Although the rolling hills and picturesque plots of farmland paint the United States as a country of plant-based abundance, our national dietary choices tell a very different story. Regardless of produce availability, estimates show approximately one-third of the U.S. population is at risk of a vitamin deficiency, with vitamins A, D, E and C as well as calcium, folate and magnesium among the most common to clock in under daily recommendations.1 As a longtime crop farmer, Farmulated CBD Owner Mark Troyer understands for some, the distance between farm and table can be especially long.
What’s the solution? For 77 percent of U.S. adults, dietary supplements help bridge the gap between the balancing act of three daily meals and optimal health.2 While the risk factors associated with under-consuming vitamins and minerals are broad, a weakened immune system is perhaps the most notable, followed by fatigue, aches and pains and an irritable mood.1 Given our gut health’s connection to roughly 70-80 percent of our serotonin production, it’s no surprise that a lack of vitamins and minerals may leave us feeling like shells of our healthiest potential selves.
Troyer is no stranger to the importance of supplements. On Farmulated CBD’s sprawling family farm, he has taken on a new vision that could help curb the vitamin-deficient epidemic. After witnessing the glowing health reviews of premium, farm-grown hemp within his expanding line of CBD products, he asked himself how he could elevate a business centered on helping people through natural remedies. Then, he began planting a wide variety of pharmacist-recommended plants and botanicals.
The list of potential superfood crops is long and, for a generational farmer, highly intriguing. Troyer is currently dabbling in a wide range of plants including turmeric, ginger, ginseng, beets and one of his personal favorites, echinacea. The latter plant, which grows as a vibrant purple-pink coneflower, has been a component of ancient medicine for hundreds of years. While its precise health benefits require more formal research, it has been used as an immune-boosting, cold-suppressing remedy due to its antioxidant-rich makeup.3 Within echinacea, flavonoids and other acidic compounds fight disease-inducing free radicals,3 which collect in the body from stressors like poor diet, environmental pollution and excess chemicals.
As a traditionally rooted farmer who dove head-first into modern agriculture via hemp, plants like echinacea foster exciting new ideas. When asked about the direction of Farmulated CBD, Troyer's ultimate goal is to expand his CBD line with a range of botanically diverse, twofold products that combine health and convenience through supplements. He foresees his in-house capsulator as a central component of the new venture.
For now, Troyer stresses the medicinal significance of consuming plants and looks forward to the glowing customer feedback on his premium CBD products. The future of Farmulated CBD, while still a vibrant green, may also incorporate some exciting new colors and benefits.
Sources:
1.Bird, J. K., Murphy, R. A., Ciappio, E. D., & McBurney, M. I. (2017, June 24). Risk of deficiency in multiple Concurrent micronutrients in children and adults in the United States. National Center for Biotechnology Information. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5537775/.
2. Council for Responsible Nutrition. (2019, September 30). Dietary Supplement Use Reaches All Time High. Council for Responsible Nutrition Newsroom. https://www.crnusa.org/newsroom/dietary-supplement-use-reaches-all-time-high.
3. Raman, R. (2018, October 25). Echinacea: Benefits, Uses, Side Effects and Dosage. Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/echinacea#antioxidants.
