A Healthy, Natural Alternative for Athletic Performance

Athletes encounter many challenges during the course of growth and learning through workout programs, activities and events. Athleticism is both a mental and physical activity that pushes boundaries and helps us reach new levels of greatness. In recent years, many athletes have looked for ways to increase energy, improve performance and manage muscle soreness and chronic pain.

The market is full of information that is confusing. Many companies boast the benefits of their pre-workout formulas, protein powders, recovery formulas and pain relief methods. Many of us have tried these options and bought into the marketing hype without considering the most natural of alternatives - Cannibidiol or CBD.

We are all surrounded by loud marketing messages and ingredients we can barely read or understand. In recent years, CBDs have been proven to help those who exercise in more ways than one.

What is CBD?
Cannabidiol is the part of the hemp plant does not contain THC so there is no “psychoactive” or “high” effect when ingesting CBDs. There is a growing body of evidence that phytocannabinoids interact with a newly discovered endocannabinoid system to help with pain relief. According to Emmy Schneider-Green from www.gymjunkies.com, the endocannabinoid system is responsible for other reactions and processes in the body. Taking care of this system can keep an athlete’s body running optimally not just in the short term but long term as well. Read on to learn more about how CBD can benefit your athletic performance!

Increased Energy
Staying motivated can be hard when starting an exercise program or when in the daily grind of a workout program.  A lot of us have turned to pre-workouts to immediately and temporarily elevate energy levels which ultimately lead to a crash. The issue with pre-workouts is that many contain sugar alcohols and unrecognizable processed chemicals and ingredients that can cause long term damage or even become addictive. This can be a dangerous and even deadly combination.

Wouldn’t it be great to experience increased energy without the crash? CBDs are a natural, pre-workout alternative without the side effects or jitters of many mainstream pre-workouts. According to Damien Darby at www.hempforfitness.com, CBD does not give you the anxiety, nervousness or jitters that traditional pre-workouts do. This allows you to focus on the workout or event in front of you without worrying when you will crash or how your body will react to ingredients you can’t even understand on the label.

Improved Performance
It’s no surprise that we become easily distracted in today’s world. Stress is a large reason that many people choose not to workout or give their best efforts in training. This attitude can ultimately impact commitment to a program and long term results. Since CBDs reduce stress, this can help improve focus. According to Graham Ryan at www.besynchro.com, a low level of stress improves mental performance which in turn improves athletic performance and energy.

Improved performance doesn’t just stop at mental performance. According to a 2002 study published by Inhalation Toxicology, the terpene alpha-pinene in CBDs helps dilate the airways and opens up the upper respiratory system airways which can help athletes in endurance races or activities. Not only can you focus more but you can also breathe better while doing so. A winning combination for improved athletic performance!

Improved Sleep
We are not sleeping as well as we used to. In addition to the stresses of life, we are continuously glued to our electronics and available at all hours of the day. Lack of sleep can actually decrease performance and weight loss results because a good night’s rest is important for muscles to grow and recover. If an athlete is not sleeping or is nervous about a workout or event, their results could be impacted. Since sleep is important when it comes to muscle gains, CBD has been proven to assist with sleep by easing the mind and helping ease anxiousness. Why work so hard on your performance and results if you’re not resting enough to allow your muscles to recover?

Pain Relief
If you are doing a workout program that challenges you and pushes your limits, you will experience muscle soreness. Many trainers and coaches recommend over the counter medications such as Ibuprofen or Aleve for pain relief after an intense workout. While this is commonly accepted, overuse of these pain relief options can be harmful to your health in the long run.

The terpenes in the natural alternative CBD, specifically myrcene, helps reduce pain, inflammation, and muscle spasms due to its anti-inflammatory properties. According to www.thehempoilbenefits.com, the anti-inflammatory property of CBD is at least twice as strong as hydrocortisone, and as much as twenty times stronger as compared to what is offered by an ordinary pill of aspirin. This helps reduce pain, increases recovery time and gets you back to training for your next challenging workout or event.

Pain Management
Long term pain management can be difficult for athletes. When there’s a recovering injury, many doctors prescribe opioids, painkillers, and other medications that may become addictive. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, approximately 2.1 million Americans abuse these addictive opioid painkillers. These addictions can lead to changed behaviors and ultimately death for some. With prescribed medications becoming more and more mainstream, this number continues to rise.

Many athletes are turning to CBD for a non-habit forming way to handle long term pain management. Aside from its anti-inflammatory properties, CBDs also helps manage long term, chronic pain that would usually prohibit certain athletic activities.

An Athlete’s Secret Weapon
There are many ways to use CBD oils to receive its benefits. A healthy and convenient alternative is combining CBDs with another natural source – honey – to experience all of the health benefits for athletes that nature has to offer. 

According to www.livestrong.com, our bodies easily absorb honey because it is made up solely of sugar, water, and other minerals that enhance sports performance. Since honey is a high-carbohydrate food that contains approximately 60 calories and no fat or protein, the combination with CBDs make it perfect for pre-workout energy boost and post-workout recovery.

Colorado Hemp Honey is a unique combination of CBD oils, essential oils and raw, organic honey. If you’re looking for a natural alternative for any of these aspects of your fitness regime, please visit www.coloradohemphoney.com and give this game changing product a try. Cheers to healthy and natural fitness options!

References
1. Biscardi, Melissa. “When Should Athletes Eat Honey?” 24 October 2015. Livestrong.      http://www.livestrong.com/article/458894-when-should-athletes-eat-honey/. Accessed 17 June 2017.
2. “Cannabidiol as Muscle and Vascular Relaxant.” CBD Hemp Oil Benefits. http://thehempoilbenefits.com/cannabidiol-muscle-vascular-relaxant. Accessed 17 June 2017.
3. Darby, Damien. “6 Ways Hemp CBD Can Improve Your Fitness Regimen.” 27 January 2017. Hemp For Fitness. https://www.hempforfitness.com/2016/01/27/6-ways-hemp-cbd-can-improve-your-fitness-regimen/. Accessed 17 June 2017.
4. Graham, Ryan. “The Case For CBD (Cannabidiol) As A Mental Performance And Therapeutic Tool.”  The Synchro Life.  https://besynchro.com/blogs/blog/the-case-for-cbd-cannabidiol-as-a-mental-performance-and-therapeutic-tool. Accessed 17 June 2017.
5. Rabinski, Gooey. “Understanding the Cannabis Terpene Pinene.” 13 March 2017. Woah Stork.  https://learn.woahstork.com/terpenes/pinene/. Accessed 17 June 2017.
6. Schneider-Green, Emmy. “CBD Oil Can Improve Your Fitness Regimen?” 25 January 2017. Gym Junkies. tps://gymjunkies.com/cbd-oil/. Accessed 17 June 2017.
7. Volkow, Nora M.D. “American’s Addiction To Opioids: Heroin and Prescription Drug Abuse.” National Institute on Drug Abuse. 14 May 2014. https://www.drugabuse.gov/about-nida/legislative-activities/testimony-to-congress/2016/americas-addiction-to-opioids-heroin-prescription-drug-abuse. Accessed 24 June 2017.