Australian Yoga Journal – August 2019

23

august/september 2019

yogajournal.com.au

“Put simply, CBD oil and hemp seed oil will not get you

stoned! And, while hemp seed oil has some wonderful

benefi ts, CBD oil is next level.”

time, she released a podcast episode

titled ‘What if we all just did whatever

the fuck we want?’ where she discusses

CBD oil and how ingesting it through a

vaporising pen has had incredible

benefi ts for her asthma.

Beyond that, there are yogis near and

far who are boasting the benefi ts of can-

nabis for mental and physical health.

Instagram yogis @trippytreez, @karma_

stoned and @yogaandweed are just some

of Insta-yogis promoting cannabis as

the perfect yoga companion. These yogis

share images of toking whilst striking a

pose and promote yoga classes that

combine the two. The benefi ts? Height-

ened sensory awareness, improved ease

of movement and a deeper sense of con-

nection —for a start.

In Australia the legalities around

marijuana consumption mean that most

of these practices are off-limits for us.

But one way that alternative health

enthusiasts are accessing the potential

of this super-plant is through CBD oil.

CANNABIS, MARIJUANA, HEMP &

CBD: WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE?

Hemp products (like hemp seeds, oil

and materials) are extracted from hemp,

and CBD oil is extracted from

marijuana. The THC (psychoactive

compound of the plant) is removed from

both hemp seed oil and CBD oil. But

because hemp seed oil contains little to

no CBD, the benefi ts of CBD cannot be

accessed via hemp oil. However, CBD oil

(obviously) contains CBD, and therefore

its users can reap the benefi ts of this

particular compound.

Put simply, CBD oil and hemp seed

oil will not get you stoned! And, while

hemp seed oil has some wonderful

benefi ts, CBD oil is next level.

Despite CBD oil’s low levels of THC,

and hence no psychoactive effects, it is

still illegal to take internally in

Australia. So, when CBD oil is sold

here, it is sold as a topical product,

not to be ingested.

CELEBRATING CBD: THE BENEFITS

It’s only recently that researchers have

been investing energy into exploring

CBD oil. One current study, headed by a

Harvard professor, is looking at the

potential for CBD oil to relieve women

of menstrual pain and discomfort.

Research from 2014 indicated that

CBD has a positive interaction with

serotonin receptors in the brain, which

may be useful in treating depression.

Current studies are looking at CBD oil’s

impact on everything from acne to sleep

apnoea, and research is even going into

how CBD can support cancer patients.

Of course it’s early days yet, but there’s

at least been a big swing of the

pendulum from viewing marijuana

and all of its components as terrifying

drugs to something that potentially

benefi ts your health.

WHY THE YOGIS ARE LOVING CBD

While the research is still growing,

there’s so much anecdotal evidence to

support the benefi ts of CBD oil. Yoga

Girl credits CBD to not needing to use

her asthma inhaler anymore. Jolie

Parcher, a New York based yoga teacher

and studio owner explains that CBD

“helps to quiet that ‘drunken monkey

mind’” as well as provide relief for aches

and pains and allow students to move

more freely due to its anti-infl ammatory

properties. There’s even a yoga teacher

in southern California who calls herself

‘The CBD Yoga Teacher’ who has

experienced extraordinary relief through

the use of the oil and so integrates it into

her classes. She says, “CBD has by far

out performed any and every anxiety/

PTSD medication I have ever tried.”

RESEARCH-BACKED

BENEFITS OF CBD OIL

While we shouldn’t accept CBD

as a cure-all, studies have and

continue to support its healing

properties. Research has indicated

that CBD can help with the relief of:

• Inflammation and pain


• Depression and anxiety


• Nausea and vomiting


• Epilepsy and seizures


• Diabetes

23

august/september 2019

yogajournal.com.au

“Put simply, CBD oil and hemp seed oil will not get you

stoned! And, while hemp seed oil has some wonderful

benefi ts, CBD oil is next level.”

time, she released a podcast episode
titled ‘What if we all just did whatever
the fuck we want?’ where she discusses
CBD oil and how ingesting it through a
vaporising pen has had incredible
benefi ts for her asthma.
Beyond that, there are yogis near and
far who are boasting the benefi ts of can-
nabis for mental and physical health.
Instagram yogis @trippytreez, @karma_
stoned and @yogaandweed are just some
of Insta-yogis promoting cannabis as
the perfect yoga companion. These yogis
share images of toking whilst striking a
pose and promote yoga classes that
combine the two. The benefi ts? Height-
ened sensory awareness, improved ease
of movement and a deeper sense of con-
nection —for a start.
In Australia the legalities around
marijuana consumption mean that most
of these practices are off-limits for us.
But one way that alternative health
enthusiasts are accessing the potential
of this super-plant is through CBD oil.

CANNABIS, MARIJUANA, HEMP &
CBD: WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE?
Hemp products (like hemp seeds, oil
and materials) are extracted from hemp,
and CBD oil is extracted from
marijuana. The THC (psychoactive
compound of the plant) is removed from
both hemp seed oil and CBD oil. But
because hemp seed oil contains little to
no CBD, the benefi ts of CBD cannot be
accessed via hemp oil. However, CBD oil
(obviously) contains CBD, and therefore
its users can reap the benefi ts of this
particular compound.
Put simply, CBD oil and hemp seed
oil will not get you stoned! And, while

hemp seed oil has some wonderful

benefi ts, CBD oil is next level.

Despite CBD oil’s low levels of THC,

and hence no psychoactive effects, it is

still illegal to take internally in

Australia. So, when CBD oil is sold

here, it is sold as a topical product,

not to be ingested.

CELEBRATING CBD: THE BENEFITS

It’s only recently that researchers have

been investing energy into exploring

CBD oil. One current study, headed by a

Harvard professor, is looking at the

potential for CBD oil to relieve women

of menstrual pain and discomfort.

Research from 2014 indicated that

CBD has a positive interaction with

serotonin receptors in the brain, which

may be useful in treating depression.

Current studies are looking at CBD oil’s

impact on everything from acne to sleep

apnoea, and research is even going into

how CBD can support cancer patients.

Of course it’s early days yet, but there’s

at least been a big swing of the

pendulum from viewing marijuana

and all of its components as terrifying

drugs to something that potentially

benefi ts your health.

WHY THE YOGIS ARE LOVING CBD

While the research is still growing,

there’s so much anecdotal evidence to

support the benefi ts of CBD oil. Yoga

Girl credits CBD to not needing to use

her asthma inhaler anymore. Jolie

Parcher, a New York based yoga teacher

and studio owner explains that CBD

“helps to quiet that ‘drunken monkey

mind’” as well as provide relief for aches

and pains and allow students to move

more freely due to its anti-infl ammatory

properties. There’s even a yoga teacher

in southern California who calls herself

‘The CBD Yoga Teacher’ who has

experienced extraordinary relief through

the use of the oil and so integrates it into

her classes. She says, “CBD has by far

out performed any and every anxiety/

PTSD medication I have ever tried.”

RESEARCH-BACKED

BENEFITS OF CBD OIL

While we shouldn’t accept CBD

as a cure-all, studies have and

continue to support its healing

properties. Research has indicated

that CBD can help with the relief of:

• Inflammation and pain


• Depression and anxiety


• Nausea and vomiting


• Epilepsy and seizures


• Diabetes