Too often in life, we settle. We settle for a regrettable make-out sesh featuring that guy from Tinder with the painfully low IQ, in lieu of real affection. We settle for a quick fix meal via the cheapest delivery service rather than walking two blocks to buy groceries for half the price. We settle for fast fashion to save the schlepping through the consignment stores to find timeless gems. And instead of recognizing your deteriorating posture from computer slumping, burgeoning neck cramps from commuting or unaddressed tightness from ill-advised exercise, we write it all off as par-for-the-millennial-course. In other words, we settle.
When Kim Kardashian announced the baby shower for her fourth child would focus on her guests’ mental and physical repair, with CBD oil — the extracted, non-psychoactive component of marijuana plant — at the forefront. “This year, because I am freaking out so much, I just want a zen-like CBD-themed baby shower,” Kardashian said. “I just want massages.”
The star’s event all sounded very ‘woo woo,’ and the kind of privileges reserved solely for Calabasas-residents and co., but CBD-oriented wellness experiences are more accessible than you might think. And, they’re worth the investment: potentially saving your body from disarray, and providing more mental clarity than your weekly therapy session.
Paul Labrecque Salon and Spa‘s introduction of the CBD Ritual Massage has proved increasingly popular among their New York clients. Because CBD is so anti-inflammatory, the relief it provides when applied transdermally (on the skin) to those suffering from chronic pain and arthritis is second to none. As a result the spa claims the treatment has become a hit with athletes, and also boasts its capacity alleviate headaches, improve circulation and generally boost one’s health — all without pharmaceuticals.
Before the treatment began, my masseur explained he would be using a high-quality, full-spectrum phytocannabidiol oil (not a blend), offset with coconut oil to lubricate the product so that it is more easily absorbed into skin, and asked which areas I would prefer targeted. He immediately attributed the requested focus on my shoulders to the generational impact of computer use, and explained that — performed regularly — this massage could vastly improve the long-term implications of being raised in front of a screen. As soon as he went to work, the difference between a standard massage and the CBD-infused experience was abundantly clear.
The massage immediately induced a near coma-like relaxation, with the oil acting as pain relief as he endeavored to relax the tighter areas — working on my back, shoulders, calves and thighs. In the hours post, I noticed a palpable difference, not just in the function of my joints and muscles, but on my mental state. I was mutually more relaxed and energetic than I had been several hours earlier; my stress-levels lowered, and I was suddenly approaching the daily grind with optimism I hadn’t felt in weeks.
When scheduled weekly, there’s no telling the benefits of CBD-centered wellness treatments. While I wasn’t high on THC, the post-massage elation was incomparable to any other sober experience…and I don’t want to come down, or settle for anything less, any time soon.