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Health+Wellness
Boosting Your Immune System with Cannabis
Cannabis for Your Immune System
Cannabis and different cannabinoids affect our immune system. Learn more about how along with ways to utilize different cannabinoids to optimize a healthy immune response.
The COVID-19 pandemic has spiked a major interest in ways to boost your immune system. Our immune systems are responsible for fighting off infections, diseases, and viruses. Maintaining a healthy immune system is a complex connection between several factors. For example:
- What we eat or consume
- Any toxins we may be exposed to
- The amount of stress we’re under
- How many hours of sleep we get each night
All of these are contributing factors to how healthy our immune system is. There are ways to give your immune system a boost, and cannabis is one of them.
Immune Boosters
Some of the top ways to keep your immune system running efficiently:
- Healthy and balanced diet
- A variety of fruits and vegetables
- Regular physical exercise
- Adequate amounts of sleep
- Certain vitamins or minerals
- Other natural health supplements like teas, or fruits like elderberry
Likewise, incorporating cannabis into this process can be a beneficial addition to your health and wellness routine.
The Endocannabinoid System (ECS)
The endocannabinoid system (ECS) has been linked directly to being involved in the regulation and maintenance of our immune system. Endocannabinoids are produced naturally in our bodies. They have been well documented in regulating our immune system in a complex way. Exogenous cannabinoids, like the THC and CBD found in cannabis plants, are found to have a similar effect in this regulation process.
Sleep and Hunger
CBD and THC both work in reducing inflammation, which is an immune response. But that’s not all cannabis can do for your immune system.
Cannabinoids are also responsible for balancing our sleep cycles. Better quality sleep results in a healthier immune system.
Moreover, there are also positive effects of cannabis on hunger and digestion. Cannabis makes it easier to eat, and easier for our bodies to absorb nutrients during the digestion process. Therefore, consumption can lead to a healthier immune system.
Future Studies
The ability cannabinoids have to influence our immune response is remarkable, and the future therapeutic applications are promising. Some scientists are currently researching the medicinal benefits of cannabis in treating or preventing COVID-19, but no conclusive evidence has been reported.
Is Cannabis Right For You?
Should you consider cannabis as a way to boost your immune system? The evidence of its benefits are enough to suggest it is likely cannabis can have a positive effect on your immune system. However, everyone’s immune response is different. Cannabis can affect each of us differently too. For the healthiest immune system, consider adding cannabis to your current health routine. Certainly when combined with a healthy diet, moderate exercise, and quality sleep, cannabis can be another great tool in keeping your immune system healthy and active.