Category: fitness

Reduce Sport Injury Pain with CBD Tincture

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This article was originally published on SundayScaries.

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Athletes of every level are familiar with sport-related injuries and pain, regardless of whether it’s a result of competition level intense training or a specific event. And while both sportsmen and their coaches are largely knowledgeable about how to treat pain, the search is on for natural treatment options that can get them back in the game as soon as possible.

Recent years have seen a new and powerful treatment option rise to fame in the sports world in the form of CBD oil, which is non-invasive, entirely natural, and has few side effects. In comparison to traditional pain remedies, CBD is pocket-friendly, easily accessible in every state in the US, and it doesn’t require a prescription or inpatient treatment. It has been clinically proven to be an effective treatment for chronic pain and inflammation and according to personal testimonies it also offers other bonuses like promoting better sleep quality, enhancing focus, and increasing energy levels.

Previously, professional athletes had little choice but to rely on aggressive anti-inflammatory pills or injections to treat swelling and pain occurring as a result of a sports injury. The side effects of these traditional medicines have resulted in many professional careers being destroyed. It is for this reason that more athletes are turning to CBD tincture as a way to naturally combat pain, as well as enhancing their day to day performance. Further research is underway to determine if CBD can eventually be classified as a medicine by the notoriously strict FDA. It has already been cleared for use by the World Anti-Doping Agency.

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How CBD Works to Reduce Sports Injury Pain

A hemp plant contains over 400 beneficial natural chemicals that synergistically work together to improve one’s health—one of the most important being CBD, or cannabinoids. Inflammation that happens as a result of our pain receptors being triggered is effectively reduced by the antioxidant properties that cannabinoids contain, whilst simultaneously interacting with the serotonin and vanilloid receptors that alter our perception of pain. This winning combination has been so effective that athletes who once relied on highly addictive opioid-based painkillers are now opting for a daily dose of CBD tincture.

In addition to helping combat pain and inflammation initial research has revealed that CBD also works as a neuroprotectant, which is invaluable to participants of contact sports, such as boxing or football. It also relaxes muscle spasms, soothes aching muscles, and replenishes muscles post-workout, further adding to its ever-growing appeal as a recommended supplement for athletes.

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CBD Tincture or Topical Balm?

Both CBD tincture and CBD infused balms have their advantages when it comes to treating sports injuries but for maximum effect a combination of the two is best. Taking a sublingual tincture for sports medicine is the quickest and most convenient way of benefitting from CBD and many will argue that it is the fastest way of experiencing the long-term benefits. Topical ointments are perfect for treating localized injuries such as muscle spasm or sprains and strains. CBD balm can be applied liberally as many times as you like. So, for example, if you have knee pain, you can apply a topical CBD lotion or balm to reduce swelling and aid the healing process. Your knee tendon pain should begin to subside as the blood flow increases and the CBD acts to relieve pain. The same would go for your shoulder, rotator cuff, or other ligaments that can be torn or strained during physical activity.

If your pain is severe, a tincture will metabolize quicker than a topical balm and you will experience a greater sense of relief in less time, as well as being able to sleep better despite your injuries.

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Will CBD Tincture Make You Feel High?

Despite thousands of articles already existing clearly stating that CBD oil does not have any kind of psychoactive effects, some athletes are still concerned that it could negatively affect their performance. Rest assured that the opposite is true; not only can it help enhance your determination and stamina, you also won’t have to worry about failing a drug test providing the CBD tincture you are using contains the legal amount of 0.3 percent THC.

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Conclusion

CBD has already marked a turning point for athletes looking to manage pain and recover from injury with natural anti-inflammatory medications. The only issue is that until more research and studies are carried out, we are left wondering about how CBD is best and most effectively used among athletes and how it can be used as a preventive measure for injury and joint-related issues. But the same is true of many new products that emerge in the sports world; we know they are beneficial, but the specifics of how they are beneficial still remain a little vague. The sports world is ever-evolving and new workout fads are coming and going out of fashion faster than ever. One thing we do know is that with CBD tincture making headlines via anecdotal evidence of helping treat fatal illnesses like epilepsy and cancer, it will likely become a mainstream medicine in the future.

