Cannabis is currently in the news with many stores now capitalizing on CBD oil as a healing herb. Hemp based CBD has recently become legal. Cannabis is also at the top of many minds as Medicinal Cannabis dispensaries are opening to the public as more states legalize recreational use. I just drove by the dispensary in Great Barrington where well over 100 people waited in line in 27 degrees — the weekends bring long lines.
My interest as an acupuncturist and a wellness coach is to understand this herb that’s as old as humankind and is part of herbal medicine in Chinese medicine. Throughout time, cannabis has been recorded as a valuable medicinal for a variety of symptoms and diseases. Beginning in China, cannabis tea was prescribed for the treatment of pain, arthritis, and memory disorders. In Egypt, cannabis was used for shrinking tumors. Hemp, besides having medicinal qualities, has and still is used to make ropes, clothing, and paper. In fact, the word canvas is believed to point to the use of cannabis in making sails. Another interesting trivia is that the Declaration of Independence was written on hemp paper!
I am asked many questions about whether CBD or cannabis could be helpful in relieving troubling symptoms. Over the past few years, I have been gathering as much information as possible to be able to be of help to the people I see in my work. Though CBD oil is readily available and dispensaries are also opening to the public, the missing information has been how to appropriately dose and use this herb as a medicinal. Many remember using marijuana years ago as the path to being high with friends and having the ‘munchies’. Until recently, cannabis was used recreationally even though it’s been illegal since the mid-1900’s. These people not only have questions, they also have fears and doubts.
I work with people as they begin to explore using cannabis for themselves. Most people I see are not interested in getting high which is a result of the THC content. CBD oil, whether from hemp or cannabis, has little to no THC content. Medicinal cannabis does have THC content though there are a growing number of varieties with a balance of CBD and THC or a significantly higher CBD presence over THC. There are important ways to use this herb medicinally — low (or micro) doses often works the best. Too much THC can actually worsen some symptoms and can have the ‘high’ effect.
Research and personal experiences show much promise in using cannabis successfully. Many of us know of the company, Charlotte’s Web, and their work using CBD oil with a young girl who suffered from intolerable seizures. CBD oil has improved the life of a growing number of children suffering from epilepsy as well as ADHD and Autism Spectrum disorders. In California, cannabis has been used by cancer patients who have exhausted conventional treatments. Many of these patients continue to live and are cancer free in spite of a dire prognosis. There are increasing people experiencing pain relief, better sleep, and lessening symptoms from anxiety and PTSD.
What is inspiring about cannabis is that there are almost no side effects, there is a low risk of addiction, and there is no chance of lethal overdose. All of these make it promising in helping patients who are addicted to opioids. In 2014, the University of Pennsylvania found that the states that have legalized cannabis have seen overdose deaths decrease by 25%.
Conditions that CBD and Medicinal Cannabis May Provide Relief
Here is a list of conditions that have reported CBD useful in relieving troubling symptoms:
Alzheimer’s, Parkinson”s, stroke, heart attack, Crohn’s disease, diabetes, arthritis, pain, cancer, anxiety, stress, inflammation, PTSD, insomnia, night terrors, skin issues, ADHD, Autism Spectrum disorders, depression, migraines, MS spasticity, and more.
In my own life, CBD has been a welcomed remedy in diminishing pain. Most of those I work with who suffer from a variety of symptoms are experiencing relief. I am being convinced to consider its use.
It’s Not About The High
In conclusion, cannabis and CBD as useful medicinals can no longer be argued. For those with unpleasant memories and fearful of trying, it is not about getting high (though that may be fun occasionally.) Most people I work with use just enough to relieve their symptoms. As I work with individuals, I always begin slowly until we find the dose that works best for them.
CBD oil has no psychoactive effects. Medicinal cannabis with all cannabinoid compounds present (the whole plant) generally works best in small or micro-doses for many conditions. Using too much, too often, can worsen symptoms.
Are you wondering if cannabis could help you? Have you had friends tell you that CBD oil could help but you are not sure how to take it? Do you have fears? Do you have questions?
I am excited to be offering consultations for those wanting to find holistic relief, find the dose that works, and explore the varieties of cannabis to find what works best for individual symptoms. As a wellness coach and acupuncturist, my mission is to help people find their way to healthy living.
If interested in exploring further, contact me via message below or email at: LJ5250@aol.com.
Happy, Healthy, & The Prepared Mind 