Stress is the most ubiquitous disorder that almost every human being suffers on the planet in these uncertain times.
What is stress?
It is a condition which puts excess pressure or strain on an individual physiologically, psychologically or emotionally. Stress is a natural response of our body to “fight or flight” situations which increases cortisol, blood pressure, adrenaline, noradrenaline, blood sugar, cholesterol, respiration rate and muscle tension. Stress is required to manage emergencies. When we were cave dwellers, a significant stress factor was predators. During a predatory attack, the cave dwellers got the aforementioned surge that helped them to flee from that situation. Once they were at a safe distance, their body vitals would return to normal. But currently, what and where are our stress factors? They are all around us. Unhealthy or unsatisfactory jobs, relationships, environments, habits, etc. are the present-day predators that trigger our stress levels. And then the same stress factors continue to linger inside our heads even when they are not physically present thereby keeping the stress level continually high without respite. Restlessness of the mind is a good indicator of the level of stress that we undergo. Our bodies and minds are not designed to tolerate chronic stress. Chronic stress can manifest as disorders which are psychological (irritation, frustration, tension, fear, insecurity, anxiety, panic, paranoia, schizophrenia, dementia, mania, phobia, depression, bipolar, OCD, ADHD, etc.) and physiological (disorders such as rheumatism, auto-immune, sleep, pain, GI, Alzheimer’s neurological, respiratory, muscular, skeletal, cancer, etc.). Stress can negatively affect focus, learning, memory power, judgement and social interaction. It is vital to understand that persistent emotional imbalances can lead to debilitating mental and physical diseases in the longer run.
Let’s imagine that our bodies have 3 pillars: physiological, psychological, and emotional. The psychological is governed by our mind which in turn is heavily reliant on the central nervous system (brain, nerves, etc.). There is a massive communication relay between the external world and our internal world through the neural network. Interestingly, the neurons don’t touch each other. The gap between the neurons is fulfilled by the neurotransmitters (chemicals) which are hormones such as adrenaline, dopamine, serotonin, oxytocin, etc. These chemicals constitute the emotional pillar. These chemicals which carry the messages across the neurons are sensitive to the slightest of emotional disturbances. Negativities in our head or reality (former is much higher than latter) can dramatically impact the secretion of these chemicals thereby affecting the entire communication channel. Once this network is impaired then the body is unable to maintain homeostasis (internal equilibrium of physical and chemical conditions) and resulting in losses in translation. Let us take dopamine in our system for example. If dopamine is high (hyper), then anxiety results. If dopamine is less (hypo), then depression results. If dopamine shuttles between high and low, then bipolar results. Hence, it is crucial that dopamine is present in our system at the right balance and this action is called modulation. Lao Tzu quoted “If you are depressed you are living in the past. If you are anxious you are living in the future. If you are at peace you are living in the present.”
Unhealthy foods (GMO, preservatives, adulterants, chemicals), pollution (land, water, air, sound, mind), competitiveness (rat race, dog-eat-dog world), lack of exercise or sunlight, unhealthy lifestyles, etc. have played a major role in creating chronic stress which in turn can dramatically affect our immunity. Immunity is the single most important attribute for the effective functioning of the body. Chronic stress can result in both hyper immunity (auto immune) as well as hypo immunity (lesser resistance to pathogens). The Endo Cannabinoid System (ECS) is a major biological system in our body. Our bodies naturally produce endocannabinoids. We produce the same chemical compounds that are also produced by the cannabis plants (phyto cannabinoids). The ECS is like a master regulator of the endocrine system which is responsible for our hormones. The ECS also plays a major role in most of the other vital systems such as circulatory, respiratory, reproductive, skeletal, muscular, digestive, etc. Since chronic stress leads to a deficiency of endocannabinoids, phyto-cannabinoids from the cannabis plant can be consumed for compensation. The phyto cannabinoids can address the chemical imbalances caused by chronic stress with quick symptomatic results as well as sustainable results by addressing the root cause. When the chemicals are balanced internally, a natural balance is restored in the body and the mind.
For those with chronic stress, phyto cannabinoids can offer immense relief when consumed in the proper form, mix and dosage. Since cannabis is a very powerful plant and considered “Vijaya” (conqueror of diseases in Sanskrit) it is important to ensure that great care is taken to get it from an authentic source in a wholesome form. For example, CBD is a compound that is derived from cannabis. Any compound when taken stand alone as an API (synthetic, semi synthetic or plant derived) could pose some harm to the body as seen in the CBD oil India. This is the reason why Ayurveda emphasizes on the complete extract of the plant which in cannabis parlance is called “full spectrum”. The popular Rick Simpson oil uses a full spectrum oil of Cannabis indica with high THC and used primarily as cannabis oil for cancer in India. The cannabis plant has more than 100 cannabinoids besides CBD and THC such as CBG, CBC, CBN, THCv, THCa, etc. It also has terpenoids, flavonoids and several other classes of compounds. When all these compounds are present in a medicine the “Entourage Effect” kicks in. This is a divine intelligence wherein all the compounds together as a whole is able to suppress the ill-effects and amplify the positive effects of the individual compounds. The whole is greater than the sum of its parts. This explains the reason why natural medicines have relatively far lesser harmful side effects than synthetics. The entourage effect also ensure that modulation happens so that neither hypo nor hyper results while the biphasic effect ensures that overdosage nor abuse happens. Also, other herbs added to cannabis as per Ayurvedic formulations can potentiate the desired actions. Hence, Ayurvedic cannabis could give more pronounced results than Charlotte’s Web and Lazarus oil thanks to the presence of other therapeutic herbs besides cannabis. Ayurvedic cannabis can quickly help address chronic stress by balancing the internal chemicals so that the consumer can get an upper hand over stress management in their day to day lives. Once this is achieved then the individual can critically look into the necessary changes in their lifestyles to ensure that stress is always under control even without any external support. For stress especially, it is important that the cannabis formulation does not impair any of the regular activities of the individual but rather gives the necessary support to do them better. Ayurvedic cannabis is legal medical cannabis oil in India. Ayurvedic cannabis holds immense promise in helping mankind with the chronic and lifestyle diseases that plague humanity. Let’s de-stress the natural way!
Disclaimer: The above content is provided for informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice or as a substitute for the medical advice of a physician.