What Is CBD and How Can It Help?

We are taught that God has given man agency, or the ability to choose. This means that man can choose how to use the different resources we’ve been given, whether for good or evil. Cannabis is no different. There are righteous and noble uses for this plant God has created, just as there are evil, and slothful uses. Cannabidiol is the component of cannabis that has so far shown the most potential in medically benefiting humans.

Cannabidiol, or CBD, is one of the 113 compounds that make up the cannabis sativa plant. It’s counterpart, THC, or tetrahydrocannabinol, far surpasses it in popularity as CBD gives its user no “high.” Despite its deficiency for recreational use, it still has its place in the world, and that place could be in our medicine cabinet.

Cannabidiol, or CBD, is a chemical in the marijuana plant. This chemical is called a cannabinoid, and over 80 different types exist in the cannabis sativa plant. Cannabidiol, unlike tetrahydrocannabinol, is non-psychoactive. This means that when CBD is administered, it dosn’t produce any “high” that is associated with the marijuana plant. By extracting CBD oil from the marijuana plant, the psychoactive substance (THC) has no effect. The use of CBD is actually completely legal, however, research has lagged on the benefits because of its association with an illegal (in most states) substance. As we learn more about CBD, we not only know that it is non-psychoactive, but it may aid in keeping us healthy. In fact, CBD may even help a person who is experiencing dysphoria from THC by preventing feelings of paranoia or panic. This means that, although generally referred to as non-psychoactive, CBD actually can go so far as being anti-psychoactive. Because CBD has been shown to prevent the breakdown of chemicals in the brain such as glucocorticoids (a stress hormone), it could be a viable option for many psychotic disorders. Though research is currently being done on CBD, more is still required to fully understand why it has these effects on the brain. One thing is for sure: this is a very important component of the marijuana plant that is earning its spot in our health care.

What are the Uses of CBD Oil?

CBD oil is becoming increasingly popular in many areas of health care. From treating mental disorders to acne, it seems that most people could find some use for it in their daily regimens.

Anti-Inflammatory

Many patients who suffer from daily pain, such as those with fibromyalgia, are finding that CBD has significantly helped with chronic pain and inflammation. Fibromyalgia is a condition that affects the bones and muscles. The most common symptoms are joint pain and fatigue. Currently, there is no cure for fibromyalgia, though it is the second most common disorder in bones and muscles. Because it must be managed by medication, this leaves some with very few options. Some of the medicines prescribed to help treat this condition include opioids, which commonly don’t work and come with the risk of addiction. This leaves patients needing more options for relief, such as CBD.

This could be from poor diet, injury or illness. Before turning to Ibuprofen, which is linked to some very dangerous side effects, one could consider CBD oil as a viable, natural replacement.

Sleep Disorders such as Sleep Apena and Insomnia

A good night’s rest is important for anyone, but with the stresses that many faces today, sometimes it’s just out of reach. Since CBD helps in reducing stress hormones, it can help us to fall asleep more easily. CBD can also help you sleep longer without tossing and turning. It has shown to reduce insomnia in those who have chronic pain and can help with REM behavior disorder.

REM behavior disorder is common in people who suffer from Parkinson’s disease. It causes the person to become physically restless during dreaming. Normally during a dream, or REM cycle, one is mostly paralyzed. This is the body’s way of protecting itself from harm during dreaming. With REM behavior disorder this paralysis does not happen, which leaves the person free to move during sleep. This failure to keep the body still during a dream could lead to the patient waking up frequently or injuring themselves.

Though in larger doses CBD can be used as a calming sleep aid, it can also help with alertness during the day. It can help with daytime drowsiness, which can aid in an overall healthy sleep-wake cycle.

Stress and Anxiety

Stress and anxiety have already been briefly noted, but the effects of CBD are great in this area and therefore deserves to be elaborated on.

It’s safe to say that in the busy, bustling society that we live in today, stress is something that almost all of us experiences in one way or another. Whether it’s from work, family, friends or health problems, all of us could use a little help in the stress department. Many don’t realize stress is the root of other health problems they may face. If the stress can be alleviated, overall health could improve drastically.

With its ability to break down glucocorticoids, CBD has shown effectiveness on regulating stress and anxiety. CBD can also protect our bodies from stress in other ways. CBD has been shown to be effective in adapting to stress. Studies have shown that CBD can actually help prevent stress from having negative effects on your metabolism, immune system and cardiovascular system. It’s no secret that increased levels of stress can lead to weight gain and high blood pressure, so the fact that CBD helps with these conditions comes as no surprise.

Multiple sclerosis patients are also hopping on board with CBD oil treatments. MS is chronic and attacks the central nervous system. Multiple sclerosis simply means “scar tissue in multiple areas.” It affects the brain, spinal cord, and optic nerves. This condition can lead to symptoms such as fatigue, muscle spasms, problems with thinking, and memory and emotional changes such as depression. Studies have shown that CBD could help relieve the pain, muscle stiffness and insomnia experienced by MS patients, and could also help fend off the depression that comes to 50% of these patients. Because CBD directly affects the central nervous system by protecting neurons from damage, this could be a reasonable option for treatment for mental disorders in MS patients.

Cigarette Addictions

In a study conducted in 2013, a group of 24 smokers were chosen at random to participate in a double-blind, placebo controlled study to evaluate the effectiveness of cannabidiol in helping with nicotine addiction. In this study the smokers were either given an inhaler with CBD or a placebo. After a week of treatment, the smokers who received the placebo showed no difference in the number of cigarettes they smoked per day. However, the smokers given the CBD inhaler had a significant 40% drop in the amount of cigarettes smoked. These smokers experienced far fewer cravings, which suggests that CBD could help in the withdrawal process in cigarette smokers.

Acne

From our teenage year’s acne has been that pesky little skin condition that is no small feat to treat. It affects over 50 million people each year, so it comes as no surprise that the drug stores seem to always be fully stocked with a plethora of acne treatments, all promising to work better than the other. It’s become quite clear that CBD could be a viable option for neurological disorders, but could it help our skin health too?

Dermatologists have seen that there is a direct interaction between the brain and the skin, which leads them to believe that the nervous system could affect the skin’s proneness to acne. Since CBD can help with moderated stress levels, that means you could possibly kill two birds with one stone: cure your acne and reduce your stress level, all with CBD.

The cannabis plant has been used for centuries for its medicinal effectiveness. It is quite the powerhouse when it comes to health care. It was only in the last century or so that marijuana was deemed a “drug” and received a bad reputation. It remains a schedule 1 drug in most states. With more research being published, options in treatment for patients with varying conditions are broadening. With CBD oil, the health benefits could be enjoyed without the fear of becoming high. More research needs to be done to fully understand CBD and its effectiveness, but enough research has been done to know that it could be a viable option in keeping us healthy.

As with any medicinal substance, educate yourself and consult your physician before using CBD. Modern medicine is truly an amazing example of one of the many ways God has worked within man to bless His children. While this is true, it comes at no surprise that God can still create better medicine than even our most advanced scientists and doctors. Cannabis, and specifically CBD, is evidence of this. It is sustainably produced, treats so many serious conditions, and has very little side effects. Cannabis is truly a blessing from God. May we further seek to use this gift to benefit all of humanity.

One specific condition that can be treated with CBD is multiple sclerosis. Want to know more? A New Weapon in The Long Slog of Fighting Multiple Sclerosis: CBD Oil