The Role Of CBD In Traditional Medicine And Wellness Practices
CBD is the talk of the town in the natural wellness community — but it's hardly news. In fact, CBD has been an indispensable part of traditional medicine and wellness practices throughout the world, dating back millennia.
In this article, we shine a light on a bit of CBD history! It's our love letter to natural wellness practices, the role of CBD in traditional medicine, and the miraculous potential of natural compounds to better our lives and let us take control of our health.
"CBD" in Traditional Medicine — A Cannabinoid By Any Other Name
Of course, calling the medicine CBD is somewhat new. The cannabinoid has only been isolated and clinically tested in relatively recent history. Still, the cannabis plant (which CBD comes from) has been used for a vast range of traditional medicine practices throughout history.
History is positively brimming with discussion of cannabis, but you won't see much (any) discussion of cannabidiol (that is, CBD) until very recently. That's because we simply didn't know about the constituent parts of cannabis, its many cannabinoids, or the applications they offered.
So in this article, when discussing the role of CBD in traditional medicine, we'll often reference the historical discussion of cannabis, hemp, or the various other names that CBD's parent plant has taken.
Earliest Use of Cannabis and CBD in Traditional Medicine
According to most sources, regular cultivation of cannabis plants originated in Central Asia as far back as 3000 BCE.
It received its greatest attention in traditional medicine from practitioners in China — perhaps most famously Emperor Shennong, the "Divine Farmer" whose treatise on medicinal plants discussed the healing properties of cannabis.
From there, use of cannabis and CBD in traditional medicine spread worldwide, with references and discussion of its therapeutic potential in early medical texts throughout the globe. We cover many of these in our comprehensive guide to The History of Cannabis (definitely worth a perusal!).
The Uses of CBD in Traditional Medicine
The historical uses of cannabis and CBD in traditional medicine are varied and far too numerous to cover in this article fully. But one comprehensive academic review on the subject drew telling conclusions.
According to that review, the "most common [traditional medicinal uses] were . . . for treatments of the digestive system and nutritional disorders (17.66%), nervous system and mental disorders (16.24%), followed by pain and inflammations (12.21%)".
It's telling but unsurprising — especially considering that this use of traditional medicine and CBD matches up so neatly with the findings of modern science.
Traditional Medicine Applications in Modern Practice
So the big three uses of CBD in traditional medicine come down to:
- Digestive and nutritional disorders
- Nervous system and mental disorders
- Pain and inflammation disorders
Perhaps unsurprisingly, we see this same traditional wisdom echoed by modern research into cannabis's therapeutic applications.
Digestive and Nutritional Disorders
Perhaps the most (in)famous effect of cannabis, though not always lauded as a medicinal application, is its ability to stimulate the appetite.
The phenomenon, often referred to colloquially as "the munchies", comes mainly from CBD's cousin, THC. This psychoactive cannabinoid stimulates production of the hunger hormone, ghrelin, which results in marked increases in appetite.
And though it's associated with stoner culture and couch potatoes, cannabis's ability to stimulate appetite has important therapeutic potential. When used in conjunction with cancer treatments or other appetite-inhibiting treatments, the munchies can be nothing short of a life-saving medical application of cannabis.
Nervous System and Mental Disorders
Perhaps the most common reason for using CBD? Fighting anxiety.
According to both anecdotal reports and clinical research, CBD is a powerful anti-anxiety tool that has applications for psychological disorders originating from hormonal irregularities, substance abuse, PTSD, and a wide variety of other serious mental health conditions.
CBD's potential to ease anxiety and aid in the treatment of depression and other clinical mental disorders is well documented, supported by millions of users experiences, and the subject of much academic research.
Pain and Inflammation Disorders
Outside of anxiety treatments, CBD's proven ability to fight pain and inflammation is its most researched and best understood therapeutic application.
Significant bodies of research have established CBD's role in fighting inflammation. And it turns out that inflammation is the root cause of diverse disorders including many forms of arthritis, asthma, and many other painful and life-threatening medical conditions.
By moderating the body's inflammation response and the brain's perception of pain, CBD and other cannabis compounds have the potential to dramatically improve the quality of life in many of our most suffering and vulnerable.
Add CBD To Your Wellness Routine
CBD has long been used as a component of traditional medicine, from fighting inflammation to soothing anxiety. If you want to know how CBD might be incorporated into your health and wellness, shop Choice Natural’s selection of products to find what works best for you.
