How CBD is Becoming the #1 Anti-Inflammatory

Amongst the line-up of medical epidemics across America, inflammatory diseases are up there as the current crisis. Now looked upon as being one of the most dangerous conditions due to the high likelihood of more serious conditions developing from it, it is high time there was a more efficient treatment!

What Is Inflammation?

Inflammation is the body’s natural instinctive defense against injury, or harmful stimuli. It has been directly associated with a variety of conditions, some of which are listed below:

Diabetes
Arthritis
Alzheimer’s
Depression
Neuropathy
Hypertension

These are just a handful of the conditions that are likely to develop as a result of chronic inflammation. What is perhaps even more concerning is that inflammation can be avoided in many cases, simply by adjusting to a more healthy lifestyle!

Across America, approximately 43 million people suffer from arthritis and joint diseases.
Around 30 million Americans have diabetes
A staggering 5.5 million Americans have Alzheimer’s Disease!

These statistics are pretty alarming and are the icing on the cake when it comes to inflammatory related diseases!

But how is inflammation causing so much harm?

Inflammation can be broken down into two categories; Chronic Inflammation and Acute Inflammation.

As the names may suggest, Chronic inflammation relates to long-term inflammation that can occur as a result of foreign agents, or repetitive inflammatory issues. Acute inflammation is usually a direct result of illness or injury, and is normally short-lived.

There have been dozens of studies done into the dangers of long-term inflammation, with beliefs around our diets and lifestyles being huge contributing factors! For example, a high-fat diet usually leads to obesity, which has a direct link to inflammation, and diabetes.

While it may be possible to reduce the risk of inflammation, it is not always avoidable, and it is then a case of treating it with pain killers and anti-inflammatory pharmaceuticals, which we know are all too dangerous and addictive!

Some of the most common anti-inflammatory medications include:

Aspirin
Ibuprofen
Naproxen
Celecoxib

Unfortunately, the treatments on offer leave a lot to be desired, with many coming with a range of nasty side-effects such as:

Drowsiness
Sickness
Diarrhea
Constipation

This is just a small sample of the side effects, but the list goes on, and some of the most serious side effects include kidney and liver failure! So, it is no wonder that many sufferers are turning to CBD as a more natural and effective treatment!

What Is CBD?

If you have been hiding under a rock, you may not have heard about CBD yet! Trumping THC as the most talked about cannabinoid of the marijuana plant, Cannabidiol is the non-psychoactive compound that packs a ridiculous list of benefits!

Here are just some of the incredible facts about CBD:

Anti-Inflammatory
Anti-Oxidant
Anti-Anxiety
Anti-Carcinogenic
Anti-Depressant
Anti-Psychotic

How Can CBD Be Used as An Anti-Inflammatory Drug?

Of all the qualities that CBD offers, it’s anti-inflammatory properties are arguably the most well-researched of the bunch. Being successfully utilized to treat almost all digestive conditions, as well as many other medical challenges, it is now looked upon as the most efficient anti-inflammatory drug available – even beating out traditional options such as Vitamin C and Omega 3 supplements!

It is important to have a good grasp on how CBD works with our bodies, though, in order to fully understand how it can be such a useful anti-inflammatory.

Like all cannabinoids, CBD interacts with our body upon consumption, but what is interesting about CBD in particular is that it works differently to many of the other researched compounds of the plant, particularly when it comes to interaction with the endocannabinoid system.

Each and every one of us has an Endocannabinoid system (ECS), which has control over regulating many of our bodily functions and ensuring that everything runs smoothly. The ECS releases natural cannabinoids that are vital for a range of physiological things, from the way we think to the way we feel pain. In fact, it plays a part in almost every aspect of our being!

When CBD is consumed, it interacts with the ECS and encourages it to produce an increased number of natural cannabinoids. By doing this, our body is better able to heal and regulate various functions. Also, not only does CBD help produce self-healing cannabinoids, but it also interacts with our CB2 receptors, which oversee our entire immune system!

The Research on CBD as an anti-inflammatory!

Don’t just take our word for it! There have been dozens of published studies done into CBD as an effective anti-inflammatory! Here a few of the most relevant ones:

G.W. Booz from the University of Mississippi did a study published in 2011 into CBD as a helpful compound for the reduction of the impact that inflammation has on the body. His study found that CBD did, in fact, have a dramatic impact – so much so that it was able to decrease the risks of long-term organ damage!
A study published in 2016 that investigated the effects of CBD on rats with arthritis, showed that the application of CBD gel significantly reduced joint swelling. Their study concluded that topical CBD application was a successful treatment for arthritis pain and related behaviors, as well as for general inflammation — all without any evident side effects.
A study published in 2013 on mice with Acute Pancreatitis showed that the implementation of CBD decreased the enzyme activities as well as many other functions associated with the condition. The results showed that CBD presented high anti-inflammatory effects in the mice with AP, and again, with virtually zero adverse side-effects!