One of the most prominent concerns is the prevalence of chronic arthritis, an ailment that affects 52.5 million adults today, and that number is expected to increase to 67 million by 2030. There’s no cure for arthritis, and limited treatment options exist for the painful and limiting disease.

One alternative that’s gaining popularity among the aging population is the use of cannabis to get full-bodied pain relief and anti-inflammatory properties. Although arthritis is considered a qualifying condition in at least two states, there’s a remarkable lack of data and research behind the effectiveness of cannabis as a treatment alternative for arthritis, osteoarthritis, and rheumatoid arthritis.

Arthritis

Arthritis is an uncomfortable and often unavoidable disease that often results in severe symptoms:

• Injuries that don’t heal properly
• Carpal tunnel syndrome and peripheral neuropathies (tingling or numbness in extremities)
• Plantar fasciitis (inflammation of the forefoot)
• Persistent joint pain
• Locked joints
• Morning stiffness

A study published in the journal Rheumatology from Dr. Sheng-Ming Dai of China’s Second Military Medical University found that CB2 receptors are found in unusually high levels in the joint tissue of arthritis patients. The use of cannabis is shown to fight inflammation in the joints by activating the pathways of CB2 receptors.

Canadian researcher Dr. Jason McDougall, a professor of pharmacology and anesthesia at Dalhousie University in Halifax, has undertaken a new study to find out if medical marijuana can help repair arthritic joints and relieve pain. The study is supported by the Arthritis Society and is awarding a grant for a comprehensive, three-year study to investigate if cannabis is not just dampening the pain in the brain, but also working to fight inflammation and repair the joint itself.

When asked to describe the nerves of an arthritis sufferer, McDougall told CBC Radio’s Information Morning the following information:

“[The nerves are like] wires that have been stripped of their coating. They’re all bare, they’re all raw and responsible for feeling a lot of pain. What we hypothesize is that by locally administering these cannabis-like molecules to those nerves, we’d actually be able to repair them and reduce the pain of arthritis.”

Read Full Articles: leafy.com

Cannabis and rheumatoid arthritis pain

Recent research suggests that cannabis not only eases arthritis pain, but the herb can calm the immune system and ease related symptoms. Here’s everything you want to know about cannabis and rheumatoid arthritis.

What is rheumatoid arthritis?

Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disorder. The body attacks itself as if it were fending off bacterial and viral invaders. An overactive immune system breaks down the soft tissues in your joints and surrounding your bones. This immune response causes excess inflammation, which then leads to tissue deterioration, scarring, and significant pain over time.

Symptoms of RA go well beyond aching joints and arthritis pain. As with most autoimmune diseases, chronic inflammation, and an aggravated immune system can have wide sweeping effects on the body. Autoimmune diseases are comparable to having permanent flu, only a whole lot worse. Other than stiff, aching joints, here are a few additional RA symptoms:

• Fatigue
• Injuries that never seem to heal
• Numbing and tingling in hands and feet
• Eye issues
• Morning stiffness
• Locked joints
• Gastrointestinal issues
• Lung disease

Inflammation reduction

Unchecked inflammation can create havoc in the body. When you have an injury or the common cold, inflammation is part of a healthy bodily response. Yet, rampant swelling from autoimmune disease is a different story. When the body is in an inflamed state for a prolonged period of time, it ages more rapidly and basically begins to fall apart.

Patients with rheumatoid arthritis are overwhelmed with inflammation. This is where cannabis can help. The herb is full of inflammation-fighting compounds. In 2014, researchers from the University of South Carolina found that psychoactive THCdampens the immune system and deactivates inflammatory proteins.

This quality makes THC a candidate for the treatment of a variety of autoimmune disorders, including multiple sclerosis, colitis, lupus, and arthritis.

Older research from 2003 tested non-psychoactive CBD on rats induced with an arthritis-mimicking condition. After injecting the rodents with specific pro-inflammatory compounds, they treated the creatures with an oral dose of CBD. Cannabidiol decreased inflammation in a time and dose-dependant fashion. CBD continued to reduce inflammatory markers after three consecutive days of treatment.

Read full Article Here

High. Insights on Marijuana – Dr. Sebastián Marincolo

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Dr. Sanjay Gupta puts medical marijuana under the microscope again with “WEED 3: The Marijuana Revolution” that was aired in April 2015.

