Pathways_SU22_Digital Magazine

GREEN NEWS & VIEWS

Finding Freedom Through Cannabis... ...continued from page 17 the body. Enamored because a door had just opened to a whole new world of healing understanding and potential, and I was very ready to walk through it. When homeostasis is working at its best, it keeps the body where it needs to be to survive physiologically and function optimally. It’s your body’s microscopic way of finding freedom by just being. The ECS is stimulated by cannabinoids the body produces itself, known as endocannabinoids. The ECS is also stimulated by cannabinoids en- tering the body from external sources, like cannabis. Cannabis flowers or buds contain wildly dense amounts of a wide array of said canna- binoids. Hemp in particular contains a particularly high amount of the cannabinoid CBD, as well as smaller amounts of cannabinoids like CBG and THC, all with their own beautiful and different actions in the body. CBD in particular has been understood to aid especially central nervous system regulation as well as fight inflammation, which I be - lieve is the root of a lot of chronic pain along with many diseases and illnesses. When cannabis goes into the body, via ingestion or transder- mal absorption through your skin, it is igniting a system that already exists in your body — a system that wants you to be functioning opti- mally. When our central nervous system is regulated, we can eliminate feeling overwhelmed or burdened by stress and focus on being and thriving. Our bodies themselves can concentrate on what they need to do to keep us well, rather than constantly being under threat by small and large stressors alike. Our very old and not-caught-up-to-modern-times stress response system cannot distinguish between a frustratingly endless to-do list or maddening traffic and a legitimately life-threatening scenario. We are ancient biology living in a time with endless stimuli and perceived “threats” to our lives; our bodies treat them alike, as if our lives were under real threat. These occurrences heavily involve the hormone cor- tisol, and cortisol requires a ton of resources from our body. Our bod- ies will always prioritize surviving in the moment, taking resources intended for other bodily functions, and affecting things like optimal sleep and circadian rhythms, anxiety and panic attacks, as well as cre- ating inflammation and leaving the body shorthanded to combat these issues. As I mentioned before, when systems are out of balance, it can se - verely impact quality of life. Igniting the ECS with external cannabi - noids like CBD assists in the regulation of unbalanced systems. It’s like inviting little microscopic peacemakers and neutralizers into your body who only want you closer to that state of internal freedom and being. It is important to emphasize that reducing stressors in tan- dem with using cannabis is vital. Reducing screen time and increas - ing healthy movement, being outside connected to nature and eating whole foods are just a few examples of ways to diversify other tools in your freedom toolbox. There is no single magic solution to make you feel better. That’s not how nature works, and I’d be very cautious if anyone tries to promise you otherwise. But cannabis can indeed help to be a powerful tool in getting closer to that freedom. I know all too well what it means to live with anxiety and how it feels to not have freedom to just be in the present moment. Cannabis emerged into my life so gracefully. It has wrapped me in the support - ive hug that it is, and has done the same for so many other wonderful folks I know. This is the very reason our farm focuses on spreading that energy through our community and finding more ways to feel freedom in being every single day. Look forward to Part II in the Pathways Fall issue, which will em- phasize finding freedom through regenerative farming.

[Disclaimer: These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These words are not intended to di - agnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.] Brynn Seaton is the director of formulation for Fiddlers Green Farm in Taneytown MD, a 4th generation family farm dedicated to ethical land management and creating high-quality CBD products made from the hemp they grow and care for. She has training in holistic nutrition and is a 200-hour certified Yoga teacher along - side having a deep passion for plant medicine and herbalism. You can witness our farm happenin gs on Instagram and Facebook @ fiddlersgreenfarmlife and shop our digital farm-stand at www.fid - dlersgreen.io.

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PATHWAYS—Summer 22—61

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