Developing a Lifestyle of Love, Wellness, and Happiness with CBD
In today’s fast-paced society, it seems difficult to cultivate the unconditional, expansive qualities of loving oneself. And, depending on your approach to health, it can lead you to develop some not-so-great habits. Whatever your personal lives bring, sometimes the prescription is simple.
From her essay, Love as the Practice of Freedom activist and poet Bell Hooks writes, “the moment we choose to love, we begin to move against domination, against oppression. The moment we choose to love we begin to move towards freedom, to act in ways that liberate ourselves and others. That action is the testimony of love as the practice of freedom.” While there are countless aspects of wellness, being intentional about it and taking action can give rise to some serious reform.
A Message: The Importance of Wellness and Balance in Our Lives
Learning to love yourself is hard -- we get it. With all of the influence of social media and societal standards, it sometimes feels like we’re always competing with someone or something. Stress and pressure from ourselves or others can leave us feeling fairly unwell, which can take a toll on our health. The same could be said about the struggles of achieving balance in our lives. Multi-tasking in such a technological-filled world is a juggle we all seem to face when trying to get our lives on track. As we try to balance the bigger aspects of our life like work and family, neglecting our own health and wellness becomes easier than ever.Unfortunately, many of us are held back by our illnesses or ailments -- whether we’ve come to terms with it or not. When we are not physically feeling well, telling ourselves, “it’s going to be okay” is a start, but for many, saying this only seems to mellow the edge if we plan to do nothing about it. Be it mentally or physically, in order for us to develop a lifestyle we love, we must start by accepting what hinders us. Accepting it doesn’t mean that you’ve let it win. Instead, it’s being okay with your physical or mental condition and working towards moving forward.
Obviously, we understand that this is easier said than done, but there is hope in being educated and health-conscious about what we can do. Thankfully, CBD has demonstrated incredible therapeutic value in current research and may be able to help you actually doing something about your illness. This, in and of itself, is empowering. A person who not only feels well but also thinks well of himself or herself is practically unstoppable.
CBD is Not a Cure, But a Catalyst
Many people may not know it, but the majority of the diseases you see today may be the cause of a deficient or imbalanced ECS. If left untreated, patients are likely to be more susceptible to a number of health conditions including chronic pain, depression, inflammation, anxiety -- and even more severe conditions such as PTSD (Post-Stress Traumatic Disorder), Alzheimer’s disease, multiple sclerosis, fibromyalgia, and many others. CBD (cannabidiol) possesses therapeutic properties that can provide the kind of natural relief most conventional medicines can barely hold a candlelight to. While the cannabinoid may not be the answer to all of your problems, incorporating it into your daily health arsenal has the potential to offer you the best of what’s love, wellness, and happiness.Science tells us that the extraordinary cannabinoid works directly with our endocannabinoid system (ECS) -- a grand biological network found within the body that’s chalked full of cannabinoid (CB) receptors. You can essentially think of your ECS as the gatekeeper of homeostasis or balance. The two most abundant CB receptors found in our ECS are CB1 receptors, which are mainly found in the brain and CB2 receptors, which scientists have found spread all throughout our nervous system and immune system. When introduced into the body, CBD (without directly activating them) binds to these CB receptors like a key and lock. This causes a number of biological responses, which help important bodily functions (think mood, pain, memory, sleep, appetite, etc.) regulate properly and thus, homeostasis is achieved. The pharmacological activity of CBD includes the following:
Anti Inflammatory: By reducing inflammation, CBD soothes aches and pains, calms the body, and allows our brains to think clearly and more positively.
Anxiolytic: When our mental pains are lessened, we can be no longer be held back from feeling and being our best selves -- and from research, CBD can potentially help do just that. CBD has also been found as an effective antipsychotic.
Antibacterial: Our bodies are always under assault by harmful germs, but CBD continues to demonstrate the inhibition of bacteria and infections.
Antiepileptic: Charlotte Figg, a five-year-old who suffers from a rare form of epilepsy has changed U.S. laws far and wide on the efficacy of CBD for her condition -- even Netflix found her story worth highlighting.
This is just a brief list, but research has also found the cannabinoid to be an effective neuroprotectant, antioxidant, analgesic, and antiemetic. Though we are still in the infancy stages of research on CBD and cannabis in general, it may be safe to conclude that CBD does have an impact on our minds and bodies and plays an important role in how we think and feel.
All science jargon aside, developing a lifestyle full of love, wellness, and happiness does not come overnight. Certainly, there are times we do not feel our best, but believing we can be better and doing something about it can help us weather any storm. CBD can promote a healthy endocannabinoid system, and as a result, can help you love you a little bit more -- and once this happens, our hope is that the self-love train will keep on going. This allows space for more self-loving, and little for hatred and aversion. From there, you can practice giving your body the nutrients it needs, the sleep it craves, and the kindness it deserves.
Your Lifestyle, Your Decision
No matter where they come from, when stressors subside, it makes sense that we would be able to better focus on being well in mind, body, and spirit. A lifestyle of love, wellness, and happiness isn’t crafted easily, however, it reminds us of our importance amidst all other chaos -- and from what we’ve learned, CBD may be able to help us get there.When we consume with intention as well as practice the freedom of love, we can truly make your lives better. It’s okay ask to yourself, “am I happy and fulfilled?” or “what are some things I need to change for the better in my life?” But, if you truly want to develop a lifestyle of love, wellness, and happiness it’s ultimately up to you to make it a priority.
No matter how you choose to consume your CBD, there’s a delivery method out there for every person. By promoting the overall balance in your body, you’ll find that better days are way more common than before with nature’s CBD.
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