Despite the explosion of science on the therapeutic effects of cannabis and cannabinoids, we are still discovering the profound influence of this plant on the human body. Before prohibition, hemp and marijuana had been used therapeutically for thousands of years and were more accepted as everyday medicines.
A daily supplement
CBD’s interaction with the endocannabinoid system improves the body’s ability to maintain homeostasis: a stable internal environment despite fluctuations in the external environment. It’s all about balance. You can take CBD oil as part of your daily regimen – adding it to your coffee, tea or smoothie.
Full-spectrum CBD oil takes advantage of a process called the ‘entourage effect’, which shows that many components of the plant have a stronger influence on the human body than any one of those components alone. This synergy draws out vitamins, minerals, essential fatty acids, terpenes, and flavonoids from the whole plant. It is in effect a super multi-vitamin all derived from one organic source that can be taken daily.
CBD can also be taken on the go, with tincture drops a more discreet option should you be unable to find a moment to vape alone (one study found you absorb up to 33 percent of the total cannabinoids present when vaping).
A relaxant and mood modulator
CBD can affect mood, sleep and discomfort . It is the ideal supplement to promote relaxation after a long day’s work. Many people report feeling a wave of calm and even bliss that facilitates meditative states and helps maintain harmony in relationships. Research suggests that the relaxation promoted by CBD is very conducive to breaking down the barriers to satisfying sex. It is also a potent study aid, with research finding that it improves cognitive function and even reverses age-related memory loss.
Cooking with CBD oil
You can even use CBD oil in the kitchen. Ministry of Hemp reports that cooking and baking with CBD is easy and warming the oil can increase CBD’s effectiveness. However, it should not be placed on direct heat, and the oil should not be heated at temperatures higher than 320 to 356 degrees Fahrenheit. The oil should also be mixed into the ingredients well, rather than used as a drizzling oil. Cooking with CBD shows how deeply this multifunctional oil can be integrated into daily life.
How it works
Renowned integrative medicine physician Dustin Sulak, D.O. asks the pertinent questions: “How can one herb help so many different conditions? How can it provide both palliative and curative actions? How can it be so safe while offering such powerful effects?” We might well add, how can CBD have so many applications, help with so many day-to-day functions?
The answer to all those questions lies in the discovery of the endogenous endocannabinoid system by medical marijuana research. It may come as a rude shock to prohibitionists, but the ECS has been called “the most important physiologic system involved in establishing and maintaining human health”. Endogenous simply means something organic or natural to the human body (originating within). Rather than seeing cannabidiol strictly as an external intervention, CBD works synergistically with the natural processes of the body, bonding with ECS receptors, for a range of health benefits.
We are made for each other, in other words. More reason, then, to treat CBD as your everyday companion.
