The health & wellness community is buzzing with excitement over the potential benefits of cannabis, especially in the athletic industry. With the rise of innovative products like lotions, recovery drinks, and supplements, it’s no wonder that investors and consumers alike are hopping on the bandwagon. But what exactly are these products, and how can they help with everything from pain relief to stress reduction?
These days, it appears that more and more people are welcoming the use of (legalized) marijuana. No longer is it relegated to hippies or stoners; everyone one from your grandmother to your dentist seems to have found a benefit from the plant. Investors have been hopping on this wave to capitalize off dispensaries, wellness companies, and medicinal products for the last few years with no plans in sight to stop. Now, it is marking its territory in the health and wellness kingdom. Between supplements, recovery drinks, topical creams, and lotions, cannabis may serve a purpose in your lifestyle. Let’s take a look at how it may help.
LOTIONS Some medical grade CBD products are claiming to reduce inflammation within the body and ease muscle and joint pain, similar to many OTC menthol creams available on the market now – albeit a more natural alternative. One of our favorites? Dr. Solomon’s lotions, balms, and drops. Their transdermal lotions contain both THC and CBD, providing emergency relief by penetrating the skin’s barrier to hydrate and alleviate chronic pain in a targeted area. Looking for something a little less intense? Try their less concentrated balms that have targeted, concentrated, but low-impairing relief. Their drops are the most direct way to absorb the product. You can put them under your tongue or into food and drinks, some containing both CBD and THC, or just CBD alone. The brand always recommends starting slow and working your way up to achieve optimal results.
Recovery drinks By recovery, I also mean energy, focus and relaxation. The brand Wnder carries CBD drinks to suit all of your needs. Offering four different varieties, they encourage different drinks at different times of day to optimize results. Starting with the Breakfast Club which boosts energy and focus, customers are encouraged to drink this early morning. The ginger flavor will give you that zing to wake up your taste buds, and ingredients llike vitamin B12 are perfect for brain power to kick start your day. Moving on to mid-morning, their Born to Run beverage is targeted for balance and recovery. Science-backed testing helped creators come up with a fusion of more B vitamins and L-Theanine to help you stay focused throughout the day. All drinks promise twenty milligrams of CBD and no THC, ever. Moving on to later in the day, their energy-type drink curbs the afternoon slump we all tend to feel. Ingredients that are new to me – Schisandra, a fruit extract serving as a natural brain boost, and Gotu Kola, an herb to help you stay focused – are the stars of this show. Lastly, our evening time sipper, Night Moves, embraces ashwagandha to fight stress and chamomile to pave the path to a good night’s sleep. These beverages may be good to consider instead of the typical energy drink to keep you going throughout the day or as a replacement to your evening glass of wine to help you relax.
Supplements It would be an understatement to say that the supplement market is overwhelming these days. Saturated with millions of products that claim to help fix or fight off whatever effect you are wanting to change, it can be difficult to sort what’s what. When it comes to cannabis, your options are plentiful as well; however, don’t let that intimidate you when it comes to choosing quality products.
cbdMD has softgels that are NSF Certified Sport, meaning this product has been tested for 280 known banned substances that are on the World Anti-Doping Agency List of Prohibited Substances through the most trusted third-party supplement validation company in the world. They claim athletes are safe to take these and have no issues with drug tests or compliance violations as it does not contain any THC.
From their website:
“Trusted by athletes and coaches alike, the NSF Certified for Sport program rigorously tests supplements under its review to ensure that they contain exactly what’s on the label – and no unsafe levels of contaminants or banned substances such as THC. NSF also inspects the facilities where the products are made to ensure that they meet NSF’s standards of quality and safety. So choosing NSF certified supplements eliminates the risk that you’ll get a product that’s ineffective or contains unwanted ingredients.”
So why take these in the first place? The most common reviews mention stress relief and pain reduction, especially in athletes with rigorous routines and for whom other methods of pain reduction had been ineffective. Consider these safe supplements if you find yourself experiencing these symptoms but want to stay on a straight and narrow path of health and wellness.
Keep in mind that different states have varying laws on CBD and THC restrictions, so as always, please check with your medical professional and check your state regulations before using any of these products.
