Cannabis has been used for medicinal purposes for thousands of years. It is time to talk about how it can be an ally and how cannabis supports you in your health and wellness journey.
Cannabis supports the body’s endocannabinoid system, which helps regulate many important bodily functions including mood, sleep, immune function, inflammation response, and more.
This post will discuss 10 ways cannabis can support your health & wellness goals.
1. Alleviates Chronic Pain
The main way cannabis interacts with our body is by promoting and working with the endocannabinoid system.
This system helps regulate bodily functions like sleep or hunger. By ingesting cannabis, we are releasing a lot of receptors in the body that will help reduce any major pain we are feeling.
Different strains will have different effects because they have different levels of THC and other cannabinoids responsible for pain management.
2. Alleviates Nausea
Since the 1980s, the FDA has been approving what is called Marinol.
This legal drug is a THC pill that was given to cancer patients who were experiencing extreme bouts of nausea and vomiting.
Patients who used this pill recognized that their symptoms were alleviated and since then, it’s been well known that cannabis has an effect on nausea.
However, Marinol is void of any of the flavonoids, terpenes, and other cannabinoids that are in the cannabis plant that produce an overall positive effect on the body.
3. Protects Brain Cells
When movies like Reefer Madness came out, many people thought cannabis killed brain cells and could change a person’s mind for the worse.
Since then, studies have actually shown the opposite, that marijuana might actually protect brain cells in regular users.
In fact, a study done on people who experienced head traumas concluded that 80% of the victims were less likely to die if they had marijuana in their system.
Cannabis has been labeled as a neuroprotectant instead of neurotoxic.
4. Regulates Sleep
Much in the same way cannabis helps with regulating other areas of the body, it can also help with sleep.
When cannabis was given to patients who suffered from insomnia, those who took it were able to fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer than those who did not.
The cannabinoids in cannabis have also been shown to regulate your breathing while you are asleep.
This also helps to regulate your sleeping as breathing and apnea are major causes of sleep deprivation.
5. Alleviates Depression
Many who suffer from depression, high levels of anxiety, or even PTSD are all finding comfort in using cannabis.
Different strains of the plant, especially Indica strains, have been shown to produce feelings of relaxation and reduced anxiety after consuming cannabis.
Marijuana can help reduce nightmares, intrusive thoughts, and other symptoms some people experience from these debilitating ailments.
CBD is another cannabinoid that has shown positive effects on a person’s overall wellbeing. CBD without the THC compound does not have any psychoactive effects
6. Stimulates Brain Growth
When someone ingests cannabis they are promoting more CB-1 receptors in the brain. These receptors are what cannabinoids attach to in your system and help with the regulation of several functions.
Studies have shown that cannabis promotes more receptor activity in your hippocampus, which is the part of the brain responsible for learning.
So, even though many people believe consuming cannabis can make you dumber, the opposite is actually true and you’ll be extending your learning capacity.
So not only do cannabinoids help protect your brain cells themselves, but they also make you learn better.
7. Regulates Appetite
When the cannabinoids reach your hypothalamus and start promoting more CB-1 receptors, they release what is called ghrelin in your body.
Ghrelin is a hormone in your body that is responsible for the feelings of hunger and when more is released, you’ll feel like you need a snack.
There are actually strains of cannabis you can buy that reduce the amount of ghrelin in your body and as such, reduce your hunger.
People who are going through cancer treatments where their appetite has been decreased dramatically can find relief by taking cannabis.
8. Contains Antioxidants
When cannabis is going through the growing phase it is usually exposed to a great amount of UVB light.
UVB light is responsible for oxidative stress and if your skin was exposed to this light, it would go through extreme degradation and might even contract a disease like cancer.
But when cannabis is exposed to this light, it produces more THC compounds in reaction. These THC compounds are actually anti-oxidant in nature.
So when you consume THC you are actually consuming a ton of antioxidant cannabinoids. There are even more terpenes and flavonoids that have antioxidant properties than just THC.
So although you could take THC by itself to get this effect, the cannabis plant has more compounds that will help your overall health.
9. Decrease Inflammation
Many studies have been done on inflammation in recent years and results are showing that inflammation is the main cause of many diseases and ailments.
Many diseases and causes of discomfort can be linked to inflammation.
Luckily, cannabis contains a lot of cannabinoids that are naturally anti-inflammatory.
The cannabinoids work in your system to reduce the amount of cytokine and chemokine in your system. These compounds are directly responsible for inflammation in the body.
10. Improves Lung Function
Just about all scientists agree that by smoking cannabis, you are exposing your lungs to unnecessary stress and it could cause issues long-term.
But, when you ingest cannabis in other forms, it can actually help to improve lung function and has even been used for people who suffer from asthma.
The reason for this is the cannabinoid name pirene. As the name suggests, it produces a strong pine smell and helps to open up airway passages, much like mint would do.
Supporting Health and Wellness With Cannabis
You can use cannabis for a variety of health and wellness-related issues to seek relief and get comfort. Smoking is not the only method to consume cannabis, and studies show that alternative methods help produce more positive effects on the body.
I hope you can now see how cannabis supports you in your health and wellness journey.
You can find much more information on living a holistic lifestyle in these free magazines and on our YouTube channel.
Author Bio: Tess DiNapoli is a freelance writer for businesses like Enjoyable CBD. She often writes about health and wellness and has a passion for yoga. She also enjoys covering the fashion industry and the world of fitness.
