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A Natural Way to Treat Inflammation

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.  

 

3Leaf's Vegan Quinoa Granola Bite is low-sugar and contains 10 milligrams of THC distillate.
3Leaf’s Vegan Quinoa Granola Bites.

 

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. 

 

3Leaf's micro-dosed Strawberry Fruit Jellies are made with natural fruit-puree and have 2.5 milligrams of THC per edible. They're sold in packs of four so you can build on your dose to meet your needs.
3Leaf’s Strawberry Fruit Jellies, 2.5mg THC per piece, four pieces per package.

 

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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3Leaf on How To Optimize Your Workout with Cannabis

What do you get when you mix high amounts of positive energy, solid muscle, and a wealth of knowledge about the benefits of cannabis? You have Gina, who is part of the 3Leaf team and works closely with our customers. If you’re curious about how cannabis can help you surpass your fitness goals by maximizing your potential pre-, during, and post-workout, Gina is the person you want to talk to. She works out six days a week through a mix of high-intensity interval training and cardio, weight lifting, modified Crossfit, and hot yoga, and she incorporates cannabis into every workout.

 

Previously Gina didn’t think cannabis could help her before or during her workouts, because they are intense in nature. She reserved it for low-impact workouts, like hiking or yoga and used it for recovery after an intense workout; she assumed that cannabis would impair her mobility. In 2018 Gina discovered that micro-dosing with properly dosed products significantly improved her workouts and benefitted her active lifestyle beyond her expectations.

 

Gina is often at a dispensary near you that carries 3Leaf products. If you haven’t met her yet read her tips below to learn how cannabis optimizes her fit lifestyle.

 

 

Pre-workout

 

After consuming a micro-dose of THC, when Gina enters the gym she’s able to quiet all of the other things on her mind. She is entirely focused on her goals for that particular workout.

 

 

 

 

 

 

“It changes your perspective and your focus. It makes you much more connected with your body,” says Gina. “When I start to feel the effects of cannabis I make a point to set an intention that I carry through my workout. It may be strength, endurance, form, or just getting through it, but cannabis helps me to keep that intention present throughout my workout.”

 

 

Focus is key to properly execute a physically and mentally demanding workout, but proper preparation in the lead-up is just as important. Warming up before a workout is crucial for preventing injury, and it will allow you to get deeper into the motions. Pushing yourself even slightly beyond your threshold increases muscle tearing and therefore improves the rate at which your muscles grow. Prior to consuming cannabis before a workout, Gina would immediately get into her cardio circuit or heavy lifting without stretching. With cannabis helping her dial into what her body needs, stretching before every workout has become a key priority.

 

 

During

 

 

“Cannabis allows me to get deeper into those poses that I have to hold,” says Gina. “It allows me to connect with my body. And it helps me to suspend other thoughts – the thoughts that are not relevant to me in that moment.”

 

 

 

 

Each time you head to the gym, roll out your yoga mat, get on your bike, or press play on a workout video, you make a conscious choice to do something entirely for yourself – something to make yourself a little bit better. When your mind wanders during a workout – we’re all guilty of this – you aren’t getting the most out of the activity you’ve chosen to engage in. When you’re thinking of what to pick up at the grocery store or the emails you have to send, you aren’t focusing on form and posture, two of the most important factors in any workout. Without proper form, you run the risk of injuring yourself; moreover, improper form can seriously slow your progress. If you’re going to take time out of your day to workout, you should do what you can to get the most out of it.

 

 

“After I’ve consumed cannabis and worked out, I feel like the hour that I dedicated was a true oasis in my day,” says Gina.

 

 

For Gina, the time she spends working out early in the morning, or having the gym to look forward to at the end of the day benefits her overall day beyond the one hour she carves out for herself. It helps her remain calm and patient in stressful or demanding situations.

 

 

After

 

Two of the most important factors in proper post-workout recovery are nutritious foods and lots of rest. When choosing foods, pick ones that are high in protein and low in sugar.

 

 

 

 

Gina makes a point to differentiate how she doses after a morning workout versus an evening workout. In the morning, she’ll eat one of 3Leaf’s ratio infused treats. The equal combination of a low-dose of THC and CBD provides a balanced experience. It allows her to relax after a strenuous workout without experiencing an overly elevating effect – perfect before a full day of work. And the effects of CBD are particularly beneficial for healing in post-workout recovery as it helps stave off soreness. If she exercises in the evening, she’ll have a 3Leaf Quinoa Granola Bite or Coconut Oatmeal Cookie after. The 10 mg of THC distillate infused in each piece provides a calming effect so that she can get a full night’s sleep.

 

 

“Many people avoid working out late at night because it boosts their energy levels up which can take away from their sleep,” says Gina. “Because I’m such a high-energy person this is an issue for me. But eating an edible after a workout ensures that I’ll get a restful sleep. And it means that I have more options for times to workout.”

 

 

How did Gina figure out what dose worked best for her? Trial and error. She says that because cannabis use is entirely personal, it’s up to each individual to take responsibility for their experience – and that’s the fun part! Some factors that you need to consider are timing and what you’ve eaten that day. Edibles can take between 30 and 90 minutes to take effect, and it will most likely take longer if you’ve had a lot to eat. For those who are new to cannabis, she says it’s best If you start with a micro-dose and consume slowly, and initially try it before a low-impact workout before incorporating it into high-intensity training.

 

If you have any questions about cannabis and how it can benefit your fitness routine, send us an email at [email protected]!

 

Thank you for taking the time to read our post. To find out more about 3Leaf’s low-dose, high-quality edibles click here. To find 3Leaf near you click our interactive map for a full list of retailers carrying our products. To keep up with exciting news, including new product launches, subscribe to our newsletter and follow us on Instagram and Facebook.