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\\u201cRemember that health is a journey; make it your life\\u2019s journey to invest in your health.\\u201d

Dr. Susan Hewlings (31:21-31:22)

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Is there anything Dr. Susan Hewlings hasn\\u2019t accomplished!? Dr. Hewlings has a PhD in Nutrition, a Masters Degree in Exercise Physiology, is a Registered Dietician, full-time professor at Central Michigan University, has a graduate certificate in cannabis science, and is an author. Most of her work has been bringing research to consumers so they can make the best, educated decisions for their health.

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Dr. Hewlings is director of scientific affairs at Nutrasource/GRAS Associates where it is her job to\\xa0 connect science with marketing. Nutrasource is a contract research organization that provides research and regulatory guidance\\xa0 for companies in the dietary supplements, CBD and the cannabis spaces. They help clients design or interpret studies to support their marketing claims to better inform consumers. Dr. Hewlings works with the Coconut Coalition of the Americas who aim to educate consumers and health professionals about the current scientific research related to coconuts and fats.

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\\u201cYou have to remember what\'s the definition of the word supplement. It means \\u2018in addition to\\u2019, not \\u2018instead of\\u2019 and I think CBD and cannabis should be looked at the same way.\\u201d Dr. Susan Hewlings (18:57-19:06)

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You\\u2019ve probably been seeing and hearing more and more products with CBD or CBG as ingredients, but what exactly is it, how does it help, and is it psychoactive? THC, CBD and CBG are cannabinoids, or phytocannabinoids, which are the bioactive compounds in the cannabis plant that have many helpful benefits. Bioactive doesn\\u2019t mean psychoactive, and in fact, inside the human body there\\u2019s an entire endocannabinoid system. There are cannabinoid receptors throughout our body and endogenous (produce inside the body) cannabinoids are produced that bind to those receptors, just like exogenous cannabinoids (like CBD) do. The binding is what creates the health benefit, and CBD is well known for its help with pain relief, anti-inflammation, sleep, mood and decreasing anxiety because it binds with receptors associated with these responses.\\xa0

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The interesting thing is everyone reacts differently to cannabinoids and the research isn\\u2019t all encompassing, which is part of the reason Dr. Hewlings says we\\u2019re \\u201cat a stalemate\\u201d with the FDA on how the use of cannabinoids will be regulated. Questions are being asked like, \\u201cwill this be a supplement?\\u201d, \\u201cwill this be a part of its own category?\\u201d, \\u201care things like drinks and candies allowed under that category?\\u201d, and \\u201cwill it be all encompassing or limited?\\u201d.

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So how do you know as a consumer whether or not a product that has CBD in it is legitimate? Right now, because it\\u2019s unregulated, you don\\u2019t, but there are a lot of companies like Nutrasource that are completely transparent with their purity testing and labeling so you can be educated on what exactly is in the product. Many reliable companies are using third party testing such as the testing provided by Nutrasource\\u2019s International Cannabinoid Analysis Program (ICAP), making sure testing is on their label, and pushing for testing to become an industry standard.

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You can increase your endogenous cannabinoids without consuming exogenous cannabinoids by eating a healthy, balanced diet, filled with fruits and vegetables, and exercising regularly. Ever had a runner\\u2019s high? Your body\\u2019s cannabinoids surge in number during activities like this, crossing the blood-brain barrier and positively affecting brain chemistry.\\xa0

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Speaking of eating a healthy diet, a large part of Dr. Hewling\\u2019s research has been busting the myth that all saturated fats are bad for you. She wrote a research paper on coconuts, which is quite fitting since she lives in the Florida Keys, showing that the types of saturated fatty acids in coconuts are shorter-chain saturated fats, while the saturated fats in beef or butter, for example, are longer chain and therefore have different effects on health. Coconut isn\\u2019t metabolized the same way as other foods high in saturated fat we\\u2019re supposed to watch out for, which means the argument against saturated fat isn\\u2019t so black and white and coconuts can be part of a healthy diet.

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\\u201cCoconut is an important crop worldwide in many communities. It\'s been used for centuries for antibacterial purposes, is anti-inflammatory, high in antioxidants and it\\u2019s definitely one of those foods to include in a healthy diet. Just like everything else though, don\'t go overboard with it.\\u201d Dr. Susan Hewlings (27:44-28:10)

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Whether it\\u2019s the use of cannabinoid supplements, eating coconuts, or following a healthy diet, what\\u2019s most important is to stay educated with legitimate research backing claims company\\u2019s make about their product\\u2019s health benefits. Nutrasource is helping companies provide you, the consumer, with information that supports you in making the best decision for your health.

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Remember when trying CBD products on the market, they aren\\u2019t psychoactive, but benefits aren\\u2019t one-size-fits-all. Everybody\\u2019s body reacts differently and the industry is in its infancy stage. See what helps your body the most and with coconuts, they can be part of\\xa0 ahealthy diet and taste delicious!\\xa0

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How to get involved

• Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!\\xa0
• Reach out to us - we\\u2019d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.\\xa0

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