Two Irish CBD companies have joined together to collaborate on CBD balms aimed at helping the symptoms of menopause and boosting wellness.
GROUND Wellbeing from Cork and Ethos CBD from Wicklow both launched in November 2020 and this collaboration will combine aromatherapy and CBD.
The balms will work with different stages of menopause along with potentially easing pain and inflammation.
Menopause happens when the body stops having periods between the age of 45 to 55. It can cause symptoms such as hot flushes, night sweats and vaginal dryness. The treatment is usually lifestyle changes or hormone replacement therapy (HRT). Before a person enters menopause, they may experience perimenopause. This starts several years before menopause with symptoms including hot flashes, breast tenderness, lower sex drive and fatigue.
It is thought that CBD may help with these symptoms.
How can CBD help menopause symptoms?
It is thought that CBD could reduce inflammation by potentially inhibiting the COX2 enzyme. In a study on multiple sclerosis – not menopause – it was found that CBD may help to protect against the deleterious effects of inflammation.
Ground CBD was founded by Peigín Crowley and offers plant-based handmade self-care products. Peigín has over 20 years of experience working in spas in Ireland along with aromatherapy. Ethos was founded by couple Amy O’Flaherty and Fergus Kerrigan and offers CBD oils and organic Hemp Teas using hemp grown in Co. Wicklow. The teas are combined with botanical extracts and essential oils to target specific wellbeing needs.
Peigín started to take CBD tea during the lockdown and found it helped with her anxiety and difficulty sleeping.
Peigín, founder of GROUND said: “Developing a GROUND CBD Balm to soothe hormone fluctuations has been both a personal goal as well as a business focus for GROUND. There is so much about the journey towards menopause that we do not know about and we need to learn more in order to equip ourselves and our mental health. This is something I am committed to being open about and delving into it to gain knowledge and share with our online GROUND Community.”
She added: “I had begun taking ethos CBD mid lockdown and I found it excellent. I had coupled it with ashwagandha supplements and it had really helped with anxiety and sleep. Being able to combine both into a soothing balm to incorporate into a nighttime ritual has been a labour of love.”
Pain relief and CBD
The products aren’t just for menopause symptoms. They can help conditions such as arthritis which causes inflammation that leads to pain.
Fergus, Co-founder of ethos CBD said: “A lot of people In Ireland are suffering from arthritis and other inflammatory issues that affect the muscles, joints and everyday mobility. The Repair balm and accompanying ritual for the application provide natural support to the body’s own ability to repair and heal. We are excited by the feedback on the balm so far and this gives us confidence it’s a product that can help a lot of people.”