Various Forms of Cannabis

 
Just as there are many strains of cannabis, so are there many forms of consuming cannabis for its effects. In this article, we have provided the different forms of consuming cannabis to help you determine which methods may work best for your intentions.

Flower
This is probably the most popular form of cannabis. The flower is the part of the cannabis plant that blooms into buds. It usually comprises the trimmed leaves and the stems of the plant. The whole cannabis plant is considered a flowering species divided into different categories including cannabis sativa, cannabis indica, and cannabis ruderalis

 

Hashish
Hashish is another popular form of cannabis. The cannabis plants emit a sticky resin similar to the glue secreted by trees. This resin goes through the process of drying before being compressed into different forms such as cakes or blocks. This pressed resin can also be called hash or hashish and it has high amounts of THC. It lacks plant material such as cellulose like standard cannabis leaves or flower. Hashish can be smoked like regular marijuana to gain pleasure.

Marijuana Concentrates
Cannabis concentrates have risen in popularity over the last couple of years. Cannabis concentrates are cannabis extracts that have gone through different technological processes, removing unnecessary plant material and other impurities. There are different types of marijuana concentrates and these include.

Shatter- This type of concentrate has the highest potency. Shatter resembles a tinted piece of glass or candy. Shatter also has a brittle or snappy texture. Shatter can be extracted using different methods including butane or CO2.

Wax- Wax, also called butter or frosting, is popular among medical cannabis users. Wax is much softer than shatter and its texture is like that of melted candle wax. Wax and shatter have the same extraction process, but wax is whipped for several hours during the final drying stages to make it smooth.

Edibles
While edibles were existing before cannabis legalization, its only recently that they became popular. Edible can be food or beverage that has been infused with THC. Edibles can also include chocolates, gummy and hard candies. The psychoactive compound, THC is infused with the food, through a cooking process to bring desired effects. Edible effects are slower than usual to kick in and sometimes it requires around 30 minutes to start feeling the effects.

Topicals
Topicals are another form of cannabis that is not meant for ingestion. Topicals usually contain CBD or THC and it's applied to the skin to provide relief. Topicals are often used to help manage symptoms such as pain, rashes, or other skin conditions. Topicals come in the form of balms, creams, lotions, and sprays. Doctors usually prescribe it as an alternative treatment to conditions like arthritis, muscle aches, and spasms.

Bottom line
There exist different forms of cannabis as well as different ways to consume cannabis. It’s up to you to choose which method works best with your condition. If you want high hitting effects, then consume concentrates or hashish but if you want subtle effects the use topicals or edibles.

Parkinson's Disease and Cannabis

 

Parkinson's disease is a disorder of the central nervous system disorder that affects movement. Symptoms begin usually involving tremors in one hand. The disease also leads to stiffness or slow movement.

During the preliminary stages of Parkinson's disease, the face may show no expression. The arms may stop swinging during movement. Your voice may lose its power. Parkinson's disease symptoms gradually become worse as time passes.

While Parkinson's disease has no cure, several medications may relieve its side effects. But expect your doctor to recommend surgery as a way to regulate certain brain sectors and improve your symptoms.

Symptoms
Parkinson's shows different signs and symptoms depending on the individual. Early signs are usually unnoticeable due to their mild nature. Symptoms usually affect one side of the body and worsen over time before beginning to affect both sides.

Some signs and symptoms of Parkinson’s may include:
Tremor: A tremor, or trembling, starts from the limb and mostly affects your hand or fingers. It prompts you to continuously rub your thumb and forefinger in a process known as a pill-rolling tremor. The hands also shake when you are at sleep.

Slowed movement (bradykinesia): Parkinson's disease leads to slow body movement, making it difficult to perform even the most difficult tasks. You begin taking shorter steps during walks and sometimes find difficulties getting out of a chair. Your feet may also remain fixed on the ground during movement.

Stiff muscles: The body may experience sudden muscle stiffness at different angles. The muscle stiffness is very painful and brings difficulties in movement.

Inability to gain balance: You may lose your posture and find difficulties gaining balance due to Parkinson's disease.

Loss of unconscious movements: You may also experience a low ability to perform automatic movements such as blinking, smiling, or arm movements during walks.

Changes in speech: Your tone may become soft, quick, and slur. You may even begin to hesitate before talking. Your speech may also become more one-sided and lack the power.

Writing difficulties: You start facing difficulties holding a pen and your writing becomes bad and unreadable.

Can Cannabis Help Parkinson’s?
Since Parkinson’s is the second-largest neurological disorder suffered by people in the US, there is more reason to conduct more research to help patients. There has been a lot of research linking marijuana as an alternative treatment to Parkinson’s.

There are several important ways in which marijuana can result in beneficial effects in Parkinson’s patients.

Marijuana is anti-inflammatory and antioxidative, and according to researchers, this may be essential in preventing neuron damage. This is essential for Parkinson’s patients since inflammation causes major damage to brain neurons that generate dopamine, and that’s a major contributor to Parkinson’s symptoms. Researchers believe that cannabis could reduce neuron damage in the brain as well as slow the progression of Parkinson’s.

Other benefits that cannabis could offer Parkinson’s patients include pain relief, increase sleep and reduce nausea. Marijuana may ease the movement disorder suffered by people with Parkinson’s due to its muscle relaxing properties.

