Herbiary

Resource Guide

Welcome to our Herbiary here at EarthShack. EarthShack was started as a labor of love and a way to not only follow one of our passions of handmade but to also support the community & other artisans as well.  We realized another way to support the community was to introduce natural healthy products, products that we believed in and was passionate about, products we also used at home. In time, we began introducing essential oils then organic teas, extracts, tinctures and so on. Today, we carry a wide array of health products with our newest being Hemp CBD. The information can be used as a reference as you continue your journey to a healthier you.

Covid-19 Information

Boost your Immune System

During this time, we recommend boosting or bolstering your immune system with many of our teas and extracts such as our Ginger & Turmeric tea blend, this blend is packed with 6 different ingredients to help your immune system. During this stressful time, we also recommend drinking lemon balm tea or taking CBD extracts or gummies to calm you. In addition, eat plenty of vegetables and fruit high in vitamin C. As always, before using any of our products, we always recommend you do your research to see if they would work for you. Lastly, we realize this is a stressful time for many people as fear, panic and uncertainty seems to be everywhere. I encourage to unplug and limit the amount of time watching the news, instead fill your time with mindfulness activities and or going outside. Wishing you Peace, Bill

References:

  • Healing Properties of Plants for Pain
  • Healing Properties of Plants for Anxiety (Coming in July of 2019)
  • Healing Properties of Plants for Sleep (Coming in August of 2019)
  • Charlotte’s Web Hemp Extract
  • Be an educated Hemp CBD Consumer

The Healing properties of plants for Pain

Growing up in Belize, I could remember my mom using plants not only to feed us, but also for whatever ailed us as well. It didn’t seem to matter what it was, mumps, measles, the common cold were no match for indigenous plant-based remedies. Of course, this information was passed down from generation to generation and witnessing my parents, family members, friends and the community all benefiting from these traditions were priceless in my upbringing. Present day, I continue to practice and pull from these old traditions however, I can’t say that this was always the case once I moved back to the US. Like most people, I was distracted by just about anything called food and when I didn’t feel well, I followed the most convenient ways to feel better, pharmaceuticals. As I got older, I began to make a connection between what I ate and how I felt afterwards but my busy life kept me from following this thread to a healthier lifestyle. After some years, someone came into my life that reintroduced these old indigenous traditions of using plant-based remedies, I am so grateful for this gift! Over the past 19 years, I’ve studied Incan, Mayan and Aztec indigenous healing traditions and they all have one thing in common; they all use plants and herbs in their healing practices. Today, EarthShack shares the spirit of these plant-based practices in all that we do, be it in our organic teas, extracts, hemp extracts, essential oils and so on.

In the spirit of sharing, I would like to share some natural remedies that are also available today to help with Pain, Anxiety and Sleep and will give examples with the use of herbal teas, extracts and oils. Let’s focus on “pain” this month

As you can imagine, pain can be caused from many things however, inflammation in our bodies is the number one reason why we can experience pain. So, what causes inflammation? Well the answer is rather complicated as inflammation is not necessarily a bad thing because our body creates it as a part of the healing process for many temporary conditions and injuries. The problem arises when our bodies are in a state of inflammation and we further exacerbate it by eating foods that perpetuate inflammation.

Eating healthy, is too general a term, and we must dig deeper in understanding our own unique physiology because this is a personal journey. Increasing the amount of certain plants in our daily diet can do wonders for our overall health. Two such examples would be ginger & turmeric root. Both can be used fresh, in powder or dried form and can be prepared in a variety of ways that can help in decreasing inflammation. You can also use a variety of herbal extracts including Hemp CBD or Boswellia along with teas and spices such as white willow bark, black pepper, green tea, devil’s claw, & mojave yucca root. Eating more broccoli, wild caught fish, blueberries, pineapple & kelp will do wonders in getting to a healthier you.

I battled headaches for over 35 years and tried everything you could imagine to reduce my suffering once I had a headache, but it didn’t occur to me that what I was eating was actually causing my headaches in the first place. After some time and many, many, experiments of trial and error I discovered which foods to stay away from. As I said before, this is a personal journey and although this list of foods to avoid is recommended for me, it may not be for you, so please do your own research and see how the foods you eat affect you. In addition, unless you have a severe allergy, you may not see the immediate repercussion of eating these foods however over time and in combination, these foods could affect your health in a negative way.

I began to stay away from:

  • Bananas
  • Pasta
  • Eggplant
  • Tomatoes
  • Bagels
  • Bread
  • Peppers
  • Potatoes
  • Desserts
  • Fermented foods and drinks
  • Caffeine

Additional foods to avoid, these were not in my diet.

  • Food that contain Trans fats
  • Soda
  • Diet Soda
  • Sugar
  • Alcohol
  • Processed foods
  • Soybean or vegetable oil

In closing, I wanted to warn you about “yeast die off”. In short, as my body and gut began to get healthier, my headaches got even worse for a short time as I was having a healing crisis of sorts. This was due to yeast die off, a temporary crisis. Amy explains it in detail, see her full explanation here: Yeast Die Off

Stay Tuned for our topic next Month, “Anxiety”.

Charlotte’s Web Hemp Extract

Cannabis 101: Charlotte’s Web vs. Hemp Seed Oil vs. Marijuana

The questions we get asked most often revolve around the confusion between Charlotte’s Web hemp extract oil, hemp seed oil, and marijuana. It’s natural. Unless you’re a botanist, marijuana and hemp look very similar, and people use the word “cannabis” interchangeably between the two. Also, people see hemp seed oil in the grocery store and assume that it’s the same thing as our Charlotte’s Web hemp extract. We want to clear up some of the confusion and arm you with powerful health and wellness knowledge that will ultimately help you experience the benefits of Charlotte’s Web whole-plant phytocannabinoid hemp oil extract.

