In this edition of Cannabis Conversations, Martin A. Lee speaks with Greg Gerdeman, neuroscientist, former professor, and chief science officer with 3 Boys Farms on the endocannabinoid system and the biology of wellness.
The entourage effect was a term first used to describe the various endocannabinoids that work together. Recent research emphasizes how two of these chemicals (OEA and PEA) exert subtle anti-inflammatory and antidepressant effects through a receptor called PPAR-alpha.
Smoking cigarettes is well known to cause lung damage, but this is not only due to smoke. Nicotine in whatever form – even nicotine replacement therapies like a patch – causes lung inflammation and fibrosis by activating acetylcholine receptors. Polish scientists recently examined how the endocannabinoid system fits into the picture.
Endometriosis is a poorly-understood condition causing severe chronic pain and alterations in a woman’s menstrual cycle. As an understudied disease, treatment is limited. Scientists surveyed over 400 Australian women to see what actions they took to treat their pelvic pain. Cannabis, heat, CBD oil, and dietary changes were rated most effective by women, in that order.
Pain from inflammation can and will likely affect all adults at some point in their lives, and for some, become chronic conditions that interfere with a normal quality of life.
Coffee and cannabis are two of the most widely used psychoactive substances in the world. Whereas cannabis is often consumed to relax the body, enhance perception, and stimulate creativity, coffee – like tea and other caffeinated beverages – is typically used to energize and help people focus, particularly in the face of exhaustion.