You South Africa ABC of CBD

BACK when we were kids, my late grandmother used traditional remedies for every ailment under the sun. Sore throat? Jamaica ginger and honey. Tight chest? Rooilavental and sweet oil. That’s not to say she shunned modern medicine. When my uncle contracted tuberculosis as a young man, she brewed Artemisia afra (also known as wilde als or African wormwood) tea and forced him to drink it along with the antibiotics the doctor prescribed. Natural remedies weren’t only easier on the pocket, she believed, they also helped boost the body’s defence system in a more natural way. Throughout history plants have been used for their many health benefits, yet up until a few years ago most people had never even heard of CBD. Now it’s one of the biggest wellness trends in the world. Cannabidiol (CBD) is…

LET’S GET DOWN TO THE NITTY GRITTY: IS IT DAGGA? MARIJUANA, pot, weed, grass, 420, ganja, dope, herb, spliff, joint, blunt, reefer, Mary Jane, buds, chronic, skunk, boom, broccoli, and dagga – these are just a few slang terms for cannabis. But this magazine is not about dagga. This magazine is about CBD, a part of the plant that is increasingly used in homes across the world. CBD has in recent years become the rising star ingredient of the plant, thanks to its capacity to deliver mental and physical benefits. Although CBD is part of the cannabis plant, this magazine is not about getting buzzed. You see, not all weed gets you high. Yes, you read that right. In its raw state, CBD might look a lot like pot, but it’s not. The chemical compound in cannabis that does…

IT’S on shelves at the grocery store and all over social media, celebs are into it and you may even have a friend or two using it. CBD is certainly becoming trendier by the day and it’s now so mainstream more retailers are stocking various types of products. But even though CBD items seem to be popping up all over the place you might not have the faintest clue exactly how it works. You’re not alone. Although most of us know it’s somehow related to cannabis, not many of us actually know what it is or what it does. The rising trend has made many curious and there are plenty of people using the many options on the market. But there’s still a lot of hesitation around using CBD because of its association…

Your body has cannabinoid (CB) receptors – and it’s these receptors that are affected by cannabinoids such as CBD and THC. There are two types: CB1 and CB2 receptors. The CB1 receptors are primarily located on nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord, but they’re also found in some peripheral organs and tissues such as the liver, kidneys, white blood cells, endocrine glands and parts of the reproductive, gastrointestinal and urinary tracts. The CB2 receptors are found mainly on white blood cells, in the tonsils and in the spleen. CBD and THC have the exact same molecular structure, but experts say a slight difference in how the atoms are arranged accounts for the differing effects on your body. This might explain why CBD doesn’t make you high. CBD works on different and still somewhat…

The CBD found in gummies, oils and balms has first gone through an extraction process. There are many ways to extract cannabinoids from plant material but these are the two most common ways to do it. The carbon dioxide extraction method Carbon dioxide (CO2) is a versatile gas with a variety of commercial uses, including extracting compounds from plant matter. Using a pressurised chamber, called a closed-loop extractor, CO2 gas is compressed until it becomes a liquid. The liquid is forced over the cannabis material where it strips away cannabinoids such as CBD. The entire solution is brought back to temperatures and pressures at which the CO2 reverts to gas and evaporates, leaving behind the CBD extracted from the cannabis plant material. The solvent extraction method This method also uses a closed-loop system and a…

ONE friend says CBD capsules help her sleep better, another uses the cream to treat a skin rash, and even the neighbour’s grizzled old dog has a new skip in his step since he’s been getting a few drops of CBD oil every day. It might feel as if everyone you know has tried this hit herbal remedy except you. But don’t just rush out and buy the first product you find. The CBD (cannabidiol) market is booming right now, and the wide variety of products can be overwhelming. Here are a few things you need to know before deciding which product is best suited to you. IS IT SAFE? Safety and quality should be your top priority, says Sean Willard, a pharmacist and cannabis expert from wellness products supplier Releaf Phar-maceuticals in Paarl, Western…