Meet Maggie Frank - The Educator
In a CBD market that is notorious for its lack of regulation and is often extremely difficult to navigate, PlusCBD Oil™ stands out for its transparency and its commitment to creating high-quality CBD products.
What makes PlusCBD Oil™ stand out is that it isn’t just selling CBD. Instead, it’s taking an active role as a pioneer in what it calls a “CBD Evolution.” The brand sees an exciting and evolving future, where we will continue to learn more about hemp CBD’s amazing benefits, and is investing in making that future happen.
If you take a look at PlusCBD Oil™ products, you’ll see that this company wants you to know what you’re getting when you purchase one of their products. First, they oversee every step of the production process—from seed to shelf—so that you know exactly where your oil comes from. Their CBD oil is made from 100% outdoor grown agricultural hemp that’s grown from EU certified hemp seeds. This means that the seeds are grown under stringent production requirements and getting varietal purity and consistency in every grow. The hemp undergoes CO2 extraction rather than using a chemical extraction process that others manufacturers may use. In addition to being chemical free, the extraction is done at a temperature that minimizes any degradation of the oil produced.
Finally, there is lots of testing. PlusCBD Oil™ is tested multiple times to ensure the purity and potency of the finished product. Each batch is tested, down to the milligram, for potency in their own laboratory. A third-party lab also tests independently for potency, and to make sure that the oil doesn’t contain pesticides, fungicides, plant growth regulators, residual solvents, microbiological contamination, or heavy metals.
In addition to their quality control testing, CV Sciences is the first hemp CBD company to invest in the scientific research necessary to receive a Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) status. While GRAS status is generally a U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) designation which requires that experts review the testing and research to determine that a product is safe, companies can invest prior to FDA designation to determine themselves if a product should be considered GRAS. In 2018, CV Sciences’ Gold Formula product line received what is called a self-affirmed GRAS status, and is the first and only hemp CBD supplement company to reach this status.
In this four-part series, we’ll learn more about hemp CBD by talking to some of the dedicated experts—from doctors to CBD crusaders—that CV Sciences has enlisted to help them in their mission to educate the public and further scientific knowledge about this remarkable substance.
Meet Maggie Frank
As the National Educator for CV Sciences, Maggie Frank is proud to have the opportunity to educate people about how CBD can change their lives. She has more than ten years of experience as an educator and a health and wellness advocate in the natural products industry.
What inspired your passion for educating the public about nutrition and natural products?
I lived on a small boat in Mexico after school, where I caught a lot of my own food, and ate a lot of fresh fruit and veggies. While down there, my health transformed. I went from being sick often, puffy, bloated and allergic to nature, to healthy, strong, happy and vibrant. It clicked for me! My body is capable of amazing things, if I support it and nourish it. Ever since, I’ve been passionate about sharing my knowledge with others. I just want everyone to feel as good as I do when they wake up in the morning.
How did you become interested in hemp-derived CBD as a health and wellness option?
I'd used CBD after a bad car accident in 2012. I herniated some discs and damaged the tendons in my knees. I was in excruciating pain and the medicines I was prescribed were upsetting my digestive system and making me feel depressed. I turned to CBD after doing some research. I was amazed at how well it worked for me. Overnight I was able to stop taking the pain meds. I was sleeping better. My digestive system was regulated again in a few days, and my attitude and emotional stability had improved. I never knew that 5 years later I'd be working in the hemp field, educating about the Endocannabinoid System and phytocannabinoids, but I couldn't be more honored to be part of this amazing evolution to understanding and bringing back this miracle plant.
While some people use CBD for specific health concerns, others take it to enhance their general health. How can CBD improve your overall health?
Phytocannabinoids like CBD work with a system found in every mammal called the Endocannabinoid System (ECS). The ECS is responsible for achieving and maintaining the balance or homeostasis of every single system within us, as well as every function those systems are responsible for. It's tied to our brain, gut, liver, storage of fat, recovery from exercise, hormone function, immunity as well as motivation and mood. Keeping the ECS healthy is imperative to reaching our physical, mental and emotional health goals. Phytocannabinoids like CBD from full spectrum hemp extracts, just happen to be one of the best ways we know of to support this profound system. In very simple terms, hemp extracts rich in phytocannabinoids like CBD are the perfect "superfood" to feed and support your ECS in everything it's responsible for doing. Although CBD has immediate benefits for many, the true magic happens over time, through the improved health of your Endocannabinoid System.
Hemp-derived CBD doesn’t high amounts of THC, so some people give it to their kids. How can CBD benefit children?
Hemp derived CBD contains trace residual amounts of THC. There is not enough THC present to stimulate the CB1 receptors that are responsible for the feeling of being high typically associated with THC. Essentially CBD is the "decaf" to high THC Cannabis. It gives benefits without the high, making it desirable when looking at options to use with children. Children have the same Endocannabinoid System as adults. Keeping it healthy is connected to all their health concerns as well. The early research supporting CBD's use in children struggling with physical, mental and emotional issues has been inspiring, leading many parents to exercise their rights and choose to give hemp extracts to their children. I've met many of them, and have yet to meet anyone who has regretted their decision, other than wishing they'd started sooner. However, we do not have long term research at this time that would allow any manufacturer of hemp products to recommend them to people under 18.
As an educator for CV Sciences, you teach people about CBD. What’s the best part of that job?
The best part of my job is seeing the change in people. PlusCBD Oil™ is often a bridge to a better life. I've witnessed thousands of people who have used these products to regain lives they thought they'd lost forever. I've witnessed children who had been nonverbal, start to talk. I've watched as a Tourette’s sufferer took 5mg of our Gold Oil and stopped flailing 10 mins later. I've met Veterans and abuse survivors who've found relief from PTSD. I've heard stories of MS, Fibromyalgia and Parkinson's sufferers who've given up the walker or the cane after starting these products. I've met countless people who have finally gotten off their prescriptions. I've met mothers who have found more patience for their husbands and children. Insomniacs who hadn't slept in years, finally sleeping through the night. I've met families whose children suffer from the most confusing pathologies imaginable, finally find something that worked. It's a honor to be a part of it.
There’s a lot of misinformation out there about CBD. If you could help people understand one thing about CBD, what would it be?
That no two people will have the same experience. CBD is simply helping your Endocannabinoid System regain and maintain homeostasis. Since everyone presents a break in homeostasis differently, no one can tell anyone else what taking CBD will be like or feel like for another person. We all have different abilities to utilize phytocannabinoids, due to a multitude of lifestyle, environmental and genetic variables, so no one will ever be able to guide you to "your perfect dose." No one will ever be able to gauge when you will experience benefits. Some people get immediate relief from, say, pain. For others it can take a few weeks of playing with the dose and allowing the ECS to come back in balance before they feel relief. You have to be willing to try it out and listen to what your body is telling you. Only the user can guide themselves on this journey.
What advice would you give to someone who’s interested in trying CBD for the first time, but unsure about where to start?
Make sure you're purchasing a high quality oil; check the quality of sourcing. It should be third party tested. If the company is promising benefits or saying it "treats" anything, run! It is the wild west of CBD right now and the market is flooded with low quality materials. Or you could save some time and buy PlusCBD Oil™ which checks all these boxes and many more.
Once they have found a product they are confident in, the answer to dose is, start low, build slow. It's always the way to go! Start with 1-5mg and increase by 1-5mg daily until you're getting the results you were looking for. Most people will find their "happy dose" or "sweet spot" somewhere between 1-30mg, but there are individuals whose need is higher.
And don't forget; things like omega 3s, probiotics, dark leafy greens, herbs and spices all help our bodies utilize phytocannabinoids more effectively.
