Throughout its tumultuous history, cannabis has been as multidimensional as it has been controversial. And yet, its usefulness and versatility are only becoming fully apparent to us today. The plant has found its way into a huge variety of products and industries. So, before you order your next batch of the fruit loops strain, you could also learn about all the potential benefits of this wondrous plant – especially in medicine.
So, let’s dive right in!
Source: medium.comCannabis 101
Just like any other topic, when you scratch beneath the surface, there are tons to learn about cannabis and cannabis seeds. But don’t worry – we’ll simplify the basics as much as possible to streamline the process.
So, before we get into any more details, the first question you might ask yourself is – what exactly is cannabis? It’s a plant that consists of over 120 components. You may have heard about some of these components – we call them cannabinoids.
Among them, two stand out as the most researched and well-known: THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) and CBD (cannabidiol). And the THC component produces the world-famous high that cannabis first became known for. On the other hand, CBD is a non-euphoric, non-intoxicating cannabinoid. And it’s present in gummies, oils, drinks, and plenty of other CBD-based products, including some produced for medical purposes.
CBD is also the part that produces most of the potential health benefits of cannabis – you can find plenty of anecdotal evidence on that, and the amount of peer-reviewed research is also growing by the year.
Considering that, it’s no surprise that CBD is mainly responsible for the stunning growth of the cannabis-based products industry. These days, some universities are even offering courses in CBD entrepreneurship.
At the same time, medical researchers are hard at work trying to pinpoint the precise nature of CBD’s effect on our health. Still, a lot of promising results are already on the horizon. With that in mind, let’s look at the different ways people have already improved their health through CBD consumption.
Lower Blood Pressure
In recent years, numerous studies have concluded that CBD can safely lower human blood pressure. And that includes both resting blood pressure and people’s blood pressure after various stress tests. These included everything from cold pressor testing to isometric exercise and mental arithmetic.
Considering how many Americans and people all over the developed and developing world are having trouble regulating their blood pressure, this is absolutely groundbreaking news. Of course, no amount of CBD can replace a healthy diet and regular exercise – but the mere fact that it helps people regulate their daily blood pressure can still help many folks who have tried everything else to no avail.
Lower Inflammation
Apart from blood pressure, it seems that CBD can also be used to reduce inflammation. Plus, some anecdotal evidence also points to CBD reducing neuropathic pain caused by inflammation – which is hugely important for all kinds of chronic diseases and acute issues.
Preventing Alcohol And Drug Addiction
Hold the phone – isn’t CBD a drug itself? Well, no, not exactly. Remember, CBD is just one component of cannabis. And it’s the non-intoxicating part; which means all of the stuff you associate with weed as a drug is found in the THC part.
On the contrary – in the past half-decade, some researchers have found that CBD is extremely useful for people who are fighting severe alcohol and drug addictions. Some preclinical trials show great promise in using CBD to lower anxiety, cravings, and the absence of impulse control which frequently leads addicts on a path to relapse.
Lowering Anxiety
So, if CBD can be used to treat anxiety in drug and alcohol addicts – is it helpful in treating anxiety in general? It turns out that it probably is! In fact, CBD could potentially be just as effective at lowering panic disorders, general anxiety disorders, social anxiety disorders, and even PTSD and OCD.
Once we learn how to tap into the potential of CBD fully, we may be able to deal with all kinds of previously disastrous mental disorders in a much more benign and less invasive way compared to current treatments and medication.
Dealing With Seizures
Seizure syndromes (like epilepsy) were one of the first frontiers of medical research into CBD – we’ve been trying to use CBD to treat its symptoms for decades. Some recent research suggests we’re near solutions that can positively reduce seizure frequency and other symptoms in a broad variety of test subjects.
Helping The Fight Against Cancer
For years, chemotherapy patients have been using CBD oils and other products to help them deal with the often difficult effects of this treatment. However, some studies have also pointed out that CBD may be used to prevent cancer cell growth and even kill cervical cancer cells. It could be the source of various anti-cancer effects – if we tap into them, we may use CBD to prevent a whole range of cancers, improve our immune systems, and treat tumors.
Overcoming Stigma
The cannabis plant has had a long, complicated history. For much of the last century, it was associated with criminals, junkies, and other “undesirables”. No wonder that when people started using it medicinally, there was a lot of stigma attached to it. Fortunately, we’ve come a long way since then. These days, medical cannabis is legal in many developed countries. And the research is catching up – which means we’re learning more and more about the potential medical benefits of cannabis every day. With that in mind, it’s high time (no pun intended) we left all the old prejudices behind and started using cannabis to improve our lives – both mental and physical. For those in the United States looking to use medical marijuana for debilitating ailments as an alternative to traditional medicine, take into consideration your state might require you to register as a medical marijuana patient. This is the case in Missouri, in case you want to know how to get a medical card in Mississippi.
Conclusion
Even though cannabis has been with us for thousands of years, we’re only just beginning to understand the true extent of its potential. CBD, in particular, is a cannabinoid that shows a lot of promise in the field of medicine. So, if you’re struggling with any of the issues and disorders we’ve mentioned above – it may be time to give CBD a try. You might just be surprised by the results!
