Hemp Can Help With Pain and Stress. Just Avoid This One Mistake...

CBD, or Hemp oil, and its precursor, the good ol' Cannabis plant, aren't going anywhere. 

“‎Some of my finest hours have been spent on my back veranda, smoking hemp and observing as far as my eye can see.” — Thomas Jefferson

I remember in high school, attending my first NORML meeting, thinking, hey, if we (humans) have naturally-occurring Cannabinoid receptors in our body .... does that mean we're naturally-inclined to use Marijuana? 

Is it one of those things, like water, apples, or ice cream, that we're just naturally attracted to?  

First, the facts:  

The Endocannabinoid System (ECS) includes Cannabinoid receptors, Endocannabinoid molecules, and metabolic enzymes.  It helps keep your system regulated in times of stress and change.  

Endocannabinoids are produced inside your body, naturally, even if you don't consume any hemp products.

There are 2 Cannabinoid receptors in your body:  CB1 and CB2.

CB1 is involved in psychoactive, neurological, and pain-relieving pathways.  They're located mostly in the brain and impact mood and appetite.  

CB2 receptors help regulate your immune and central nervous systems.  They're located mostly in the peripheral tissues of the body.  They regulate how you perceive pain signals and inflammation. 

Fat-based Endocannabinoids signal the ECS in response to environmental or physiological cues.  Again, regardless of having consumed any Hemp or Marijuana at all.  

Someone can use CBD when their body needs extra help in regulating the nervous or immune systems, or pain signals.

When CBD or Hemp products are used, they synthesize much better when consumed with Omega 3 or 6 oils.  These oils naturaly occur in the hemp seeds.  Or in a balanced diet.  

Hemp contains a negligible amount of the psychoactive tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).  It provides a full spectrum of phytocannabinoids beyond CBD.  It includes extracts from Cannabis flowers, leaves, and stalks.

Hemp use dates as far back as 8000 BC.  It was used in ancient China, Taiwan, Germany, and Russia for pottery, clothes, food, and medicine.  Huo Ma Ren, hemp seeds, is an important herb we learn in TCM school to help with constipation. 

Laws in the 1700s required farmers to grow hemp in America to produce cloth and paper.  

It was only in the 1930s that hemp laws came into play.  Those became more strict in the 1970s. Today, many people are working to reverse those archaic ideas.  I think we're getting close! 

“The biggest killer on the planet is stress, and I still think the best medicine is and always has been cannabis.” — Willie Nelson

Here's the thing - CBD is great.  For nearly everyone.  If you have pain, insomnia, PTSD, depression, seizures, or anxiety, CBD can provide some real relief that is hard to find elsewhere. 

Marijuana, on the other hand, the psychoactive, THC-containing sister of the hemp plant, is not for every-body.  

It's not great for kids.    

It's also not great if you're doing something that requires 

• problem-solving 
• remembering things really well
• quick reaction time
• focus and attention 
• finishing (a project, a phone call, *packing for a trip, etc.)
• deadlines 

*Trust me, I packed for a trip to California once while I was high. When I got to my hotel room, I realized that I packed (this is so embarassing to admit publically) 4 pairs of scissors. Yes, FOUR different devices for cutting. 

Granted, they were for cutting different things, like one for my hair, one for general cutting, one really nice pair for cutting fancy things, I guess. I don't know what I was thinking. But, lesson learned, I will never again pack whilst under the influence.

Oh, and I packed exactly ZERO sweaters. The weather was in the 50s and 60s and windy the entire time. I had to go buy a hoody. Luckily, I had just the thing for getting that tag off my brand new sweater! My friend and I still joke about "How many pairs of scissors do you think I'll need for a trip to Europe?!" lol  

If you decide to use the psychoactive part of Cannabis, keep a few things in mind -- 

It may be addictive. 

When this happens, there's a lack of motivation to get things done.  I heard someone say once, and I still agree: "If you have (stuff) to get done, don't get high. If you're done with all the (stuff) you need to get done, then you can get high." Makes sense, right?  

If someone uses too much marijuana, they may socialize less.  Pay less attention to their grooming habits.  Start to have problems in relationships, school, or work. Eat too much. Care too little. 

Not always, but it does happen. 

If you're using too much of the wacky tabaccy, you may like to sit around and eat junk food. 

Lack of exercise and poor diet contribute to improper signalling in the endocannabinoid system. 

Which leads to craving more weed.  You see how this can spiral out of control. 

For some people, marijuana just doesn't agree with them.  Maybe they have an addictive personality, or it makes them feel paranoid or sleepy.  In that case, easy, just don't use it!  

🙃 And, of course, only use it if it's legal where you live. 😬 

What about Delta-9 THC?  

Delta-9 is the THC found in non-psychoactive Hemp plants.  To produce enough of it to get high (which, let's be honest, that's what it's being marketed for), it requires a lot of extraction (read:  processing).  The processing involves chemicals. Sometimes the whole thing is synthetically reproduced in a lab.  

That being said, I'm not a fan.  

From first-hand experience, it gives me a headache.  

I prefer things as close to their natural state as possible.  

The more something needs to be processed and manufactured to use, the less usable I think it is for real people.  

And Vaping... 

Again, not a fan. Extracting THC into an oil, sure. But the chemicals added to it, nope. 

Typically, you'll find "thinning agents" and flavoring additives. Plus, the heated coils can lead to inhalation of toxic, heavy metals. 

I used a vape for a few months and noticed that the ridges on the top of my mouth started going smooth. It just felt weird. I stopped using it after that. 

Pot & TCM 

What does Traditional Chinese Medicine have to say about Marijuana use? 

I've heard acupuncturists say they refuse to treat a patient who comes in high. I think that's ridiculous. As long as you're sober enough to hop up on the table and tell me what's going on, I'll treat you. 

All drugs are processed through your Liver.

Too much of the high life, and you can end up with Liver Fire. Symptoms of Liver Fire include severe headaches, irritability, hypertension, tinnitus, and dry mouth. 

When Liver Fire invades the Lungs, you end up with a cough or chest pain.

If you're smoking marijuana, there's always the concern of Lung Fire. Symptoms of that include a cough, chest pain, yellow phlegm, and rapid breathing. 

When Liver Fire invades the Stomach, you can get stomach pain, nausea, or acid reflux.

Drugs can also over-stimulate your Adrenal glands, and can lead to deficiency symptoms as well. 

Take this knowledge and make smart decisions for yourself! Life is all about balance.