Cannabis is one of the most complex plants that produce a synergistic effect when consumed with its 113+ cannabinoids, 200+ terpenes, and 100+ natural compounds. All of these elements interact to produce synergistic effects that create relief from pain, anxiety, insomnia, and more. Cannabis is said to be polypharmaceutical producing the entourage effect, or the combined effect of all components in marijuana that work together to produce an effect that is superior to specific cannabis extracts, such as pure THC or pure CBD.

The importance of full spectrum cannabinoid products sparks conversations that are less often discussed, but very important and useful in understanding the therapeutic and medicinal characteristics of cannabis consumption. This understanding enables patients and consumers to utilize cannabis in innovative ways that help reduce and eliminate (for some) the use of OTC and pharmaceutical pills/ointments that may possess undesirable side effects.

Understanding How Cannabis’s Entourage Effect Works

Various ratios of cannabinoids, terpenes, and other compounds create references to identify many cannabis strains/varieties. Extractors and processors mimic and manipulate these combinations to produce products with education that are targeted for specific reliefs. THC and CBD are the primary cannabinoids that the body uses to achieve therapeutic and medicinal benefits. Alone, these cannabinoids may not create much of an enjoyable experience. THC may induce anxiety in some and CBD, as an antagonist of THC, may not create much of an effect at all. Combined at various ratios, THC and CBD work together in an attempt to create a balanced environment for the body’s endocannabinoid system. If we consider THC and CBD as the foundations for therapeutic benefits from cannabis, terpenes would be the construction engineers building the experiences. Terpenes help regulate and maximize the benefits of consuming THC and CBD both therapeutically and medicinally.

How To Use This Information

Some studies have shown that full-spectrum extracts produce 330% more activity than THC alone. This tells us that full-spectrum cannabinoid products are more beneficial than singularly isolated cannabis compounds alone. For example, a cancer patient ingesting isolated THC may benefit from the THC killing cancer cells by causing cell apoptosis, but the patient may not enjoy the euphoric activity that accompanies THC effects. However, if the same patient utilizes full-spectrum cannabinoid products, then the euphoria from the THC is better regulated by the presence of CBD and other terpenes/compounds that are noted to produce a calming effect. A more common explanation is determining sativa, indica, and other information about cannabis products to determine best situations for use; indica properties may create feelings of lethargy and lack of motivation for some consumers during the day while creating a space of clarity and organized thoughts for patients seeking relief from ADD/ADHD symptoms.

It’s very important to understand that all of the compounds found in cannabis work together to provide healing and relief. When purchasing cannabis products, try to select products that contain full-spectrum extracts to ensure a synergistic balance and maximize the many benefits of cannabis consumption. One may find very similar pricing to achieve what some refer to as more bang for your buck. Easy ways to identify these products include verbiage that says full-spectrum or strain-specific or targeted/proprietary blend and similar. If all else fails, don’t be afraid to ask your budtender or research the product before purchasing.

With talk of the positive effects of cannabis, we welcome in a new demographic of parents who are willing to test the benefits of cannabis to heal their ailing children. Recent studies have found that one in five children, age 3-17, suffer from some form of mental disorder. And according to the Pediatrics Academic Societies, the percentage of children with chronic health conditions is on the rise.

Cannabis And its Cure For ADHD

One of the most common mental health disorders is Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). According to the National Institute of Health, ADHD is a brain disorder marked by an ongoing pattern of inattention and/or hyperactivity-impulsivity that interferes with functioning or development. ADHD is most commonly treated with psychostimulants such as Adderall, Ritalin, and Concerta. One of the main irregularities of ADHD is the brain’s shortage of dopamine. And whereas the current medications treat ADHD by giving the brain a surplus of dopamine, they can leave harmful side effects. However, by supplying dopamine, cannabis can be as effective and more in treating hyperactivity, without the negative side effects. Cannabis researcher, Dr. David Bearman writes:

“Cannabis appears to treat ADD and ADHD by increasing the availability of dopamine. This then has the same effect but is a different mechanism of action than stimulants like Ritalin (methylphenidate) and dexedrine amphetamine, which act by binding to the dopamine and interfering with the metabolic breakdown of dopamine.”