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A word of warning for professional athletes:
Always make sure that you purchase a CBD tincture from a reputable source, and you request verification of the ingredients by obtaining a lab report. The Anti-Doping Agency has approved the use of CBD oil that contains 0.3 percent THC (as per federal law). If you’re injured, ask your doctor or physical therapist about incorporating CBD for pain relief into your healing process.

Speeding up Fitness Recovery with CBD

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This article by Madeleine Taylor was originally published on SundayScaries.

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Everyone’s talking about CBD. So, what gives? Well, quite a lot actually. Far from just being the health, well-being, and fitness fad of the moment, this natural oil has plenty of proven benefits going for it. Like the fact that there’s scientific proof that it’s anti-inflammatory and anti-anxiety, great for your immune system, and can even reduce pain.

Now, to add to these benefits, a study has found that using CBD while working out can also help speed up recovery times.

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More CBD, less stiffness, less soreness

Catabolic hormones are responsible for breaking down muscle tissue. When you’re looking to increase muscle mass and improve muscle tone, driving down your levels of catabolic hormones (including cortisol) is essential.

Excessive cortisol impairs protein synthesis and proactively works against tissue growth. When cortisol levels are too high, even the hardest hitting of workouts could bring about little in the way of muscle improvement. On the flip side, cortisol is pivotal to protecting the liver and removing toxins (which is why cortisol is still needed by the body, despite its negative effects).

CBD oil can play a central role in helping your body hold onto a natural cortisol balance. According to Stuart Titus, president and CEO of Medical Marijuana, Inc., the study “actually mentions very specifically that the non-psychoactive cannabinoids like CBD are more preferable to use because you can give larger doses without any of the intoxicating or negative side effects.” 

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A solid night’s sleep before hitting the gym

Your body recovers best (and fastest) while asleep, which CBD oil can help with too. Looking at the biology of it, CBD oil engages CB2 receptors in the limbic and paralimbic regions of the brain. These serve as the “control centers” of the endocannabinoid system (the system that’s responsible for regulating sleep and mood).

CBD has been found to aid regular REM sleep (the deep, dreamy kind of sleep), which is exactly when optimum recovery time takes place.

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Up your stamina with a rush of anandamide

Ever heard of runner’s high? If you’ve not been lucky enough to experience this euphoric feeling while working out, allow us to fill you in. Some think that it’s nothing more than a myth. But actually, there’s plenty of research out there that proves the existence of this phenomenon.

Runner’s high can be experienced after any long, hard workout that gets the adrenaline pumping. For decades, it was thought that the release of endorphins was responsible for the effect, but more recently a study has shown that it is the endocannabinoid system that is behind runner’s high or, more specifically, a flood of anandamide, which is an endocannabinoid compound. And guess what naturally regulates this compound? Yeah, that would be CBD oil.

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Up your stamina x2 with regulated blood sugar levels

Last (but by no means least) we need to talk about blood sugar levels. Get these wrong with an imbalanced diet, and you’re going to be grappling with energy dips as you attempt to put in a reasonable gym performance.

Now, here’s something interesting: While a carefully considered diet is absolutely essential to your blood sugar levels, chronic inflammation (which many athletes struggle with) can be a cause of insulin resistance (the hormone that regulates blood sugar).

Three years ago, research into this area found something staggering—that CBD could potentially be used to treat diabetes. This study reported findings that the anti-inflammatory properties of cannabidiol not only aided chronic inflammation but also improved the body’s metabolism. This ranks among one of the most impressive benefits of CBD yet. And research into this natural resource is really only in its infancy.

So, CBD. It’s believed to aid stamina, regulate cortisol and blood sugars, and support you as you work your way to runner’s high.

As an athlete, CBD oil is almost as essential to pack into your gym bag as your sweatpants and sneakers.

Find What Works for You

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This “one-a-week” posting makes me feel as though I’m neglecting you. But, needs must when you have bills to pay. Today, we’re going to talk about fitness and well being. This isn’t a “tips,” “tricks,” or “diet” post. Perish the thought. This is sharing what works for me and how I found it. Think of this post as motivation to find what will work for you. I hate to tell you this, but not everyone is the same. Yes, Dave, people do think that.

