Ok. Let’s play a little game. I’m going to write a word and you are going to tell me the first thing that comes to mind.
Ready? Here we go.
Cannabis. Yes, that’s the word. Cannabis.
What do you think about when you read that word? Do you think about getting high? Do you get a certain image in your mind of people smoking marijuana? Or maybe feeling out of control and “spacey”?
Does that word conjure up images of hippies, or of teenagers skipping class to go smoke outside under the bleachers? Maybe it does.
Now, here’s another word. Clear your mind. Get rid of those images of joints and swirly music and rainbows…
Ready?
Cannabinoid. What does that word mean to you?
If you aren’t sure what it means, you are not alone. The majority of disseminated or known information about marijuana is of THC and its effects on the body and brain. We know that many people, when asked about cannabis, will talk about how it’s something that they tried as a teenager, or something that made them feel “funny” and “silly”. Even worse, we know that, for the most part, information about cannabis has been negative and based on perspective from a legal or political viewpoint. Basically, cannabis has had a bad rap. For years.
Today though, we see that things are changing and, as those changes happen, more research and scientific studies are taking place. What is being found out is astounding and very hopeful, from a medical standpoint.
So, let’s talk about cannabinoids. What are they?
Quite simply, they are chemical compounds given off by the flowers of the cannabis plant that reduce pain, inflammation, anxiety, and gastrointestinal discomfort. Our bodies all naturally produce similar chemical compounds called endo-cannabinods that exist in our endocannabinoid system which help us feel healthy and strong. But often our bodies are continually fighting off so many things every day that we don’t have quite enough of these wonderful compounds present in our systems to efficiently and effectively keep us running at our peak level of performance.
This is where cannabinoids come in and save the day. Cannabis produces over eighty different known cannabinoids; the two that we hear the most about are THC (tetrahydrocannabinol)
and CBD (cannabidiol).
What’s the Difference Between THC and CBD?
THC is the one that can make you feel “high” or euphoric. Not only that, but it also has anti-inflammatory, analgesic, anti-tremor, and anti-spasmodic effects. It also has been proven to have appetite stimulating properties as well, which benefits those people who suffer from severe loss of appetite due to physical or mental illness or disease. (You’ve heard of someone developing a severe case of “the munchies”, right? Well, that is the THC talking, telling your body that it is hungry.)
CBD is the one that helps you feel better by reducing pain or anxiety, but without the high. CBDs are known to have anti-inflammatory, anti-psychotic, anti-oxidant and anti-convulsant properties. Studies have also shown that CBDs aid in regulation of the immune system, helping the body to either form new white blood cells or fight off free radicals hoping to hitch a ride.
In addition to these these wonderful things, CBDs are also neuroprotecants, which help to maintain and rebuild the central nervous system.
Who Uses CBDs?
There are many people who have come to know and rely upon the benefits of CBD-based products.
• Those with chronic pain due to an illness or disease, such as Parkinson's, Multiple Sclerosis, or Alzheimer's who report that their condition makes it hard to move or function on a daily basis, acknowledge that CBDs help make things more manageable and even more functional for them on a daily basis.
• Athletes who experience inflammation and sore and tired muscles and joints and would like to find alternatives to the traditional regimen of painkillers and aspirin use CBDs to help keep them pain-free and in top shape.
• People who suffer from augmented levels of anxiety or depression use CBDs to help squelch some of those negative energies so that they can move forward with their days in a more positive light. Those affected by PTSD or Schizophrenia have reported that cannabis has saved them from unwanted negative feelings, fear, or apprehension that can be so severe it causes them to miss out on their lives.
• Insomniacs, or those who have an extremely hard time sleeping have reported drastic improvement in their sleep patterns and cycles when taking CBDs on a regular basis.
• Those who live with gastrointestinal issues that reduce or stunt their appetite, making it hard for them to get any nutrition into their bodies thereby weakening them and causing even more issues, have reported overwhelming success treating their conditions with CBDs. Suddenly they are experiencing feelings of hunger that can be satiated by food without painful after-effects.
• Those people living with various forms of addiction have reported a reduction in the need to “use” their drug of choice when taking CBDs on a regular basis, noting that they didn’t experience symptoms of withdrawal as severely if at all.
• People who have skin problems such as acne, dermatitis, or eczema note that a regular regimen of a topical application of CBD oil improved their skin. Since cannabis has both anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, and hemp seed oil contains high levels of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, it makes sense to see so many people reporting a drastic improvement in the look and feel of their skin.
• People who experience seizures, as well as other disorders that affect the nervous system have reported an overwhelming reduction in the frequency and duration of each episode when using CBDs on a regular basis.
As public opinion changes about this incredible plant, science is beginning to work with these fascinating compounds to harness their amazing healing properties. Cultivators are working to create new strains of marijuana that have high CBD levels which can then be used by medical marijuana patients to effectively combat their pain or anxiety.
How Do I Use CBDs? Do I Have to Smoke Them?
The answer to that question is simple; no way. As more and more awareness is raised and a discussion continues to take place regarding the benefits of CBDs, scientists, cultivators, and dispensaries are working together to create new and exciting products that deliver a specific and metered dose of CBD without needing to be smoked at all.
So what is the method of delivery, you ask? CBD oil is the answer. This oil is made from high-CBD and very low-THC concentrations of cannabis, extracted from the marijuana plant and distilled. There are a number of ways to then ingest CBDs. Here are just a few:
• Oil
• Tinctures
• Edibles
• Mouth sprays
• Topical creams
• Concentrates
As you can see, the health benefits are overwhelming and all very positive. Isn't it time you took the plunge? It will help, I guarantee it.