CBD can do so much for us because it co-evolved with us. When a human being invents a molecule, that molecule did not co-evolve with us over thousands of years. Instead it went through maybe 7 years of animal trials, then human trials.
And sometimes it is even recalled after that or just creates a mess, like the present opioid epidemic. When man invents a molecule, no way will it have the same wisdom to its design as when nature makes it. Because what man barely pulls off in 7 years what nature perfects in thousands?
And that is the “evolutionary view" as to how CBD can benefit so many conditions.
The Science View: The Development of the Endocannabinoid System (or ECS)
When I first heard about the ECS, it really helped me to understand how CBD can do so much.
The ECS is a very recent discovery of a system of Cannabinoid receptors that exist throughout the human body. Let’s hear what Dr. Jeffrey Chen, the head of the University of California Los Angales (UCLA) Cannabis Research
Initiative, has to say about cannabis and how it works:
“The ECS is a very primitive system. We think it evolved over 500M years ago. So it is as old as our endogenous opiate system. And the functions are quite broad. Everything from mood, memory, sleep, pain response, stress response, immune function, reproductive function, energy metabolism."
"We’re finding the ECS is very critical for embryology and development. We find that within just a few days of embryonic life, they already start expressing CB1 receptors, and interestingly, breast milk is very abundant in endo-cannabinoids...And this system is not just present in humans, it is preserved across all vertebrates”.
“So if you had to sum up the function of the ECS in one word, it would be *homeostasis*: the maintenance of a stable environment despite external stressors and changes..."
“So there is the CB1 receptor, which is mainly present in the brain, and the CB2 receptor, which is mainly present in immune cells. But in fact they are distributed throughout our body. It's not just a neurotransmitter, but its predominant function is still neuro-transmission. It’s still most concentrated in the brain.”
Although cannabis and pharmaceuticals both have their place, it is definitely interesting to reflect on the differences. Cannabis is clearly a medicine with profound benefits on a human being. As a health coach, I see
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