medical cannabis – Page 2 – Laughing Medicine Woman

March 31, 2017March 31, 2017

Assess The Health Of Your Endocannabinoid System

The discovery of the endocannabinoid system (ECS) in the late 1960’s was nothing short of revolutionary in the field of health and medicine. Purely by chance, the stories say, researchers discovered a subtle, signaling system within the body that maintains a “homogenous” state–or harmony–between all of the various biochemical actions in the body. Human bodies make endocannabinoids that click into receptor sites on and within every cell membrane, to “down-regulate” any bodily system’s activity and restore or maintain balance.

For example, the immune system is down-regulated by the endocannabinoid system to stop attacking its own tissues… as happens in the case of autoimmune conditions. Neurotransmitters that agitate and cause anxious feelings can be down-regulated to assist the mind to a calmer state. Over stimulated nerve centers–the source of pain and seizures–can be down-regulated to slow/stop the 0ver-firing and result in relief. These are just a few examples. The list covers every biochemical action in the body–that’s how pervasive the endocannabinoid system is. Continue reading “Assess The Health Of Your Endocannabinoid System”

March 10, 2017March 10, 2017

Dosing Medical Cannabis… Can You Say Micro Dose?

Determining the right dose when using a whole plant medicine like medical cannabis is important. Each plant grows uniquely, influenced by its own genetics and the environment to produce a slightly different result with each grow cycle. A person can even go to the same dispensary and purchase the same form of medical cannabis and still find the effect in his or her body to have changed somewhat. Every plant is unique so, unless using the same plant that made the previous recipe, the dosing must be determined anew.

Start with that. That’s the reason why. The “how-to” is actually straightforward and methodical. Start low and go slow when increasing. If you are using any type of medical cannabis that is ingested orally (infused foods or oils,) wait an hour to gauge effect before taking more. Tinctures–15 minutes. Continue reading “Dosing Medical Cannabis… Can You Say Micro Dose?”

January 9, 2017January 30, 2017

The Endocannabinoid System Stands for AMAZING!

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!”