What is CBD? How Cannabis Aids Athletic Recovery
While using cannabis as pre-workout supplement may sound crazy, it is not uncommon for elite athletes to use cannabis as a recovery tool as well. After an intense workout or training session, you may be tired, sore, or even nauseous. Many people in this situation may toss back two or three Ibuprofen, crack a beer to take the edge off and call it good. However, what you may not realize is that NSAID drugs like Ibuprofen and Aleve are extremely dangerous, especially when used with regularity. If deaths from the toxic effects of NSAID drugs were tabulated separately, these drug toxicities would constitute the 15th most common cause of death in the United States. Therefore, we suggest athletes stick to a more powerful, less toxic, and naturally occurring substance like cannabis. In this guide, we will help you understand the benefits of cannabis as a recovery tool and how to garner these benefits in your own post-workout regimen.
Now you might be thinking “I just had a great workout, my head is clear, the last thing I want to do is get 'high'." You don't have to – you can reap the therapeutic benefits of cannabis with no psychoactivity. How is this possible? Simply put, cannabis is comprised of several different beneficial compounds known as cannabinoids; some are psychoactive and others are not.
What is CBD?
Of the 85 known cannabinoids, cannabidiol (CBD) and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) are usually present in the highest concentrations, and are therefore the most widely studied. Your typical 'street weed' was grown for maximum THC, the specific compound that gets you 'high'. In fact, several studies suggest that CBD actually counters the high caused by THC. On the other hand, strains grown for maximum CBD typically have lower concentrations of THC and are bred for medical and therapeutic applications. To increase the efficacy of CBD, it's often extracted from the plant and used as a concentrate. This makes CBD ideal for treating parents, athletes, children, the elderly, and those who want to remain clear headed. Speak with your caregiver or budtender and ask for a 'high-cbd' floweror concentrate and they'll be able to point you in the right direction.
Post-Workout: Indica or High-CBD
When using cannabis for physical and mental recovery, you will likely be looking for pain relieving, relaxing, anti-inflammatory strains. These properties are found primarily in indica strains and those strains containing high levels of cannabidiol (CBD). Cannabis strains of the indica variety provide athletes a deeply relaxing body high that helps both the mind and the muscles relax. If you're looking to avoid feeling 'high' or getting stuck on the couch, you should try a non-psychocative CBD-rich strain. CBD has a wider scope of therapeutic benefits than any other cannabinoid and is effective even in small doses. Thus, it is my recommendation that you choose an indica dominant strain and/or a CBD-rich strain to take advantage of these beneficial post-workout effects.
How to Consume CBD-rich cannabis
CBD-rich strains can be found in flower, concentrate, and edible form. However, the best consumption method for you will depend on how quickly you seek relief. For instant relief, we recommend smoking or vaporizing high-CBD flower and/or concentrates. Smoking flower after a training session has never been easier with the Safety Case pipe kit. The kit includes everything you need to load up a bowl for instant relief and its smell-proof construction ensures you won’t stink up the locker room.
If you seek instant relief without the respiratory irritation, we recommend loading a high-CBD concentrate in a Pebble for storage in the Safety Case vaporizer kit. Simply pack the protective case in your gym bag or backpack and you will be ready to vape as soon as you finish your last mile.
For sustained relief throughout the day or evening, we suggest consuming a high-CBD edible. Start with a 10mg dose of CBD to see how your body responds and then continue to increase dosage as needed. Keep in mind that it may take up to 90 minutes before the effects of the edible begin to kick in. This is why so many athletes pair the edible with one of the fast acting consumption methods above.
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