By Ann Liguori, Radio & TV Sports Talk Show Host, Correspondent & Author
Traveling the country, playing in celebrity and charity tournaments and trying out new courses to recommend to my listening audience, I meet a lot of golfers. I hear their stories, their ups and downs. And many golfers frequently complain about back aches and stiffness. Twisting the torso repeatedly during swings and standing over putts, bending back and neck muscles, can do a number on your muscles and joints.
Many golfers have found fast relief by using CBD products. And it fascinates me to hear their stories. While checking out the Pro Shop at Willowbend Country Club on Cape Cod during Wayne Soares Celebrity Golf Classic, I had the pleasure of meeting Ray Richard, the Golf Shop Manager Pro there, who is the two-time Massachusetts Senior 4 Ball Champion, the three-time Cape Cod Amateur Champion, the Southeast Massachusetts Champion and Southeast Massachusetts Senior Champion, to name a few of his many amateur titles. Richard is also a proud Veteran, having served in the US Navy.
Ray told me that he constantly struggled with joint aches and it hurt him to get out of bed, let along walk 18 holes and play golf. A member at the club told him about the benefits of CBD to combat soreness. So he tried it and it changed his life! “I take a 50 mg gel cap every night,” shared Richard. “There is also a tincture that goes under the tongue but I felt the gel cap was easier. It took just a few days and the results were very good. After a few days of taking the gel caps I was sleeping better. I have always been a very restless sleeper due to the soreness. Every day I felt better and soon I could walk to the first tee and hit a shot with no aches. I could hit balls with no tension. Don’t ask me how it works but it does. Recently I have been chewing CBD gum and it seems to keep me calmer and more focused. Very interesting! “I feel ache free every day. There is no special feeling with it but all I can say is that there is no soreness. It didn’t help just my golf but my daily life as well.”
How does CBD work? According to an article in Medical News Today, the human body has an endocannabinoid system (ECS), which is made up of millions of tiny receptors. CBD, one of 113 cannabinoids in the Cannabis Sativa plant, affects the receptors in the body, the tiny proteins attached to cells. The response creates anti-inflammatory and relieving effects that assist with muscle soreness management when CBD is bound to the receptors. The ECS also assists with regulating functions such as sleep and immune-system responses.
CBD is an entirely different compound than tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), which also comes from the Cannabis plant. CBD does not produce the ‘high’ and does not impair a person’s functioning because CBD does not affect the same receptors as THC. “I certainly would recommend at least trying CBD,” adds Richard. “I am sure the results could be different with everyone, but for me, it works and I will continue using it. I have talked with all my doctors about the results and they all said that there is no clinical data confirming the benefits and if it works, keep using it. So I will.” I love hearing these positive stories! I know there are a lot of golfers who have enjoyed similar results from CBD products. CBD is a safe, organic answer to combat aches and yield to relaxation.
No statements in this article regarding hemp have been evaluated by the FDA. Consult with your physician before consuming hemp or beginning a hemp product regimen.
