There are so many things that are going on this year and the Coronavirus is the one of the biggest hardships that the entire world has had to suffer. With everything that is going on it can be difficult to focus on anything else but you and your family’s safety. We here at Panacea Life Sciences are doing everything we can to help our customers be safe during this time. Part of these safety measures is to educate everyone to our highest capability. What can a cannabidiol (CBD) company tell you about COVID-19 and the way that CBD may interact with it? Well, let’s take a deeper look at CBD and its properties.

So, what is CBD?

Let us start off with the basics, what is CBD? CBD is one of the 113 cannabinoids found in the Cannabis sativa plant. The Cannabis sativa plant has been around for a very long time. However, it is just recently gaining speed in popularity. Why is this? CBD has become more popular because of the potential health effects it may have. There is a wide common misconception regarding CBD as it comes from the same plant that tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) does.

What is THC? This is another cannabinoid that is found in the Cannabis sativa plant. However, this cannabinoid creates a ‘high’ in users and because of this it is a bit more well known. This ‘high’ that THC creates is one of the reasons that people just starting off with CBD get concerned. But this should not be a concern as CBD cannot give users the psychoactive feeling. In 2018 a bill called the Farm Bill was passed allowing farmers across the United States to grow and sell the hemp plant.

F.A.S.T 25mg CBD

$19.95

PURCHASE TODAY

The hemp plant is a variation of the Cannabis sativa plant. Hemp contains very high amounts of CBD and at or less than 0.3% of THC. This small percentage of THC is not enough to inebriate users and is why all states can grow and sell the hemp plant. Marijuana is another type of Cannabis sativa and is not legal throughout the country. This is because marijuana contains high amounts of THC. There are some states that have legalized the use and growth of the marijuana plant for medical or recreational purposes. Because of this it is important to understand the laws in your state so that you are getting the correct product for you.

Coronavirus, what is it really?

It is likely that you already know what the Coronavirus or COVD-19 is, but we will give you a bit of a refresher. COVID-19 is a new form of the coronavirus that emerged from China and has spread globally. Some countries have contained it well, others not so much. There is still much uncertainty surrounding this new virus but, this is what we do know. The symptoms include:

Cough
Fever or chills
Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
Muscle or body aches
Sore throat
New loss of taste or smell
Diarrhea
Headache
Fatigue
Nausea or vomiting

In severe cases COVID-19 can cause respiratory problems, kidney failure and even death. This all sounds very scary but the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has given us some guidelines on how to prevent the spread of this disease. Here are a few ways to ensure that you are keeping your family safe:

Wash your hands: Before eating or preparing food, before touching your face, after using the restroom, after leaving a public place, after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing, after handling your cloth face covering, after changing a diaper, after caring for someone sick and after touching animals or pets.
Avoid close contact: If someone is sick inside your home attempt to maintain six feet of distance between you and someone who is sick. Outside of the home do the same with others around you.
Cover your mouth and nose: This is important when you are out in public. It is possible that you could spread COVID-19 to others without knowing that you are sick. Everyone should wear a cloth facemask when out around others.
Clean and sanitize regularly: Clean places and things that are often touched throughout your house.

These are just a few measures that you can take to help others stay safe as well as yourself. To learn more about COVID-19 click here to be taken to the CDC website. So, what can CBD do for you during this pandemic?

In this study it shows that CBD has some antibacterial properties and therefore many companies have created CBD hand sanitizer. Panacea Life Sciences has created two different antibacterial CBD hand sanitizers to help disinfect your hands. We have CBD Hand Sanitizer as well as Cleansing CBD Hand Creme. Our Cleansing CBD Hand Creme leaves your hands feeling soft while it cleans. They both contain THC free CBD.

What can CBD do?

Besides sanitizing your hands, what can CBD do for you? Here are a few ways that we have found to use CBD.

Skin health: Although CBD topicals never reach the bloodstream this does not mean that they cannot assist in skin health. In this study they concluded that those with and without skin conditions had improved skin health after the use of CBD topicals. They used several tests to test before and after the use of a CBD topical. Their evidence was enhanced by photographic evidence.
Promote a sense of calm: Promoting a sense of calm in those who have feelings of anxiousness may be quite helpful to some. In this study, they used brain imaging to test subjects who have SAD (social anxiety disorder). Those who were given the CBD showed a decrease in their social anxiety disorder via brain scans. Those who did not receive the CBD did not have any decrease.
FDA approved medications: There are several FDA approved medications that contain CBD. Epidiolex is the most well-known. This medication helps those with two severe types of epilepsy, Lennox-Gastaut syndrome and Dravet syndrome. There are also a handful of others that assist those going through anti-cancer treatments and the nausea it may cause. These are called Marinol (dronabinol), Syndros (dronabinol), and Cesamet (nabilone). These medications can only be prescribed by a healthcare professional.
Anti-inflammatory properties: CBD has been researched for the possibility of joint health benefits. Panacea Life Sciences has done our own research regarding this aspect. We looked at dogs who are older and have joint health issues. During this study, we asked pet owners to administer CBD to their dogs two times a day for four consecutive weeks. The owners were to take a weekly test to show if anything had improved. At the end of the four weeks pet owners described their dogs to be more mobile.

