CBD and Me with Laura Sanko

In our first edition of CBD and Me, we’re highlighting our first official DirectHemp.com supporter, Laura Sanko.

You may know Laura from her work as a reporter for UFC on ESPN and Dana White’s Contender Series. She is one of the most knowledgeable and personable professionals discussing the UFC today, and her passion for the sport is apparent in each of her interviews.

Laura’s journey to MMA began at the age of 5 after watching Karate Kid for the first time. She was obsessed with the movie, and her father brought her a gi from Korea, which she would wear all the time to practice her ninja skills. It wasn’t until high school that she started training in martial arts, but her love and knowledge for the sport only increased from there.

When Laura is not busy on the road as one of MMA’s most watched reporters, she is spending time in her hometown of Kansas City raising her son, Burke, with her husband, Nathan. In her free time she enjoys riding four-wheelers, working out at the gym, and training at Glory MMA and Fitness with fellow DirectHemp.com family member, James Krause.

Laura’s CBD education and use started a few years back. She admits she had many misconceptions about CBD at first and could not understand how it was not the same as using marijuana. Prior to using CBD, she had never used cannabis at all, so she was understandably skeptical about it.

One day, Laura’s close friend, Ryan Stoddard (CEO and Co-founder of DirectHemp.com) told her about what CBD really was. Ryan taught her about her endocannabinoid system for the first time, and how CBD works synergistically with the system to bring the body to balance, or homeostasis. Ryan encouraged her to give it a real try and stick with using it for at least a month. Within a few weeks, CBD had completely changed Laura’s life!

When Burke was born, Laura had what doctors refer to as a thyroid storm, which left her unable to sleep well. After the storm, she couldn’t get to sleep for four days--and after that, her sleep never returned to normal. With consistent CBD use over a few days, Laura began waking up feeling like she had truly rested and recovered. As an added bonus, CBD has helped her manage debilitating migraines, and even anxiety related to events like dental visits.

At first, Laura used only THC-free (broad-spectrum) CBD products, which are easy to find on DirectHemp.com. The “buffet” (as she calls it) of options on our site offer her the confidence to know she’s getting vetted, high-quality products.

Laura loves Cured Nutrition’s Rise and Zen capsules, and CBD capsules in general. She also loves to use topicals for exercise-related recovery. Additionally, she loves the many options and delivery methods available, including candies like Cheeba Chews and Hawaii Cannabis Care’s gummies.

The CBD industry is still a bit confusing at times, and that’s why Laura chose to partner with us. "DirectHemp.com makes it easy to find what you’re looking for, whether that’s THC-free products, capsules, tinctures, vegan products, etc. I also LOVE the variety of price points that allow my friends and family to find something within each of their budgets. Their price-per- milligram and comparison features are other added benefits that I love when shopping for CBD." - Laura, said. 

In the future, Laura hopes to call fights for the UFC, which would make her the second woman to do so (after Kathy Long at UFC 1). She was just awarded her purple belt in Jiu Jitsu at Glory MMA and Fitness, and will continue to train and pursue higher ranks.

As far as CBD is concerned, Laura loves how DirectHemp.com is always vetting new brands and adding products to the site. She hopes to see cosmetic and body care products (such as bath bombs) soon, because to her--like many of us--CBD promotes relaxation.

If you want to follow Laura, you can find her on Instagram @laura_sanko where she strives to share an authentic reflection of her life, along with a little self-deprecating humor. You can also see her riding around on her four-wheeler at the ranch, working out at the gym, or sharing her crazy travel schedule as a professional reporter. You’ll get special sneak peeks behind the
scenes at UFC events, as well as clips of her training at Glory MMA and Fitness.