Working it Out

No pain, no gain—right? Well, to a point, maybe. Any workout—from walking to weightlifting—causes microscopic damage to your muscles and tissues, triggering inflammation. That ache you feel the day after? That’s your body repairing that damage, helping your muscles grow back stronger. So a little inflammation is a good thing; it activates your body’s repair process.

But too much inflammation is a bad thing, and can lead to strains, sprains, and more. So how do we fight it? Some of us eat antioxidant foods, like berries, leafy greens, or dark chocolate; sometimes we reach for an anti-inflammatory medication like ibuprofen.

Some sports doctors are now recommending CBD as a way to reduce inflammation from exercise-related injuries. CBD salves applied to the painful area may bring some relief to aches after a big workout.

Yoga practitioners are finding that CBD can help them when they can’t quite find their focus. Many yoga instructors recommend CBD to help with pain relief, overthinking (and the anxiety that comes with it), and mood modulation. So if your mind’s wandering and your body’s aching, CBD may be a useful partner in your workout.