Going from zero to hero seemingly overnight, the humble and once demonized marijuana, or hemp plant, has skyrocketed to world renown for its many marvellous medicinal properties! Nowadays cannabidiol, or CBD for short, an oil derived from cannabis, is a very popular natural remedy for a staggering number of ailments. The CBD oil is usually packaged in capsules similar to the way Vitamin E is marketed, and the benefits from its consumption include pain relief, relaxation, and more.
CBD oil is made by extracting it from the cannabis plant then diluting it with a carrier oil like coconut oil. The substance is one of the more than 100 chemical compounds comprising the group cannabinoids that can be found in the cannabis plant, Cannabis Sativa, which is also popularly known as hemp or marijuana. These CBD rich hemp capsules are eaten for their healthful effects.
It’s important to note that Tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, which is the main psychoactive cannabinoid found in cannabis that causes the sensation of getting high, is not included in medicinal capsules, and that CBD alone is not psychoactive, so it will not induce a high.
The following are just a few of the health benefits that CBD has been shown to produce in humans!
Pain Relief – The cannabis plant has been used to treat pain since at least 2900 B.C. according to ancient Chinese medicine. The human body’s native endocannabinoid system is a factor in regulating functions like pain sensation. Natural neurotransmitters called endocannabinoids that the body produces bind to cannabinoid receptors and so do externally sourced cannabinoids like CBD. It’s almost as if we were physically designed to utilize this exogenous plant’s medicinal functions! CBD helps reduce chronic pain by targeting endocannabinoid receptor activity, which can reduce inflammation, and interact with neurotransmitters to alleviate the symptoms of rheumatic diseases like fibromyalgia.
Alleviates Mental Health Disorders – CBD oil has been shown to reduce symptoms related to mental health disorders like chronic depression, anxiety, and in some extreme cases, psychosis! It is also effective in reducing the symptoms of post traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, in adults including nightmares and social anxieties. CBD has very relaxing, positive mood enhancing effects that can be soothing to anyone who is experiencing a troubled mind. People who have taken CBD oil regularly report that they are able to feel more comfortable in difficult social situations like high pressure business meetings and family holiday dinners, that it has cured their fear of flying, and helps during a number of other distressing psychological challenges.
There may be no such thing as a « wonder drug », but CBD comes close!
