Latest News & Information on Medical Marijuana & CBD for Wellness Treatment

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Updated 542 days ago

Ask five different people to define wellness, and you’ll get five different definitions.

Everyone seems to agree, though, that wellness is much more than the absence of illness. That is, no doubt, a part of it.But wellness encompasses every aspect of self—including the physical, as well as the emotional, social, spiritual, and mental. When all these aspects are rolling smoothly in a positive direction of wholeness, you are living the idea of wellness.

The medical science community is just starting to wrap their heads around all the ways in which the special ingredients of the cannabis plant can soften symptoms of a wide variety of medical conditions. There’s even hope that they might present a cure for some diseases and disorders. That’s the physical aspect of wellness.

As for the mental, emotional, and social aspects of wellness, many people who suffer from depression, stress, and anxiety are already using cannabis-based products to treat those conditions. And a whole industry of cannabis-based beauty products is boosting users’ self-esteem, which fuels a person with positivity—an energy that they ultimately channel outwardly to the world.

The information in this article is not intended to provide a medical diagnosis and does not replace seeing a mental health professional. If you think you are suffering from this disease, consult with a health professional immediately. To find a health professional in the Highbrow network, click here.

WHAT CAUSES WELLNESS?

Many definitions of wellness suggest that it is not a destination but rather a journey. The quest to make oneself whole, balanced, and positive reflects inward and also sends ripples out into the world. Wellness is all about taking action and being proactive in producing harmony within yourself, among society, and throughout your world.

According to the National Wellness Institute, wellness comprises six dimensions:

Occupational
Physical
Social
Intellectual
Spiritual
Emotional

If you are actively working toward developing each of these elements of your life, you are achieving wellness.

Rather than “fixing” what is already an issue, wellness emphasizes preventative care.

The World Health Organization offers a questionnaire on wellness, if you are curious about how “well” you rate.

How CBD & MMJ Work to enhance wellness?

Many people confuse wellness with health. The two are not the same. One distinction is that wellness includes preventive care, rather than just getting you back to a non-ill state of being. Also, wellness incorporates physical and emotional well-being.

Two of the ingredients in cannabis—cannabidiol (CBD) and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) —have been found to offer medicinal properties that can promote many aspects of wellness.

Mental and Emotional Well-Being

Scientists are not exactly sure how CBD calms the effects of anxiety, depression, and stress. They do know, however, that the cannabinoid interacts with your body’s endocannabinoid system, which regulates things like mood and pain.

CBD offers antidepressant effects that scientists have tabbed as a potential therapy for depression. A 2018 study conducted by Washington State University concluded that one puff of high-CBD/low-THC cannabis could cut depression; two puffs of cannabis (any kind) could lessen anxiety; and 10 or more puffs of high-CBD/high-THC strongly alleviates stress.

Pain

Pain and wellness do not co-exist. Maybe this is one reason why more users of CBD and MMJ use the substances to treat pain than to treat any other medical condition. The National Academy of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine might take some credit for the growth in this usage when it reported that cannabis significantly lowers pain levels for people who suffer from chronic pain.

Again, scientists are not certain how CBD and MMJ work to reduce pain, but researchers again link the effect to the way these cannabinoids work with the neurotransmitters and receptors in the endocannabinoid system.

Sleep

Twenty-five percent of Americans say they don’t get enough sleep 15 out of every 30 days, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Epidemiology Program Office. Without quality sleep, your behavior suffers, affecting your interpersonal relationships. You are more likely to have accidents and develop infections. You perform worse in school and at work. All of these effects work in exact opposition to wellness.

Fortunately, CBD has been shown to render a calming effect on your central nervous system. In a study published in The Permanente Journal, almost 67 percent of sleep study subjects who took CBD enjoyed improved sleep within the first month of starting the treatment.

How does it work its magic? According to Current Psychiatry Reports, CBD interacts with the endocannabinoid receptors that regulate your body’s sleep and wake cycles.

Self-Esteem

How we feel about ourselves shows in how we interact with the world. Do we greet it joyfully by smiling at passersby walking down the street? Do we show confidence by speaking up at an important meeting? Do we demonstrate integrity and courage by defending a person who is being treated unfairly? Living fully—a life of wellness—it all starts with self-esteem.

And, like it or not, our self-esteem has a lot to do with how we feel about our appearance.

Cannabis products have carved a niche in the beauty industry—seemingly overnight—attracting users with a fresh set of benefits to address just about any cosmetic concern. These products don’t just appear in health stores. You see them at your local drugstore and grocery store. You see them advertised in fashion magazines, like Allure and Elle. They include mascaras made from “CBD-rich cannabis oil,” sleeping masks, and body lotions.

Even people who suffer from acne are drawn to CBD’s inflammation-fighting properties as a solution for a problem that directly interferes with their ability to fully interact with the world as they would like.

"Wellness includes preventive care, rather than just getting you back to a non-ill state of being. Also, wellness incorporates physical and emotional wellbeing "

Final Words

Stay tuned to the Highbrow Group site for updates on new CBD and MMJ products and findings as they relate to promoting your wellness. Keep in mind, too, that the World Health Organization has issued its conclusion that CBD is not an addictive substance and does not present a public health problem, as some people might think.

So, what is there to lose? We can’t think of a better way to live than embracing wellness.