Level Minds CBD Health Club owners Shiloh and Nelson Bigles share their passion for natural health and wellness through their CBD products, which have been touted for their medicinal effects on many common ailments such as chronic pain, inflammation, anxiety and arthritis, as well as more complex diagnoses such as autism.
By: Alicia Carter | Photos by Gary Dowd
Suwanee’s newest CBD shop, Level Minds CBD Health Club, celebrated its grand opening in October 2019. Owners Nelson and Shiloh Bigles are passionate about health and wellness and well-versed in the benefits of CBD, bringing their years of experience in alternative health to their newest venture. “I started out as a personal trainer and nutritionist,” Shiloh says. “I had a weight loss and pain therapy spa for three years before my daughter was born. That year, my husband and I started a vape company because we had a lot of friends who were able to stop smoking by using electronic cigarettes. We started the vape company and from that came hemp. We were at a vape convention when we met our trade partner, who we still use today. In 2015 we created Level Minds and by the end of that year we had some of our first products available.”
BENEFITS OF CBD
The benefits of CBD have been promoted in numerous health articles and splashed all over TV and social media. Seemingly overnight everyone knows someone who is singing the praises of CBD. But what exactly is it? In technical terms, CBD stands for cannabidiol, a compound found naturally in hemp plants. “CBD is one of the main molecules in the marijuana plant,” Nelson says. Products found in stores like Level Minds are federally regulated to only contain up to 0.3% THC. Although Level Minds’ products contain high CBD content, nearly all are THC-free. The few products that do contain trace amounts of THC fall well within federal regulations.
“Even though there are some THC traces, they are so low that it’s not going to give you the effects of marijuana,” Nelson says. “A good reference I see is nonalcoholic beer — there is still some minute levels of alcohol but it’s not going to get you drunk or buzzed by any means. You’re still enjoying the drink without the effects of alcohol. CBD is the same way; you’re enjoying the health benefits of cannabis without the psychoactive effects.”
While it won’t get you high, CBD has long been touted for its medicinal properties. CBD is a natural remedy for a number of common ailments, such as chronic pain, inflammation, anxiety and arthritis, as well as more complex diagnoses such as autism. “Our bodies have an endocannabinoid system which absorbs these cannabinoids [CBD],” Nelson says.
“Consuming these cannabinoids helps our system be on a more level scale, so your organs feel better and your body feels better overall. CBD has a lot of great properties. As we say there are no negative effects, only good effects.”
When speaking about the many benefits of CBD, Shiloh gets most excited when sharing how it can help with children and adults who are on the spectrum. Shiloh was invited to the TACA Autism Conference where she heard a doctor speak about studies on topical CBD with autistic patients. “Within 15 minutes of applying on the neck topically near the CB1 and CB2 receptors, the brainwaves were flattening,” she says. “It’s incredible.”
QUALITY PRODUCTS
Level Minds sells CBD in many different forms. The ingestibles include tinctures, capsules, honey sticks and gummies, while topicals run the gamut of body sprays, bath bomb, body butters and lotions. “I use the topical every day,” Nelson says. “I don’t use regular lotions anymore because they don’t really work, even though I buy the best ones — organic, clean ones, they just don’t keep your skin feeling moist and refreshed all day like our products do.”
So which product do you choose? “Topicals and our vape pen go directly into the bloodstream,” Shiloh says. “Anything that you eat has to be metabolized and that’s where it spreads and is broken down better. Our topical and our vape can be used as needed because it’s not being digested.” Shiloh and Nelson invite anyone who is interested in trying CBD to visit the store and they will walk them through the products that would work best for their individual needs.
Shiloh and Nelson also take great pride in the quality of the products they sell at Level Minds, which contain minimal ingredients and no fragrances. “If we have to have a scent we use essential oils. We do not use fragrances at all; we are very against fragrances,” Shiloh says. “Same thing with all of our edibles. We use all organic — we don’t add any colors or artificial flavors. We use it with our whole family and we are very health-minded. If we’re not going to eat it, we’re not going to sell it.”
There’s even CBD products for your pets, such as dog treats. “Dogs, cats and horses all have an endocannabinoid system, so our pets benefit from it,” Shiloh says. “We have quite a bit of purebreds and thoroughbreds that are using it, as well as many dogs and cats. Cats who are on seizure medications have seen their seizures decrease dramatically. Dogs with anxiety who are barking during storms, who can’t go out in public, they are able to be calm. Our pets get arthritis just like we do so it helps them be able to be calm and relaxed and help with the inflammation, too.”
While CBD and hemp may have found their roots in the counterculture, they’re gaining more and more mainstream popularity each day. “CBD is going to continue to expand, it’s going to continue to grow,” Nelson says. “CBD has so many avenues and tiers of business opportunities. It’s not just medicine products; it’s textile products, shirts, furniture stains and more.” Considering the passion that Nelson and Shiloh share for their products, Level Minds CBD Health Club will be there to lead the pack into the future.
Level Minds CBD is located at 3550 Lawrenceville-Suwanee Road, Suite 108, in Suwanee. For more information call 678-765-2228 or visit LevelMindsCBD.com.
