CBD is an all natural compound that is found in the cannabis sativa and hemp plants that helps people relieve mental or physical ailments. CBD, or cannabidiol, is just one of the major compounds found inside the plant and CBD is extracted from the resinous flower. The CBD flower, also known as CBD bud, is what people use to smoke, eat, or make various oils and topical creams. Here are 3 reasons as to why CBD can help improve your mental state and health concerns.
CBD doesn’t have a psychoactive component
CBD and THC are the 2 major major chemical compounds found inside the cannabis and hemp plant. THC is the part of the plant that makes you feel “high” or “stoned” and is the chemical component that gives a psychoactive effect. This is important because if you use CBD, you will have no psychoactive effect and you still feel the CBD acting as a relaxant.
Hemp is legal according to the Farm Bill passed in 2018 by President Trump. It states that hemp-derived products are no longer considered Schedule 1 crime but an industrial product only if the plant contains less than 0.3% of THC. Anything above 0.3% is considered THC dominant and is illegal at the federal level.
Helps with Anxiety and Depression
According to the American Psychological Association (APA), anxiety is “an emotion characterized by feelings of tension, worried thoughts and physical changes”. The degree to which people feel anxiety varies depending on the situation occurring and some people even get anxiety by sitting in silence. Using CBD can be helpful by calming the person which reduces stress, slows down their heart rate, and relaxes them. What is happening inside the person to feel these effects?
CBD works with a system inside the body called the endocannabinoid system which helps regulate sleep, manage pain, control appetite, and monitors immune responses. There are neurotransmitters inside the endocannabinoid system that work together with CBD to produce the effects. These neurotransmitters are called endocannabinoids and they bind to the receptors in the nervous system. Their purpose is to send chemical messages back and forth to the brain through the nervous system and with the combination of CBD, it can act as a natural mood booster and it can produce changes in your emotions.
Depression is defined as a mental health disorder that is characterized by persistently depressed mood or loss of interest in activities causing it to affect your daily life. Stress and depression can lead to permanent effects on the body that is caused by a chemical imbalance in the brain. When you begin to use CBD, the two receptors that are being used are CB1 and CB2 cannabinoid receptors. What happens is that these receptors bind with the receptors in your brain and nervous system along with a G protein coupled receptor to create the CBD effects.
CBD is anti-inflammatory
CBD has been used to help cope with physical disabilities and ailments such as inflammation or chronic pain. Over time, your body begins to naturally decay and your joints begin to wither. This happens at a faster rate if you don’t exercise regularly or at least a couple times a week. A disease that can emerge from this is arthritis and that is the inflammation of one or more joints that begin to cause pain and stiffness. There are two primary types of arthritis diseases called osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.
Research has shown that CBD can be used to help with pain management and it is one of the few all natural alternatives to pharmaceutical medications. The pain from arthritis comes from bone on bone contact with the joints acting as a cushion in between. Over time, the joints begin to weaken which makes the pain greater for the person. What is happening on a chemical level is that the CBD is interacting with the endocannabinoid receptors creating an anti-inflammatory response. This anti-inflammatory response alleviates pain and relaxes those joints or muscles.
Side Effects of CBD
The known side effects of CBD are dizziness, dry mouth, reduced appetite, drowsiness, and fatigue. Other side effects include nausea, irritability, and diarrhea. Almost all of these symptoms occur because the person has taken too much CBD in one sitting and is feeling overwhelmed. This is very common especially when starting out if you don’t consult with your vendor or consult with a doctor to see the correct dosage. One way to cure your CBD side effects is to drink lots of water and eat food. This helps circulate the CBD throughout your body quicker and metabolizes it so digestion can occur.
Some of the side effects are actually the reason why people choose to take CBD. For people who are looking into restricting their dietary consumption, CBD reduces your appetite making it easier to not eat throughout the day. Others use CBD to help them with their insomnia when they can’t seem to fall asleep at night. Because CBD relaxes you and can possibly give you drowsiness, this is an effective way people can incorporate CBD into their life.
