Benefits of CBD for Older People

CBD is a product that has gained incredible notoriety in the most recent two years, predominantly due to easing of restrictions on hemp products, thanks to the US Farm Bill of 2018. CBD was given a green light by way of the legalization of hemp crops and products, thanks to this bill. Now it is common to hear of people taking CBD for dementia or CBD for pain. Those who suffer from epilepsy and chronic conditions of many types are using CBD oil.

Still, the fastest-growing segment of our society that is using CBD oil is senior citizens. AS people have come to learn of the benefits of CBD for pain, they’ve also come to realize that it helps with memory as well. CBD is a neuroprotectant which is why it is showing promise for those using CBD for dementia.

Older People Get Relief From Aging Issues When Taking CBD

We all get older. It’s inevitable. It’s also inevitable that some people will experience chronic pain from arthritis and worn-out joints. Some are more prone to these issues, thanks to their genetics. Arthritis can gnarl joints and force hands into positions that no longer give way to perform even the most menial of tasks.

Age takes away the body’s ability to do the things that the young take for granted. Just rolling over and attempting to get out of bed in the morning can be a two or three-attempt-project. Writing your own name can become impossible and the reason that the elderly have very difficult to read handwriting.

As we grow older, our body is bombarded with inflammation which causes arthritis to eat away at our joints. Years of wear and tear take a toll on hips, knees, hands, lower back, and parts of our body that have been injured and healed poorly at some point during our life.

CBD can help to bring relief from these issues as well as improve focus and memory issues. To understand how this happens, it’s important to understand what CBD is, where it comes from, and what it does in the body. Let’s start with the body system that uses cannabinoids – the ECS.

The Endocannabinoid System Helps CBD Ease Your Pain

It’s generally referred to as the ECS and it is a body system that was discovered in the 1990s. We’re still learning about the ECS but we know that it works to maintain homeostasis in the body.

Simply put, it keeps all the systems running smoothly and efficiently. It works as a middle manager, answering to the brain, fielding everything it can handle without involving the brain, and ensuring that everyone is doing their job, in their places, and prioritizing things to ensure that the entire body is functioning top-notch.

If you’ve got a fever, it’s the ECS that kicks in, telling the liver to produce more white blood cells, and gets the body to transport them to where they are needed. The ECS acts as the fire chief, directing the crews where to hook-up trucks, run the hoses, and put the fires out.

When pain is felt, signals are sent to the brain in waves. This is acknowledged and you feel the pain. The ECS is capable of blocking that pain from reaching the brain, by using endocannabinoids to block the pain signals from reaching the brain and reacting to the pain. Therefore, you feel relief.

Endocannabinoids are created within the body and are very similar to phytocannabinoids that we consume in plant matter. There are many plants that contain phytocannabinoids, not just cannabis. Phyto means ‘plant’. CBD is a phytocannabinoid and it is properly called cannabidiol.

Cannabinoids are present in many different types of plants, including some herbs, but CBD is only present in cannabis, namely hemp. Industrialized hemp is where today’s CBD oils are extracted from and marketed as CBD oil and CBD products of all sorts.

When inflammation is present, it is the ECS that tells the body to boost its response, having an anti-inflammatory effect. Cannabinoids boost the ECS into high gear, and that is exactly what happens when you take CBD oil. It can boost the output of the ECS.

CBD molecules flow through the neural pathways, particularly in the brain and the spinal column. As these molecules travel the body, they bind to receptors of the ECS that are located on the outside of some cells.

Lipids are formed from this binding process and continue traveling in the neural pathways, coating them with a protective armor-like sheathing as they go. This coating protects the neural pathways from the damage that can happen as part of the natural aging process and from diseases such as Alzheimer’s and dementia.

It has been proven that those taking CBD for dementia or Alzheimer’s disease, are able to retain memories for longer than their counterparts who do not take CBD. Those with Alzheimer’s, for example, have been able to retain their ability to recognize faces for longer than those who have not taken CBD at the first signs of the disease.

Pain can become chronic. The mind can become foggy with age. Our reaction times are worse as we age and we slow down a lot as our body isn’t able to move as smoothly or as swiftly. One of the best ways to combat these things is to use natural supplements when you can. Prescriptions for pain can be addictive and have side-effects that can be worse than the initial symptoms.

CBD continues to be researched and studied. It also continues to win hearts and minds as it gives relief to millions of people who praise it and write reviews every single day. While it does seem to reduce many of the symptoms to help people take control of their lives back, be able to get into and out of bed easier, and be more active, it isn’t a cure for anything.

CBD can manage pain and other symptoms of chronic issues. It’s not a cure or a treatment. If you use CBD with this understanding and know that it can be a very powerful and effective tool in managing your symptoms, you may find that you are able to have more good days than bad and enjoy being with your loved ones again instead of sitting at home in pain.