screen. It also doesn't go without risks, though. These can include fatigue. Some people do report feeling a little sleepy after taking CBD, especially in higher doses.
Speaker 1:I do start at a lower dose for your first time to see how you tolerate it. It reminds me of the last pedicure I had, which I am going after this to get my next one. It's been a while, but I had something called a volcano pedicure. It was amazing, but it was a CBD pedicure. I almost fell asleep in the chair. I was so relaxed, it felt so good and now that I'm talking about it, I might get one of those again today.
Speaker 1:The other one is blood pressure changes. So CBD has been shown to lower blood pressure in some people, which can be beneficial if you have high blood pressure, but can also be a little concerning if you already have low blood pressure. So when I give my infusions, I do check a blood pressure in the beginning and then the first five minutes of the infusion is given pretty slowly. I check a blood pressure again before I speed it back up. Okay, and I'm not just talking about this because I think it's cool. I mean it is really cool.
Speaker 1:There was a lot of research that has come out about the benefits. There was a 2018 study published in Frontiers in Pharmacology that CBD has demonstrated potent anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving properties. It works by interacting the receptors in that ECS, helping to reduce the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines, making it particularly effective for conditions like arthritis, fibromyalgia and chronic pain. One study found that CBD reduced pain and improved mobility in patients with osteoarthritis just after a few weeks of use. Another one was research in the Permanente Journal. This was in 2019. It found that CBD significantly reduced anxiety in 79% of participants who received it as part of a treatment plan. Cbd has been shown to regulate serotonin levels, so it makes it a great option for managing anxiety and stress without the side effects of traditional medications and all of those chemicals. A 2019 study published in the Journal of Clinical Pharmacology showed that CBD improved sleep in individuals with insomnia by decreasing the time it took to fall asleep and increasing the quality of sleep. The study also indicated that CBD helps reduce symptoms of anxiety, which can often be a root cause of sleep disturbances. Research has also indicated that CBD may have neuroprotective properties, making it beneficial for conditions like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. There was a study in molecular neurobiology that showed CBD's antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties help protect the brain cells from degeneration. And then the JCI Insight found that CBD helped reduce blood pressure in healthy individuals by improving blood flow and reducing the body stress response. Cbd could potentially be a natural way to support cardiovascular health. So with all of this compelling research backing the therapeutic properties of CBD, it's clear that it's more than just a wellness trend.
Speaker 1:If you're struggling with pain, stress, sleep issues or inflammation, a CBD infusion might be the boost your body needs to feel balanced and rejuvenated. When it comes to CBD, the method of delivery makes all the difference. So you may have heard about taking CBD oil or gummies, but an infusion definitely is the most effective option. First, there's faster absorption, which means quicker results. When you take CBD orally, it has to pass through your digestive system and liver before it enters your bloodstream. This is known as first pass metabolism enters your bloodstream. This is known as first pass metabolism. It reduces the bioavailability of the CBD and, in simpler terms, your body absorbs less of the CBD and it takes longer to feel the effects. And imagine if you also didn't have a quality product. With an infusion, cbd goes directly into your bloodstream, bypassing that digestive system entirely. This means that it's absorbed much more efficiently, allowing you to feel the effects faster and at a higher concentration. Whether you're using over, pain relief, anxiety, sleep support, the infusion ensures that you get the most out of each dose.
Speaker 1:And I know while you're getting your infusion, I'm going to be sitting next to you jabber-jawing all about the benefits. There's also higher bioavailability. This refers to the amount of substance that enters your bloodstream and has an active effect on your body. The oral CBD has a bioavailability of 10 to 20%. That means the majority of the CBD is broken down and doesn't even make it to your bloodstream in any active form. Infusions, on the other hand, have a bioavailability of nearly 100%. That's right, 100% when CBD is infused directly into your bloodstream, so your body gets the full effect of every single drop. So if you're looking to maximize your CBD experience, an infusion is definitely the way to go. And I'm not even going to talk about those that have poor gut health, which is almost every single one of my patients. Right, with oral CBD, it would be really hard to know exactly how much you're getting, especially if you're taking a tincture or a gummy.
Speaker 1:Doses can vary and there's always risk of over or under consumption. Cbd infusions, however, allow me to do precise dosing tailored to your needs. Your healthcare provider can control the amount of CBD being delivered, ensuring that you receive the perfect dose for your specific health goals. Whether you need a small dose for stress or a large dose for chronic pain, an infusion can be customized to meet your needs. And oral CBD has to travel through your digestive system, where it can be affected by food, stomach acid and other factors that might alter its effectiveness. The presence of food, for example, can delay absorption, meaning it takes longer for you to feel the effects, and infusion just bypasses all of it.
Speaker 1:It delivers CBD right into your bloodstream for immediate absorption. No stomach acid, no digestive delays, just fast, effective relief. And for those that are dealing with chronic or severe conditions like chronic pain, epilepsy, high levels of inflammation, an infusion can provide immediate and sustained release. So, since it enters the bloodstream directly and works more efficiently, the effects are often felt more intensely and quicker, which can make a huge difference when you're dealing with intense symptoms. So, while oral CBD can really be effective. I'm not saying it's not effective.
Speaker 1:If you're looking for maximum benefit, immediacy and precise dosing, an infusion is probably your best option. You know, whether you're dealing with pain, anxiety, insomnia or inflammation, cbd infusions do provide the fastest, most efficient way to experience the full therapeutic effects of the powerful compound. You can book a consultation or a CBD infusion today with Harmony Hub Health. You can find me in person at Monarch Beauty and Spa and experience the therapeutic benefits for yourself. Whether you are looking to ease pain, reduce some anxiety or just give your body a little love, I'm here to support you every step of the way.
Speaker 1:While CBD infusions have shown promising benefits for pain, anxiety and sleep, this is not a one-size-fits-all miracle cure. Always consult with a qualified healthcare provider before starting any new treatment, especially if you're on medication. The information provided here is for educational and entertainment purposes only and should not be considered as medical advice. And remember CBD is great, but it won't turn you into a superhero. If you're experiencing serious medical issues, please seek professional care. Just because you're feeling more zen after a CBD session doesn't mean you should ignore your doctor. Stay safe, stay informed and enjoy the benefits of CBD responsibly.