What Is CBD?

CBD is a hot topic at the moment, showing up in all sorts of products in the health and beauty industry, not just in the United States but worldwide. What is it and what is it good for?

CBD is one of hundreds of compounds found in cannabis called Cannabinoids. Unlike its cousin, Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), CBD does not cause the user to feel high or impaired in any way. While THC is found in high concentrations in Marijuana, CBD comes from Industrial Hemp plants (a form of Cannabis Sativa) that are high in CBD and contain less than 0.3 percent THC by law. While we have known about CBD and other cannabinoids for some time, little research into its many possible uses has been done until recently due to laws against cannabis use.

The list of compounds found in the hemp plant is extensive, with long and complicated names such as cannabidivarin (CBV), cannabichromene (CBC), and cannabigerol (CBG), just to name a few. Each of these compounds reacts with your body in a different way, each with their own positive benefits and together they are powerfully effective. Full spectrum hemp oil is full of terpenes and flavonoids, each of which also has their own positive effects on the body.

Terpenes are oily molecules found in all sorts of plants that quickly evaporate, giving off distinct aromas. They’re also responsible for taste as well. You may not know their names, but you definitely know their scents:

Limonene smells like citrus. Pinene smells like pine. Eucalyptol smells like eucalyptus.

And that’s just to name a few. More than just a smell, however, different terpenes can affect your body in different ways. Flavonoids, on the other hand, have even more complicated names like quercetin, kaempferol, catechins, and anthocyanidins. Studied for their potential positive effects on the body, flavonoids may also be beneficial to your everyday health and well being.

When all of these compounds; terpenes, and flavonoids come together with CBD and other minor cannabinoids present in our Full Spectrum Hemp oil, they create a synergistic effect of sorts known as the “Entourage Effect”, where all compounds working together create more benefit than a single isolated compound. Creating a full-body feeling of wellness where everything is working together to give you a full and confident sense of wellbeing.

So, think of it this way — Thompson’s River Bend Farm Full-Spectrum Hemp oil is rich in all these compounds: cannabinoids, terpenes, flavonoids, and more coming together to give you an experience unlike other lesser CBD products made from distillate or isolate.

“Full Spectrum CBD” refers to the oil extracted from the flowers (buds) of the Industrial Hemp plant. The flower material is dried, ground, and the oil is extracted, using either food grade ethanol or CO2. The oil is then distilled to remove all traces of solvent, creating what is known as Full Spectrum Crude oil. This oil contains hundreds of compounds found in the plant (cannabinoids, terpenes, flavonoids, etc.) in a concentrated form. The quality of full spectrum oil produced is dependent on the strain of plant, the conditions of its growth (area, soil, weather, care etc.), and the extraction process itself. Like wine is dependent on the grapes and the process, all Full Spectrum CBD oil is not created equal and are all quite different. Thompson’s River Bend Farm full spectrum hemp oil is extracted using the “cryo-ethanol” method at sub zero temperatures to create a pure clean oil without the residual plant matter that makes a bitter “grassy taste” found in CO2 extracts due to the high pressures the flower material is subjected to.

This oil can be further distilled to create “distillate,” which eliminates almost everything except cannabinoids. Distillate is mainly used in products when the trace amount of THC is also removed. This is known as “Broad Spectrum” because some of the compounds found in the plant have been eliminated.

The next step in refining is isolation, in which the CBD molecules are “isolated” from the distillate, forming white crystals that are nearly pure (99+%) CBD. This isolate is found in many of the products which contain CBD.

Handcrafted in small batches from a select blend of hemp strains sustainably grown on our boutique farm in sunny So. Oregon, our Full Spectrum Hemp Oil retains all the beneficial compounds present in the Hemp Flower, creating an “entourage effect” that promotes wellness and healing.

Many competitors only offer products made with CBD isolate. God’s Glory Hemp Co. offers products made with Full-Spectrum Hemp Oil in addition to Broad-Spectrum Hemp Distillate and Broad- Spectrum ZERO THC Distillate to provide a variety of effective options for our customers.  All products are 3rd party lab tested to assure their purity and potency. Discover how much more effective hemp products rich in minor cannabinoids found in our full spectrum oil can be. ALL Full / Broad spectrum products contain LESS than 0.3 percent THC per Federal and State laws.

Cannabis and therefore CBD, has been used for its health benefits by humans for hundreds of years, long before mankind was able to scientifically understand the bodily effects. Some evidence suggests the medicinal use of Cannabis by the ancient Chinese as early as 2700 BC. In recent decades however, science has begun to understand how the compounds found in cannabis react within our bodies.

CBD and other cannabinoids can affect the body in numerous ways — but how? The endocannabinoid system (ECS) is the answer. This is the specific system that enables CBD to perform within our bodies. Our brain’s most abundant receptor is activated by cannabinoid neurotransmitters. The endocannabinoid system helps regulate a number of essential functions beyond regulating appetite, digestion, and temperature control. These functions include the immune system, inflammation, sleep, fertility, motor control, mood, memory, pain, and pleasurable sensations. In simple terms, the ECS helps correct a problem when something is wrong through its network of endocannabinoids, enzymes (that break them down), and receptors.

The endocannabinoid system has countless receptors throughout the body that are like locks on cells that can be opened with the right key – chemical molecules that bind to the receptors and deliver specific messages telling the cells how to perform.

Phytocannabinoid molecules found in full-spectrum hemp oil do not fit into CB1 or CB2 receptors perfectly, but rather stimulate activity in both receptors without binding. These receptors send critical information to systems of the body that are vital to maintaining homeostasis and optimal health.

Yes, you read that right! Your body produces cannabinoids called endocannabinoids and does so to maintain homeostasis. Homeostasis is all of your bodily systems working together to produce a healthy and happy you! (Citation)