Benefits of CBD
A major component in cannabis that relaxes the body with very few ill side-effects.
Remember when you didn’t like something because someone else did? Or perhaps because you didn’t fully understand it until you experienced it? This is the kind of reputation CBD, or cannabidiol had for a long while, simply because it wasn’t the key in creating the psychotropic high cannabis has been popularized for. To put it simply, no one cared to study it since it doesn’t create a conscious change in brain activity.
But we know better now – CBD is a major component in cannabis and it relaxes the body. Unlike THC, it has very few ill side-effects we’ve yet discovered. It’s extremely abundant in both cannabis and hemp plants with history pointing us towards its uses in medicine. If you’re interested in learning more about CBD’s background and science, view our video, “All About CBD”. Otherwise, here’s where you’ll learn how people have been using CBD to treat sicknesses and improve health.
One of the major findings concerning cannabidiol is that it calms seizures and can even prevent them. There are hundreds of claims and even videos of parents using CBD oil to treat their children that suffer from epilepsy. While it’s known to improve the quality of life dramatically for those trying to keep seizures under control, CBD isn’t the cure, but could help us find the path to discovering the cure.
Cancer patients have been claiming that CBD not only reduces inflammation in the body caused by chemotherapy and tumors, but also that it shrinks the tumors themselves. Actual studies have confirmed that cancer cells stop growing and even die when CBD oil is introduced to them – though these studies used cancer cells in lab dishes, not in the human body. Much research is needed in this realm of CBD, but it’s definitely caught the medical field’s attention in pursuit of a cure.
CBD is also linked to reducing chronic pain, which is a big deal considering that most pharmaceutical pain killers cause adverse side-effects, have potential toxicity, and may contribute to the rise in prescription opiate addiction. CBD has not been associated with these problems, we find that it simply produces relief and calm.
Every so often, you’ll see stories about how someone quit their drug addiction using cannabis. While THC has its own benefits, it’s believed to be mostly due to CBDs directly calming the nerves so shaking from withdrawals is reduced. Plus, relaxation occurs instead of experiencing the pain of the drug leaving the body’s system.
Neuropsychiatric disorders are also thought to be something CBD can play a role in treating. Anxiety, schizophrenia, PTSD, and even OCD can all possibly be treated with CBD.
Correlations between cannabis use, blood glucose levels, and the optimal balance of both the “good” and “bad” cholesterols have led to studies focused on CBD and diabetes. It is believed that CBD may help the body reduce levels of fasting insulin which demonstrates improved insulin sensitivity.
And finally, because of its action as an anti-inflammatory, CBD has been found to help reduce the appearance of acne when applied topically. Since it can be absorbed through the skin, it’s also beenadded to some topical products used for pain-relief.
While CBD oil is being legally sold on the market, there’s debate over whether CBD oil would provide its benefits better, instead, being present with all the other components of cannabis to create an ‘entourage effect’ balancing homeostasis in the body. Unfortunately, too many states continue to keep cannabis mostly illegal, which may be why CBD concentrates have been on the rise.
Continued research pertaining to CBD is helping the reputation of cannabis gain attention and respect within the medical field. What was once an illicit drug is now being considered a medicine, perhaps one with far more potential than pharmaceuticals which may be more toxic and have more side effects. In fact, CBD has already begun to replace a good deal of medications for patients as word gets out of its therapeutic qualities. Its most common uses are to alleviate pain and calm anxiety.
If you’re thinking about using CBD to treat an ailment or improve your general health, be sure to talk with your physician or investigate the studies pertaining to the effect you wish to obtain. Studies are still being done regarding CBD, so looking into the news or medical journals every so often regarding CBD is highly suggested.
While it may not get all the hype that THC does, CBD certainly shows promise in treating serious diseases as well as improving overall health and well-being.
Are you using CBD to treat anything or adding it to your diet as a wellness enhancer? Tell us your story, we want to know!