When I first began my foray into the vast research opportunity of medical cannabis, I had no idea where the trail would lead–only that my interest was sparked by the relief from pain I was finding with hemp Cannabidiol aka CBD. Looking first to better understand the concept of the “entourage effect” created by using the whole cannabis plant, I was both surprised and delighted to discover that research into cannabis lead into a major medical discovery: the Endocannabinoid System in the body of all mammals.
Israeli scientists discovered the ECS while tracking down how THC and CBD interact with a body’s bio-chemistry…only to realize that every cell–both inside and out–have cannabinoid receptor sites. Every tissue, every organ, every system in the body is regulated by a signaling system triggered by these receptor sites being joined by either an endocannabinoid (molecules originating in the body) or an exo-cannabinoid (molecules originating outside the body like cannabinoids that are in cannabis). The Endocannabinoid System, then, is a system regulating homeostasis in everything from the hormonal system to the nervous system, the immune system and back again, and our bodies actually make molecules that function identically to CBD and THC to effect that balance. Continue reading “The Endocannabinoid System Stands for AMAZING!”
You may have never heard the term “terpene” before, but I promise you that you have experienced a terpene or two in your life… because terpenes give scent to everything. That’s right. If you can smell it, there is at least one type of terpene molecule meeting up with your olfactory senses.