132: Lane Kennedy on How to Use CBD for Sleep, Hormones, & Health

The Wellness Mama Podcast

00:00 / 00:51:12

I am here today with Lane Kennedy, a truly inspiring mom, female entrepreneur, and health coach with an awesome story. This interview is going to dispel some myths and controversy around one of the most requested podcast topics, which is what CBD or cannabidiol is all about.

If it sound familiar, yes, it is related to cannabis (marijuana), but there are some compelling reasons to look past the controversy and into the science-backed medical benefits. Promise!

Why Cannibidiol (CBD) Isn’t What You Think It Is …

First let me tell you that Lane is actually one of the original Bulletproof coaches, meaning she’s been through Dave Asprey’s certification program that helps you learn how to teach others to optimize their own biology for the best possible health. Since Lane has had to conquer her own health problems and chronic pain (with the help of cannibidiol), she’s the perfect advocate for women who are struggling or stressed and looking for solutions.

Some other interesting facts about Lane I just have to mention: she slept on a wooden pillow for a while, she’s given birth at home like I have, and she’s been in long-term recovery for more than 20 years. She also struggled with infertility for years as well. I know she has a lot to share with us, and I can’t wait to jump in!

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Child: Welcome to my Mommy’s podcast.

This podcast is brought to you by Myobuddy. This thing is one of my daily go-to’s for relaxation because it combines the benefits of infrared heat, percussive massage and vibrational therapy for what I can only describe as a mixture of deep tissue massage and myofascial release all in one device. It has really reduced my muscle tension and my need for massage and many people with conditions like MS, chronic fatigue, etc are using this for muscle relief. Also, many athletes use it for faster recovery. I personally find the biggest benefit for relaxation and for fascia work, but you can try it out at wellnessmama.com/go/myobuddy and make sure to check the show notes for a special discount.

Katie: Hello, and welcome to the “Healthy Moms Podcast.” I’m Katie from wellnessmama.com. And I am here today with Lane Kennedy, who has an awesome story, and it’s gonna dispel some myths on one of the most requested podcast topics on Facebook, which is CBD or Cannabidiol, I’m gonna have to get used to that word, and the differences and the similarities. So Lane is a biohacker and wellness coach. She was actually one of the first bulletproof coaches, and now there are many of them, which is awesome, and she has been coaching women for years, especially about MBSR, which is Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction. And so her whole focus is helping women gain balance and stress relief. And some interesting facts about her, she slept on a wooden pillow without complaint, she’s given birth at home like I have, and she’s been in long-term recovery for more than 20 years. So welcome, Lane, thanks for being here. I can’t wait to jump in.

Lane: I am so happy to be here. Thanks, Katie, for having me.

Katie: Absolutely. And I think to start, it would be really awesome to hear your story, like what are you in recovery for? And what was your journey there?

Lane: Well, I was broken. That’s how we can start. I modeled for many years. So I come from the fashion industry. And in that industry, you tend to live very fast, and you tend to break down very quickly, and that’s what happened to me, you know? I lived a very fast life with drugs and alcohol, and I came to a bottom back in 1996. So it’s been quite a while between a vodka tonic, let’s just say, or a glass of red wine. And now, I’m completely happy and free, and I’m not breaking down like I used to. So that was the beginning of my story.

And what happened in my early recovery, and this is relevant to this story is that, I thought because I gave up drugs and alcohol that my life would become…I would become super happy, and my body would function properly. And what ended up happening is that about two years into my recovery, my body actually started breaking down even more. And the doctors didn’t know what was wrong with me. I went to all these great doctors in Beverly Hills and paid top dollar, and they just looked at me like I was some anomaly.

And finally, I worked with a doctor, and they did this blood test with me. And at the time, you have to remember, you know, 20 years ago, 22, 21 years ago, a lot of the illnesses that are present today, they didn’t know, you know? They were just coming off of like AIDS, right? Like, anybody with any kind of chronic conditions was automatically categorized or questioned to have AIDS. And so that’s what they did with me. And they stamped that on my blood certificate, and I was horrified. And I said, “What do you mean, I have AIDS?” And they said, “No. Actually, you just have Autoimmune Deficiency Syndrome,” which put me into the camp of, “We don’t really know what’s wrong with you, but your immune system is wiped out.”

And so I couldn’t get up my stairs. My bones ached, my joints ached, my hair started falling out, my skin was yellow. And it was really…I mean, you know, when you’re living like I lived, at the height of my career, I had everything at my hands, you know, beck-and-call. And then I, physically, couldn’t cook my dinner anymore. And I was fortunate enough to have a very dear friend who started seeing, back then, what is now today, a functional doctor. Back then, this person was just some weird doctor who did a lot of “Herbal supplements and special protocols,” because there were like colonics involved and drinking olive oil.

And all these, you know, methods that regular society, the norm, frowned upon. But what he introduced to me was my wellness path, and I got well. Within six weeks, I was no longer aching, I was no longer on my floor crying every day. I was actually up, and able to cook, and get up and down my stairs and I followed his protocol. But his protocol involved about 150 supplements every day and eating a lot of green vegetables every day.

And, you know, I was young. I was like, “I can’t do this every day, you know.” And I started traveling the world, and I kind of fell off of that protocol. And my body was well enough to get by, you know, it was strong enough to thrive, and I was smart enough to start studying. So my studying, the human body and the immune system, really started, you know, 15, 20 years ago when I started this wellness journey.

And I’m gonna fast forward a little bit to when I had my son, almost eight years ago. And, you know, I went into the doctor because I’ve always had hormonal fluctuations and a lack of a cycle, or too much of a cycle. And so I actually went on bioidentical hormones about 15 years ago. And at that time, the doctor also told me that I would never be able to conceive a child, that I didn’t have, you know, it would never happen, that my uterus wasn’t strong enough, and just wasn’t gonna happen.

And so I was like, “Fine, yeah, hey, I’m not gonna be a mom. I can do other things. I can be of service. I can, you know, travel the world. I can help other people.” And what ended up happening is that I started seeing this functional medicine doctor here, up in…I live up in San Francisco. And she put me on a different protocol. And lo and behold, I now have a healthy baby, you know, an eight-year-old, almost, can’t believe it.

And, you know, I don’t know about you, Katie, but I practice attached parenting, I know that you’re a strong mom, and you’re into your kids. And they take…I mean he’s taken everything from me because I’m so attached to being a mom because I was told that I wasn’t gonna be a mom. And as that happened, my body started to break down again. And it was very similar to how it was 20 years ago. My bones started aching, my hair started falling out, my mood was like depression hit really hard. And there were days when I couldn’t get out of bed. It was just horrible.

And I felt like…I also had a dental chair accident where I herniated two disc in my neck, and I ended up going to physical therapy for about 9 months, 10 months. And then they said, “We can’t do anything more for you.” And I just kind of surrendered to “This is my life. I’m gonna live in pain. I’m gonna do the best I can.” And it was really…I mean, here I am, a health and wellness coach, and I primarily, you know, help other health professionals. And here I am, you know, just totally broken, doing the best I can, you know. I’m super bulletproof, I eat mostly plants, I drink all the water, I do my green smoothies, you know, I do everything, but I was still broken.

And lo and behold, I was doing an event with Nicole Keating of the Epic Wellness. And she saw that I was in pain. And she said, “You know, Lane, I have this stuff. I have this little bottle of oil, and I think it’s gonna help you.” And I said, “What is it?” At this point, I’m desperate. And she says, “It’s hemp.” And I said, “No. Not interested, not interested at all.” And she just looked at me, she said, “Okay. Well, I’m just gonna leave this for your husband, maybe he needs it for his sleep.” And I said, “Okay, that’s fine. You can just leave it, I’ll leave it on the counter.”

I woke up the next morning with this excruciating, knife…it’s like a…I used to call it the ice pick. So I have this ice-pick pain in my back that would radiate down into my elbows. And I can kind of equate it to what I hear about fibromyalgia pain or this arthritic pain that happens, and I would get it in my back stabbing. And I woke up that morning, and I was so desperate that I put my finger into the little container that she left me, and I put it on, topically, because I didn’t want to jeopardize my recovery, you know? I have 20 years of living in this long-term sobriety, and I don’t wanna have anything get in the way of that.

And so I put it on, topically, and I had an immediate effect. It totally blew my mind. And I called Nicole, and I said, “What is this?” She says, “It’s hemp.” And I said, “Well, I don’t have the pain. I don’t have ice-pick pain anymore.” And she said, “Really?” I said, “Yeah.” And I said, “Well, can I take it internally?” And she goes, “Yeah, you can, it’s a supplement.” And I said, “But you know what? I’m gonna just check in with my doctor,” because I don’t know what I’m doing and I, you know, my brain was like too much information, I don’t know what to do.

And so I put a call in to my doctor. My doctor said, “Yes, it’s a supplement, CBD. The science on it is amazing. You’re a biohacker. Do the research.” So I was happy to jump on to Google and start investigating what CBD is, and what it’s not. And I ended up taking the CBD internally, and I’ve been pain-free since then. And for me, to have such a profound experience, I can’t believe, Katie, I can’t believe that I lived. Like I had surrendered to that pain, and that I had just agreed to, like, living that way, of being in that depressed state.

