Addiction, recovery and CBD. Jaanine Smith, Recovery Expert and Coach, joins Max and Steven to talk about her journey through recovery, what led her to become a recovery coach and how she uses her experiences and perspective to help others through their own personal journeys to recovery from drugs and alcohol. Jaanine shares her insights on addictive behaviors, the effects of addiction on individuals and families as well her views on how recovery is different from sobriety. She tells of gaining increased quality of life when letting go of addiction and of the gratitude she feels in her daily life. Jaanine’s genuine and open personality shines through as she opens up about her past, the present and her future outlook. Dr. Ben Gonzalez takes the baton from Jaanine to explain the medical perspective on addiction. He explains that addiction is not a moral shortcoming but rather a disease with neurological and psychological attributes. He explains how CBD can help soothe the anxiety that triggers addictive behaviors. A body and mind in balance is one on the path to healing. In the mailsack segment, we hear from Stacy, a woman struggling with stress-induced insomnia whose doctor prescribed a medication she’d prefer not to take. Max and Steven talk about CBD for sleep and how to support transitioning through challenging issues which may cause insomnia or other physiological problems.

MC Bravado joins Max and Steven to talk all things CBD, his personal growth journey from an anxious young man to a confident educator, singer/songwriter and cat dad. MC Bravado shares his compelling and inspirational personal story of overcoming fears, beating alcohol dependence and how he motivated and inspired his students to break barriers and achieve their own successes. We also hear from Dr. R., a holistic veterinarian with over 30 years of experience about how cats and dogs can be treated for various conditions with CBD. In Doc G’s corner, Dr. Ben Gonzales explains how a full spectrum CBD oil can treat IBS in people and pets as well as the connection between anxiety and gut health. All in all, a highly informative and fun episode of Understanding CBD!

When it comes to overcoming drug addiction, the endocannabinoid system (ECS), is a double-edge sword. On one hand, it helps regulate homeostasis; when the body functions in a state of homeostasis, it is free of disease and working optimally. However, the ECS, as the Substance Abuse research says, has been shown to influence the acquisition and maintenance of drug-seeking behaviors, through its role in reward and brain plasticity.