Before diving in, a key component of this conversation is a crucial vocabulary word you’ll see when researching hemp: phytocannabinoid. Phytocannabinoids are the primary chemical compounds produced by the cannabis plant. The two most well known phytocannabinoids are THC and CBD.

To get started, let’s clarify some common points of confusion between hemp and marijuana.

Some common questions about hemp vs. marijuana:

Hemp is psychoactive, right? No.

Hemp and marijuana are in the cannabis family, so that makes them the same? No.

Do I need a medical marijuana card to buy hemp extract with CBD? No.

Are the plant chemicals identical in marijuana and hemp? No.

Does Charlotte’s Web hemp extract contain more phytocannabinoids than just CBD? Yes.

Hemp vs. Marijuana Breakdown

Let’s shed some light on these incredible and controversial plants:

  • Hemp and marijuana are both cannabis and contain phytocannabinoids. Phyto means “plant.” Humans and all mammals produce what are known as endocannabinoids. Endo means “within.” These compounds are key players in normal immune and central nervous system function. Hemp’s phytocannabinoids work with our Endocannabinoid System (ECS), a vast receptor system that helps support homeostasis and health.*
  • Marijuana has > 0.3% THC (the only phytocannabinoid that gets you “high”).
  • Hemp has < 0.3% THC and is not psychoactive.
  • Marijuana is most often associated with THC and hemp extract is often associated with CBD, a health & wellness phytocannabinoid.
  • Charlotte’s Web proprietary, non-GMO hemp genetics contain a unique combination of phytocannbinoids; it’s more than just CBD. Charlotte’s Web also includes naturally occurring terpenes, flavonoids, and other valuable hemp compounds that work synergistically to heighten positive effects, sometimes referred to as the “Entourage Effect,” making it more complete than single-compound CBD alternatives.

Hemp Extract Oil Full Strength vs. Hemp Seed Oil

Some common questions:

Are hemp seed oil and CW hemp extract oil the same thing? No.
Does hemp seed oil and hemp extract oil contain similar amounts of phytocannabinoids? No.
Are both made from the same parts of the hemp plant? No.
Is Charlotte’s Web hemp extract oil made from the whole plant? Yes.

Key takeaways:

  • Hemp extract like Charlotte’s Web is rich in phytocannabinoids and used to help support calm, focus, recovery from exercise-induced inflammation, and more.
  • Hemp seed oil is rich in omega fatty acids, but contains low levels of CBD or none at all.
  • Hemp seed oil is used in cooking, beauty products, and as a bio-fuel source.
  • Charlotte’s Web hemp extract is made from the whole plant, while hemp seed oil is made from the seeds.

In Conclusion

Now that you know the differences between our hemp extract oil, hemp seed oil, and marijuana, we recommend that you always seek quality and consistent whole-plant phytocannabinoids for your optimal wellbeing. While world-class genetics are the foundation of Charlotte’s Web, quality is in the details.

The production and quality of care that goes into Charlotte’s Web products are unmatched. The process is overseen entirely by the founders of Charlotte’s Web — the Stanley Brothers– beginning with cloning and hand-planting non-GMO plants on family farms, to manufacturing in an FDA-certified facility with 3rd party-verified Good Manufacturing Practices. It’s this dedication that makes us The World’s Most Trusted Hemp ExtractTM

Be an Educated Hemp CBD Consumer

Today, it can seem like almost everyone is selling hemp CBD—it’s everywhere, in the news and all over the internet. But this is unlike nearly any other popular new product because it’s historic, controversial, political and seems to touch all of us in some way—be it family or friends. 

Bill Reneau from EarthShack Gifts & Herbiary says customers come in every week looking to purchase a hemp CBD product and are often confused and are unaware of the differences between hemp and marijuana. Reneau takes the time to educate his customers and share some common pitfalls when choosing a hemp CBD product. He recommends that they should always do their research before they make an investment and trust a product. He explains that they should not sacrifice their health by simply choosing the cheapest and most convenient products. He further explains that many of the products that are being sold have misleading packaging that are designed to grab your attention and often leave out critical information for you to make an educated decision. Reneau says since hemp CBD products are sold in various forms, the more you know what to look for, you can make a better decision when making a purchase.

Here are some key areas to consider when purchasing a hemp CBD product. 

  • Look for whole plant products that are non-GMO, certified organic and gluten free.
  • Hemp CBD products come in different forms, e.g. oils, creams, balms, gummies.
  • Look for hemp extract dosage or milligrams per serving as some products offer different levels of strengths. 
  • Look for supplemental facts on packages and read their ingredients.
  • Hemp CBD extract will not get you high.
  • Hemp is not marijuana.
  • Hemp seed oil is not the same as hemp extract.
  • Not all hemp extracts have THC. (Visit EarthShack.org for more info on THC.)
  • Marijuana has more than 0.3 percent THC (the only phytocannabinoid that gets you “high”).
  • Hemp CBD extract has less than 0.3 percent THC and is not psychoactive, will not get you high. 
  • Hemp CBD extract comes with and without THC; if it contains THC, it is considered (full spectrum) and is most used. (Visit EarthShack.org for more info on full spectrum.)
  • If taking a full-spectrum hemp CBD extract internally, it could show up on a drug test.
  • Hemp CBD products are also available for pets. 

Lastly, when using a hemp CBD extract product for the first time, Reneau says that most of his customers are saying that they feel a difference within 20 minutes of taking or applying the product. Some customers however need a longer time period to start seeing the benefits. 

EarthShack, located in the Amish Market and at Crescent Moon Coffee & Tea, both in Mullica Hill, NJ. Call 856-210-7662,  or visit EarthShack.org. 

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