What are the Benefits of Taking CBD Oil?
Most people care about their health. One could even say it’s a top priority. For those looking for a magic bullet, there’s not always an answer. However, one possible solution is CBD oil. Cannabidiol or CBD is a cannabinoid found in Cannabis sativa, more famously associated with marijuana. Yet CBD, marijuana’s antipsychotic cousin, has definite health benefits.
But what are the benefits of CBD oil?
Reducing Anxiety and Depression
Research shows that one health benefit of CBD is relieving anxiety and depression. Anxiety disorder affects millions of people each year and is responsible for lowering the quality of one’s life. Anxiety causes oxidative stress for sufferers, and this leads to alienation, fear, stress anxiety, sleeplessness and more.
Some people who suffer from anxiety may also have a mood disorder. Mood disorders include major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder, and seasonal depressive disorder. Symptoms include a significant change of mood from one moment to the next or experiencing extreme highs and lows over periods of time.
CBD and THC are both phytocannabinoids that work with the body's Endocannabinoid System to help regulate mood and emotions. THC is found in cannabis plants too, but unlike CBD it causes a high-like state that people associate with marijuana. CBD contains chemical compounds that relax the nervous system.
Relieving Arthritis Pain
Studies suggest that CBD helps relieve chronic pain associated with arthritis, including rheumatoid arthritis. In 2016, animal studies showed that CBD reduced knee pain and inflammation. The active compounds in CBD work with the CB1 and CB2 receptors in the Endocannabinoid System to alleviate pain and swollen joints.
Reducing Seizures
The effectiveness of CBD couldn’t be better illustrated than in the heartwarming case of Charlotte Figgis. Charlotte, born with a rare form of epilepsy called Dravet Syndrome, suffered daily with constant grand mal seizures. Her parents tried hemp seed oil with high concentrates of CBD after years of experimenting with different medications. In a matter of weeks, Charlotte showed no adverse effects, and her seizures had all but disappeared. Due to her case, CBD’s popularity soared, inspiring more hemp oil research and leading to CBD becoming legal in all 50 states and many countries around the world.
Relieving Neuropathic Pain
Many serious diseases like Parkinson’s Disease, multiple sclerosis, and diabetes cause shooting pain, commonly called neuropathic pain. Conventional pain management for these conditions are medications and physical therapy. However, another option for reducing pain and muscle spasms is cannabidiol oil. Cannabis oil is a non-steroid anti-inflammatory that provides pain relief for these health conditions.
Providing Cancer Relief
More than one study suggests that CBD not only relieves symptoms associated with cancer treatment (nausea, weight loss, depression, etc.) but also fights cancer cells. In clinical trials, CBD had an antitumor effect. CBD reduced tumors for breast cancer patients.
But cancer relief isn’t only for women but also needed for men’s health too. CBD boosts the immune system’s ability to help men with prostate cancer. CBD not only reduces inflammation but is also an antioxidant. It helps clean the free radicals that may lead to cancer and other serious diseases. Free radicals can cause cell deterioration and mutation, which can be hard to cure. Full spectrum CBD oil is a safe and effective way to find relief.
Quitting Smoking
Most people understand that smoking causes everything from lung cancer to asthma. It even shortens one’s life span and increases aging. The result is that most smokers want to quit but struggle with being successful. Some people try three or four times before leaving the unhealthy habit behind. Smoking cessation programs and products have been around for years, but not everyone knows that CBD oil can treat tobacco addiction.
One study used an experimental medicine approach to see whether CBD reduced the urge to smoke. People who used CBD still experienced the urge to smoke and had cravings but found cigarettes less appealing. Another study at the University College of London showed that CBD oil decreased nicotine cravings and smokers reduced the number of cigarettes smoked every day.
Improving Heart Health
Heart disease affects millions of people each year. Causes of heart disease include obesity, poor diet and exercise, and genetic factors. Signs of heart disease are chest discomfort, fatigue, fast or uneven heart rate, and swelling in feet and ankles.
CBD has a direct effect on isolated arteries causing vasorelaxation. In individuals with an impaired cardiovascular system due to heart disease, tight arteries are common, making vasorelaxation harder. Cannonnoids like CBD encourage the arteries to relax, helping blood flow. CBD also protects against the vascular damage attributed to a diet high in sugar and fat and diabetes. Over time high blood glucose damages nerves and vessels connected to your heart, giving you a stronger chance of developing heart disease. Data suggests that the cardiovascular system benefits from CBD’s therapeutic effect.
Helping Sleep Disorders
Insomnia, sleeplessness, trouble falling asleep are common words uttered by sleep-deprived people. On average, adults need 6-8 hours of sleep per night to function well. Sleep helps brain cells to reproduce, the body to work normally and lowers physical and emotional stress. Sleep disorders are when you can’t sleep or wake up a few times a night and can’t go back to sleep. Causes of insomnia include irregular schedules, caffeine and alcohol consumption, mental illness, and other conditions (heart disease, lung disease, chronic pain).
CBD acts as a sleep aid encouraging the body to relax and unwind. Even though it promotes sleep at night, it won’t cause a sedating effect one might associate with medical marijuana or sleeping pills. CBD works with the body’s natural rhythm to help people sleep longer and better throughout the night to help regulate the sleep cycle. The goal is to wake up refreshed and rejuvenated.
CBD oil provides many health benefits for both men and women. As the general population becomes more educated about the potential of cannabinoids on a wide variety of ailments, more people will trust and turn to CBD oil for relief.
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