Posted on

5 Best Cannabis Strains For Anxiety

Person wearing Anxiety t shirt in urban dark environment.

Anxiety is defined as “intense and persistent worry over everyday situations that can include fast heart-rate, rapid breathing, sweating, and tiredness.” This definition is a neat and tidy version of what anxiety really is – an often unbearable state of fear-based emotions paired with a dysregulated nervous system. Anxiety is the most common mental health concern in the United States, with nearly 40 million adults experiencing anxiety disorders, according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness. When anxiety is consistent and prolonged, it is often diagnosed and treated with medications, Cognitive Behavior Therapy, or a long list of “coping” mechanisms targeted at lowering the body and brain’s stress responses.

As more research explores the relationship between cannabis and its potential to alleviate symptoms associated with anxiety, cannabis brands are developing certain products specifically for anxiety, and research on terpenes is revealing specific strains that are best suited for consumers suffering with anxiety symptoms. So, what exactly are the best cannabis strains for anxiety?

Anxiety’s Roots

Before we jump into strain profiles, let’s take a look at what’s happening in the body when anxiety occurs. Though there are myriad reasons why any individual may experience anxiety, much of anxiety is rooted in the Fight-or-Flight response. This stress response is an automatic physiological reaction to any perceived threatening or stressful event. This event then triggers an acute stress response in our nervous system which prepares the body to “fight or flee.” In our modern world, this response manifests as anxiety.

Now that we understand what anxiety actually is and its primary causes, we can better understand how cannabis and its many plant compounds may come to our aid when we are experiencing a tough bout of anxiety.

The Role of CBD and THC in Anxiety Treatment 

In general, more clinical research is needed before we fully understand the breadth of human applications available to us through the cannabis plant. Until then, we have a variety of studies to explore the efficacy of cannabis as a potential therapy for symptoms of anxiety.

When an individual consumes cannabis, the plant compounds within that product work alongside our body’s ECS, or endocannabinoid system. This is a “lock and key” system which helps our body maintain balance or homeostasis. Our ECS manages many of our body’s processes, one of which is our stress response. Recent research shows that cannabis interacts with our body much like many FDA-approved anxiolytic drugs, by targeting neurotransmitters that manage stress levels. Similarly, other research revealed that cannabis may lower levels of cortisol, a hormone associated with stress.

CBD and THC exhibit different results when used to alleviate anxiety. CBD, a non-intoxicating cannabinoid, shows great promise as an anxiolytic. Existing pre-clinical research shows there is strong evidence to suggest CBD has potential to be a legitimate treatment for anxiety disorders. In a study where subjects with Generalized Social Anxiety Disorder were treated with CBD, there were significant reductions in self-reported “subjective” anxiety.

As for THC, there is evidence to suggest that lower doses may decrease symptoms of anxiety, whereas higher doses may increase symptoms. Therefore, it is widely recommended to use low-dose or specifically dosed “ratio” products when using THC products for anxiety symptoms. Here are some of the best strains for anxiety as reported anecdotally by many. Also noting that while some may have had success with these strains, effects will vary from person to person.

Top 5 Cannabis Strains for Anxiety

1. Harlequin

This high CBD strain is reported as providing relaxing yet clear-headed effects without the feelings of sedation or intoxication.

2. ACDC 

For those looking to relieve symptoms of stress and anxiety without the “high,” opt for ACDC. It has high CBD content with virtually no THC.

3. Cannatonic 

This mostly CBD strain produces mellow, relaxing, and uplifting effects. 

4. Sour Tsunami 

Specifically bred for high CBD, the strain is popular among medical patients looking to alleviate symptoms of pain and inflammation.

5. Agent Orange

Considered a well-balanced “hybrid” strain with uplifting effects that may be good for those with a bit more THC tolerance.

Other Considerations for Choosing the Best Cannabis Strains for Anxiety 

There are several factors that contribute to finding the proper dosage for anxiety, and all people and circumstances are different. A person’s height, weight, and sex can contribute to how cannabis’s effects are felt. Furthermore, terpene profile, in addition to the way in which you choose to consume – whether one chooses an edible or flower, for example – can impact the way cannabis is experienced.

