If you’ve ever wondered WHY cannabis works in your body, this blog is for you. In it, we’ll cover the fascinating reason behind the miracles of the cannabis plant. Knowing this one little fact helped me let go of so much of the stigma I was holding on to after years of the “Just Say No” campaign, and I’m hoping it will help you too!
But first, a story.
It was 2017, and I was just coming out of a very serious depression with the help of the lovely cannabis plant. I knew it was helping me to stop crying all day, but I didn’t know WHY… so I started Googling.
I came across a blog written by Corinne Tobias over at Wake and Bake. I’d read and loved some of her other articles on how to make cannabis-infused coconut oil, so when she promised to unravel this mystery for me, I was excited.
She wrote that we have a system of receptors in our body designed to “catch” the molecules in the cannabis plant. I thought that was HILARIOUS. I remember closing my laptop and heading downstairs to tell my husband about this stoner online who was making up reasons why cannabis worked.
It didn’t take me too long to realize that Corinne was right, and for me, that was the beginning of my true love affair with cannabis. I hope you’re just as fascinated and excited by this as I was.
But, if you’re closing your laptop to go giggle about me to your partner, I’m okay with that too. This blog will be waiting for you when you get back!
Let’s dive in!
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What is the endocannabinoid system, and what does it do?
What does the endocannabinoid system regulate?
What are the benefits of keeping your endocannabinoid system healthy?
How can you improve your endocannabinoid system naturally?
How can cannabis be used to improve and support the endocannabinoid system?
What is the endocannabinoid system, and what does it do?
The endocannabinoid system is a network of receptors in the body that interact with molecules called cannabinoids. These cannabinoids are found in cannabis, but they are also produced by the body. You can think about it like the endorphins we make naturally that attach to the same receptors as opiates.
In the CBD Bible by Dr. Dani Gordon, this system is explained as helping to “control some of the most important physical, mental and emotional functions in the brain and body…”. Dr. Gordon continues on to say that the importance of this system cannot be overstated.
Cannabis may be helpful for many things. When I go into my CannaKeys science platform, there are literally dozens of conditions it has been known to help. But here I’m going to list some of the most common reasons people come to cannabis.
Pain
Anxiety
Insomnia
Depression
Stress
Inflammation
Epilepsy and seizures
PTSD
Fibromyalgia/migraines/IBS
Skin conditions
The list goes on and on, with no other medicine coming close to the benefits of cannabis, and that’s because the ECS is responsible for balancing SO MUCH of our body. Check it out!
What does the endocannabinoid system regulate?
gastrointestinal function
cardiovascular function
pain perception
bone mass maintenance
hormone regulation
metabolism
immune function
and more!
On top of everything I just listed, the ECS is critical for disease regulation because of its ability to restore balance after injury or illness. After hearing that, it seems like a no-brainer to keep your ECS healthy and functioning, right?
What are the benefits of keeping your endocannabinoid system healthy?
When you are sick, stressed, injured, etc., your ECS wastes no time restoring your body’s balance. Then, once you’re healthy, your ECS sends out a background signal to let the other systems in your body know they can continue on with their functions. This signal that the ECS sends is known as having a healthy “endocannabinoid tone.”
One of the main benefits of keeping the ECS healthy is that a healthy ECS keeps our body out of fight or flight. A well-functioning ECS allows for the nervous, endocrine, and immune systems to function well, keeping us feeling safe and curious.
A major benefit of a well-functioning ECS is that you are less likely to be ill or have illnesses such as migraines, fibromyalgia, and IBS. These three conditions in particular have been linked to a malfunctioning ECS as the probable cause of the disease.
By taking care of your ECS, you are preventatively taking care of your mental and physical health.
How can you improve your endocannabinoid system naturally?
Luckily, due to research on the ECS, we now know of ways to improve your endocannabinoid system’s health naturally:
Nutrition - this may be the easiest way to strengthen your ECS, depending on your ability and willingness to change how you eat. Because the cannabinoids our bodies make naturally are derived from fatty acids, ensuring you have a high-Omega 3 and low Omega 6 diet can be helpful. Guess what a great source of this particular fat is… HEMP seeds! That’s right! Hemp hearts (the meaty part of the cannabis seed) have the PERFECT balance of omegas for us. So sprinkle them on your oatmeal or salad and give your ECS a boost! But hemp hearts aren’t the end of the story. Consider including some of these other herbs known to help the ECS: echinacea, liverwort, and kava. And don’t forget to load up on fruits and veggies.
Stress Management - The number one cause of endocannabinoid dysregulation is chronic stress. Try utilizing stress reduction techniques such as yoga, meditation, deep breathing, and massage.
Sleep - To compensate for sleep deprivation, the body can increase endocannabinoid levels. Therefore, an abnormal sleep schedule will dysregulate your ECS function. Try creating a sleep routine so that, over time, your body recognizes the triggers and becomes more in tune with your sleep cycle.
Exercise - When you engage in cardiovascular exercise, the levels of anandamide (one of your “homemade” cannabinoids) increase. See if you can incorporate more movement into your day to keep your ECS in tip-top shape.
But here’s the crux. If we were all able to manage our stress appropriately, get enough sleep, eat well and exercise… we likely wouldn’t be dealing with all the pain, mood issues and stress we deal with as humans living in 2022.
So now what?
Enter… cannabis!
How can cannabis be used to improve and support the endocannabinoid system?
Cannabis is an easy and immediate way to target your ECS naturally. The cannabinoid compounds like THC and CBD in cannabis mimic the naturally occurring compounds produced by your ECS.
Since not everyone has a well-functioning ECS, you can supplement and support your ECS with the important compounds in cannabis.
However, if you overdo it with cannabis, you can have a negative effect by swinging the balance from under-supplemented to over-supplemented. With a little tweaking of your cannabis doses or by incorporating tolerance breaks, you can utilize THC, CBD, and more to help nourish your ECS and bring it back to a state of better balance.
If you need help figuring out all the nuances of cannabis, book a Complete Cannabis Consultation with me. I’ll help you understand what works for you so that you can use this amazing plant to keep your ECS in tip-top shape! Book your Consultation today!
Recap!
In a nutshell, we learned that the endocannabinoid system is extremely important to our overall health and that most of us could probably use some supplementation from cannabis to help it out!
If you loved learning more about the plant, why not up-level your education over at the Cannabis Coaching Institute? Check out our programs and use the code: revealcannabis for a discount on all the classes we offer!
Post any questions you have below, I will answer them all!
Love,
Andrea
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