I wasn’t really showing up for my child as much as I wanted to. I was really kind of a B-I-T-C-H with my husband, short-tempered, you know. That kind of pain and that kind of depression just takes you down or took me down. And when I took the hemp oil and had such a profound experience, I had to learn about it, and I have to feel like I am compelled now to share about it because it’s so powerful. Yeah. Is that good? Is that enough of my story?

Katie: Yeah. That’s absolutely perfect. And I think your first reaction to it about not being interested, it brings up an interesting point, which is the one that I get the most. The question’s about is, what is it? Is it different than cannabis? Is it different than weed? And so I’d love for you to delve into the difference between cannabidiol or CBD, and how that is different from cannabis. And from my understanding, at least, there’s CBD and there’s THC, which is tetrahydrocannabinol, and they’re completely different substances. And from what I understand, THC is the psychoactive one and CBD is not, is that correct?

Lane: Correct.

Katie: Okay. So what is CBD? It’s isolated from hemp, but what is it, like, chemically, how is it impacting the body? That’s amazing, that you had such a drastic and immediate difference, but what do you know of the mechanism by how it’s affecting the body?

Lane: Yes, let’s get into it.

Katie: Awesome.

Lane: So I’m just gonna preface with, you know, anybody can look this stuff up, right? Like I am just a biohacker, really on a mission to learn more about this, but this information is out there for all of us to learn about. And what I’ve done is I’ve gone so deep within it because of the profound experience. And you’re right, Katie, there’s a hemp plant, let’s just start there. There’s a hemp plant and there’s a marijuana plant. How about that?

And the way that we can differentiate the two is by a functional measure, which means they actually can extract the components of the plant, the cannabidiols and they’re the cannabinoids, and there’s about 113 of these little cannabinoids. And the marijuana plant will have THC in it. Therefore, it will be stamped marijuana or, you know, medical cannabis. And hemp plants will not have the THC, or they will have under .03%, which is miniscule amount. So the THC is very useful for some people in some situations. so it’s not a bad part of the plant. But if you’re strictly looking for the cannabidiol, you’re gonna go with a hemp oil. Does that make sense?

Katie: Yeah, that does. So I think that’s a kind of a common misconception. And people kind of like lump it all in together, and assume it’s marijuana and avoid it. But that’s, I think, the interesting point. And to that note, CBD, is that legal in the U.S. as far as you know?

Lane: Yes. So CBD is completely legal, completely 100% legal. No problems. You can travel with it, you can give it to your kid. I mean, there is nothing…there are no psychoactive properties to it, you know? Like, that was one of my biggest concerns, right? It’s like I’m gonna end up down in my husband’s wine cellar, right? Like no, or like forgetting my kid somewhere. So for me, that was such a big, important factor. Like no THC, no psychoactive property, and having it be completely legal, very important.

Katie: Yeah. And from what I’ve seen, you’re right, the research is really astounding in all the different ways it’s being used. But can you kind of go into some of those? Like, what are some of the ways we’re seeing clinical use of this, or people just even taking it at home in a biohacking-type way.

Lane: People are taking it all different ways. So I know that there are so many case studies out there and anecdotal evidence about this product working. I mean you can go on Google or YouTube and find hundreds of stories of how CBD is working. The cannabidiol, you know, it works on this endocannabinoid system that we all have, the system is amazing. And there are two receptors that it’s working on. So there’s the CB1 receptor and the CB2 receptor.

And the CB1 receptor, right, is in your brain, in the peripheral nervous system. The CB2, we’re gonna be dealing with our immune system. And, you know, when you think about what’s happening in the body is that you can take in the phytocannabinoid diol. And the CB1 and CB2 receptors, in our body, in this fantastic endocannabinoid system, is looking for that cannabinoid, it’s looking for that little molecule. It’s like a lock and key. So we have these receptors, and they’re like, “Where’s the other part? I need to be happy.”

And so when we ingest the phytocannabinoid diol, the hemp oil, those CB1 and CB2 receptors are happy, right? So, when we hear a situation like a migraine headache, or PMS, PMS is huge, depression, we know that that is a breakdown of the endocannabinoid system, and it’s because that system is weak. It’s been weakened by our diet, by the stress of our society, just our lifestyle choices.

So when we’re taking the cannabidiol, the phytocannabidoil, again, I just wanna express how that system changes because that system is this: a network within us that…How do I wanna say this? It is just as important as the immune system, as the endocrine system. It is monitoring the body. It’s trying to bring it back into homeostasis all the time is endocannabinoid system. So when the cannabinoids are happy, you know, they have that lock and key, the CB1 and CB2 receptors are locked in, then that system is working properly.

So people are using it, you know, for, there’s so many things that people are using it for. Children are using it for AD…what’s that? ADD and ADHD, people are using it for addiction, people are using it for ALS, people are using it for Alzheimer, anxiety, arthritis, any kind of epilepsy, right? So all of these systems in the body that start to break down, when they break down, there is a result, right. When the microbiome is disrupted, right, you have gastrointestinal disorders, like Crohn’s disease or colitis, right? So when we balance out the endocannabinoid system, those gastrointestinal disorders calm down because that endocannabinoid system is, again, it’s bringing the body back into homeostasis. Does that make sense?

Katie: That doesn’t make sense. So I mean, I’ve been studying natural health for a long time and alternative therapies. And this, I feel like still isn’t talked about very much. Like, why do you think that is? Why is this so still obscure when there’s so much research on it?

Lane: Yeah. Well, let me tell you. I mean, 95% of Americans have never heard of this endocannabinoid system, you know, neither has a doctor. And I mean, it’s really, you have to think about our society, right? We have locked down marijuana as, you know, what is it? A Type I drug, right? Schedule I drug. So we can’t really get our hands on it to do much research. There is a lot of government officials, you know, that are against marijuana and cannabis. They don’t want it to be in the hands of doctors. So they put up a lot of roadblocks to have tests.

I was reading about one San Francisco oncologist, actually, trying to do get a test approved, you know, so he could start getting some research. And he started this in ’96, then it got road blocked. He had to redefine his test then it got roadblocked again. We were up to ’98, then it got roadblocked again. Now, he’s in the 2000. It took him eight years to get approved on one study, eight years. Do you know how many people die after eight years, right? So it’s a big issue of the National Institute of Health Organization that the drug agency, they don’t want to be generous with a substance that is still a Schedule I drug, even with all of the facts, even with all of the data that they have right now, it’s crazy, it’s crazy.

Katie: That is crazy. Especially because, I mean, there actually is legitimate research on marijuana itself and even THC in certain medical cases. Do you think that’s just like a societal stigma? Do you think that’ll eventually change, or what do you see as the future there?

Lane: Yeah. I think with CBD, there is going to be change because people are getting well, people are changing. Like I’m one of these people, right, that was broken and miserable, and now I’m like this is available to all of us, right? So I think it has to be in the hands of the people. And if there’s a loud enough kind of voice, we will get acknowledgement. We will get the studies. It may take another 10 years, which is super, super sad, but I think people will come around, I think people will come around.

There’s the Raphael Mechoulam, he was the Israeli Organic Chemist out of Hebrew University. And he really talks about, you know, this is his life work. I mean, he’s the one that kind of discovered THC back in 1930-something. And, you know, it’s been years of him watching the power of this plant. And he just perseveres because he trust the process. Like, he knows how powerful this plant ally is. And he just keeps on working towards it. Even though he’s had so many challenges and obstacles himself, you know? It’s just nuts.

It’s crazy to think about that, you know, opium or morphine came from opium, like 160 years ago. And, you know, we have this Vicodin, we had this opium, right? And then cocaine came from the extract of coca leaves in the late or mid-1800s. But there’s been this research around cannabis is just untouched. It’s like this big, black box that everybody’s just looking at. It’s so interesting to me as just somebody looking into it. And if I were a chemist or a scientist, I would be on fire. I’d be so…I’d be crazy. But I just, you know, I just keep thinking and rooting for them that the roadblocks will slowly fall down. Especially now that, you know, Obama passed that Farm Bill, people can now grow it, and it’s becoming more, I don’t know, more mainstream as time passes.

Katie: Yeah. Well I think your story even illustrates like some of those societal misconceptions. How your first reaction was, “No way,” because that is a common assumption, and it’s gnna take education. And that’s part of the reason I was excited to have you on today, is to kind of dispel those myths and explain that there is a very big difference, and that CBD itself is legal. And as far as I know, it can even be used, you know, pregnant nursing moms or children, there’s all these uses. So I’d love to go into that because I know I’m gonna get the questions. A lot of the people listening are moms, and a lot of them are pregnant. So let’s talk about that. How can moms and women use CBD, specifically? And then also a follow-up, how can children use it?

Lane: Okay. So moms and women can use it every day. I use it every day. I have my clients using it every day. It’s a supplement. And they can use it for…again, CBD supports a healthy mood, right? It helped…because we’re working with that endocannabinoid system that’s always trying to bring us back into balance away from the fight-or-flight, we’re trying to drop into our parasympathetic nervous system, we’re trying to…it will help with anybody who is, you know, anxious, anxiety. It will restore us to being calmer, you know, in traffic. Think about when you’re in traffic, you’re like, “Oh my gosh,” right?

