If there's one thing we know, it's that reputations matter, and like its tiny cabbage cousin the Brussels sprout, cannabis has been subject to social stigma. Before millennials put their signature PR makeover on them, Brussels sprouts were just a smelly green vegetable, being pushed around the plate. Today, you can’t find an Instagrammable restaurant in Los Angeles that doesn’t list it as their signature side dish. Roasted. Sautéed. Smothered in balsamic vinegar. You name it – Brussel sprouts are in and they’re here to stay.
What’s the point? Well, we’d like to think of cannabis as another misunderstood leafy green that is coming into its own.
A closer look
As this piece by the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health describes, “cannabis refers to all products derived from the plant Cannabis sativa.” Two of the most well-known compounds are THC and CBD. THC is the most active constituent, celebrated as the high-inducing part. In contrast, CBD is not intoxicating. Depending on the effect you’re looking for, these compounds work well alone or mixed, also known as a hybrid.
It doesn’t end there. Did you know there are hundreds of compounds in the cannabis plant that are being detected by researchers? Discovered 50 years ago (yes 5-0), cannabichrome (CBC) is considered one of the “big six” cannabinoids prominent in medical research. CBC is non-intoxicating and shows promise as an anti-proliferative (cancer fighter).
Whether you partake in cannabis for its natural medicinal effects or as a Happy Hour enhancement, cannabis should be enjoyed and embraced.
Did you know?
There’s a stigma that consuming cannabis kills brain cells. However, research shows that cannabis assists the endocannabinoid system in neurogenesis (growing new brain cells) in adults. If consuming cannabis is showing potential for regenerating brain cells, what else can it do? Did you know – the euphoric “high” you may feel is your body overloading on its own chemical bliss called anandamide. In essence, your body is drunk on its own love juice.
There’s more to cannabis than meets the eye. But that doesn’t mean it’s complicated. It is actually quite simple and better yet – just about anyone can benefit from it.
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