Here’s the 10 Diseases Where Medical Marijuana Could Have Impact:

The post 10 Diseases Where Medical Marijuana Could Have Impact: VIDEO appeared first on The Herbal Coast.

Cannabidiol (CBD) is truly one of the most remarkable compounds in the natural world.

–HighTimes.com

Did you know the Cannabis plants are chemical powerhouses that produce more than 400 different compounds? That is amazing itself! Of those 400 compounds, more than 60 of them are totally specific to the plant Cannabis. These special compounds are what scientists call “Cannabinoids.” But not all are created equal. The one that we hear a lot, cannabidiol, aka CBD, holds key to the wide variety of medicinal and
therapeutic effects marijuana offers.

What exactly is cannabidiol (CBD) and more importantly, what does it do?

The more we learn about CBD, the more we gain to recognize the revolution of this medicine.

1. Cannabidiol isn’t psychoactive. 

One important and most crucially important qualities of CBD is that, it lacks psycho-activity, aka it will not get you high.

THC: the cannabinoid with the legendary power of producing euphoric sensations.
CBD: is inert.

So when taken on its own, users experience none of the sensations of being stoned. And this is the single most important property of the cannabinoid from the medical—and legal—perspective

2. Cannabidiol is Legal Almost Everywhere!

That’s right, it’s because CBD doesn’t get you high. Only THC, the cannabinoid,  gets you high, which in turn is illegal.

When you take a drug test, the aim is to detect THC in your body, not “cannabis.” If you possessed weed without any THC in it, technically you wouldn’t be in violation of the law. Because “weed” without THC has a different name: hemp. And the rules governing hemp are quite different from the restrictions placed on cannabis.

Here’s What CBD Can Really Do—And The Research Backing It Up

1. CBD can stop Epileptic seizures.

In 2012, researchers with the British Epilepsy Association published a paper called “Cannabidiol exerts anticonvulsant effects in animal models of temporal lobe and partial seizures.” Their conclusion? “The evidence strongly supports CBD as a therapeutic candidate for a diverse range of human epilepsies.”

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2. CBD Can Treat Serious Neurological Diseases Like Alzheimer’s, Multiple Sclerosis, and Parkinson’s

Researchers are still trying to figure out the exact mechanisms behind neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s. We know it has to do with a protein pathway, and that’s exactly the pathway this 2006 study investigates.

Taking a look down to the molecular level, researchers discovered that CBD can actually protect nerve cells from degenerative diseases. Scientists call this CBD’s “neuroprotective effect,” and it’s one of the most promising aspects of the cannabinoid.

3. CBD Can Relieve Pain

Medical cannabis is quickly becoming the go-to alternative to dangerous and addictive prescription painkillers, like the opioids that are causing an epidemic of overdose deaths in the United States.

A lot of weed’s pain-killing power stems from its psychoactive cannabinoid, THC. But cannabidiol is also a potent pain reliever. 2015 saw the most important study to uncover the pain-relieving effects of CBD. In that study, researchers compared cannabidiol to morphine.

To their surprise, CBD worked well in combination with morphine and counteracted the latter’s risky side effects. This means cannabidiol can help treat acute pain conditions, along with more long-term benefits.

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4. CBD Can Fight Cancer

It sounds too good to be true. But indeed, pre-clinical trials have shown that cannabidiol has a powerful anti-tumor effect.

The most important study to reveal these powerful tumor-inhibiting effects came out in 2015. In fact, this study looked at a range of non-psychoactive cannabinoids, including, of course, cannabidiol.

In a landmark for medical cannabis research, this study concluded that “CBD slows the progression of many types of cancer, including breast, lung, prostate and colon cancer.”

How that works is pretty incredible. Cannabidiol actually makes it harder for cancer cells to grow. In some cases, this causes an increase in cancer cell death. No wonder stories abound about “miracle” CBD cures that shrink tumors.

5. CBD Can Reduce Inflammation

Cannabis is widely-valued as a treatment for inflammation. Credit goes to both THC and CBD in that regard, but cannabidiol has some special anti-inflammatory properties of its own.