So moms can use it for bringing down that edge. They can also use it for immune conditions, right, because it’s gonna boost our immune system, because it’s going to attach to that CB2 receptor, which is predominantly happening through the midline of our body and into the microbiome. It’s going to help with any kind of arthritis, right? Any kind of achiness because, again, it’s helping the entire system. So I think, you know, I really believe strongly that women and moms, you know, we’re so…I mean, we do everything, let’s just face it. We’re go-getters, we’re gonna make it all come together for our family, we are overworked, underpaid, and…we’re paid with love. This is…I’ve always…you know, I have to say that. But, you know, we’re tired.

So this is also going to what I have discovered from my experience is that it also helps with sleep. Like, my sleep was in the toilet, Katie, I mean just…I would wake up at 2:00 o’clock every day, every night 2:00, 2:00, 2:00, 3:00, tossing and turning, hot, sweaty, turning, and this is totally changed my sleep cycle and the way that I sleep. I actually sleep throughout the night so moms could take it to help with sleep. There’s that dip of energy that usually happens around 2:00 or 3:00 in the afternoon, and a lot of moms and, I’m included, you know, grab that extra cappuccino or a cup of coffee, or extra kombucha or something, right? And now, I just take a little bit of my hemp and I feel like, “Oh, there I am again, yay, more energy.” So it kind of restores my energy and restores my sleep.

And I know that a lot of my research has been around sleep for women, in particular. And so when women are sleeping, you know, a good eight hours, seven hours, you know, our body is being restored, right? So we can take on what’s in front of us throughout our day, right? We can we can deal with traffic, we can deal with the dog, and the cats, and the animals, and the husbands, and whatever, right? We can deal with it all. So sleep is such a big factor for moms, I think, and for women. And CBD has helped tremendously with that.

And I also just wanna put a little plug in around maybe…I’ve read some recent studies on PTSD and it helping, you know, soldiers and people coming back from really hard times, and it’s helped with that as well. So again, there’s so much information out there. And a little bit of research, you can uncover so much of what it can help with. But being really clear with, “Okay, I would like to take this because of this symptom, this symptom, and this symptom,” right?

So I’m depressed, I have inflammatory bowel problems, I’m not sleeping. And what I share is like just try it and see what happens because the CBD is, actually, an adaptogen, and it’s modulating our system. So it’s going to give you what it needs. So you may think like I…it’s so great. I had one client start to take it because she had, exactly, intestinal situation. But what it did for her is that she was able to walk around her child’s school and not be anxious. She noticed that all of her anxiety was gone. So that’s a game-changer for somebody.

Katie: Yeah, absolutely. And I have a friend recently who had, like, a postpartum sustained high blood pressure she has preeclampsia pregnancy, and typically, the treatment for that is you have the baby, and her blood pressure didn’t drop after pregnancy. And so they’re still trying to bring it down but the CBD has really taken the edge off of her, and at least gotten it in a safe-ish level. So she’s not, you know, at risk of a stroke, which is huge.

Lane: Oh, God. Again, the blood pressure issue, diabetes, right, again, because we’re bringing the body back into balance. We’re dropping into that endocannabinoid system, which is going to send signals out to the rest of the organs on what to do. And I will touch on the kid thing for just a minute. I personally have given it to my son, and I don’t give him a full dose. I give him just one pump. And he was recently really sick, and his recovery bounce-back time, he’s really sick for a week. He was back in school the next day.

So I’ve seen…and he also, it’s so funny, he’s like, “Oh, makes me calm. Oh.” And then the next day, it wasn’t like that, it was a totally different experience. Again, so I think that’s the nature of the phytocannabinoid diol is that it is an adaptogen, so it will give you what the body needs. So it’s, I think, a fantastic resource for kids, as well.

Katie: Yeah. And there’s so much great research about adaptogens. I know that’s something I’ve been researching quite a bit and I’ve mentioned in a few post, but it really is a whole category of its own too. There are all these amazing plants and herbs, and things that are amazing adaptogens that help…the stress response is so much. And for this to help kids, I’m guessing there’s a lot of moms listening going, “I want my kid to be calm and sleep.” And there is some research. I’ve seen some emerging research about the potential with behavioral problems and even ADD and ADHD. And so this would be one of those legal things that’s worth a try, certainly, before you turn to medication, or it’s something more serious.

Lane: Yes, I absolutely agree with you. I’ve heard and seen moms with kids with ADHD, and the change, the transformation has been…it’s mind-blowing. I mean, I’m like, “What? That’s amazing.” I also had a friend who…her son has autism, totally changed, went from not speaking to actually being present, and smiling, and speaking. So again, this is an oil that the research is still being done. But we have real-life change happening right before us. So yeah, it’s amazing.

This episode is brought to you by My Green Mattress. If you’ve been reading Wellness Mama, you know that I have used and recommended natural and organic mattresses for years. And I’ve tried a lot of them. We spend a third to a half of our time in our beds, especially children. So this is one great place to optimize and reduce exposure to harmful chemicals. We’ve tried, like I said, several different mattresses over the years and I love all the ones that we’ve tried. They’re all natural options. But I’ve been getting a lot of requests for a more budget friendly option that is good for kids. Which is why when our littlest needed a bigger mattress, we ordered one from My Green Mattress. They are GOT and GOLS certified, they are GREENGUARD certified and they’re completely natural. They’re also much less expensive than a lot of mattresses. So you can check them out and find out more at wellnessmama.com/go/green-mattress.
This podcast is brought to you by myobuddy. This thing is one of my daily go-to’s for relaxation because it combines the benefits of infrared heat, percussive massage and vibrational therapy for what I can only describe as a mixture of deep tissue massage and myofascial release all in one device. It has really reduced my muscle tension and my need for massage and many people with conditions like MS, chronic fatigue, etc are using this for muscle relief. Also, many athletes use it for faster recovery. I personally find the biggest benefit for relaxation and for fascia work, but you can try it out at wellnessmama.com/go/myobuddy and make sure to check the show notes for a special discount.
Katie: Yeah. So you’ve mentioned it as an oil several times. And I’d love for you to talk about sourcing and like what to look for. And is it always in oil, or is there a supplemental form as well? Can you kind of give us a brief…

Lane: Oh, yeah, absolutely. Yeah. So there are many types of ways to take in the hemp. Some people will vape it, some people will take pills, some people will just use a rub or a salve, some people will take a tincture. And from my experience, there’s also patches. And I’ve tried several different brands and different types because I’m a biohacker, I geek out on this stuff. And they all…I want to get the biggest bang for my buck. I want to absorb the CBD directly, right?

So the product that I use is about 90% bioavailable, which means it goes into my system, passes the blood-brain barrier, and I have an uptake and have like an immediate effect. And it’s done with a nano-enhanced liposomal delivery system. And it’s an oil form, I take it under my tongue and it goes right through the mucus and it doesn’t go through a digestive process. There are tinctures that are in an extra virgin olive oil or they’re in coconut oil. Some of them are made with, fillers, right? Like, there’s just other brands that are doing other things.

And their absorption rate is not as high. Meaning, you’re gonna swallow…if it’s a tincture, you’re going to swallow it, it’s going to go through your esophagus down into your digestive process. And the absorption rate is going to be about 6% to 10%. And CBD is not, I mean, you can get CBD for $20, you can get CBD for $200 depending on the milligrams of the CBD, and the delivery system of it.

So it just depends on how you wanna take it, how much you want to actually get into your body, and, you know, you can vape, right, and you can bring it into your lungs. That reminds me too much of smoking, it’s a weird head-trip for me. I don’t really prefer that. And you can take a capsule, which is usually mixed with some kind of olive oil or, you know, coconut oil. But then, again, it has to go through the digestive tract in the process so you’re not getting as much into your body.

And you also want to really look at…see, this is super important, the extraction process and the certificates of analysis. And I share this because, you know, this cannabis industry is, it’s new. I mean, these guys were just planted in their backyards not, you know, a couple of years ago, right? And now, it’s like if you want a really good product, you wanna make sure that you can see the Certificate of Analysis. You can see if the plants were grown in, you know, what kind of dirt they were grown in, are there any glyphosate, is there any kind of, you know, chemical residue because the hemp plant is a remedial plant, which means it’s going to bring up everything from the earth into the leaves, and it becomes a part of the chemical structure of the plant.

You also want to look at the Certificate of Analysis for any kind of mold or fungus, right, because you don’t want that to be put into your system, especially if you have any kind of immune issue or immune disorder, right? You want no mold, no fungus, super, super, super important. So I always recommend, you know, people asking to see that Certificate of Analysis, and really doing their homework when they choose their oil. And it doesn’t…Again, you’re gonna get what you pay for, right? And that’s like hard to say. But I know for me, I wanna get the best into my body so I can have the best performance or the best outcome. Does that make sense?

Katie: Yeah, it does for sure. And I think that’s helpful. I know you have a guide, as well for finding a good CBD, so I’ll make sure that that is in the show notes at wellnessmama.fm so people can find that from you. And I agree. Like you…with any supplement that applies to anything that I’m gonna take in, any food, you go, you pay for. And you wanna do your research and only pay for something worth taking, or you’re just wasting money, anyway.

Lane: Yeah. It’s so interesting. This client of mine called me and said…she sent me a picture, a text with CBD water. And I was like, “Oh, wow, let me see that.” And it said, “Life is all mold delivery.” And I was like, I got excited, got really excited. And then I said, “How much?” You know, “What are the milligrams?” Like, “How much of the phytocannabinoid diols are actually in that water?” And I said, “Send me the label,” and they had nothing. There was no label for how much was on it.

