ELEVATE
Endocannabinoid system regulation is essential for good health
If you want to become and stay healthy, then understanding how your body works is an important step. Break it down and we are made up, partially, of natural chemicals, receptors and enzymes, and good chemical balance helps ensure that we can stay in a state of equilibrium, or homeostasis.
Even medical scientists are still trying to establish just how our body works, and it is hard to believe that until the 1990s, one of the largest biological systems that we have was hiding right in front of us. This system is the endocannabinoid system (ECS), and it is proof that we don’t just respond to cannabis, but that the plant can be harnessed to promote good health, and provide benefits that other natural and pharmaceutical solutions are incapable of.
Cannabis is a plant of astonishing complexity, made up of several classes of compounds, the most essential of which are cannabinoids – these are the ones that interact with the ECS. Cannabidiol (CBD) is a cannabinoid of great interest to researchers, as it can be therapeutic without causing psychoactivity. Non-intoxicating cannabis was once thought to be an impossibility, but it is now a reality, with the rapid emergence of wholesale CBD products.
But what are the specific benefits of endocannabinoid system regulation and using CBD? Let’s find out.
Reduced inflammation
Out-of-control inflammation is at the root of many illnesses, such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and rheumatoid arthritis. These are ultimately caused by a dysfunctional immune system, which kicks into aggressive action far too regularly and ends up attacking the body as it looks to protect from threats. This over-eagerness is detrimental, but a treatment that stops inflammation entirely is also not ideal, as we need some to manage external threats and to help us heal from injuries, especially skin wounds.
Managing the immune system is set to become much easier thanks to recent ECS research, and the discovery that endocannabinoids have immunomodulatory properties, thanks to being CB2 receptor agonists. Taking CBD can help to promote suitable concentrations of endocannabinoids so that inflammation in the body can be tempered. CBD topicals can also be used to treat inflammatory skin conditions – simply lather cream onto the affected area, and the cannabinoid receptors in the skin will be activated.
Improving sleep patterns
Lots of sleep is necessary, as it allows our bodies a chance to heal, but unfortunately many of us aren’t getting enough of it or have disrupted sleep patterns, due to work commitments and the many distractions in our modern lives. The short-term consequences of a lack of sleep are tiredness and moodiness, but in the long-term, fatigue can seriously affect our physical and mental performance. Compounding the issue, reduced sleep limits the body’s opportunity to clear out neurotoxins, meaning there is a greater risk of suffering from a neurodegenerative disease later in life.
If you are not getting the recommended seven hours of sleep per night, then you may benefit from CBD, which works to regulate your ECS, which in turn helps to regulate the body’s sleep-wake cycle and flush out neurotoxins. This will make it easier to fall asleep at night while ensuring that you can face the next day with more energy.
Another awesome benefit of CBD is that this natural solution is non-addictive, and does not bring about the burden of dependency, as pharmaceutical sleeping tablets are notorious for doing.
Mood enhancer
Anandamide is one of the body’s endogenous antidepressants, so it is clear that regulating the ECS is key to regulating mood, and protecting from bipolar and other mood disorders. The mood is regulated at the CB1 receptor, and these are found all over the central nervous system, which is situated in the brain and spinal cord. Using CBD oil wholesale products will help facilitate the necessary spike in anandamide so that the ECS makes enough anandamide-CB1 receptor connections.
Controlling pain
High levels of pain may be a result of irregularities in the ECS since research has linked the CB1 receptor to pain perception. Anandamide is one such CB1 receptor agonist which can be used to alleviate pain. In this scenario, CBD works once again by blocking anandamide degradation, boosting availability of the chemical so that it can fulfil its role as an analgesic.
Interestingly, the condition fibromyalgia has been connected to ECS dysregulation, and one of the main symptoms of this illness is increased pain. This adds further credence to the argument that regulating the ECS reduces pain.