Specifically, cannabidiol binds with the endocannabinoid system to produce a response that reduces nerve inflammation. This is another of its “neuroprotective” qualities and a major reason why CBD is such an effective treatment for neurological diseases.

6. CBD Can Treat Mood Disorders

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) affects nearly 8 percent of all American’s during their lifetime. Women are twice as likely as men to suffer from it. Finding an affordable, safe, and reliable treatment for PTSD would profoundly impact the lives of millions of Americans every year.

To that end, a pathbreaking 2013 study found that cannabidiol improved people’s abilities to forget their traumatic memories. These findings are incredibly important and could be relevant for figuring out how cannabidiol can treat other anxiety and stress disorders.

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For a more in-depth article, Please visit HighTimes.com 

The post What Is CBD (Cannabidiol) And What Does It Do? appeared first on The Herbal Coast.

Now Leafly.ca wrote a great article on this! So let’s go through it together.

Eat Edibles or Smoke it? 5 Differences Between Marijuana Edibles and Flowers

1. THC is Absorbed Differently

Why are marijuana-infused edibles typically so much stronger than smoked or vaporized cannabis? When you consume cannabis in an ingestible form, its THC is metabolized by the liver, which converts it to 11-hydroxy-THC. This active metabolite is particularly effective in crossing the blood-brain barrier, resulting in a more intense high. Inhaled THC undergoes a different metabolic process because rather than passing through the stomach and then the liver, the THC travels directly to the brain. This is why the effects of smoked or vaporized cannabis come on faster and diminish quickly.

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2. Effects and Duration

The Golden Rule of edibles: start small and be patient. Because of the way edibles are metabolized, it can take anywhere from 30 minutes to 2 hours to kick in, and the effects can last several hours. These effects vary between edibles, but generally, consumers report stronger body effects coupled with an almost psychedelic head high in large doses. Smaller amounts yield milder and arguably more comfortable effects, which is why we reiterate: start small and be patient, or you’re gonna have a bad time.

Edibles may be strong, but compared to inhaled cannabis, they actually deliver a smaller concentration of cannabinoids to the bloodstream. Ingesting edibles introduces only 10 to 20 percent of THC and other cannabinoids to the blood plasma, whereas inhaled cannabis falls closer to 50 or 60 percent. The effects of smoked cannabis tend to peak within the first 10 minutes and rapidly dissipate over the next 30 to 60 minutes.

3. Edibles are More Difficult to Dose

Determining the THC content of a homemade batch of edibles is no easy feat, and even professional distributors sometimes have difficulty capturing the advertised dose in their products. Because of the delay between ingestion and onset of effects, consumers may sometimes overestimate the dose. Inhaled cannabis, with its instantaneous effects, allows the consumer to gradually dose as needed.

In legal markets, 10 milligrams of THC is considered a “standard” dose that normally delivers mild effects. A 100mg edible is considered much (much, much) more potent and should be split into several doses over time. Colossal amounts of THC won’t kill you, but trust us: you will enjoy the next several hours of your life more if you dose responsibly and patiently.

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4. Disparities in Advertised Potency

In unregulated markets without meticulous testing, it’s possible that an edible’s potency does not match the label. Keep in mind that your go-to distributor may have a batch that varies from the last one you tried, so if you think, “The last time I tried this, it was fairly weak, so this time I’ll eat twice as much,” you may find out the hard way that this latest batch is a lot stronger than what you expect.

Legal cannabis systems are moving toward stricter regulations for edible testing and THC content maximums, but if you’re living in a state without these guidelines in place, be sure to ease into your edible expedition slowly and cautiously until regulations and testing pave the way for consistency and accurate labeling.

5. Edibles as a Healthier Alternative to Smoking

Many people become interested in edibles because they don’t enjoy the harsh experience of smoking or are worried about the long-term health concerns associated with it. Vaporization is another health-conscious alternative commonly recommended, but edibles can oftentimes provide longer lasting relief to chronic symptoms like pain, often making them a preferred choice for medical patients.

Edible recipes don’t always have to consist of the the stereotypical pot brownie or a sugary sweet treat; nowadays, you can transform most dishes into a cannabis-infused concoction. Try some cannabis cannabis-infused granola or quinoa salad, or make your own cannabis butter and douse your kale chips with it if that’s what you’re into. We don’t care, as long as you stay cautious and remember our parent-y voice in your head when it comes time for feasting.