And I said, “Okay, what’s the name of the company?” So I went online and I looked online. And they had no information about how much phytocannabinoid diols were actually in the product, but they did have a Certificate of Analysis. And so I look at their Certificate of Analysis, and in one bottle, it was 1.5 milligrams of CBD, which is like nothing. And they were charging like $10 a bottle for this water.

But here’s more, this was what got me, is that on their Certificate of Analysis, they had no test for mold or fungus. And one other really important, it’s totally…I’m blanking out on it, but I was like, “Okay, do not drink that water. Just stop.” You know, “For $10, don’t drink it. I don’t want you to drink that.” So just make sure, again, to really do your research and to look at those Certificates of Analysis.

Katie: Yeah, for sure. And I love to touch on too…So we mentioned at the beginning that you are a biohacker. And a lot of the biohackers I’ve met, Dave Asprey and Tim Ferriss, these guys, they’re all men. So I would love to hear you, just kind of, go through some of your favorite biohacks that you do, especially as a woman because I think that there’s not a lot of people talking about these things, specifically for women.

If you are a millennial guy, there are a million people you can follow. But what are some of the things that women can do for biohacking? Kind of explain what biohacking is because I think it gets kind of a scary reputation, and it sounds like you’re gonna like hook yourself up to like 10,000 machines and draw this crazy stuff. But it really can be a very simple thing in your daily life. So let’s talk about biohacking a little.

Lane: Yeah. I really, this word, biohack, it feels so masculine to me. Yeah, it’s just like…and it reminds me of the whole male world. And so I kind of look at it as bio-individual. Like, so I’m this woman who I choose to take care of my body, how I choose to, and I do a lot of N1 experimenting. Meaning, I will track what I put into my body. I have about 20 years of these little notebooks of everything that I’ve taken, and seeing what the results are. So that’s it. The biohacking means to me is that I’m just interested in finding out what something is going to do to my body, whether that be a cup of coffee or a green smoothie, you know, it can be that simple.

And so I think one of the…I don’t know, one of the best biohacks that I do is I don’t drink coffee. And it has totally changed my life. And people are always like, “What? How can you be a bulletproof coach? How can you…That’s like blasphemous.” Like, “No.” But for me, I found out that my genes, my DNA, I don’t process caffeine, I’m actually a slow metabolizer, which means it takes me about a week to get a cup of coffee out of my system.

And I didn’t know that for a long time until I had my genes, you know, on 23andMe. Everybody can do that. Go on 23andMe and find out what your DNA is like and your genetic code. And so when I stopped drinking caffeine, coffee, my whole life changed because my body was no longer having to go through that process of trying to metabolize it, one cup for like a week. And what I was doing was that, I was drinking coffee every day, you know? Two cups a day. And so I didn’t have enough time to process, metabolize, and get it out of my system. So that one hack, right there, changed my life.

Another biohack that I use regularily is I’m super into meditation. I mean, it is like my go-to fix. The science behind meditating and how my brain works after I meditate is amazing. So I slip in meditation twice a day, and you’re probably thinking, “Oh my God, how do I do that with my kids?” “Oh, my God, how do I do that with my job?” “How do I do that?”

And for me, so this is how I do it. And this is like such a great biohack. It’s simple. I mean, I will put five minutes, and that’s all I need is five minutes. And I got this silly little app on my phone, really easy, called Insight Timer. And they have all different types of meditations. And I set it for one to five minutes and it will bring up those meditations. And seriously, I schedule it into my day. I have an alarm, it goes off, “Bing.” I sit down and do it.

And again, I’m looking to increase my performance and my stamina throughout my day. And that meditation, and being mindful of actually committing to it, changes the way my brain works. So that’s the second little biohack that I’ll give you. The third one is as soon as I wake up, I smile. And I give this to all of my clients, this is a part of my coaching. And the science behind smiling upon awakening is absolutely phenomenal. It will change the neural pathways of your brain instantaneously.

So I literally wake up, like my eyes, you know, they start to like creak open and I smile at the same time. And it will, again, change the pathways in your mind, in your brain to a sense of “ahh” and relief. Then I stand up, and I’ll just put my hands on my hips, and stand there for about a minute with a smile. And these are so easy to do. But again, I want to improve my…I’m so interested in performance enhancement so I’m committed to doing these little tiny hacks every day.

Katie: Yeah. And those are so easy and inexpensive. And they don’t even take much time because those are the…

Lane: No.

Katie: Because they think people always object, “That’s too much money, too much time.” And those are all really easy to add in and inexpensive or free, actually.

Lane: They’re free. Yeah, they’re free. I don’t want…like, I could get into supplements, I could get into different weights. Like I have a whole…what is that? Like a whole basket full of little gadgets and stuff, and it’s not necessary, you know? Like, I do a brain training with advanced brain technologies every day. I listen to music to increase, again, increase the neural pathway. I have my son doing it as well because I want him to be more connected and have fine motor skills. So these are hacks that we do in our house together, but they cost money, you know? It’s like, “Do you want to spend that?” You don’t have to. So free is good.

Katie: Yeah, exactly. And so to finish up, I wanna respect your time and respect the listener’s time. And I’m gonna have links to a lot of what we talked about in the show notes. But can you let people know where to find you online?

Lane: Sure. I am over at the upgradedwoman.com. And on Facebook, upgradedwoman.com, yeah. It’s easy to find me.

Katie: Awesome. Well, that link will be in the show notes as well. But Lane, thanks for being here and for clearing up some of the misconceptions when it comes to CBD. And hopefully, it’ll be helpful for a lot of people listening, and maybe they won’t be afraid to give it a try now.

Lane: Yeah, I hope so. I hope so. It’s a great thing. Thanks for having me on the show, Katie.

Katie: Absolutely. And thanks to all of you for listening. And I will see you next time on the “Healthy Moms Podcast.”

If you’re enjoying these interviews, would you please take two minutes to leave a rating or review on iTunes for me? Doing this helps more people to find the podcast, which means even more moms and families could benefit from the information. I really appreciate your time, and thanks as always for listening.
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Have you used cannibidiol? What was your experience? Would you consider adding this to your natural health remedies cabinet? Please leave me a comment and let me know!

Also, let me know how I’m doing by leaving me a review in iTunes. I try to read each and every comment, and my guests often do too and might answer your questions!

In This Episode You’ll Learn

Lane’s long and painful struggle with poor health, and what she did that finally turned it all around (hint: it wasn’t just healthy living)
what cannabidiol has to do with cannabis, marijuana, THC, and other controversial substances
the overwhelming anecdotal evidence that suggests cannabidiol may help relieve chronic pain, poor sleep, out of balance hormones, depression, ADHD, and more … and what the science says too
how cannabidiol differs from medical marijuana
uses for CBD oil, and whether it’s safe for women, kids, and even babies
the best forms of CBD oil to take (and some that don’t work as well)
what to always check before buying cannabidiol in any form
and more!