Huntington’s Disease and Cannabis

 Huntington’s disease (HD, Huntington’s chorea) is a hereditary condition that makes nerve cells in the brain degenerate over time. While Huntington’s disease is a genetic condition, it usually takes years before the symptoms become visible. This disease leads to movement difficulties as well as cognitive and psychiatric disorders. It’s also accompanied by symptoms that can gradually worsen the patient’s functional abilities over time. This means Huntington's disease sufferers will need help with all of their daily activities.

Medical Cannabis for Huntington’s Disease Treatment
There is currently no cure for Huntington’s disease. Sufferers usually take treatments to manage the symptoms of the disease. Since Huntington’s is a progressive condition that worsens over time, it means the medications for the disease will change over time. Most of the current drugs for Huntington instead increase the side effect rather than decrease it. Patients also undergo different types of therapies to gain relief from the symptoms of HD.

The recent surge in medical marijuana gives hope for many patients with severe conditions. Medical marijuana can allow Huntington sufferers to live a normal life by reducing anxiety. Since the disease is fatal, most of its sufferers usually undergo a lot of anxiety and stress. Medical marijuana is free of the side effects that come with normal prescription medications.
Medical marijuana can ease discomfort, minimize nausea, increase appetite and stimulate sleep in Huntington patients.

Cannabis offers pain-relieving properties for some symptoms and it also slows down the progression of the disease. CBD, the primary therapeutic compound of the cannabis plant offers neuroprotective properties, and this helps to prevent neurons from being damaged in the brain and spinal cord.

Another cannabis compound, THCA (tetrahydrocannabinolic acid), the non-psychoactive form of THC, can lessen inflammation and act as a neuroprotectant. THCA is a highly underestimated cannabinoid and scientists are still to conduct detailed studies on the benefits of the compound. THCA is a pure form of THC and when it's heated, it converts to THC.

Research on Marijuana and Huntington’s Disease
Research on cannabis compounds and their effect on Huntington’s disease is still limited due to its being a schedule 1 drug. However, a recent study on the impacts of cannabis on Huntington sufferers showed that participants experienced relief from symptoms which were difficult to treat with prescription pills.

Another study on animals showed more promise. According to the study, a mutant species of hamsters suffering from dystonia, another prototype of Huntington, received a synthetic cannabis compound that interacts with similar receptors as THC. The hamsters experienced symptoms of dystonia that included slow, rapid, and jerky movements, which is similar to the symptoms of Huntington. The result of this study showed that the hamsters experienced a reduction in symptoms after being administered with the synthetic cannabinoid.

Bottom line
Studies on cannabis and Huntington’s disease are showing a lot of promise on hamsters but cannabinoids haven’t been proven on humans with Huntington’s disease. However, medical cannabis can still provide relief for some symptoms and enhance the quality of life.

How to Live a Rich CBD Lifestyle

 

CBD has risen into popularity over the last couple of years and nowadays, more people are beginning to incorporate it into their daily lifestyle.

CBD is among the primary cannabinoids found in the cannabis plant with the other psychoactive compound being THC. While THC is psychoactive, CBD is not and this makes it suitable for people who want the benefits of cannabis without the high.

CBD IS derived from the leaves and flowers of the cannabis plant through the process of extraction. Also, CBD has high therapeutic properties which makes it suitable for patients who want relief from pain, anxiety, and depression.

Current studies on CBD show that it can benefit people with general and mental health issues. Even if you don’t have wellbeing issues, you can still incorporate CBD into your lifestyle to make it healthier.

This article focuses on how and why you should incorporate CBD into your daily lifestyle.

Incorporating CBD in your daily routine
Before bedtime to improve sleep
Having a good night's sleep is necessary for a strong immune system. Adults need between 7 to 9 hours of sleep per night to live a healthy lifestyle. Kids also need more sleep to grow and develop. A good night's sleep will also determine whether your day will be productive or not. If you are facing difficulties getting enough sleep, then you can turn to CBD. CBD has calming properties which can make you relax after a long day at work.

CBD works to improve sleep by interacting with the endocannabinoid receptors responsible for sleep. This interaction calms the nerves and relaxes the mind, allowing you to become sleepy.

After workout sessions
If you like working out or doing intense activities, then it’s essential to take care of your muscles after workouts to avoid muscle spasms, pain, or inflammation. Incorporating CBD into your workout routines can permit more healthy workouts. CBD is anti-inflammatory which means it can help the muscles recover after long workouts.

Furthermore, CBD’s interaction with the endocannabinoid system will make the body function more efficiently and you won’t have to worry about pain or inflammation after workouts.

Enhance your state of mind
Incorporating CBD into your daily lifestyle can help you overcome daily episodes of anxiety and stress. CBD has mood-boosting properties which can help you overcome different symptoms of anxiety and stress.

CBD is also an antidepressant which means it can help to boost the mood by increasing serotonin levels. CBD can also decrease neuroinflammation, resulting in a better mood and cognitive function.

Bottom line
Some people work so much that they forget about their health. If you start by incorporating CBD into your daily routines then you will discover that not only will you become more productive, but you will also become happier. CBD products are showing a lot of promise in improving general wellbeing and quality of life. However, if you want to incorporate CBD into your daily routine, you have to first consider the brand and quality of the CBD product. Also, if you want to use CBD for health issues then it advisable to talk to your local physician before doing so.