As an ultra runner, I’ve struggled with chronic pain for years. CBD has helped me fight pain and inflammation from an overuse injury. It also helped me through a tremendously stressful time in my previous business.
CBD oil is becoming all the rage lately. Especially amongst athletes. As an athlete myself, I can attest to the amazing benefits of CBD oil, and it’s amazing anti-inflammatory, and stress relieving properties. I believed in it so much I started my own business, here is my story—
Ever since I started sponsoring trail runs with my previous business, a now nationally known energy bar brand, Bearded Brothers, I’ve been an avid trail runner.
I was hooked after running my first 50-mile race, Cactus Rose, one of the nastiest trail races Texas has to offer. I jumped headlong into this scene. I didn’t even start with a 10k, I jumped straight into the 50-mile distance.
Since running my first 50-mile race, I have completed several 50k races, a couple 100k finishes, and one 100 miler buckle (and one DNF), but after a while, all that training started taking a toll on my body.
I developed chronic tendonitis and struggled with plantar fasciitis at times as well. None of my injuries have sidelined me for very long, I’m pretty healthy overall, but after dealing with a nagging Achilles tendon for 4 years, I had enough.
The pain was never that intense, but just enough to be annoying. Nothing seemed to help either, dry needling, PT, and even cryo chamber treatment.
After finally having enough, I decided to give CBD oil a try. A friend had suggested it, and I had been researching it for some time but had never made the leap…but I finally did.
Immediately upon using CBD, I began sleeping better, and I’m not the type of guy that really struggles with sleep. After about a week I noticed I had less tension in my back, and in my shoulder bursitis that has also been nagging me for years. Pretty soon I began noticing I felt my Achilles tendonitis issues lessen as well.
I further saw the benefits of CBD oil after my wife was able to use CBD to get off her prescription anti-depression medication. I was a firm believer in the power of CBD, and what it could do for people. A few months after I started taking it I REALLY began seeing the positive benefits CBD oil can provide.
My previous business, Bearded Brothers, had reached a pivotal moment. We were experiencing some massive growth but struggled to keep up. I didn’t know what to do, or how to keep the business afloat with all that was coming down the pipeline.
I remember meeting with an industry colleague and having him ask me, how are you not just stressed out of your mind? My reply – Well, I’ve been taking CBD oil… I think it’s helping.
When most people would be having sleepless nights because of the overwhelming burden of running a company, I was sleeping like a baby!
Not too long after that conversation we had an acquisition opportunity come to us. It was a difficult decision, but we took it.
The new owners had the capital to inject into the company and keep it going, and allow the brand to thrive under new and fresh leadership. It wasn’t what I dreamed of, but it was what we needed.
What ensued after that was the most stressful two months of my life.
Contract negotiations for a business transaction are not fun. Again, it was CBD oil, that saved me during this stressful time. The stress was so intense I could feel it, but without CBD I know it would have been worse, and I would have never slept.
After I sold the business I needed something else to do, and the most natural thing for me was to start another company. CBD oil had benefited me so much, I knew that was going to be my next thing. I was passionate about it, and saw many benefits myself, and wanted to see others benefit too.
I launched Hemp Daddy’s Therapeutics in August of 2018. Strange industry regulations, especially on the banking side made the first few months difficult, but I stuck with it when most would have quit, and here we are six months later with a thriving business.
Our primary customers are trail and ultra runners that use the products for anti-inflammatory and recovery benefits.
Some customers just take the oil sublingually, and others add in the transdermal cream for maximum pain relief.
Aside from the trail running community we have customers using our product to relieve fibromyalgia symptoms, arthritis, regulating blood pressure, and for anxiety.
It seems there is almost nothing CBD won’t help with, but I’m also not a doctor and don’t pretend to be one…. But more and more studies are starting to surface that supports CBD, and the anecdotal evidence is overwhelming.
What exactly is CBD
If you are just now hearing about CBD, or maybe you keep hearing about it but still have no idea what it is, allow me to explain.
CBD is produced from the hemp plant, which is part of the cannabis family. Essentially the hemp plant is the cousin of the marijuana plant. It contains many of the same medicinal and therapeutic benefits, but without the high. This means you can enjoy all the amazing benefits of this plant but without the intoxicating effects.
Studies and mounds of anecdotal evidence have shown CBD can help with a variety of things, including inflammation, pain, stress and anxiety, depression, fibromyalgia, epilepsy, arthritis, reduce nausea, lower risk of diabetes, and many other things.
But how does CBD oil work?
Our bodies have what is called an endocannabinoid system (ECS), which consists of CB1 and CB2 receptors. Simply put, the endocannabinoid system promotes homeostasis in the body. Homeostasis refers to any process or reaction that our body utilizes to actively maintain a constant internal environment. Think of this as maintaining as close to perfect health as possible.
Pain management, immune response, appetite, energy regulation, mood, and memory are just a few of the functions that are managed by the ECS, which is why CBD helps with so many things.
THC in marijuana binds directly with the CB1 receptor, which is responsible for the high associated with the plant. CBD binds indirectly with CB2 receptors, which are located mostly throughout the nervous and immune system. CB1 and CB2 receptors essentially work like a lock and key when cannabinoids are inputted into them. Our bodies actually produce cannabinoids naturally, but the additional cannabinoids, such as CBD work like a medicinal powerhouse.
I hope that explanation wasn’t too “in the weeds” for you. If you wanted a deeper dive, there are plenty of resources on the internet. But simple explanations are my mode of operation.
So, if you are like me, chances are there is some health issue you struggle with. Chances are CBD can help. If nothing else, it’s a fantastic sleep aid. But aside from great sleep, other benefits I have noticed are faster recovery from my runs, especially when I start to increase my training load.
Just this past summer when I left Texas for the mountains of Colorado, I had very little soreness associated with the sharp elevation gains I was used to.
If you have been curious about CBD for a while, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me. I’m happy to help you find a product that will work best for you.
To learn more about Hemp Daddy’s and CBD, visit us online. And be sure to use the code EXPLORE10 for 10% off your order!
very useful blog.. thanks for sharing this with all