Resources We Mention

Follow Lane Kennedy at LaneKennedy.com

[toggle title=”Read Transcript”] Child: Welcome to my Mommy’s podcast. This episode is brought to you by My Green Mattress. If you’ve been reading Wellness Mama, you know that I have used and recommended natural and organic mattresses for years. And I’ve tried a lot of them. We spend a third to a half of our time in our beds, especially children. So this is one great place to optimize and reduce exposure to harmful chemicals. We’ve tried, like I said, several different mattresses over the years and I love all the ones that we’ve tried. They’re all natural options. But I’ve been getting a lot of requests for a more budget friendly option that is good for kids. Which is why when our littlest needed a bigger mattress, we ordered one from My Green Mattress. They are GOT and GOLS certified, they are GREENGUARD certified and they’re completely natural. They’re also much less expensive than a lot of mattresses. So you can check them out and find out more at wellnessmama.com/go/green-mattress. This podcast is brought to you by Myobuddy. This thing is one of my daily go-to’s for relaxation because it combines the benefits of infrared heat, percussive massage and vibrational therapy for what I can only describe as a mixture of deep tissue massage and myofascial release all in one device. It has really reduced my muscle tension and my need for massage and many people with conditions like MS, chronic fatigue, etc are using this for muscle relief. Also, many athletes use it for faster recovery. I personally find the biggest benefit for relaxation and for fascia work, but you can try it out at wellnessmama.com/go/myobuddy and make sure to check the show notes for a special discount. Katie: Hello, and welcome to the “Healthy Moms Podcast.” I’m Katie from wellnessmama.com. And I am here today with Lane Kennedy, who has an awesome story, and it’s gonna dispel some myths on one of the most requested podcast topics on Facebook, which is CBD or Cannabidiol, I’m gonna have to get used to that word, and the differences and the similarities. So Lane is a biohacker and wellness coach. She was actually one of the first bulletproof coaches, and now there are many of them, which is awesome, and she has been coaching women for years, especially about MBSR, which is Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction. And so her whole focus is helping women gain balance and stress relief. And some interesting facts about her, she slept on a wooden pillow without complaint, she’s given birth at home like I have, and she’s been in long-term recovery for more than 20 years. So welcome, Lane, thanks for being here. I can’t wait to jump in. Lane: I am so happy to be here. Thanks, Katie, for having me. Katie: Absolutely. And I think to start, it would be really awesome to hear your story, like what are you in recovery for? And what was your journey there? Lane: Well, I was broken. That’s how we can start. I modeled for many years. So I come from the fashion industry. And in that industry, you tend to live very fast, and you tend to break down very quickly, and that’s what happened to me, you know? I lived a very fast life with drugs and alcohol, and I came to a bottom back in 1996. So it’s been quite a while between a vodka tonic, let’s just say, or a glass of red wine. And now, I’m completely happy and free, and I’m not breaking down like I used to. So that was the beginning of my story. And what happened in my early recovery, and this is relevant to this story is that, I thought because I gave up drugs and alcohol that my life would become…I would become super happy, and my body would function properly. And what ended up happening is that about two years into my recovery, my body actually started breaking down even more. And the doctors didn’t know what was wrong with me. I went to all these great doctors in Beverly Hills and paid top dollar, and they just looked at me like I was some anomaly. And finally, I worked with a doctor, and they did this blood test with me. And at the time, you have to remember, you know, 20 years ago, 22, 21 years ago, a lot of the illnesses that are present today, they didn’t know, you know? They were just coming off of like AIDS, right? Like, anybody with any kind of chronic conditions was automatically categorized or questioned to have AIDS. And so that’s what they did with me. And they stamped that on my blood certificate, and I was horrified. And I said, “What do you mean, I have AIDS?” And they said, “No. Actually, you just have Autoimmune Deficiency Syndrome,” which put me into the camp of, “We don’t really know what’s wrong with you, but your immune system is wiped out.” And so I couldn’t get up my stairs. My bones ached, my joints ached, my hair started falling out, my skin was yellow. And it was really…I mean, you know, when you’re living like I lived, at the height of my career, I had everything at my hands, you know, beck-and-call. And then I, physically, couldn’t cook my dinner anymore. And I was fortunate enough to have a very dear friend who started seeing, back then, what is now today, a functional doctor. Back then, this person was just some weird doctor who did a lot of “Herbal supplements and special protocols,” because there were like colonics involved and drinking olive oil. And all these, you know, methods that regular society, the norm, frowned upon. But what he introduced to me was my wellness path, and I got well. Within six weeks, I was no longer aching, I was no longer on my floor crying every day. I was actually up, and able to cook, and get up and down my stairs and I followed his protocol. But his protocol involved about 150 supplements every day and eating a lot of green vegetables every day. And, you know, I was young. I was like, “I can’t do this every day, you know.” And I started traveling the world, and I kind of fell off of that protocol. And my body was well enough to get by, you know, it was strong enough to thrive, and I was smart enough to start studying. So my studying, the human body and the immune system, really started, you know, 15, 20 years ago when I started this wellness journey. And I’m gonna fast forward a little bit to when I had my son, almost eight years ago. And, you know, I went into the doctor because I’ve always had hormonal fluctuations and a lack of a cycle, or too much of a cycle. And so I actually went on bioidentical hormones about 15 years ago. And at that time, the doctor also told me that I would never be able to conceive a child, that I didn’t have, you know, it would never happen, that my uterus wasn’t strong enough, and just wasn’t gonna happen. And so I was like, “Fine, yeah, hey, I’m not gonna be a mom. I can do other things. I can be of service. I can, you know, travel the world. I can help other people.” And what ended up happening is that I started seeing this functional medicine doctor here, up in…I live up in San Francisco. And she put me on a different protocol. And lo and behold, I now have a healthy baby, you know, an eight-year-old, almost, can’t believe it. And, you know, I don’t know about you, Katie, but I practice attached parenting, I know that you’re a strong mom, and you’re into your kids. And they take…I mean he’s taken everything from me because I’m so attached to being a mom because I was told that I wasn’t gonna be a mom. And as that happened, my body started to break down again. And it was very similar to how it was 20 years ago. My bones started aching, my hair started falling out, my mood was like depression hit really hard. And there were days when I couldn’t get out of bed. It was just horrible. And I felt like…I also had a dental chair accident where I herniated two disc in my neck, and I ended up going to physical therapy for about 9 months, 10 months. And then they said, “We can’t do anything more for you.” And I just kind of surrendered to “This is my life. I’m gonna live in pain. I’m gonna do the best I can.” And it was really…I mean, here I am, a health and wellness coach, and I primarily, you know, help other health professionals. And here I am, you know, just totally broken, doing the best I can, you know. I’m super bulletproof, I eat mostly plants, I drink all the water, I do my green smoothies, you know, I do everything, but I was still broken. And lo and behold, I was doing an event with Nicole Keating of the Epic Wellness. And she saw that I was in pain. And she said, “You know, Lane, I have this stuff. I have this little bottle of oil, and I think it’s gonna help you.” And I said, “What is it?” At this point, I’m desperate. And she says, “It’s hemp.” And I said, “No. Not interested, not interested at all.” And she just looked at me, she said, “Okay. Well, I’m just gonna leave this for your husband, maybe he needs it for his sleep.” And I said, “Okay, that’s fine. You can just leave it, I’ll leave it on the counter.” I woke up the next morning with this excruciating, knife…it’s like a…I used to call it the ice pick. So I have this ice-pick pain in my back that would radiate down into my elbows. And I can kind of equate it to what I hear about fibromyalgia pain or this arthritic pain that happens, and I would get it in my back stabbing. And I woke up that morning, and I was so desperate that I put my finger into the little container that she left me, and I put it on, topically, because I didn’t want to jeopardize my recovery, you know? I have 20 years of living in this long-term sobriety, and I don’t wanna have anything get in the way of that. And so I put it on, topically, and I had an immediate effect. It totally blew my mind. And I called Nicole, and I said, “What is this?” She says, “It’s hemp.” And I said, “Well, I don’t have the pain. I don’t have ice-pick pain anymore.” And she said, “Really?” I said, “Yeah.” And I said, “Well, can I take it internally?” And she goes, “Yeah, you can, it’s a supplement.” And I said, “But you know what? I’m gonna just check in with my doctor,” because I don’t know what I’m doing and I, you know, my brain was like too much information, I don’t know what to do. And so I put a call in to my doctor. My doctor said, “Yes, it’s a supplement, CBD. The science on it is amazing. You’re a biohacker. Do the research.” So I was happy to jump on to Google and start investigating what CBD is, and what it’s not. And I ended up taking the CBD internally, and I’ve been pain-free since then. And for me, to have such a profound experience, I can’t believe, Katie, I can’t believe that I lived. Like I had surrendered to that pain, and that I had just agreed to, like, living that way, of being in that depressed state. I wasn’t really showing up for my child as much as I wanted to. I was really kind of a B-I-T-C-H with my husband, short-tempered, you know. That kind of pain and that kind of depression just takes you down or took me down. And when I took the hemp oil and had such a profound experience, I had to learn about it, and I have to feel like I am compelled now to share about it because it’s so powerful. Yeah. Is that good? Is that enough of my story? Katie: Yeah. That’s absolutely perfect. And I think your first reaction to it about not being interested, it brings up an interesting point, which is the one that I get the most. The question’s about is, what is it? Is it different than cannabis? Is it different than weed? And so I’d love for you to delve into the difference between cannabidiol or CBD, and how that is different from cannabis. And from my understanding, at least, there’s CBD and there’s THC, which is tetrahydrocannabinol, and they’re completely different substances. And from what I understand, THC is the psychoactive one and CBD is not, is that correct? Lane: Correct. Katie: Okay. So what is CBD? It’s isolated from hemp, but what is it, like, chemically, how is it impacting the body? That’s amazing, that you had such a drastic and immediate difference, but what do you know of the mechanism by how it’s affecting the body? Lane: Yes, let’s get into it. Katie: Awesome. Lane: So I’m just gonna preface with, you know, anybody can look this stuff up, right? Like I am just a biohacker, really on a mission to learn more about this, but this information is out there for all of us to learn about. And what I’ve done is I’ve gone so deep within it because of the profound experience. And you’re right, Katie, there’s a hemp plant, let’s just start there. There’s a hemp plant and there’s a marijuana plant. How about that? And the way that we can differentiate the two is by a functional measure, which means they actually can extract the components of the plant, the cannabidiols and they’re the cannabinoids, and there’s about 113 of these little cannabinoids. And the marijuana plant will have THC in it. Therefore, it will be stamped marijuana or, you know, medical cannabis. And hemp plants will not have the THC, or they will have under .03%, which is miniscule amount. So the THC is very useful for some people in some situations. so it’s not a bad part of the plant. But if you’re strictly looking for the cannabidiol, you’re gonna go with a hemp oil. Does that make sense? Katie: Yeah, that does. So I think that’s a kind of a common misconception. And people kind of like lump it all in together, and assume it’s marijuana and avoid it. But that’s, I think, the interesting point. And to that note, CBD, is that legal in the U.S. as far as you know? Lane: Yes. So CBD is completely legal, completely 100% legal. No problems. You can travel with it, you can give it to your kid. I mean, there is nothing…there are no psychoactive