Forage Nature’s Pantry: Your CBD Source

Guest Blog Post by Diana Deissler, owner of New Leaf Midtown & Forage Nature’s Pantry

Hello, I’m Diana. You may have seen me before at McMinnville’s Favorite Dispensary, New Leaf Midtown. Now however, you are more likely to find me right next door at our sister CBD store Forage: Nature’s Pantry. What’s CBD? Well come on inside to our enchanted forest and I’ll help you learn a thing or two!

Yes cannabis and hemp are the same but also different. Cannabis is bred for it’s high THC content (the psychoactive component that will get you high, yet also has medicinal purposes) and Hemp is highest in  CBD or other non-psychoactive cannabinoids like CBG (the non-psychoactive components that will not inhibit your mental state).

Hemp has been well known for its use as a textile or for rope, but that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Hemp and cannabis have been found in ancient burial tombs in China and have been well documented as being used as a medicinal herb or in spiritual rituals for thousands of years. It can be made into biodegradable plastics and paper materials as well. Hemp can be grown for a number of different uses. It has a very fibrous structure which makes it very useful and sustainable for industrial use purposes, and it also pulls toxins from the soil. This is the reason why the SOURCE for your hemp is very important when choosing a CBD product to ingest or use topically. Hemp SEEDS are a great, full protein source but contain no CBD or cannabinoids. CBD (Cannabidiol – a cannabinoid) is sourced from the roots, stems, and leaves of the plant. Here at Forage, all of our CBD is sourced from Oregon because of the high growing standards that the legal cannabis industry helped instill, as well as because of our excellent growing conditions.

Because our family has grown cannabis and worked in the trenches of this industry for years now, sourcing the best and cleanest CBD for Forage has been a high priority for us. One can grow hemp like any plant, or one can grow hemp with medicinal use in mind and tend to it  more organically. Intention is everything.

How can CBD help you? Our bodies have what’s called an Endocannabinoid System, which is a complex cell-signaling system identified in the early 1990s by researchers exploring the THC cannabinoid. So far, studies have shown that it plays a role in regulating a range of functions and processes, including: sleep, mood, appetite, memory, reproduction and fertility. The ECS exists and is active in your body even if you don’t use cannabis. Our bodies make our own molecules called endocannabinoids and there are two main receptors for them in the ECS, CB1 (receptors, which are mostly found in the central nervous system) and CB2 (which are mostly found in your peripheral  nervous system, especially immune cells). Research has linked the ECS to the following processes:

Appetite and digestion

Metabolism

Chronic pain

Inflammation and other immune system responses

Mood

Learning and memory

Motor control

Sleep

Cardiovascular system function

Muscle formation

Bone remodeling and growth

Liver function

Reproductive system function

Stress

Skin and nerve function

Experts today believe that the main role of the endocannabinoid systems to maintain HOMEOSTASIS – Homeostasis is any self-regulating process by which an organism tends to maintain stability while adjusting to conditions that are best for its survival. If homeostasis is successful, life continues; if it’s unsuccessful, it results in a disaster or death of the organism.

I know, that’s a lot to digest. Pretty cool though right? Your cat, dog, and horse also have an endocannabinoid system! So CBD can help them too!

The only other thing to know off-hand are the different ways that CBD is processed for the items we carry at Forage.

CBD Isolate – Highly refined and the most pure and processed form of CBD but not necessarily the most effective in this state. Higher dosage is required.

Broad Spectrum CBD – Contains virtually everything from the plant including natural terpenes, but removes any THC and psychoactive components. Medium dosage is required.

Full Spectrum CBD – Contains virtually everything from the plant including natural terpenes, flavonoids, and other beneficial plant compounds. It is the most pure and unrefined version of CBD. Selective plant breeding allows the full advantage of the plant with THC no higher than 0.3%. Lower dosage is required, and has been the least processed.

Entourage Effect: Full-spectrum CBD containing additional cannabinoids, terpenes, and flavonoids promotes increased efficiency and  significantly higher relief and health benefits (according to a 2015 study). Scientists call this THE ENTOURAGE EFFECT.

So what’s the best choice for you? That’s up to you. Every BODY is different and has different needs. In these stressful times though, it seems highly beneficial to incorporate CBD into your everyday wellness routine whether you’re treating aches and pains, or overwhelming stress and sensory overload, or wanting to boost your immune system. Connect back to yourself and balance with the help of our plant friends!

This info has not been approved by the FDA and is not meant to be medical advice. I’m just planting the seed of curiosity! I should also mention we are technically a CONVENIENCE STORE and sell other things like drinks, snacks, locally made candles, mugs, and tea, plus  smoke supplies and locally blown glass! We are hoping to keep growing and can only do so with the support of locals like you! Thanks for  your time!

Much Love and Take Care,
Your hemp fairy – Diana