Cancer…!! Sounds scary? Well, it is. But this blog is not about how serious cancer is and what one should do to avoid it. Instead, it's about an integral part of the disease - Chemotherapy.
In modern-day medical science, Chemotherapy is inevitable in almost all cancer cases. That's why it's crucial that we discuss it here and now, and combine it with nature's gift that is legal to use in the states - Cannabis.
Cannabis has proven healing and pain-killing properties, that’s why nowadays it’s becoming more and more popular in the field of allopathic science and prescription medicines. Let’s move forward and get ourselves abreast of the top five benefits of taking cannabis during chemotherapy.
Before we move on to the benefits and buy weed online, Canada and the United States of America are two major nations to legalize cannabis for recreational and medicinal purposes. You must, however, always check the legal waters in your country before trying out CBD products. And now, on to the benefits.
The most common condition that almost all people going through chemotherapy is nausea. Also, it's vital to mention that it adds up to the physical strain that a cancer patient goes through. An article published on the NCBI’s website by the British Journal of Pharmacology, states that a calculative reason behind nausea is acting up ECS (endocannabinoid system), and it can be cured by keeping the CB1 and CB2 receptors of this system into good health. And this can be efficiently done with cannabis.
According to the experts, agonism of the CB1 receptor helps neutralize vomits, an active sign of nausea. So when a patient taking up chemotherapy feels nauseated all the time, it means that their CB1 receptors are not working efficiently. In medical terms, it's called antagonism. Cannabis can help reverse antagonism and bring the CB1 at its normal efficacy, hence easing the nauseated patient.
The case of CB2 and the cannabis plant is almost the same. Doctors and scientists think that the CB2 receptors also actively regulate the process of vomiting (emetic effect), or at least they aid CB1. Cannabis enters in your ECS and pumps up the CB1 and CB2 receptors to bring everything back to normalcy with their antiemetic and anti-nauseated effects.
Cannabis is an excellent pain killer. Also, Chemotherapy damages nerves and causes intolerable pain. So for patients who are going through severe nerve damage and sharp pain, the cannabis plant is like a 'Messiah.'
You may wonder, why is Cannabis only useful for reducing pain in oncological cases? Well, that's because other conventional medicines have side-effects ranging from addiction to OD-ing.
That's where CBD, the second-most dominant cannabinoid of the Cannabis plant, steps up and changes the whole game. CBD manages pain effectively by reacting to the CB2 receptors and controlling the inflammation caused by nerve damage, thus relieving the pain.
Also, CBD without or with very little THC is not at all addictive, and it’s practically impossible to overdose on CBD. This fact automatically makes Cannabis the most trusted source to reduce pain.
Often patients who go through the rough patch of cancer, followed by radiation therapy, and chemotherapy tend to lose their appetite, even if it’s for a short time. And we all know what losing appetite can lead to malnourishment, and hinder the effect of medicines, weight loss, fatigue, and whatnot.
This is due to chemotherapy. Chemo drugs often sensitize the mouth cavity, intestinal surfaces, and other parts of the stomach. This sensitivity gets to the patient’s appetite, and they get full quickly. But you need not worry, cannabis can help you. THC comes to quick aid for appetite. THC present in the cannabis plant or any other broad-spectrum CBD products will turn your appetite on to crave tasty food. It’s not crystal-clear on how this happens, but some experts think that they activate the feeding hormones. THC reacts with the brain receptors to heighten the sense of smell as well as taste.
It’s one of the most problematic and uneasy experiences that a cancer patient goes through. The physical change in their appearance creates an inferiority complex in their mind, leaving a dent on their self-esteem, and self-love. This can cause more damage than cancer itself. A major part of patients taking up radiotherapy and chemotherapy goes through this hair-loss condition, and this can even cause a mental breakdown and other serious health issues.
So what’s the way to get ahead of this? By treating this alopecia-like condition with CBD oil.
CBD oil, if bought from trustworthy sources, contain a good amount of Omega fatty acids (3 and 6), and vitamin E (an essential for hair growth). A study has proved that CBD in tandem with chemotherapy can positively reverse the damage caused and promote hair growth.
Now that we are talking about dermal issues, patients also go through skin issues such as blisters, patchy skin, eczema, and many others. This is mostly due to the radiation-therapy. To combat these skin issues, CBD products like CBD balms and CBD oils can be helpful. CBD can effectively eradicate any skin issue, and that too, without any side-effects.
Most cancer-affected people get anxious and obnoxious when they face the truth about their health condition. And we all know what anxiety does to someone’s sleep pattern - it completely disrupts it. So to bring back sleep, it’s important first to treat their anxiety and depression. Cannabis is an excellent anti-depressant and it notably reduces anxiety to promote sleep and good health. So for someone who’s taking up chemotherapy, shower them with love and some cannabis products to help them improve their sleep. This will go a long way.
Also, a good way to headstart the healing process with cannabis is to introduce a good lifestyle such as healthy food and diet, regular exercise, and talking your heart out with someone who cares for you.
Although medical marijuana does not have any side effects, it’s best to consult a medical practitioner before starting any kind of alternate treatment plan. They would be able to help you with the correct dosage and method of ingesting cannabis.
So, just be patient, stay optimistic, get moving, and use cannabis to ease the process of chemotherapy. We wish you good health and good luck. Bounce back to good health, more power to you…!!
Author’s Bio
Liz is a cannabis and health industry consultant who frequently writes about the latest trends in the industry. She has been writing for a long time now. Through her writing, she hopes to influence as many people as possible to help maintain better health and lifestyle. She is reachable at liz@cbd-news.co