You’ve probably heard CBD oil touted as a great way to treat anxiety, depression, and insomnia. But you might not know that it also shows promise as a treatment for many diseases, some of which might surprise you! Here are 10 benefits of CBD to treat unexpected diseases.
1. Arthritis
If your grandparents are suffering from arthritis, try suggesting a CBD cream or lotion. CBD is widely used to fight inflammatory diseases, like arthritis. Arthritis treatments that contain CBD are usually topical applications that you can apply right to the affected part of the body. This lets the compounds absorb right through the skin and attack the site of inflammation directly. It might also help Grandma overcome any inhibitions about using cannabis to treat her sore hands.
2. Epilepsy
CBD has been hugely successful at helping people control seizures caused by epilepsy. It’s so successful, in fact, that it is sometimes even prescribed to children who suffer from epilepsy and other seizure disorders. People have shared anecdotes of success for decades, but it wasn’t until 2018 that the FDA approved several CBD treatments for seizure disorders.
3. High Blood Pressure
Believe it or not, some studies have suggested that CBD could help regulate blood pressure. Several minor studies in the United Kingdom showed that one dose of CBD could reduce blood pressure enough to alter the risk of a stroke. Researchers think that the success lies in the fact that it reduces pain. Cannabis also lowers blood pressure in at-risk adults (learn more about choosing cannabis in our post on best strains of all time).
4. Diabetes
Researchers are still learning about all the ways that CBD can help people who suffer from diabetes. Early research shows that diabetics who use CBD have improved levels of insulin resistance and better blood sugar levels while fasting.
5. Crohn’s Disease
We’re not entirely sure how much CBD and cannabis can help Crohn’s. Some anecdotes and early research indicate that it might relieve some of the symptoms of the disease. This makes sense, since CBD has anti-inflammatory properties and Crohn’s is an inflammatory disease. If you have Crohn’s, you might find some limited relief from CBD.
6. Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Irritable bowel syndrome, like Crohn’s disease, involves inflammation in the digestive tract. Research is still in the early stages, but there is some indication that CBD might help ease the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome and provide some relief. As with most diseases, it is not a cure, but it could be used successfully in combination with other treatments and medications.
7. Fibromyalgia
CBD and cannabis are widely used for chronic pain of many kinds. Many people who suffer from fibromyalgia say that these plant compounds provide some relief. Some early studies back up these anecdotes. While more research is needed, you might have success using CBD to treat your chronic pain, though it’s a good idea to use it under the guidance of a doctor.
8. Cancer
This one comes with a giant caveat — CBD is not going to cure your cancer. But using cannabis and cannabis extracts is an old practice to help alleviate certain symptoms of cancer and cancer treatment. CBD has anti-nausea and anti-emetic properties, so many cancer patients use it to help relieve the side effects of chemotherapy. But some early studies suggest that CBD might slow the growth rate of cancer cells when combined with chemotherapy and radiation.
9. Ulcerative Colitis
Research has had some mixed but promising results for using CBD to relieve symptoms of ulcerative colitis. Anecdotally, some people have found relief from oral supplements or even CBD suppositories (though there’s no need to jump to that if you are uncomfortable with it; the research so far is mixed).
10. Migraines
If you have chronic migraines, you know that you’ll do almost anything to get relief. Thankfully, both cannabis and CBD have shown some preliminary success in reducing the pain and inflammation that come with chronic migraines. To learn more about treating headaches with cannabis, read our post on best strains of all time.
Treating Disease With CBD
It’s worth repeating that you shouldn’t expect CBD to cure you of all your ills, and it’s not a good idea to use it without a doctor’s guidance. But cannabis and CBD have been used to ease the effects of disease for millennia and might help you find some much-needed relief. (If you opt for cannabis instead of CBD, check out our post on best weed strains of all time.)
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