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To view the original article by Leafly.ca, please click here 🙂

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Benefits of Marijuana in Chronic Illness

• Antibiotic against Lyme and against co-infections: marijuana is such a powerful antibiotic that it can even kill MRSA. The marijuana molecules that kill bacteria are cannabidiol, cannabichromene, cannabigerol, tetrahyrdocannabinol, and cannabinol.
• Anti parasitic: the whole Marijuana plant contains important molecules that increase its effectiveness against microbial infections. These chemicals are called terpenoids.
• Anti inflammatory: marijuana molecules called cannaflavins which have thirty times more anti-inflammatory capabilities than aspirin!
• Immune balancing: called “immuno-modulation,” immune balance occurs with the help of Marijuana molecules such as Anadeamide (AEA), and cannabinoids, helping the immune system fight the disease and not the patient.
• THC, the notorious part of the plant that causes the “high” feeling, has numerous medical benefits including: anti-inflammatory, anti-epileptic, anti-depressant, anti-nausea, appetite stimulant, pain relieving, reduces blood pressure, eases glaucoma pressure, and acts against cancer.
• Reliably induces the crucial healing factor in healing and detoxification: sleep.
• Inspires the patient with optimism, hope, detachment and relaxation.
• Stimulates release of Dopamine and Serotonin, improving outlook and relieving pain.
• Reduces inflammation in the brain, calming Lyme encephalitis
• Potent antioxidant protecting against cellular damage and preventing ischemic damage.
• Serotonin receptor stimulator, with a calming influence that also improves anxiety and depression.
• Muscle relaxant
• DNA protective
• Anti arthritic
• Effective treatment for nerve pain, migraine, muscle spasm, brain fog, insomnia
• Effective symptom management for PTSD

An objection commonly voiced to me by Lyme patients considering marijuana: “it makes me paranoid,” or “I don’t like the way it makes me feel.” Another is: “I have enough brain fog; the last thing I need is to be high.” True enough! “High” is really not my medical goal for you. That said, most of the time my Lyme patients are suffering from a kind of exhaustion that other people have a hard time imagining or relating to.

The irony of this profound fatigue is that simultaneously, Lyme sufferers find achieving restful sleep to be tricky and elusive. Here, that same molecule that induces the high can be a great helper, because at the appropriate dose, it also induces restful sleep.

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Marijuana’s medicinal molecules work together synergistically

Synergistic and potentiating qualities have been demonstrated in studies on many of the medicinal constituents of the marijuana plant. In order to obtain all of the above benefits, it is necessary to ingest a whole plant product, rather than an isolated form such as CBD.

Many who wish to experience Marijuana’s health benefits are reluctant to try it because they do not wish to experience its psychoactive effects, also known as “the high.” For these individuals, Sativa strains are the preferred type of Marijuana. They yield the full benefits of Marijuana without stupefying the patient.

Some patients do not mind the stupefying effect of “the high,” as long as it also causes them to fall asleep.  For these patients, Indica strains are valuable.

In treating chronic illness, patients can benefit from Sativa as well as from Indica, if the different types of strains are used at different times of the day.

Cautions regarding medical Marijuana use:

Chronically ill individuals should avoid ingestion of toxic chemicals such as pesticides, herbicides, or toxic solvents. Choose organically grown medical Marijuana.

Poorly dried or prepared herbs including Marijuana can harbor mold. Ask for literature and/or information regarding the growth, harvesting, and preparation of medical Marijuana.

Marijuana allergy exists. If allergic symptoms such as hives, swelling, or difficulty breathing arise, discontinue use.

As mentioned above, Marijuana is an excellent treatment of Inflammation. This however can cause Herxheimer Reaction, also known as Herxing. Basically what happens during the Inflammation Therapy injured or dead bacteria release their endotoxins much too fast for the body to comfortably handle it, causing an inflammation flare up. Marijuana can cause Lyme patients to Herx and the way I see it, Herxing is a great sign that your treatment plan needs more endotoxin drainage.

The abuse of Marijuana does occur and addiction to Marijuana has been experienced by many individuals. Marijuana Anonymous is a 12 step program for those whose lives are affected negatively by overdependence on Marijuana. It is recommended that each patient be judicious in the use of Marijuana. Respect the potency of the plant. If overdependence develops, the prescribing physician should be contacted and alternatives discussed. Tolerance to Marijuana can also develop with use.