What products are available?

So, now that you know the reasons that people use CBD, what products are out there for you to choose from?

Vapes: Panacea Life Sciences does not advocate the use of vapes, it is an option for CBD use. This way of using CBD has a high rate of absorption as it directly enters the bloodstream via inhalation. That being said it is important to note that the effects may be shorter lived and inhaling CBD may have negative health associations.
Topicals: CBD topicals are a bit different than the others as they never reach the bloodstream. They, however, can reap benefits from the pores on the surface of the skin. These are best used frequently and in the same area. They come in lotions, salves, creams, and even hand sanitizer for antibacterial purposes.
Tinctures: This type of CBD gets into the bloodstream quickly. When the dropper full of CBD is placed in the mouth it is absorbed into the bloodstream from there. A tincture is an oil like substance that is added to carrier oil. Some tinctures come flavored to mask the earthy hemp taste that some do not enjoy. Although tinctures give the CBD effects quite quickly, they have been described to last not as long as other products. These are similar to tablets in their bioavailability.
Tablets: A tablet is placed in the mouth and dissolves there. It enters the bloodstream from the mouth as the tincture does. You can add or subtract amounts of CBD with a dropper, but tablets are made with the same mg every time making it easier to know how much you are getting.
Softgels: A soft gel is a capsule that is full of CBD. Once the capsule is swallowed it goes through the digestive tract and then lands in the stomach. Once there the CBD is absorbed as the capsule is broken down. The CBD is absorbed by the stomach and enters the bloodstream from there.

When first taking CBD start with a low amount and slowly increase until you feel you are feeling the effects that you would like. If you feel negative effects stop the use immediately and speak to a health care professional.

How is CBD extracted from the hemp plant?

Understanding the process in which CBD gets from the Hemp plant to the products may be helpful. This way you can choose which process suits you and look for products that are made that way. Here are three of the most popular:

Steam Distillation: In this process, the steam separates the CBD oil from the plant itself. The hemp is placed in a separate container while a boiler is full of water beneath the hemp plant. Once boiling, the steam from the water travels upward to extract the CBD oil from the hemp plant. The oil vapor from the plant is then trapped in a tube and added to oil or water. After this is collected, the oil is extracted from the water to make an oil. This process works well, but it does require large quantities of the hemp plant and if the steam gets too hot it may damage the CBD oil extract.
Carbon Dioxide Extraction: Carbon dioxide is used to extract the CBD from the plant by using both carbon dioxide liquid and gas properties to extract. This is why carbon dioxide extraction is often known as Supercritical Fluid Extraction (SFE). To begin the extraction, two different pressurized chambers are used. One, with the carbon dioxide, while the other chamber contains the hemp plant. Then the chamber filled with carbon dioxide is pressurized at low temperatures to create liquid CO2 which is then pumped into the second chamber that contains the hemp. The liquid CO2 mixes with the hemp to solubilize the hemp oil containing CBD. The liquid C-hemp oil is then pumped into a third chamber where the carbon dioxide is evaporated, leaving the CBD oil without the carbon dioxide.
Solvent Extraction (Hydrocarbons and Natural Solvents): In this process one would use a type of solvent to extract the CBD. The solvent and CBD oil are combined and then the solvent is extracted leaving the CBD behind. There are two types of solvents used: hydrocarbons and natural solvents. This type of extraction is not as preferred because it has been found to leave unwanted elements after the solvents have been extracted. These elements could be including naphtha, petroleum, butane, or propane for hydrocarbon extraction. These elements can be harmful and therefore products that were made with this extraction process should be tested thoroughly.

COVID-19 and CBD

With there being so much uncertainty surrounding the Coronavirus it is important to keep up on the information that is being put out by the CDC. CBD may be helpful during these times to calm your nerves or just as simple as being a hand sanitizer. When it comes to CBD start with a small amount and slowly increase as you see fit. Also, talk to a healthcare professional before using CBD to make sure that it is a right fit for you. As always, feel free to contact us with any questions or concerns regarding CBD at [email protected].