properties to it, you know? Like, that was one of my biggest concerns, right? It’s like I’m gonna end up down in my husband’s wine cellar, right? Like no, or like forgetting my kid somewhere. So for me, that was such a big, important factor. Like no THC, no psychoactive property, and having it be completely legal, very important. Katie: Yeah. And from what I’ve seen, you’re right, the research is really astounding in all the different ways it’s being used. But can you kind of go into some of those? Like, what are some of the ways we’re seeing clinical use of this, or people just even taking it at home in a biohacking-type way. Lane: People are taking it all different ways. So I know that there are so many case studies out there and anecdotal evidence about this product working. I mean you can go on Google or YouTube and find hundreds of stories of how CBD is working. The cannabidiol, you know, it works on this endocannabinoid system that we all have, the system is amazing. And there are two receptors that it’s working on. So there’s the CB1 receptor and the CB2 receptor. And the CB1 receptor, right, is in your brain, in the peripheral nervous system. The CB2, we’re gonna be dealing with our immune system. And, you know, when you think about what’s happening in the body is that you can take in the phytocannabinoid diol. And the CB1 and CB2 receptors, in our body, in this fantastic endocannabinoid system, is looking for that cannabinoid, it’s looking for that little molecule. It’s like a lock and key. So we have these receptors, and they’re like, “Where’s the other part? I need to be happy.” And so when we ingest the phytocannabinoid diol, the hemp oil, those CB1 and CB2 receptors are happy, right? So, when we hear a situation like a migraine headache, or PMS, PMS is huge, depression, we know that that is a breakdown of the endocannabinoid system, and it’s because that system is weak. It’s been weakened by our diet, by the stress of our society, just our lifestyle choices. So when we’re taking the cannabidiol, the phytocannabidoil, again, I just wanna express how that system changes because that system is this: a network within us that…How do I wanna say this? It is just as important as the immune system, as the endocrine system. It is monitoring the body. It’s trying to bring it back into homeostasis all the time is endocannabinoid system. So when the cannabinoids are happy, you know, they have that lock and key, the CB1 and CB2 receptors are locked in, then that system is working properly. So people are using it, you know, for, there’s so many things that people are using it for. Children are using it for AD…what’s that? ADD and ADHD, people are using it for addiction, people are using it for ALS, people are using it for Alzheimer, anxiety, arthritis, any kind of epilepsy, right? So all of these systems in the body that start to break down, when they break down, there is a result, right. When the microbiome is disrupted, right, you have gastrointestinal disorders, like Crohn’s disease or colitis, right? So when we balance out the endocannabinoid system, those gastrointestinal disorders calm down because that endocannabinoid system is, again, it’s bringing the body back into homeostasis. Does that make sense? Katie: That doesn’t make sense. So I mean, I’ve been studying natural health for a long time and alternative therapies. And this, I feel like still isn’t talked about very much. Like, why do you think that is? Why is this so still obscure when there’s so much research on it? Lane: Yeah. Well, let me tell you. I mean, 95% of Americans have never heard of this endocannabinoid system, you know, neither has a doctor. And I mean, it’s really, you have to think about our society, right? We have locked down marijuana as, you know, what is it? A Type I drug, right? Schedule I drug. So we can’t really get our hands on it to do much research. There is a lot of government officials, you know, that are against marijuana and cannabis. They don’t want it to be in the hands of doctors. So they put up a lot of roadblocks to have tests. I was reading about one San Francisco oncologist, actually, trying to do get a test approved, you know, so he could start getting some research. And he started this in ’96, then it got road blocked. He had to redefine his test then it got roadblocked again. We were up to ’98, then it got roadblocked again. Now, he’s in the 2000. It took him eight years to get approved on one study, eight years. Do you know how many people die after eight years, right? So it’s a big issue of the National Institute of Health Organization that the drug agency, they don’t want to be generous with a substance that is still a Schedule I drug, even with all of the facts, even with all of the data that they have right now, it’s crazy, it’s crazy. Katie: That is crazy. Especially because, I mean, there actually is legitimate research on marijuana itself and even THC in certain medical cases. Do you think that’s just like a societal stigma? Do you think that’ll eventually change, or what do you see as the future there? Lane: Yeah. I think with CBD, there is going to be change because people are getting well, people are changing. Like I’m one of these people, right, that was broken and miserable, and now I’m like this is available to all of us, right? So I think it has to be in the hands of the people. And if there’s a loud enough kind of voice, we will get acknowledgement. We will get the studies. It may take another 10 years, which is super, super sad, but I think people will come around, I think people will come around. There’s the Raphael Mechoulam, he was the Israeli Organic Chemist out of Hebrew University. And he really talks about, you know, this is his life work. I mean, he’s the one that kind of discovered THC back in 1930-something. And, you know, it’s been years of him watching the power of this plant. And he just perseveres because he trust the process. Like, he knows how powerful this plant ally is. And he just keeps on working towards it. Even though he’s had so many challenges and obstacles himself, you know? It’s just nuts. It’s crazy to think about that, you know, opium or morphine came from opium, like 160 years ago. And, you know, we have this Vicodin, we had this opium, right? And then cocaine came from the extract of coca leaves in the late or mid-1800s. But there’s been this research around cannabis is just untouched. It’s like this big, black box that everybody’s just looking at. It’s so interesting to me as just somebody looking into it. And if I were a chemist or a scientist, I would be on fire. I’d be so…I’d be crazy. But I just, you know, I just keep thinking and rooting for them that the roadblocks will slowly fall down. Especially now that, you know, Obama passed that Farm Bill, people can now grow it, and it’s becoming more, I don’t know, more mainstream as time passes. Katie: Yeah. Well I think your story even illustrates like some of those societal misconceptions. How your first reaction was, “No way,” because that is a common assumption, and it’s gnna take education. And that’s part of the reason I was excited to have you on today, is to kind of dispel those myths and explain that there is a very big difference, and that CBD itself is legal. And as far as I know, it can even be used, you know, pregnant nursing moms or children, there’s all these uses. So I’d love to go into that because I know I’m gonna get the questions. A lot of the people listening are moms, and a lot of them are pregnant. So let’s talk about that. How can moms and women use CBD, specifically? And then also a follow-up, how can children use it? Lane: Okay. So moms and women can use it every day. I use it every day. I have my clients using it every day. It’s a supplement. And they can use it for…again, CBD supports a healthy mood, right? It helped…because we’re working with that endocannabinoid system that’s always trying to bring us back into balance away from the fight-or-flight, we’re trying to drop into our parasympathetic nervous system, we’re trying to…it will help with anybody who is, you know, anxious, anxiety. It will restore us to being calmer, you know, in traffic. Think about when you’re in traffic, you’re like, “Oh my gosh,” right? So moms can use it for bringing down that edge. They can also use it for immune conditions, right, because it’s gonna boost our immune system, because it’s going to attach to that CB2 receptor, which is predominantly happening through the midline of our body and into the microbiome. It’s going to help with any kind of arthritis, right? Any kind of achiness because, again, it’s helping the entire system. So I think, you know, I really believe strongly that women and moms, you know, we’re so…I mean, we do everything, let’s just face it. We’re go-getters, we’re gonna make it all come together for our family, we are overworked, underpaid, and…we’re paid with love. This is…I’ve always…you know, I have to say that. But, you know, we’re tired. So this is also going to what I have discovered from my experience is that it also helps with sleep. Like, my sleep was in the toilet, Katie, I mean just…I would wake up at 2:00 o’clock every day, every night 2:00, 2:00, 2:00, 3:00, tossing and turning, hot, sweaty, turning, and this is totally changed my sleep cycle and the way that I sleep. I actually sleep throughout the night so moms could take it to help with sleep. There’s that dip of energy that usually happens around 2:00 or 3:00 in the afternoon, and a lot of moms and, I’m included, you know, grab that extra cappuccino or a cup of coffee, or extra kombucha or something, right? And now, I just take a little bit of my hemp and I feel like, “Oh, there I am again, yay, more energy.” So it kind of restores my energy and restores my sleep. And I know that a lot of my research has been around sleep for women, in particular. And so when women are sleeping, you know, a good eight hours, seven hours, you know, our body is being restored, right? So we can take on what’s in front of us throughout our day, right? We can we can deal with traffic, we can deal with the dog, and the cats, and the animals, and the husbands, and whatever, right? We can deal with it all. So sleep is such a big factor for moms, I think, and for women. And CBD has helped tremendously with that. And I also just wanna put a little plug in around maybe…I’ve read some recent studies on PTSD and it helping, you know, soldiers and people coming back from really hard times, and it’s helped with that as well. So again, there’s so much information out there. And a little bit of research, you can uncover so much of what it can help with. But being really clear with, “Okay, I would like to take this because of this symptom, this symptom, and this symptom,” right? So I’m depressed, I have inflammatory bowel problems, I’m not sleeping. And what I share is like just try it and see what happens because the CBD is, actually, an adaptogen, and it’s modulating our system. So it’s going to give you what it needs. So you may think like I…it’s so great. I had one client start to take it because she had, exactly, intestinal situation. But what it did for her is that she was able to walk around her child’s school and not be anxious. She noticed that all of her anxiety was gone. So that’s a game-changer for somebody. Katie: Yeah, absolutely. And I have a friend recently who had, like, a postpartum sustained high blood pressure she has preeclampsia pregnancy, and typically, the treatment for that is you have the baby, and her blood pressure didn’t drop after pregnancy. And so they’re still trying to bring it down but the CBD has really taken the edge off of her, and at least gotten it in a safe-ish level. So she’s not, you know, at risk of a stroke, which is huge. Lane: Oh, God. Again, the blood pressure issue, diabetes, right, again, because we’re bringing the body back into balance. We’re dropping into that endocannabinoid system, which is going to send signals out to the rest of the organs on what to do. And I will touch on the kid thing for just a minute. I personally have given it to my son, and I don’t give him a full dose. I give him just one pump. And he was recently really sick, and his recovery bounce-back time, he’s really sick for a week. He was back in school the next day. So I’ve seen…and he also, it’s so funny, he’s like, “Oh, makes me calm. Oh.” And then the next day, it wasn’t like that, it was a totally different experience. Again, so I think that’s the nature of the phytocannabinoid diol is that it is an adaptogen, so it will give you what the body needs. So it’s, I think, a fantastic resource for kids, as well. Katie: Yeah. And there’s so much great research about adaptogens. I know that’s something I’ve been researching quite a bit and I’ve mentioned in a few post, but it really is a whole category of its own too. There are all these amazing plants and herbs, and things that are amazing adaptogens that help…the stress response is so much. And for this to help kids, I’m guessing there’s a lot of moms listening going, “I want my kid to be calm and sleep.” And there is some research. I’ve seen some emerging research about the potential with behavioral problems and even ADD and ADHD. And so this would be one of those legal things that’s worth a try, certainly, before you turn to medication, or it’s something more serious. Lane: Yes, I absolutely agree with you. I’ve heard and seen moms with kids with ADHD, and the change, the transformation has been…it’s mind-blowing. I mean, I’m like, “What? That’s amazing.” I also had a friend who…her