Conclusion

Overall, more research is needed to fully understand how cannabis can be used to effectively treat anxiety, but it’s clear that certain cannabis products, strains, and ratios may effectively alleviate symptoms of stress and anxiety better than others. If you are experiencing anxiety, speak with your doctor or a cannabis specialist about which options are best for you.

Posted on

Why Using Cannabis Makes “Aunt Flo” Less Painful

woman lounging in tub

Women are now reporting significant results in using marijuana to make existing with ovaries less painful. While there is very little in the way of comprehensive studies for women’s health and cannabis, studies out there show women are indeed using it to lessen their symptoms.

Here are some of the many ways women are using marijuana to relieve pain.

For Cramps

Cramps are the worst. Herb can be applied topically using an infused cream or in a transdermal patch, but there are also CBD tinctures, which often take effect immediately. There is pre-clinical research that suggests that the primary psychoactive in cannabis, THC, is a muscle relaxant. If you’ve ever used marijuana for this ailment, you don’t need a study to back up its qualities. For around $40 a bottle, give tinctures a try if you don’t want that noodly high—but the pain-killing action of CBD.

Try: Lazarus Naturals CBD Tincture

Muscle Relaxant

Back pain and generalized abdominal pain are quite common every month for a lot of women. If the timing is right for a body-and-mind high, cannabis Epsom bath salt can combine the pain relief powers of cannabis with a bit of a head high (also good for mood).

Try: Cannabis Basics Eucalyptus Mineral Bath

For Mood

Those mental ups and downs of PMS and “Grumpy Cat” feelings can all be solved with a bit of marijuana. For anyone looking for a little mood adjustment, we recommend turning to the green flower for some comfort. Switch up your regular smoking routine for the therapeutic properties of an elevated beverage like our very own Happy Apple.

Try: Happy Apple Cannabis-Infused Apple Drink

Posted on

How Pearl Mixer Eased the Pain of Nerve Damage

XRAY image of broken collar bone.

Often when people think of cannabis, the old tropes and clichés about stoners, lack of motivation and partiers come to mind. It’s what the stodgy status quo has tried to instill in the minds of the people for decades. But, when you get down to the nuance of it, the nitty-gritty of human lives and the benefits cannabis can offer them, the picture turns into something much different and much more clear.

Take John, for example. Every day, John experiences physical pain. “I wake up with the feeling that somebody is dragging their fingernails along the nerves inside my entire arm,” he says, “causing the tendons to feel as though they are engulfed in flames.”

The result of an operation, John now has ten titanium screws and two titanium rods inserted in his body. “I spent eight hours on an operating table,” he explains, “turned over once, like a pig on a rotisseries, to repair the near-fatal nerve and degenerative disc problem [I have]. I am thankful for Pearl Mixer every day,” he says.

In an era when elected officials all across America are struggling to find solutions to the increasing and scary opiate epidemic – where sick people of mind and body are abusing drugs they buy both from shady sidewalk deals and over-the-counter pharmaceuticals – John says he has not had to succumb to that type of result or temptation, thanks in large part to the much healthier and available Pearl2O. “I should probably be addicted to opiates,” he admits, “but I’m not because I’m lucky enough to live in a state with legalized cannabis for my pain management and well being.”

An experienced cannabis patient over the years due to his ailments, John says he’s happily made Pearl Mixer a part of his daily regimen. He puts the tasteless and odorless creative water in his coffee each morning and in his Gatorade in the afternoon after physical therapy sessions and exercise. “It works for me,” he says, succinctly. “It reduces and almost eliminates the nerve pain.”

And while some might try desperately to keep many under the assumption that responsibly managed cannabis is harmful and should not be proliferated let John’s story resonate, let it change your mind. Let his words sink in and let his relief and healing be the new conventional cannabis association. “Pearl Mixer takes the nightmare out of my day,” he says. “Everyday.”

The statements made regarding these products have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. The efficiency of these products has not been confirmed by FDA-approved research. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. All information presented here is not meant as a substitute for or alternative to information from health care practitioners. If you are taking any medication or are under treatment for any disease, please consult your health care professional about potential interactions or other possible complications before using these products.