While people have known and used cannabis for centuries now, it is only the last decade that revolutionised it. More and more people are adopting this herb to help them with various mental and physical troubles. Are you planning to use cannabis? Do you wonder which diseases it can help treat? If your answer is yes, then read and find out about three diseases that cannabis can help in treating.
What is cannabis?
While you may have heard or read a lot about cannabis, do you know what it is? Cannabis is a herb that originated from the South-east Asian subcontinent centuries ago, but it is now used in all major countries around the globe. People often think that cannabis is a psychoactive plant, but it is so much more than that. The plant also contains medicinal properties that might help treat many ailments.
There are three different subspecies of the plant, called Indica, Sativa, and Ruderalis. But you can also find many distinct hybrid girl scout cookies strain that are across between them. The cannabis plant has many different chemical compounds known as cannabinoids. There are around 110 cannabinoids present in it, but THC and CBD are the predominant ones. While CBD is a therapeutic compound, THC or Tetrahydrocannabinol can induce a mind-altering high.
Which diseases can you treat with cannabis?
People around the world are using the cannabis plant for its benefits. Here are three diseases it can help in treating:
1. Arthritis:
Arthritis is a common disease that affected the lives of 91.2 million people in the US in the year 2015. While people often use the term arthritis for joint pain, it is so much more than that. There are many types of such an ailment, like osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and metabolic arthritis. It can cause immense pain, inflammation, stiffness in joints, and difficulty in moving. Cannabis might help people who are struggling with arthritis. The human body contains an endocannabinoid system, which is a complex structure of cells.
It produces neurotransmitters called cannabinoids, which help regulate your mood, appetite, sleep pattern, immunity, and reproductive health. The cannabinoids bind with CB1 and CB2 receptors present in your cells, hormones, and organs to change how you react to external stimuli. The cannabinoids present in cannabis are identical to the ones made by the endocannabinoid system in your body.
When you ingest cannabis, the cannabinoids bind to the receptors. It may help bring down pain and inflammation. Besides that, rheumatoid arthritis is auto-immune, which means that the immune system starts attacking the joints. Cannabis might alleviate the pain and discomfort caused by rheumatoid arthritis. There is even a cannabis-based medicine called Sativex that can help in the treatment of this disease.
2. Epilepsy:
Epilepsy is a severe neurological condition that causes unprovoked and recurring seizures. Although the doctors are unable to ascertain the real cause of epileptic seizures, they believe that it has links to brain damage and genetics. It can induce blackouts, fainting spells, stiffness in the body, and delay in neurological development. Cannabis may become a ray of hope for people who are suffering from epilepsy.
When you consume the herb, you also ingest the cannabinoids. Both CBD and THC promote the level of natural cannabinoids in the body and facilitate better communication of the brain with other organs. It might help reduce pain, inflammation, seizures, and spasms caused by epilepsy. Besides that, CBD may also have a biochemical effect on the nerve cells present in your brain that helps bring down the frequency and intensity of epileptic seizures. FDA has also given a green signal to Epidiolex, a cannabis-based medicine that helps reduce seizures.
3. Anxiety and depression:
The times we live in often bring along endless deadlines, mounting work pressure, and tiring societal obligations. It can lead to mental health troubles like anxiety and depression. Combating mental health troubles can affect your overall health and productivity. While you can get artificial medicines to help treat it, they come with their own side-effects. Here, cannabis can be an organic treatment. The herb cannabis is known to be a natural relaxant. It can help relax your mind and body and take away the stress. Cannabis may also bring down the symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder and get you in a happy mood. Many people with anxiety find it hard to sleep, and for them, cannabis might also work as a sedative and ensure sound sleep of 7-8 hours every night.
How to use cannabis?
Cannabis is an extremely easy plant to use. There are plenty of ways in which you can use it to enjoy the benefits. Here are some of them:
1. Orally:
The easiest and most effective method of using the herb is oral. While you can consume the leaves of the plant directly, you can also get oil, seeds, and capsules. You can also use cannabis oil Canada by putting a few drops of it under the tongue for a minute and then swallowing it to get instant relief.
2. Topically:
Topicals can be body creams or lotions that are infused with the cannabis plant. They are a great way to deal with localized pain, inflammation, and infection. You can directly apply the topical on clean skin, from where the cannabinoids bind with CB2 receptors and help reduce pain.
3. Edibles:
Cannabis-based edibles are very popular today. They are nothing but food and drinks that contain cannabis. You can get gummy bears, cookies, brownies, and even coffee that include cannabis. But, if you’re the experimental kind, you can make your own the best CBD edibles by adding CBD or THC to your favorite food.
4. Smoking or Vaping:
The age-old method of smoking cannabis is still prevalent. You can roll it up into a joint and smoke it. There are electronic vaping devices available that heats cannabis to produce vapor that you can inhale. Smoking or inhaling offers effect within a few minutes, making it the most effective.
Final Thoughts
Cannabis is emerging as a popular treatment for many diseases. From arthritis to epilepsy, and from stress to depression, the plant may prove to be a natural way to treat it. If you are planning to make a holistic lifestyle change and opt for organic treatment, you must try cannabis. Get your hands on quality cannabis strains and get healthy.