Cannabis plants are chemical powerhouses that produce more than 400 different compounds. Not all of those compounds are unique to marijuana, of course, and appear in many other species of plants. That’s why marijuana can smell like pine trees or taste like fresh lemons. But of those 400 compounds, more than 60 of them are totally specific to the plant genus Cannabis.

Each of the 60-plus cannabinoids unique to the plant interact with our bodies via a network of neurons called the endocannabinoid system (ECS). The ECS is a group of endogenous cannabinoid receptors (CB1 and CB2) located in the brain and throughout the central and peripheral nervous system. CBD interacts with these receptors, creating a wide series of responses in the body, including signaling the body to wake up and naturally strengthen the immune system and elicits responses that help bring about balance and homeostasis, the ability to maintain and adjust internal conditions needed for survival and optimal health. It stimulates and affects sleep, pain, mood, digestion, stress, and is anti-inflammatory.