The Relation Between Cannabis, CBD, and the Endocannabinoid System
Usually, when people consume things, they do not go further and research how said things affect their system. And believe me when I say that the food and things that we consume can affect us in many different ways.
For example, it is well known that sugary drinks can provide people with a short-fused energy rush, and in some cases, depending on the time they were consumed, cause insomnia or headaches. Some herbal teas can help with muscle pain, stress, and even help people sleep.
Vegetables are really good for the body, and meat can provide us with proteins that become energy and depending on how our physical activity, might help us build strong muscles in shorter periods of time.
Now… We are here to talk about two very specific things: cannabis and CBD. Both can bring a lot of benefits to one’s health, but they also come with some side-effects, and understanding how these side-effects occur might help us understand ourselves better.
Talking About Cannabis
There’s a big difference between these two things, although they are pretty similar. Nowadays, you can find products derived from both cannabis and CBD, and they are usually used for medical purposes.
Still, cannabis is still used for recreational purposes all over the world, even in the form of medicines. With that said, you can still find other products such as consumables like cookies, ice-cream, and the so rumored happy brownies. This is because cannabis contains a compound that is able to get people… Trippy.
This compound is known as THC or tetrahydrocannabinol. And as mentioned in this article, it has a lot of side-effects to mind and body.
These side-effects are pretty harmless, though, but it all depends on the amount consumed. A lot of people have experienced a bad trip at least once while using marijuana or products derived from cannabis.
Some of the most common side-effects of cannabis include red-eyes, dried mouth, drowsiness, and enhanced senses. People usually go for munchies during this state because food tends to taste way better, and that is because of this last side-effect.
Still, there are other great benefits.
A good example is people who enjoy the benefits of a good night of sleep after consuming a cannabis-related product. Some people use it to relieve the pain caused by diseases and inflammatory problems, and others use it to get rid of anxiety and stress, which can cause a lot of health problems.
And all of this is possible because of our endocannabinoid system. Simply explained, the endocannabinoid system is a biological network of neurotransmitters that are heavily linked to our central and peripheral nervous systems. There’s a lot of research conducted on it, but there are many questions unsolved as well.
Still, it is said that the endocannabinoid system might be related to many cognitive and physical processes of the body.
That’s why some people get hungry, suffer from mood changes, and even react differently towards the environment and its influences while under the effects of the cannabis plant: because it messes up with our endocannabinoid system. Well, THC does.
If you are interested on how it works, you should definitely use this link for more detailed information on the matter.
CBD and the Hemp Plant
Here’s where CBD and the hemp plant enter the show. You see, over the last three years, CBD has become a topic of talk for most cannabis enthusiasts, and more for those seeking a solution for health problems.
Also known as cannabidiol, the products derived from this compound are often described as miraculous. They provide the same benefits as cannabis-related products, but better: they don’t get people high.
That is because cannabidiol is often found in the hemp plant, and the hemp plant is a derivation of the cannabis plant which contains low levels of THC. Such low levels that are safe for consumption, for both humans and animals.
Cannabidiol is used for many things but cannot be used for recreational purposes because it won’t get people high, so take that in mind. Still, it has been used to deal with pain, stress, insomnia, anxiety, depression, and inflammatory diseases.
What’s so great about it, though, is that in comparison to standard drugs used to deal with the same problems, the side-effects of CBD-related products are often harmless, and can be easily avoided by consuming the right dosage of the product.