Dr. Bearman has observed the effectiveness of cannabis in treating ADHD, and some children have already begun to experience its healing properties. Leafly spoke with Antonio Rodriguez, who, at age six, was diagnosed with ADD/ADHD and immediately prescribed a common stimulant medication. “I remember having headaches all the time to the point where I wasn’t able to sleep,” Antonio said. As a side effect, Antonio’s appetite diminished until adding cannabis to his medical routine. That’s when Antonio found that the cannabis was not only treating the medication’s side effects, but it was also improving his  ADD/ADHD symptoms. “For the first time ever, I was in the state where I could really get my mind together.”

Cannabis Is Beneficial In Treating the Symptoms of Autism

Another leading mental disorder affecting the health of children is autism. Serving as one of the fastest-growing developmental disorders in the U.S., autism is a range of conditions characterized by challenges with social skills, repetitive behaviors, speech, and nonverbal communication.

According to the National Health Information Survey (NHIS), autism rates for children in 2016 were 1 in 36, the highest ever recorded and an increase from the reported rate of 1 in 45 in the 2014 NHIS survey. Only two medications have been approved by the FDA  to treat the symptoms of autism but are not always effective and carry serious side effects. As an alternative, Dr. Giovanni Martinez reports that cannabis oil has already shown to have positive effects in relieving the symptoms of autism. Dr. Martinez researches the therapeutic possibilities of treating children who have autism with CBD oil and recounts a case in which Kalel Santiago, a mute child with severe autism, began to speak his first words after receiving an oral double-daily dose of hemp oil spray. Dr. Martinez states:

“He started using the product three weeks ago. He was a full non-verbal patient. He only made sounds. The only change in his treatments was the use of CBD. Initially, the child would become so frustrated with his inability to communicate, he would act out and injure himself. But, now that he can express himself, he laughs and enjoys life.”

Kalel Santiago is living proof that cannabis is beneficial. Cannabis oil has not only been used to treat autism and ADHD, but a variety of diseases and conditions, such as anxiety, strokes, cancer, glaucoma, and easing the severity/number of seizures in those with epilepsy.So how do we harness cannabis in order to cure? For starters, James Henry SF’s Day-Time Focus line was inspired by Adderall and offers the benefits of the drug in addressing ADHD without its negative side effects. But in terms of long-term benefit, and as adolescent mental health issues have shown to cost to society as high as $247 billion annually, it is beneficial that we continue to explore, legalize and decriminalize the use of cannabis to treat even more diseases.

The Facts of a Stroke

Strokes are the nation’s 5th largest killer and affect approximately 800,000 people each year.  A stroke occurs when blood flow to an area of the brain is disrupted. Upon disruption, brain cells that are deprived of vital oxygen and/or glucose can die. This interruption can cause permanent brain damage and in some cases, death.

There are two types of strokes: ischemic and hemorrhagic. An ischemic stroke accounts for about 87% of all strokes and occurs due to clotting in the brain’s blood vessels, ceasing blood from reaching the brain. Ischemic strokes can be brought on by high blood pressure. The second type of stroke is a hemorrhagic stroke. This type of stroke is less common and makes up about 13% of all strokes. However, hemorrhagic strokes are responsible for about 40% of all stroke deaths. Hemorrhagic strokes occur when a blood vessel within the brain ruptures. The blood then spills into or around the brain, creating pressure and damaging cells. High blood pressure is an important risk factor for increasing your chances of having a stroke, but atrial fibrillation may increase the risk of a stroke by 5x. Therefore, strokes do not discriminate against age, and in fact, nearly a quarter of strokes occur in persons under the age of 65.  The surviving effects can result in paralyzation, degraded motor and memory skills, and more if not treated properly.

