What exactly is hemp? Hemp is a variety of the cannabis plant without the psychoactive properties, or “high”. It is different from the widely known marijuana plant because it contains a minimal, legal, amount the chemical THC which produces the psychoactive properties.
Hemp products have grown in popularity recently, but this plant has uses dating back thousands of years. The plant itself has hundreds of uses, but one of its more popular are its healing properties, and health benefits.
One of its widest known uses, is for pain relief, in the form of CBD oil. Though it hasn’t been tested enough yet to be recognized as a pain reliever, there are still people who rely on its effects. It creates an anti-inflammatory response in your body, which can be really helpful to people with chronic pain associated with inflammation, like chronic back pain.
For the people who don’t need any pain-relieving benefits, not to worry there are plenty of other uses, like for skin care. The oil from the hemp seed has a lot of naturally occurring vitamins and fatty acids, that can help keep your skin healthy and actually reduce breakouts. Using it topically nourishes and strengthens the skin, and protects it from things like oxidation, inflammation, and even signs of aging. Some people have even used it for other skin conditions like eczema, dermatitis, psoriasis, and rosacea. The oils can actually help moderate your skin. It balances out oily skin and moisturizes it without clogging your pores. Additionally, the use of the oil, can help with anti-aging. It can reduce fine lines and wrinkles and can prevent some signs of aging from even developing.
You can also use hemp to help supplement your diet, the seed is rich in protein, unsaturated fats, fiber, minerals and vitamins. Just adding a tablespoon or two to your diet can improve your health. Some studies have shown that ingesting hemp seed extract can protect the brain. These studies suggest that the CBD in the hempseed extract can help with Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, MS, neuropathic pain, and childhood seizure disorders. The seeds also contain omega-3 fatty acids that can boost your heart health, by lowering blood pressure, and reducing the risks of arrhythmias and heart disease. The omega-3s can also reduce inflammation, which helps with metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes, arthritis, and heart disease.
Hemp can be useful for many things, and there are many ways to use it. It you haven’t tried it; you might want to add a little to your everyday routine and see how it works for you.