son has autism, totally changed, went from not speaking to actually being present, and smiling, and speaking. So again, this is an oil that the research is still being done. But we have real-life change happening right before us. So yeah, it’s amazing. This episode is brought to you by My Green Mattress. If you’ve been reading Wellness Mama, you know that I have used and recommended natural and organic mattresses for years. And I’ve tried a lot of them. We spend a third to a half of our time in our beds, especially children. So this is one great place to optimize and reduce exposure to harmful chemicals. We’ve tried, like I said, several different mattresses over the years and I love all the ones that we’ve tried. They’re all natural options. But I’ve been getting a lot of requests for a more budget friendly option that is good for kids. Which is why when our littlest needed a bigger mattress, we ordered one from My Green Mattress. They are GOT and GOLS certified, they are GREENGUARD certified and they’re completely natural. They’re also much less expensive than a lot of mattresses. So you can check them out and find out more at wellnessmama.com/go/green-mattress. This podcast is brought to you by myobuddy. This thing is one of my daily go-to’s for relaxation because it combines the benefits of infrared heat, percussive massage and vibrational therapy for what I can only describe as a mixture of deep tissue massage and myofascial release all in one device. It has really reduced my muscle tension and my need for massage and many people with conditions like MS, chronic fatigue, etc are using this for muscle relief. Also, many athletes use it for faster recovery. I personally find the biggest benefit for relaxation and for fascia work, but you can try it out at wellnessmama.com/go/myobuddy and make sure to check the show notes for a special discount. Katie: Yeah. So you’ve mentioned it as an oil several times. And I’d love for you to talk about sourcing and like what to look for. And is it always in oil, or is there a supplemental form as well? Can you kind of give us a brief… Lane: Oh, yeah, absolutely. Yeah. So there are many types of ways to take in the hemp. Some people will vape it, some people will take pills, some people will just use a rub or a salve, some people will take a tincture. And from my experience, there’s also patches. And I’ve tried several different brands and different types because I’m a biohacker, I geek out on this stuff. And they all…I want to get the biggest bang for my buck. I want to absorb the CBD directly, right? So the product that I use is about 90% bioavailable, which means it goes into my system, passes the blood-brain barrier, and I have an uptake and have like an immediate effect. And it’s done with a nano-enhanced liposomal delivery system. And it’s an oil form, I take it under my tongue and it goes right through the mucus and it doesn’t go through a digestive process. There are tinctures that are in an extra virgin olive oil or they’re in coconut oil. Some of them are made with, fillers, right? Like, there’s just other brands that are doing other things. And their absorption rate is not as high. Meaning, you’re gonna swallow…if it’s a tincture, you’re going to swallow it, it’s going to go through your esophagus down into your digestive process. And the absorption rate is going to be about 6% to 10%. And CBD is not, I mean, you can get CBD for $20, you can get CBD for $200 depending on the milligrams of the CBD, and the delivery system of it. So it just depends on how you wanna take it, how much you want to actually get into your body, and, you know, you can vape, right, and you can bring it into your lungs. That reminds me too much of smoking, it’s a weird head-trip for me. I don’t really prefer that. And you can take a capsule, which is usually mixed with some kind of olive oil or, you know, coconut oil. But then, again, it has to go through the digestive tract in the process so you’re not getting as much into your body. And you also want to really look at…see, this is super important, the extraction process and the certificates of analysis. And I share this because, you know, this cannabis industry is, it’s new. I mean, these guys were just planted in their backyards not, you know, a couple of years ago, right? And now, it’s like if you want a really good product, you wanna make sure that you can see the Certificate of Analysis. You can see if the plants were grown in, you know, what kind of dirt they were grown in, are there any glyphosate, is there any kind of, you know, chemical residue because the hemp plant is a remedial plant, which means it’s going to bring up everything from the earth into the leaves, and it becomes a part of the chemical structure of the plant. You also want to look at the Certificate of Analysis for any kind of mold or fungus, right, because you don’t want that to be put into your system, especially if you have any kind of immune issue or immune disorder, right? You want no mold, no fungus, super, super, super important. So I always recommend, you know, people asking to see that Certificate of Analysis, and really doing their homework when they choose their oil. And it doesn’t…Again, you’re gonna get what you pay for, right? And that’s like hard to say. But I know for me, I wanna get the best into my body so I can have the best performance or the best outcome. Does that make sense? Katie: Yeah, it does for sure. And I think that’s helpful. I know you have a guide, as well for finding a good CBD, so I’ll make sure that that is in the show notes at wellnessmama.fm so people can find that from you. And I agree. Like you…with any supplement that applies to anything that I’m gonna take in, any food, you go, you pay for. And you wanna do your research and only pay for something worth taking, or you’re just wasting money, anyway. Lane: Yeah. It’s so interesting. This client of mine called me and said…she sent me a picture, a text with CBD water. And I was like, “Oh, wow, let me see that.” And it said, “Life is all mold delivery.” And I was like, I got excited, got really excited. And then I said, “How much?” You know, “What are the milligrams?” Like, “How much of the phytocannabinoid diols are actually in that water?” And I said, “Send me the label,” and they had nothing. There was no label for how much was on it. And I said, “Okay, what’s the name of the company?” So I went online and I looked online. And they had no information about how much phytocannabinoid diols were actually in the product, but they did have a Certificate of Analysis. And so I look at their Certificate of Analysis, and in one bottle, it was 1.5 milligrams of CBD, which is like nothing. And they were charging like $10 a bottle for this water. But here’s more, this was what got me, is that on their Certificate of Analysis, they had no test for mold or fungus. And one other really important, it’s totally…I’m blanking out on it, but I was like, “Okay, do not drink that water. Just stop.” You know, “For $10, don’t drink it. I don’t want you to drink that.” So just make sure, again, to really do your research and to look at those Certificates of Analysis. Katie: Yeah, for sure. And I love to touch on too…So we mentioned at the beginning that you are a biohacker. And a lot of the biohackers I’ve met, Dave Asprey and Tim Ferriss, these guys, they’re all men. So I would love to hear you, just kind of, go through some of your favorite biohacks that you do, especially as a woman because I think that there’s not a lot of people talking about these things, specifically for women. If you are a millennial guy, there are a million people you can follow. But what are some of the things that women can do for biohacking? Kind of explain what biohacking is because I think it gets kind of a scary reputation, and it sounds like you’re gonna like hook yourself up to like 10,000 machines and draw this crazy stuff. But it really can be a very simple thing in your daily life. So let’s talk about biohacking a little. Lane: Yeah. I really, this word, biohack, it feels so masculine to me. Yeah, it’s just like…and it reminds me of the whole male world. And so I kind of look at it as bio-individual. Like, so I’m this woman who I choose to take care of my body, how I choose to, and I do a lot of N1 experimenting. Meaning, I will track what I put into my body. I have about 20 years of these little notebooks of everything that I’ve taken, and seeing what the results are. So that’s it. The biohacking means to me is that I’m just interested in finding out what something is going to do to my body, whether that be a cup of coffee or a green smoothie, you know, it can be that simple. And so I think one of the…I don’t know, one of the best biohacks that I do is I don’t drink coffee. And it has totally changed my life. And people are always like, “What? How can you be a bulletproof coach? How can you…That’s like blasphemous.” Like, “No.” But for me, I found out that my genes, my DNA, I don’t process caffeine, I’m actually a slow metabolizer, which means it takes me about a week to get a cup of coffee out of my system. And I didn’t know that for a long time until I had my genes, you know, on 23andMe. Everybody can do that. Go on 23andMe and find out what your DNA is like and your genetic code. And so when I stopped drinking caffeine, coffee, my whole life changed because my body was no longer having to go through that process of trying to metabolize it, one cup for like a week. And what I was doing was that, I was drinking coffee every day, you know? Two cups a day. And so I didn’t have enough time to process, metabolize, and get it out of my system. So that one hack, right there, changed my life. Another biohack that I use regularily is I’m super into meditation. I mean, it is like my go-to fix. The science behind meditating and how my brain works after I meditate is amazing. So I slip in meditation twice a day, and you’re probably thinking, “Oh my God, how do I do that with my kids?” “Oh, my God, how do I do that with my job?” “How do I do that?” And for me, so this is how I do it. And this is like such a great biohack. It’s simple. I mean, I will put five minutes, and that’s all I need is five minutes. And I got this silly little app on my phone, really easy, called Insight Timer. And they have all different types of meditations. And I set it for one to five minutes and it will bring up those meditations. And seriously, I schedule it into my day. I have an alarm, it goes off, “Bing.” I sit down and do it. And again, I’m looking to increase my performance and my stamina throughout my day. And that meditation, and being mindful of actually committing to it, changes the way my brain works. So that’s the second little biohack that I’ll give you. The third one is as soon as I wake up, I smile. And I give this to all of my clients, this is a part of my coaching. And the science behind smiling upon awakening is absolutely phenomenal. It will change the neural pathways of your brain instantaneously. So I literally wake up, like my eyes, you know, they start to like creak open and I smile at the same time. And it will, again, change the pathways in your mind, in your brain to a sense of “ahh” and relief. Then I stand up, and I’ll just put my hands on my hips, and stand there for about a minute with a smile. And these are so easy to do. But again, I want to improve my…I’m so interested in performance enhancement so I’m committed to doing these little tiny hacks every day. Katie: Yeah. And those are so easy and inexpensive. And they don’t even take much time because those are the… Lane: No. Katie: Because they think people always object, “That’s too much money, too much time.” And those are all really easy to add in and inexpensive or free, actually. Lane: They’re free. Yeah, they’re free. I don’t want…like, I could get into supplements, I could get into different weights. Like I have a whole…what is that? Like a whole basket full of little gadgets and stuff, and it’s not necessary, you know? Like, I do a brain training with advanced brain technologies every day. I listen to music to increase, again, increase the neural pathway. I have my son doing it as well because I want him to be more connected and have fine motor skills. So these are hacks that we do in our house together, but they cost money, you know? It’s like, “Do you want to spend that?” You don’t have to. So free is good. Katie: Yeah, exactly. And so to finish up, I wanna respect your time and respect the listener’s time. And I’m gonna have links to a lot of what we talked about in the show notes. But can you let people know where to find you online? Lane: Sure. I am over at the upgradedwoman.com. And on Facebook, upgradedwoman.com, yeah. It’s easy to find me. Katie: Awesome. Well, that link will be in the show notes as well. But Lane, thanks for being here and for clearing up some of the misconceptions when it comes to CBD. And hopefully, it’ll be helpful for a lot of people listening, and maybe they won’t be afraid to give it a try now. Lane: Yeah, I hope so. I hope so. It’s a great thing. Thanks for having me on the show, Katie. Katie: Absolutely. And thanks to all of you for listening. And I will see you next time on the “Healthy Moms Podcast.” If you’re enjoying these interviews, would you please take two minutes to leave a rating or review on iTunes for me? Doing this helps more people to find the podcast, which means even more moms and families could benefit from the information. I really appreciate your time, and thanks as always for listening. [/toggle]

