It’s a sunny California day, you’re five minutes into your run and you’re all warmed up. You found your rhythm. Your pace and breath are aligned. Twenty minutes in and you begin to feel it, the elusive runner’s high. You feel like you could run for miles, so you do. As you start to cool down, you feel pain in your ankles, knees, hips, and lower back. Running is great exercise, however the friction it causes can trigger inflammation in your joints. Rather than reach for an ibuprofen or aspirin, consider an edible instead. Cannabis offers a natural way to effectively treat inflammation, so much so that many are using it to replace over-the-counter and prescription medications.
Which inflammatory diseases and issues does cannabis help?
- Inflammatory bowel diseases; i.e., ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease.
- Inflammation from liver disease.
- Rheumatoid arthritis.
The information above is from the National Institute of Health’s study, Cannabinoids as novel-anti inflammatory drugs.
Anecdotally, we’ve connected with people who consume cannabis to treat headaches and relieve the symptoms of psoriasis and coeliac disease. Again, this information is anecdotal – there is no research to fully confirm just yet. However, there is no denying that cannabis has a wide range of medicinal benefits, but it’s up to each individual to discover how it can benefit their health and wellness. To learn more, you can read 3Leaf’s blog post Cannabis Effects to Meet Your Needs as well as our Ultimate Edibles Dosing Guide.
Edibles offer long-lasting relief.
The effects of edibles can last for up to eight hours. The long-lasting effects of edibles mean you can consume less often and enjoy the healing and medicinal benefits long enough to get you through your day or help you achieve a sleep without any symptoms of inflammation.
We have a friend, Richard, who consumes 3Leaf’s Quinoa Granola Bites regularly to help him keep the pain of inflammation at bay. You see, Richard is an active man in his early 60s who lives in Palm Springs. He golfs regularly and runs often. After a day of activities, he eats a Quinoa Granola Bite. He tells us that the dose of 10 milligrams of THC reduces the pain in his joints, and it also helps him to relax and get a restful sleep so that he can properly recover. In addition, these edibles are made with natural, whole-food ingredients and are sweetened with agave nectar rather than refined sugar. Sugar triggers inflammation, so it’s best to choose edibles that are naturally sweetened and contain a low-sugar content, like our Quinoa Granola Bite.
Why is cannabis an effective anti-inflammatory?
Inflammation occurs when the body’s immune system believes that we’re injured. White blood cells signal proteins, known as cytokines, to start the healing process. The release of cytokines can induce heat, pain, redness, swelling, and loss or misfiring of bodily functions. Quite often, the immune system misidentifies an injury or attack on our immune system, which can lead to a wide range of inflammatory issues such as fevers, headaches, arthritis, psoriasis, and inflammatory bowel diseases. Cannabis works with our body to mitigate and relieve the symptoms of such inflammatory issues and diseases.
Where prescription medications block the proteins that the brain releases in response to illness and injury, cannabis offers a natural solution for inflammation by working with our body’s immune system to suppress the proteins that cause the symptoms of inflammation. Research shows that cannabis suppresses the proteins that cause heat/fever, pain, redness, and swelling associated with inflammation. It also induces T-regulatory cells (T cells), which function to create balance in the immune system and prevent auto-immune diseases. Prescription medications block our body’s natural response to pain and can cause lead to harmful side effects. For example, the makers of Advil, whose active ingredient is ibuprofen, warns that it can cause ulcers, liver damage and kidney damage when taken in high-doses for long periods of time. Cannabis naturally balances out our immune system to alleviate the symptoms of inflammation. And, when consumed through an edible, you can enjoy up to eight hours of symptom relief.
We do not recommend switching your prescription medication for cannabis prior to consulting your doctor or physician. When incorporating cannabis into your healthcare, we do recommend starting with a micro-dose. And before increasing your dose wait at least two hours. Remember, low and slow so that you can enjoy a positive cannabis experience.
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