With the legalization of marijuana came a slew of health claims and talks of miracle cures. Is it a cure-all? No. But it CAN help with certain diseases and ailments. This is not conjecture. Medical studies have been performed, conclusions are drawn from them. We’re going to break down the benefits and uses of CBD Oil for you, to see if this is something that might be right for you.
Before we get into the specifics of what this chemical does to the body and how it could possibly help, let’s make sure we all know what we’re talking about when we talk about CBD.
First, what is CBD Oil?
We all know about THC, the psychoactive part of marijuana. It’s the chemical that makes people feel high. CBD is a separate chemical that is NOT psychoactive. So, you do not have to worry about feeling high or dizzy or incapable of doing everyday tasks. CBD will not interfere with any of that. People will not sense that you are on it.
How do you take CBD Oil?
There are several ways to deliver CBD into your bloodstream. Smoking, by the way, is not one of them, although vaping is. The delivery method depends on what you’re taking it for. Most common is orally. It can also be applied topically, by rubbing it on the skin near the area that you want to be affected. Make sure you’re using the correct dosage. Don’t guess. Just like other medicines, effectiveness hinges on taking the right amount over the right period of time.
Benefits and Uses of CBD Oil
The following ailments are most commonly alleviated by the use of CBD Oil:
Pain Relief
The Chinese have been using CBD Oil for pain relief as far back as 2900 BC! It’s been used around the world for centuries. Only man-made regulations stopped the use, not because it was proven ineffective.
The science is complicated. I will try to boil it down for you. A variety of bodily functions (sleep, appetite & pain) are controlled by the ECS (endocannabinoid system). Our bodies naturally produce endocannabinoids, which are neurotransmitters that bind cannabinoid receptors in our systems. When this happens, studies have shown pain relief from diseases like arthritis and MS. It’s also known to reduce sciatic pain and inflammation!
Cancer-Related Symptoms
Right off the bat, CBD Oil isn’t a cure for cancer. What it CAN do is reduce the symptoms of the disease, as well as help with nausea, vomiting and pain that are common side effects of chemotherapy. There are other drugs that can be used for this too, but they don’t always work and usually have side effects of their own.
Anxiety & Depression
The World Health Organization has determined that depression is the single largest contributor to disability worldwide. Anxiety is in the Top Ten. Both of these can lead to physical ailments as well, but just trying to cope in a world when you’re depressed is enough of a hurdle.
Sure, there is a slew of other medicines that can be used to manage depression & anxiety, but they come with their own side effects that might be more harmful than the original problem.
CBD Oil has also shown promise in combating insomnia. There have even been cases where it’s been used to help with PTSD.
Acne
While this is not usually a life-changing disease, it can lead to social anxiety and affect how we see ourselves through the eyes of others. Acne is very common, affecting about 9% of our population. The causes vary from genetics to bacteria to the overproduction of an oily substance called Sebum from our sebaceous glands.
It’s that last one that CBD Oil can help with. Because it’s an anti-inflammatory, it can prevent our glands from making too much Sebum, thereby reducing the likelihood of acne. Indeed, to take it a step further, it helps with the production of hormones that help reduce inflammatory cytokines. But what you need to know is that your skin is clearer, naturally, without chemical astringents.
From here we get into diseases that CBD Oil potentially helps, but more studies are needed to link causation.
Heart Disease
High blood pressure is one of the leading problems when it comes to heart health. CBD Oil helps lower blood pressure, thereby reducing the likelihood of stroke or heart attack. It’s thought that the stress relieving properties of CBD Oil is responsible for the lower blood pressure in test participants in the past.
Neurological Disorders
One of the most studied uses of CBD Oil is in treating neurological disorders like epilepsy and MS (Multiple Sclerosis). Even so, these studies are still new and much more needs to be done before scientists will conclude a causal link.
What studies there have been, however, have shown reduced spasms in 76% of the test subjects of one test with CBD Oil use. And another study showed reduced seizures during epileptic fits in those who use CBD Oil. So, science so far IS promising! It’s so promising that there have been calls to study its effect on more serious neurological problems, like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.
CBD Oil is also thought to be useful in combating psychotic disorders, tumor growth, substance abuse and in helping people with diabetes. The testing here, so far, has been limited to mice, with no human testing yet. So, while there’s hope, it’s not a certainty by any means.
While CBD Oil is not the panacea everyone wishes it would be, it DOES help in certain cases, especially in reducing inflammation. If you suspect you have a problem with inflammation, first get an inflammation test. Then, consider CBD Oil as a potential medicine to combat it.