Have you used cannibidiol? What was your experience? Would you consider adding this to your natural health remedies cabinet? Please leave me a comment and let me know!

Also, let me know how I’m doing by leaving me a review in iTunes. I try to read each and every comment, and my guests often do too and might answer your questions!

Read Transcript

Thanks to Our Sponsors

This episode is brought to you by My Green Mattress. If you’ve been reading Wellness Mama, you know that I have used and recommended natural and organic mattresses for years. I’ve tried a lot of natural options and I love all the ones that we’ve tried. But I’ve been getting a lot of requests for a more budget-friendly option that is good for kids. Which is why when our littlest needed a bigger mattress, we ordered one from My Green Mattress. They are GOT and GOLS certified, they are GREENGUARD certified and they’re completely natural. They’re also much less expensive than a lot of natural mattresses. Check them out and find out more at WellnessMama.com/go/green-mattress.

This podcast is brought to you by MyoBuddy. This thing is one of my daily ways to relax because it combines the benefits of infrared heat, percussive massage, and vibrational therapy for what I can only describe as a mixture of deep tissue massage and myofascial release all in one device. It has really reduced my muscle tension and my need for massage. Athletes use it for faster recovery and many people with conditions like MS or chronic fatigue use this for muscle relief. Find out more at Myobuddy.com and be sure to use the code MAMA18 to get $100 off!

About Katie Wells

Katie Wells, CTNC, MCHC, Founder of Wellness Mama and Co-founder of Wellnesse, has a background in research, journalism, and nutrition. As a mom of six, she turned to research and took health into her own hands to find answers to her health problems. WellnessMama.com is the culmination of her thousands of hours of research and all posts are medically reviewed and verified by the Wellness Mama research team. Katie is also the author of the bestselling books The Wellness Mama Cookbook and The Wellness Mama 5-Step Lifestyle Detox.

Comments

59 responses to “132: Lane Kennedy on How to Use CBD for Sleep, Hormones, & Health”

Jennifer

April 6, 2019

Hi there. Wondering if you could point me to resources or know about how CBD oil use could make my cycle irregular ? I’ve been using it for about a month now and my period came about nine days early. When it ended it came back again four days later. I hate to think I’d have to stop using the cbd oil as I have noticed many improvements with my Lyme symptoms, but I don’t want to bleed for 2-3 weeks out of the month ?. I don’t feel it would do any good bringing this up to my OB or primary, as they are not at all versed in the research and benefits of CBD. Thank you very much for any insights you can give!
me .
-Jen

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Alisa

January 17, 2019

can cbd oil be added to whipped shea butter and,if so how much would i use that would benefit me. Thanks

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Farhaana

January 10, 2019

Hello,

Are there any more affordable options for CBD? I have heard it can be beneficial for people with epilepsy. Can you point in a direction to learn more about that? I am concerned about taking it while on medication.

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1. Katie Wells
  
  January 10, 2019
  
  This podcast explains a lot of the science behind it and why there’s such a huge difference in quality between all the different ones out there: https://wellnessmama.com/podcast/ojai-energetics/
  
  Reply
Shauna

October 3, 2018

Not personally, but a close friend who had chronic insomnia, tried and is using off and on a 1:1 tincture under their tongue at night before bed. The first night they took it they dreampt for the first time in many years and started getting better quality, deeper restorative sleep and even a little longer sleep time. Was not a complete solution but it helped them.

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Gigi

September 30, 2018

Hi Katie,
Thanks for this informative interview! Would you please send me a copy of the show notes that Lane refers to?
Thanks for all you do for women’s wellness!

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Ambra

May 25, 2018

I found this podcast absolutely amazing and I was so interested. Any idea of how to best find CBD oil in Australia? Some quick research tells me this won’t be easy!

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Lou-Ann

April 19, 2018

Hi There

Im starting with first cycle of IVF and would like to know if i can continue taking CBD oil?

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Jacqueline

March 28, 2018

So I’ve done a lot more research on CBD oil. I’ve seen that those selling it have a “flavored” product such as mint in addition to just plain CBD oil. I’m curious. Does it taste that bad if taken by itself? If I buy a flavored one from the resources recommended here (SOL or Prime My Body) do I need to worry about the flavorings as far as sugar or other added ingredients? Do you, Katie, take a flavored one, and how do you take it? Directly in the mouth or do you add it to something such as a smoothie? Do your children take it? A friend of mine takes CBD oil which is made by Charlotte’s Web, and it is significantly cheaper than the brands recommended here. He completely got rid of his chronic migraine headaches using this company. Have you heard of them and what do you think? I actually think Thrive Market sells them.

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Michael Weinstein

March 27, 2018

Katie, as usual you’ve done a wonderful job making a difference! Excellent podcast Lane!! I have been using CBD/hemp oil daily for about 6 months with what was initially an aide to my basal cell carcinoma therapy. It has done wonders for the resulting inflammation and associated pain as well as bringing my overall system back into balance. I am also a fitness fanatic incorporating a daily regime that involves serious gym time for both resistance training and cardio activities. The oil completely removed any lactic acid buildup that I have dealt with weekly from the intensity of my workouts along with greatly aiding in the recovery process. PrimeMyBody does have the best product, in my opinion, and I am blessed to have discovered the best kept secret in plant-based health and wellness!

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Amber

March 5, 2018

Does CBD oil help with constipation? I have SIBO and chronic constipation. I am on 3 motility agents and have heard that CBD oil can slow motility. But then I read an article that it is only the THC that can slow motility in the intestines not the CBD. Any thoughts?

Amber ?

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Shannon

February 19, 2018

Katie, like other commenters posted, your different links go to two different CBD Oil brands, SOL and their website, and Serenity on Amazon. Is this on purpose, or has something changed with one of the brands?

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Jacqueline

February 8, 2018

You mention a hemp guide on your website, but I can’t find it anywhere. Can you put a direct link here?

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