“Golf is an endurance sport like many
other sports, both mentally and physically
demanding,” Clark said. “It’s unrealistic
to think an athlete does not create some
inflammation in their sport or from their
environment (diet, sleep, life stressors).
If you’re able to reduce inflammation,
there’s a greater likelihood of you being
able to go out the next day and golf again
without muscular fatigue.”
At her Ashburn practice, Clark treats
patients who find themselves stiff upon
waking up in the morning, those who eat
inflammation-causing foods, and those
exposed to environmental stressors such
as the air quality at their workplace. All
of these factors can create inflammation.
“The last thing we want for an ath-
lete is for them to have a slow and slug-
gish brain and body,” Clark said. “The
anti-inflammatory properties of the
hemp version of CBD create a huge win-
win for athletes.”
THE WILD WEST
Although it’s legal to buy and sell CBD
oil in every state, there’s no regulation
of what’s actually in the content of the
CBD being sold to the consumer. Many
times, Clark says, the contents of the
bottle are not what’s listed on the bottle
itself. Don’t be afraid to ask the seller
plenty of questions.
“There are a lot of non-medical sellers
of CBD oil,” Clark said. “I don’t recom-
mend purchasing locally grown CBD oil or
buying it off the shelf. Just because some-
thing is locally grown doesn’t necessarily
mean the hemp was grown and harvested
correctly, or, ultimately, manufactured in
accordance with FDA regulations.”
TAKING CBD
As is the case with any anti-inflammatory,
CBD dosage varies from person to person.
Clark recommends beginning with a low-
er-than-suggested dose of any product
you’re considering—and never taking more
than 6.6 mg a day.
“With any supplement, your body will
adapt to it over time,” she said. “Then,
once a month, I recommend eliminating
any supplements you are taking (with
the advice of your medical physician) to
observe clinical signs of how your body is
responding to CBD.”
Clark advises taking CBD before and
after a round to stay on top of any issues
that might keep you from playing your best.
“Inflammation is inevitable with play, so
by taking CBD first thing in the morning,
you will mitigate those effects,” she said.
“It’s critical to take your anti-inflammatory
at least one hour after play as well.”
Going forward, you’ll be able to base
your optimal CBD dosage on how you feel
the day after playing a round.
“Every player is different,” Clark said.
“There’s a standard starting point of what
dosage to take, anti-inflammatory wise,
but there’s fine-tuning that protocol for
each particular golfer.”
A HOLISTIC APPROACH TO HEALTH
In addition to CBD, Dr. Clark also mentions
the importance of routine bloodwork, a
solid nutritional protocol, and checking for
specific markers as keys to battling inflam-
mation. One thing’s for sure, smoking (on or
off the course) directly counters any benefits
you’ll realize from taking CBD or any other
anti-inflammatory.
“Whether it’s cigars, cigarettes, or vap-
ing, the act of smoking not only ages the
lungs, it puts you at an oxygen deficit
and sets off an inflammatory cascade,”
Dr. Clark said. “With that deficit comes
inflammation and your body’s inability
to feed its musculoskeletal system to per-
form at its best.”
Tissues need oxygen to thrive—in
essence, every puff is an opportunity for a
toxic load to present, inflammation to occur,
and overall brain function to go sluggish.
“That’s not a winning recipe for success
for any golfer,” Dr. Clark said. “We want
the golfer to set themselves up for as much
success as possible.”
Here are a few tips to help you make sure you know what you’re buying:
$
LOOK FOR WATER-BASED CBD OIL AMOUNT SHOULD BE LISTED TESTED AND INSPECTED
The majority of CBD oil is not water-based, and many
times, manufacturers don’t even identify the kind of
carrier oil used in their CBD. Purified water offers a
higher probability of CBD delivery into your body, and
reduces the risk of cross-reactivity (allergic reactions)
to oil-based delivery systems. If the total amount of CBD isn’t listed on the product label,
buyer beware. For example, if a CBD oil salesperson tells
you a particular product contains two ounces of CBD
oil, the label should read “2 oz. of hemp.” If the actual
amount of CBD in the product is not listed on the label
and or the seller cannot say how much hemp is in the
product, choose a different CBD. Buy CBD products that are produced in FDA-
registered and -inspected, food-grade, GMP-
compliant facilities and tested by a third party
for safety and quality.
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