Pause for slow blink or over-dramatic eye roll. Go ahead, I’ll wait…

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    Or, just short of face-palm.

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Done? Okay, cool. Let’s get to it!

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The Struggle is Real

When I was trying to lose weight years ago, my mom would always tell me, “Don’t go on a diet. Change your diet.” I didn’t really take that to heart at the time, because I was a young, fat girl and that is a sin in this society and I had to lose weight now, no, not now, right now! I was 262 lbs. at my heaviest. By the way, I’m 6’ and built like a linebacker and yes, when I was young, some people thought I was a boy. I had short hair at the time. Don’t judge me.

Anyway, I did the whole Jenny Craig thing. That worked pretty well—I got down to about 220 lbs. Then I joined an MMA-gym for five months and got down to about 190 lbs. Then I became super poor for several months and subsisted on discontinued M&M’s I bought from work for $.11/pack. That got me down to 175 lbs. I don’t recommend that. I also ate cheap Ramen noodles for a week, and I was pretty sure my veins were turning to cardboard. Definitely don’t recommend that. Finally, my finances smoothed out—and I often shopped at the grocery store that is “mom and dad’s fridge”—and I could eat normal people food. I maintained 180 lbs. for about a year and a half. For me, that’s a good weight.

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    That’s me at 180 lbs. Go Packers!

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Then, about a year and a half ago, I blew the fuck up! I got back up to about 215 lbs. I couldn’t go to the gym. I was at the doctor—a lot of doctors—a lot of the time for a back injury. It was a rough time. I went to physical therapy for a third time and hit the jackpot with the all-star team at Eskridge and White. I got better. A lot better. Two months ago, I got back into the gym. And God, is it good.

So, this little intro might not help everyone, but I wanted to include it because “fitness” does not come easily for many people.

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Putting in the Work

When I started back at the gym during my physical therapy, I was pretty limited. I started easy with PT-approved exercises and spent time on the rowing machine and stationary bike. I started to jog, then got bursitis in my left knee and had to take two weeks off. When I got back to the gym after those two weeks, I had new PT exercises to incorporate for knee strength. About three weeks ago, I finally got to the point where I could mix in non-PT exercises. So, I started hitting the weights hard and doing a mix of full-body and isolation moves. It was two weeks ago that I found my favorite thing to do at the gym: supersets with supersets in between, working from top to bottom throughout the week. That sounds kind of weird, so I’ll break it down:

  • Monday: Three shoulder/chest supersets with three core supersets between
  • Tuesday: Three bicep/tricep supersets with three core supersets between
  • Wednesday: Three back supersets with three core supersets between
  • Thursday: Three hip/glute supersets with three core supersets between
  • Friday: Three leg supersets with three core supersets between

I never do the same core work twice in a week, and all the core work I do incorporates elements of the muscle group/s I’m working that day. The reason I combine two different types of supersets is because it works for me. There is little to no rest time, which keeps my heart rate up. When I’m dripping sweat less than half way through the workout, I know I’m on the right track. Once I started this specific workout regimen, sleep came so much easier. I’m the kind of person who has to take sleep aids—NuQuil—so this is a big step up for me. I’m getting more, and better quality, sleep. I’m also less tired during the day and in a much better mood.

So, here’s the thing: Before I found this regimen, I had a lot of misses. I tried a bunch of different workouts I’d found online and nothing stuck. Nothing felt right. It was only when I mashed a bunch of things together that I started seeing and feeling results. And, a lot of what I mashed together stemmed from PT exercises. My advice? Try as many things as you can until you can build a routine that works for you. Mix it up, mash it together, and if something doesn’t work, toss it.

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    Yeah, it’s about this frustrating and time consuming.

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The Eats

Back to that diet thing, huh? Yes, Dave, back to the diet thing. Around the time I was figuring out my fitness regimen, I was changing my diet. That includes when to eat as much as what. The “what” to eat part wasn’t hard. Having an Aldi near my house makes it even easier—because it’s affordable. This change was more accidental than anything else. One week, I only had about $10 to spend on groceries to last me the week. So, I bought a bag of white rice, a cucumber, guacamole, and a dozen eggs. Mix all that together and chill it, and that was my lunch and dinner for the week. I’ll get to the lack of breakfast—the “when” to eat— thing in a moment.

