Preventing Body & Mind Inflammation with Cannabis & CBD
If you go to the grocery store, you will always see magazines at the checkout aisle about what to eat to reduce inflammation, how sleep can help reduce inflammation, what nuts and berries can help the brain to not be inflamed, and on and on. The magazines and articles about inflammation are endless - kind of like the summer heat in Phoenix.
Inflammation is when the body is in overdrive, and it can occur at any area of the body and in any organ. The mood and emotions can be inflamed, the face can be reddened, the skin in general can be dry, cracked, red, and inflamed. The digestive organs can get inflamed as in diverticulitis or hepatitis, which is inflammation of the liver. Eating a lot of hot dogs, luncheon meats, and nitrates and preservatives overtime, as well as drinking alcohol or soda, can lead to inflammation of the stomach, medically known as gastritis.
Any medical word that ends in -itis refers to inflammation. Gastric/Gastro means stomach and add the -itis on the end of the word and you have gastritis. For example, the list below has some of the conditions, and the organ next to it that is inflamed:
Dermatitis - Skin
Meningitis - Meninges of Brain (outer covering of brain)
Tonsillitis -Tonsils
Gastritis - Stomach
Colitis - Colon
Laryngitis - Larynx/voice box
Prostatitis - Prostate
Arthritis - Joints
Cystitis - Bladder
Otitis - Middle Ear
Bronchitis - Bronchi/Airways
Gingivitis - Gums
What we put into and onto our bodies affects inflammation in the body. For example, it is known that eating sugar, salt, processed foods, fried foods, soda, alcohol, preservatives, artificial colors/flavors, and coffee can lead to an incidence of inflammation. Eating fruits and vegetables, whole grains, cold-pressed oils, and cooking your own food so that you know everything that is in your meal, all help to reduce inflammation at your plate.
How can Cannabis and CBD help with inflammation in the body? One of the foundations of health is good sleep. THC and CBD can greatly help with sleep. THC can alleviate nightmares so that a deeper sleep is achieved. Some people may only need 5 mg of a gummy while others may need 20-50 mg to feel an effect. As always, if you are going to try an edible for the first time for sleep, then take a ¼ of the dose the first night, and start off slowly with a low dose. Insomnia and not getting enough sleep can lead to unbalancing, tight muscles, irritability, digestive disturbances, and poor production at work. THC and CBD can aid in sleep so that the body can fully rest.
Any inflammation of the digestive system can be helped by Cannabis and CBD. Drinking medicated syrups, tincture, or oil can coat the digestive tract and provide some relief. Drinking herbal tea such as calendula and chamomile to soothe the digestive tract, and adding medicated honey, can also be a good combination for reducing inflammation of the stomach and digestive tract.
Applying topical THC and CBD to sore and inflamed joints and muscles is another way that Cannabis and CBD can help reduce inflammation in the body.
It is important to give the mind a mental vacation… a reset. Too much thinking, planning, working, worrying, and not enough sleep can lead to inflammation of the mind and psyche. Spending time in nature, walking and exercising, dancing, meditating, reading a book that exercises your imagination, doing crafts, spending time with your pet, laughing, and getting good sleep are some positive actions to do to calm the chatter of the mind.