The use of Marijuana in pregnancy is controversial.  Marijuana is commonly used in pregnancy and in the medicinal cannabis community the use of Marijuana in pregnancy is considered safe. The extent and breadth of studies required in order to claim that Marijuana is safe in pregnancy do not yet exist. At the time of the creation of this document, these are under study.

How to Use Marijuana Safely

Whether or not the patient utilizes Sativa or Indica, it is not appropriate to operate heavy machinery while under the influence of Marijuana. Patients who are also parents report that the effects of Sativa do not impair their ability to wake in the night if needed to care for their children.

In choosing a form of medicinal Marijuana, keep in mind that most practitioners do not recommend smoking Marijuana, because fragile lung tissue can be harmed by inhaling hot smoke.

MANY FIRST TIME USERS OF MARIJUANA USE TOO MUCH AND EXPERIENCE AN “OVERDOSE”

Dosing Marijuana has individual variance. When learning to use Marijuana, it is important to start with a smaller dose than recommended and assess its effects over a time period of two to four hours. Because chronically ill people can react with greater sensitivity to medications than healthier users of Marijuana, it’s recommended that patients with chronic illness take one-quarter the recommended dose of any form of Marijuana.

Medical Marijuana comes in different forms

Smoking inhalation – instantaneous benefit. Because its effects are immediate, it is easy to determine whether you’ve achieved adequate dosing.

Vapor inhalation – instantaneous benefit, protective of the lungs, yields much higher dose of medicine. Because its effects are immediate, it is easy to determine whether you’ve achieved adequate dosing.

Oils – hemp oil is higher in CBD with only trace (if any) THC. Cannabis flower oil is “hash oil” and high in TCH.

Hash oil – compressed flower bud resin, high in TCH.

Rick Simpson Oil – oil concentrated out of Marijuana flowers that have been extracted repeatedly in alcohol, then dried slowly. Low yield, very high potency, used by cancer patients with many anecdotal stories of success.

BHO – highly potent, solvent extract of Marijuana flower buds. Though considered safe to consume, Butane and other solvent-extracted Hash Oils are nevertheless environmentally toxic and can leave toxic reside on the Marijuana product.

C02 oil – an environmentally safe and nontoxic way to create “BHO.”

Cannabis infused coconut or olive oil – edible oil taken drop by drop for long term management of symptoms and eventual maintenance of disease remission.

Tincture – Marijuana flowers and buds soaked in alcohol then strained. Potent, for addition to food, sublingual administration drop by drop, or topical application to painful joints.

Edibles – Food items produced using Marijuana infused oil or butter.

Juice – The juice of Marijuana leaves: a generous handful of stemless leaves blended with one cup of water, strained through cheesecloth or sieve. Portions can be consumed fresh or frozen in ice cube trays for later consumption. Juice made by this method does contain THC, but, because it’s never heated, the THC does not confer any psychoactive effects or “high.”

Teas – Marijuana steeped at least 30 minutes in boiled water, with alcohol or a fat source such as butter or oil, added to capture fat soluble molecules into the solution.

Topicals – lotions and salves with marijuana tincture added, intended for relief of pain and muscle spasm.

CBD oil – extract from the “hemp” stalk or non-drug portion of the Marijuana plant. Legal, because it contains no THC. Gently confers multiple benefits

How to make your own Marijuana-infused oil:

Grind 2 Tbsps. of dried Marijuana buds until powdery. Mix into ¾ cup olive or coconut oil. For 20 minutes, simmer gently on stove without boiling. Stir frequently. Cool for 30 minutes. Strain through cheesecloth or coffee filter into jar. For initial dosing, start with one drop, wait one hour to assess effects. Add an additional drop per hour until relief is achieved.

The post Medical Marijuana and Overcoming Chronic Illness appeared first on The Herbal Coast.

After countless pain medications for minor relief, Maddie tried using CBD. Amazing Cannabis and CBD may help treat conditions for children like Maddie. Not only does it help relieve the pain, but lets children be children and not worry about the side effects of harsh pharmaceuticals drugs.

Original article by cannabisculture.com

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