This post is written by and sponsored by our partners at Easy Feeling Wellness, a wellness company committed to enhancing the overall wellbeing of the active aging community and those seeking a natural approach to mind-body health. Growing Bolder has not independently verified the claims about CBD and its benefits included below.
By Stephanie McMahon
Co-founder Easy Feeling Wellness, San Juan Capistrano, California
I am a pushing-sixty Active Boomer who embraces the Wellness Movement, and hold the belief that “old” is at least ten years past one’s current age. I am really excited about recent scientific findings that genetics may play only a minor factor in longevity, and that each of us has a good chance to live healthily to 85 and beyond if we do the right things.
Can hemp CBD support vitality?
I am a pushing-sixty Active Boomer who embraces the Wellness Movement, and hold the belief that “old” is at least ten years past one’s current age. I am really excited about recent scientific findings that genetics may play only a minor factor in longevity and that each of us has a good chance to live healthily to 85 and beyond if we do the right things.
The “right things,” however, mean getting enough sleep (easier said than done!), committing to aerobic exercise regimens, frequently resulting in sore muscles and aching joints, and generally pursuing a full life, which can be fatiguing at times and often stressful. So. last year when a close friend introduced me to hemp extract CBD and how it can naturally address many of these issues, I was intrigued to learn more.
What is hemp CBD?
My first question was whether hemp CBD was a “here today, gone tomorrow” fad. I was surprised to learn that hemp has been used by humans for thousands of years, but decades back, it got lumped together with its infamous cousin, marijuana. That’s not surprising since both hemp CBD and marijuana are varieties of the cannabis plant, but the CBD that’s ubiquitous now in a range of common wellness products comes almost exclusively from harvested hemp. Unlike marijuana, hemp CBD does NOT get you “high” because it has less than .03% of THC – the intoxicating molecule found in marijuana (at an average of 15% – 20%!).
Is it really legal?
My next area of inquiry was whether or not hemp CBD is actually legal. I learned it is indeed legal at the federal level thanks to the 2018 US Farm Bill, which finally excluded hemp and its derivatives from the list of controlled substances. Esteemed groups such as the World Health Organization have declared it to be safe for the public. However, the Food and Drug Administration still has not yet ruled on the specific medical claims that can be made about hemp CBD, as major research studies are still underway.
Are Active Boomers like me using hemp CBD?
The FDA’s “foot dragging” has not stopped some forty million Americans from using hemp CBD, and of that group, half say they use it regularly and 42% of them have given up their prior prescription drugs, according to a survey by the Brightfield Group.
Like many trends, it has been the younger generations that have been the early adopters of hemp CBD. In fact, according to a 2018 Gallup Poll, some 20% of millennials use CBD versus only 10% of those of us over fifty. That may be changing, as a recent large survey by The Arthritis Foundation, whose membership skews to older generations, showed 29% already were using hemp CBD for pain and another 33% planned to use it over the next 12 months. Those findings led the Arthritis Foundation to publicly push the FDA to provide specific guidelines on hemp CBD, which it is expected to do in 2021.
Hemp CBD works (for me!)
I began my CBD journey with two products: 1) A hemp extract CBD energy drink mix that not only helps to alleviate my midday fatigue, but also has really aided with my post-cycling workout recovery 2) I also take a hemp extract CBD softgel capsule with melatonin that helps me get to sleep faster and enjoy a deeper and longer sleep cycle. I take both every day.
One of the most promising attributes of hemp CBD is that it’s been shown to have an anti-inflammatory effect as it interacts with our Endocannabinoid System (a system which helps us achieve a state of internal balance called “homeostasis”). As many are aware, medical science now views inflammation as one of the critical markers in the body that relates to almost every chronic medical condition, including chronic pain, heart disease, many cancers and diabetes. And it is hemp CBD’s natural anti-inflammatory effect that has many doctors excited about researching its potential applications for its use in the near future.
I’m all in
Fast forward to the future, and this native Southern California businesswoman has gone all in to bring the message of natural wellness and hemp extract CBD to my fellow Active Boomers. My company, which is headquartered in beautiful San Juan Capistrano, is called Easy Feeling Wellness and our motto is “Enjoy Every Day.” I believe CBD is one of the most important natural wellness products to come along in many decades, and it has helped me maintain balance, release tension and embrace a more full and happy life.
My hope is that you too will do some research on your own, and consider whether or not hemp CBD is also something that can enhance your everyday well being. While you are at it take a look at this short video we recently produced that provides an overview of our mission at Easy Feeling Wellness.
Use code “VIP50” for 50% off your order at EasyFeelingWellness.com
Stephanie McMahon
Co-founder Easy Feeling Wellness, San Juan Capistrano, California