I built my dietary change around those four staples. From there, I added smoked salmon and imitation crab—because I started making a lot of poke—as well as onions, broccoli, carrots, cabbage, strawberries, blueberries, and yogurt. That doesn’t sound like much of a variety, but I can tell you that when you get creative, you can make many dishes out of those few ingredients.

I stuck with this ingredient combination because it met my taste bud needs as well as my cravings. Yes, I will totally have a bag of Sour Cream & Onion chips and Jack Link’s beef jerky on cheat days—which happen once per week and only last for one meal. By cravings, I don’t mean “Man, I really want some ice cream.” By cravings, I mean when you’ve gone without a fruit or vegetable for “x” about of time and your body goes into need mode. I don’t know if that happens to everyone. If I go without broccoli for a certain amount of time, it’s like going without heroin—come on, man, mama needs her broccoli, just one stalk is all, come on.

Here we go. I’m going to give you my advice again. Find your staples. Find your main carb source, main fat source, main protein source, and main vegetable (or fruit) and build from there. No, Dave, pasta, butter, beef, and mashed potatoes are not the right path. Think healthy thoughts.

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    Seriously, Dave?!

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Eating Schedule

This will probably be my favorite talking point, as it calls back to another article/blog I wrote, which you can find here or here. The article talks about caloric restriction (CR), which is all kinds of good for your brain. You love your brain, right? It’s no secret that CR is a good tool in weight loss, but in terms of brain health, it’s the spacing out of meals that’s the kicker. There’s an eating schedule that capitalizes on the brain and body benefits of CR—intermittent fasting (IF). There are multiple variations of IF, one of the most common of which is 16/8. The 16/8 eating schedule—sometimes called Leangains—has you fasting for 16 hours and eating during the other eight.

I’ve tried doing the 16/8 before, eating from 7:00a to 3:00p, but it didn’t last. Part of this is because breakfast is a hassle and I’m a night eater. I have always eaten more toward the last half of the day. This schedule was never going to work for me. I picked this eight-hour eating window because I work out in the mornings, and everything you read talks about making sure to get in a post-workout meal (unless you’ve eaten pre-workout). Damn you, Google! I thought I could trust you!

Here’s the thing. For me, IF is not only not impossible, it’s easy. It even comes naturally. I just had the wrong eating window. For the past two weeks, I’ve been back on IF with my eating window from noon to 8:00p. That means exercising fasted, then continuing to fast for another five hours. In the hard-core fitness world, this is frowned upon for all kinds of reasons: you’ll lose muscle mass, you won’t see any gains, you’ll be sore longer, blah blah blah. Is that true for some people? Well, sure, but not for me.

Since combining my me-designed exercise regimen with my me-designed change of diet and IF schedule, things have happened:

  • Better, longer sleep
  • Better mood
  • Slimming and toning
  • Increase in strength

My scale says the same thing it said two weeks ago. My clothes fit a bit looser as my thighs, waist, back, and arms have slimmed. My arms and thighs feel much more solid—not that I go around occasionally poking them or anything. I’m lifting 10-15 lbs. heavier depending on the workout. I don’t get as sore or for as long, even after I’ve worked to failure and can barely get my coffee mug close enough to my mouth to drink—or lift my arms high enough to wash my hair. When these things combine—don’t make a Captain Planet joke, don’t make a Captain Planet joke—they tell me that the post-workout meal isn’t necessary. At least, currently, not for me.

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    Captain Planet….Fitness?

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Find What Works for You

You probably hear/read this a lot. It’s great advice. I’ve gotten more results from the past two weeks of doing what’s right for me than I did during two months of personal training and one-on-one Pilates. I’m not saying either of those things are bad. I loved my Pilates trainer and would happily go back. Many people can—and do—benefit from personal training. That combination, at that time, didn’t work for me. What does work is physical therapy-based workouts, a dietary change revolving around frugality, and an eating schedule that is convenient. That creates a sustainable lifestyle change.

So, wash your hands—and eyes—of all the absolutes you find in fitness articles and only focus on the bit that says, “Find what’s right for you.” Oh, and any part that mentions talking to your doctor first before making dietary and exercise changes. That’s always a good idea!