Top 5 Health Benefits of Cannabis
There is scientific evidence to suggest that cannabis has health benefits. These benefits are arguably the reason why the perception of marijuana has changed across the globe, allowing for its legalization. There is still much research to be done to further determine the objective value of cannabis in terms of health. Of what we do know, cannabinoids do play a role in these areas of personal health:
Anxiety Management
Inflammation Reduction
Nausea Relief
Sleep Quality
Reduce Muscle Tension and Headaches
In today’s blog, we will explore each of these areas in relation to cannabis. Seeing as how most people have experience at some point or another with each of these things, there is a good chance that cannabis could, in that sense, be beneficial to everyone. So let’s dive in!
ANXIETY MANAGEMENT
Cannabis as an anxiety reducer might for some seem counter-intuitive, and this idea is certainly substantiated. If you’ve been smoking for sometime, you might be able to attest to a time when cannabis sent you to an uncomfortable place of panic. There is such as thing as “too high.” In more intelligently dosed (smaller) quantities, however, cannabis may for some people serve as an anxiety reducer.
The research on the topic is still in its infancy, but there is plenty of evidence proving that there cannabis does have an effect on feelings of anxiety. Much has yet to be seen on how exactly, but one study, conducted at Washington State University claims that two puffs of any type of cannabis is effective for taking off the edge and reducing anxiety. They also concluded that more than 10 puff of a strain high in CBD with a low amount of THC produces the greatest reduction in stress. Their research acknowledged that various factors, such as genetics and environmental influences, play a role in how cannabis will affect anxiety. This particular study noted that women were likely to feel more anxiety reduction from cannabis. In essence, a little cannabis can definitely serve to curb your stress, but you should be careful not to over do it as that could have opposite effects of increased anxiety.
ANTI-INFLAMMATORY
One of the biggest claims for the health benefits of cannabis comes in the way of its anti-inflammatory properties. In theory inflammation is a natural response our body produces when we become injured, or if an illness occurs. Inflammation aids in the fighting of bacteria and virii. However, inflammation can easily get out of control, which causes tissues to break down at an unhealthy rate. Inflammation is the root of various autoimmune disorders, such as arthritis, Crohn's disease, and lupus. Cannabis can aid in reducing inflammation to healthier levels for all sorts of inflammation, including the everyday inflammation that is caused by stress. Cannabinoids activate the endocannabinoid system, which naturally interacts with the immune system, during body processes but also during injury. According to research out of the University of South Carolina, the cannabinoids THC and CBD have been shown to have immunosuppression properties. This means that they influence the endocannabinoid system to decrease immune system overactivity, thus decrease inflammation. Cannabis that is part THC and part CBD has the highest ability to reduce inflammation. Harlequin is a strain example that has both THC and CBD that could aid in the reduction of inflammation.
NAUSEA RELIEF
Another ailment that cannabis has show potential to ease is nausea and vomiting. Once again this stems from cannabinoid influence on the endocannabinoid system. Reactions with the endocannabinoid system work to reduce nausea and vomiting. Research out of Canada showed the impact of cannabinoids on nausea symptoms. It should be noted, however, that this research was conducted using synthetic cannabinoids and not marijuana flowers. Regardless this research does provide evidence that synthetic cannabinoid interact in some way with the body to reduce nausea. This is a good sign for cannabinoids overall. At the end of the day, nausea originates from disruptions in the brain. Marijuana’s ability to affect brain chemistry could be the link between flower cannabis and the overwhelming anecdotal evidence that it serves to suppress nausea.
SLEEP QUALITY
One of the most popular uses for cannabis is sleep aid. Cannabis has been shown many times to help consumers improve their sleep quality and duration. Sleep is a problem area for many people, in fact, it is estimated that one in three people in America do not get enough sleep. Cannabis has the ability to address this problem. According to Dr. Matt Roman, a medical marijuana researcher and physician, marijuana is effective at restoring natural sleep cycles. Often times poor sleep is a result of busy modern schedules, overwork, and high stress levels. These problems disrupt sleep patterns and for many, can cause insomnia. The way cannabis can help is through THC, which has been proven to induce sleep. While great at inducing sleep, too much THC could also serve to disrupt sleep, so caution should be taken not to over do it. Long term dependence on cannabis as a sleep aid is not recommended, but until more permanent solutions can take form, like finding ways to reduce stress, cannabis can be a helpful tool to combat fatigue and insomnia.
REDUCE MUSCLE TENSION AND HEADACHES
A final health benefit of cannabis is its ability to alleviate muscle tension, which involves a continued contraction of muscles usually in the back and in the neck. Left unaddressed, muscle tension can lead to severe back pain, headaches, and poor posture, which in itself can lead to a plethora of health problems. After a certain point it can be difficult to correct issues caused by muscle tension because muscles can become shorter and less flexible. Muscle tension is a common result of too much stress. Cannabis allows for deeper relaxation, as we have explored a few points ago, and this can in turn serve to address problems of muscle tension. As many of the headaches we experience are a result of nerve tension around the neck, cannabis can serve to soothe these as well.
Overall, cannabis certainly has the potential to affect a wide variety of health concerns. While more research is needed, there is much that we can each do on a local level to experiment with cannabis in an attempt to find how it can benefit us in our lives. A great way to get started is with the Cannacopia app, which has the power to point in the direction of a strain that satisfies all of your needs! Check it out, it is available in the App Store and in GooglePlay.
