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How Cannabinoids Help Improve Your Health
While medical marijuana has been used for hundreds of years for health reasons, it’s still quite controversial. It is currently legal in many states, but still prohibited in others. Many states have laws restricting the amount of certain cannabinoids, and we’ll explore that today.
But how exactly does medical marijuana support your health and treat serious illnesses?
What are Cannabinoids?
Cannabinoids are a natural component – found in the seeds, stalk, and flowers – of the cannabis sativa plant.
If you’ve never heard of cannabinoids before, don’t feel too bad; there are 480 components of cannabis. In addition, there are about nine subclasses of cannabinoids.
Cannabinoids affect the body by interacting with central nervous system receptors (CB1 or CB2). Different cannabinoids have different effects, depending on which receptors they bind to (source).
For example, the cannabinoids that are high in THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) interact with the CB1 receptors and cause psychotropic effects. Other cannabinoids are high in CBD (cannabidiol) and they interact with the CB2 receptors. These cannabinoids do not get you “high”.
Without getting too scientific, cannabinoids (specifically CBD) positively impact:
- Memory
- Cognition
- Psychomotor performance
- Pain management
- Emotion
- Endocrine function
Cannabinoids, Cannabis & Cannabidiol
Confused? In short:
- Cannabis is the plant.
- Cannabinoids are a component of the plant.
- Cannabidiol (CBD) is one of the cannabinoids identified in cannabis (others include the aforementioned THC, and BCP – more info below).
CBD is the most abundant of all of the cannabinoids and it’s also considered a wellness supplement.
Again, it’s important to distinguish between CBD and THC, because CBD has non-psychoactive properties is not used as a narcotic. Just for reference, recreational marijuana is low in CBD and high in THC.
As for BCP, that stands for beta-caryophyllene and this is the cannabinoid in copaiba essential oil. We’ll get to that in a bit…
CBD Oil
CBD oil has been found to possess antioxidant, neuroprotective, and anti-inflammatory properties. As a result, using CBD oil has the following health benefits:
- Treats Alzheimer’s disease
- Manages multiple sclerosis symptoms
- Reduces epileptic seizures
- Lessens pain and inflammation
- Reduces anxiety
- Relieves nausea
- Promotes heart health
- Inhibits cancer cell growth
CBD Oil and Cancer
Several studies show that CBD has the ability to inhibit the growth of cancer cells. The oil has also been found to induce cell death in breast cancer, as well as treat lung cancer, colon cancer, and leukemia (source). And there are ongoing studies researching the effectiveness of CBD on brain tumors.
A 2006 study published in the Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics found for the first time that CBD potently and selectively inhibited the growth of different breast tumor cell lines and exhibited significantly less potency in non-cancer cells (source).
The National Cancer Institute actually lists six different laboratory studies that show the anti-tumor activity of cannabinoids. These studies have found that cannabinoids have the ability to:
- Kill cancer cells while protecting normal cells
- Protect against inflammation in the colon, reducing the risk of colon cancer
- Damage or kill liver, lung, and breast cancer cells
- Lessen the growth, number, and spread of tumors
- Make chemotherapy more effective
Copaiba Oil
Ok, back to the cannabinoid BCP that is found in copaiba oil. Copaiba oil is sourced from the copaiba tree, which is found in South America. Often used in personal care products and perfumes, copaiba oil has many similarities to CBD oil. Here are the ways copaiba oil impacts your health:
- Reduces feelings of anxiety
- Helps relieve pain
- Boosts immune system
- Provides powerful antioxidants
- Supports heart health
- Improves digestive system
- Supports nervous and respiratory systems
- Fights cancer
And just to be clear, copaiba oil is not exactly the same as CBD oil, but it is just as beneficial to your health. Because of the high amounts of the BCP, copaiba directly affects the CB2 receptors. While CBD only indirectly interacts with the CB2 receptors.
Copaiba Oil and Cancer
One animal study found that the BCP in copaiba oil can inhibit tumor growth. “(BCP) potently inhibits solid tumor growth and lymph node metastasis of B16F10 melanoma cells…(BCP) is a natural bicyclic sesquiterpene found in many essential oils and has been shown to exert anti-inflammatory activities” (source).
Also, oxidized BCP has been shown to stop the growth of cancer cells and induce apoptosis (cell death) in many cancers (source). Including: brain, breast, cervical, colon, lymphatic, ovarian, pancreatic, prostate and skin cancers.
If you’re wondering if you need CBD or copaiba oil, here are reasons why copaiba oil is a better choice:
- It’s cheaper
- Sourced from the copaiba tree, so there is zero risk of it containing any THC
- It directly interacts with the CB2 receptors
- 100% legal, no matter which state you live in
- No chance of it affecting a drug test
- Easy to purchase
Other Essential Oils High in Cannabinoids
- Black pepper
- Melissa
- Yang ylang
- Clove
- Helichrysum
- Juniper berry
To get started with certified pure therapeutic grade essential oils, email Leann@GroovyBeets.com. Leann will create a custom protocol for your specific heath needs and goals.
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Disclosure: this post contains affiliate links.
Disclaimer:
As always, be sure to consult a qualified practitioner or certified essential oils coach on how to use essential oils safely and effectively for your health. Information from Leann is only a guide and be sure to discontinue use if any adverse reactions occur and consult your physician immediately. Please take special caution using oils in conjunction with medications, during pregnancy, and with children under 6. Leann is happy to provide a free 15 minute phone consult that you can schedule here: http://ow.ly/x3mA30ge1xu