Cannabis Helps to Repair and Prevent Further Brain Injury Caused By Strokes

Various research and studies are continuing to expand as more and more tests yield positive results for cannabis as an effective neuroprotectant against brain and stroke trauma. And scholarly papers dating back as early as 1998 suggested that cannabinoids, cannabidiol (CBD) and delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), protect equally well against neurotoxicity mediated by certain receptors. Neurotoxicity occurs when excess toxins accumulate in neurological tissue throughout the body, causing the brain and nervous system to function improperly. Symptoms mimic a number of other conditions, including, but not limited to, chronic fatigue syndrome, ADD/ADHD, recurrent sinus troubles, Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), and others. Neurotoxicity is triggered in a stroke due to the lack of oxygen attributed to the buildup of metabolites in blood vessels that service the brain.

Studies show that the aforementioned receptors are calcium-dependent.During an ischemic stroke, large quantities of glutamate neurotransmitters are released, causing an overstimulation of N-methyl-d-aspartate receptors (NMDAr), 2-amino-3- (4-butyl-3-hydroxy isoxazole-5-yl) propionic acid (AMPA) and kainate-type receptors. This results in metabolic stress, causing an accumulation of intracellular calcium that becomes toxic to the body’s cells. Studies have demonstrated how neurotoxicity can be reduced by antioxidants or antagonists to NMDAr and AMPA/kainate receptors. That’s where cannabis comes into play. These studies, therefore, serve as one of many examples of why routine detox is not only healthy but may help add years to a patient’s or consumer’s life.

Cannabinoids have been shown to prevent glutamate neurotoxicity by turning on cannabinoid receptors, thereby reducing the calcium influx. Particularly, cannabidiol (CBD), a component of the marijuana plant Cannabis sativa, does not turn on cannabinoid receptors and thereby doesn't produce psychoactive effects seen in THC. Cannabidiol doesn’t activate the cannabinoid receptor but DOES protect neurons from death by glutamate neurotoxicity. Additionally, although butylhydroxytoluene (BHT), used in stroke medications, are linked to promoting tumors, cannabidiol has no such link. Studies have also shown that cannabidiol is not toxic, making it a great potential treatment for strokes. CBD is most promising for treating stroke victims due to its neutrality on cannabinoid receptors, which alleviates undesired psychotropic feelings of experiencing the often noted cannabis “high.”

Cannabis and its Powerful Antioxidant Compounds for the Human Body

CBD, THC, and accompanying phytocannabinoids have been proven to protect neurons from glutamate-induced cell death. Cannabis not only serves as a powerful antioxidant to assist with cancer relief, but many researchers and medical professionals have noted the power of cannabis to optimize cellular communication throughout the body as an effective neurogenerative and neuroprotectant. This means that cannabis can help repair, build, and protect neurons. While the War On Drugs attempted to falsely claim that cannabis kills brain cells, science has proven the opposite time and time again. Combined with the fact that CBD does not produce a psychotropic experience, this makes cannabis a powerfully effective holistic aid in stroke recovery for the 75% of senior patients (65+) that are affected by stroke.

How You Can Use Cannabis to Prevent Stroke

It’s important to note that diet and nutrition in addition to responsible cannabinoid consumption may reduce the risk of stroke. The right fruits and vegetables combined with physical exercise help to maintain healthy brain oxygen levels and blood flow. Stroke discussions are very serious and there are a number of other considerations that should be discussed with your healthcare provider should you exhibiting symptoms or fear certain risk factors. And for those who wish to utilize the natural healing properties of cannabis, there are various methods to responsibly consume cannabis of which include juicing raw/decarboxylated cannabis flower in smoothies, smoking or vaping, eating edibles, applying topicals, and more. It’s just a matter of choosing a responsible method of consumption with proper dosing that fits you or your loved ones’ needs. Many patients and consumers have safe and convenient access to the benefits of responsible cannabinoid consumption. And our supporting medical professionals and physicians at James Henry SF advocate for independent patient research to discover the therapeutic power of cannabis, which incorporates optimizing your health through a therapeutic lifestyle.