Herbal Remedies | The Tatty Journal

Cannabis has been used for medicinal purposes for thousands of years, with its benefits ranging from pain relief to the reduction of anxiety and depression. However, recent research has shown that cannabis may also play a crucial role in balancing homeostasis in the body.

Homeostasis is the process by which the body maintains a stable internal environment despite changes in the external environment. It involves various physiological processes, including the regulation of body temperature, blood pressure, and glucose levels. Homeostasis is essential for optimal health and wellness, and imbalances can lead to various health problems.

The endocannabinoid system (ECS) is a complex system of receptors and enzymes that plays a crucial role in maintaining homeostasis in the body. The ECS is activated by endocannabinoids, which are naturally produced by the body. However, the ECS can also be activated by cannabinoids, which are compounds found in the cannabis plant.

There are two primary cannabinoids found in cannabis: tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD). THC is the psychoactive component of cannabis, responsible for the “high” associated with its use. CBD, on the other hand, is non-psychoactive and has been shown to have numerous health benefits.

One of the ways in which cannabis can help balance homeostasis is through its effects on inflammation. Inflammation is a natural response to injury or infection, but chronic inflammation can lead to various health problems, including autoimmune diseases, cancer, and cardiovascular disease. CBD has been shown to have potent anti-inflammatory effects, which may help balance the immune system and prevent chronic inflammation.

Cannabis may also help balance the nervous system, which plays a crucial role in homeostasis. The ECS is present throughout the nervous system, and cannabinoids have been shown to affect various aspects of nervous system function, including neurotransmitter release and neuronal excitability. Studies have shown that CBD may help reduce anxiety and depression, improve sleep quality, and even protect against neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.

Another way in which cannabis may help balance homeostasis is through its effects on the digestive system. The ECS is present throughout the digestive system, and cannabinoids have been shown to affect various aspects of digestive function, including motility and inflammation. Studies have shown that CBD may help reduce symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), two common digestive disorders.

There is also evidence to suggest that cannabis may help balance the cardiovascular system. The ECS is present throughout the cardiovascular system, and cannabinoids have been shown to affect various aspects of cardiovascular function, including blood pressure, heart rate, and vascular tone. Studies have shown that CBD may help reduce blood pressure and improve vascular function, potentially reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease.

It is important to note that while cannabis may have significant health benefits, it is not a panacea. Cannabis use can have side effects, and there is still much we do not know about its long-term effects on health. Additionally, the legal status of cannabis varies by country and region, and individuals should consult with their healthcare provider before using cannabis for any medical purposes.

In conclusion, cannabis may be a valuable tool for balancing homeostasis in the body. Its effects on the ECS can help regulate various physiological processes, including inflammation, nervous system function, digestive function, and cardiovascular function. While further research is needed to fully understand the health benefits of cannabis, its potential as a tool for promoting health and wellness is promising.

By Andy Corbley (via GoodNewsNetwork)

Lining the streets of many American city suburbs are living fossils, which unlike many stories of man’s interaction with nature, involves nature as the destroyer, and mankind, the savior.

While some people take ginkgo leaf as a nootropic supplement, few people would imagine it’s the equivalent of eating a horseshoe crab, that is to say it’s an organism that, unlike every other member of its family, made it out of the time before mammals.

Ginkgo Biloba stands alone in its family Ginkgoaceae; the last of its relatives dying out likely during the last ages of the dinosaurs. Understanding of the tree’s heritage suggests it would have gone the way of T-rex without a brush with homo sapien.

The evidence for this comes down to the slow arms race observed in evolution. There are five types of plants which produce seeds on the Earth today. Flowering plants, conifers, cycads, and gnetales are joined by the lonely ginkgo family, which scientists suggest may have contained many different species based on the fossil record, specifically in China.

About 130 million years ago, flowering plants really started stealing the show, developing sweet nectar in their flowers to attract pollinators, and sweet fruit to attract animals for dispersing seeds. Ginkgo on the other hand relied on the wind to blow pollen from male to female trees.

This was hypothesized as being an inconsistent strategy, as ginkgo are sometimes observed to change sex, perhaps a failsafe mechanism to increase the chances of reproduction.

These respective evolutions likely pushed the ginkgo family to the back of the evolutionary bus. By 66 million years ago, according to National Geographic, ginkgo was gone from most of North America and Europe, and by the end of the last Ice Age, clung on only in China.

It’s theorized that it was the Paleolithic residents of China who, removing the reeking outer layer of the ginkgo nut in search of a food source resembling a pistachio, began eating and replanting them to harvest the nuts.

Ginkgo is now one of the most common trees in cities along the U.S. East Coast after botanists brought the tree back from China in the 17th century. Good for almost nothing, besides offering a bounty of beautiful yellow leaves in fall when they all change in a very short time, it nevertheless is resistant to pollution and can thrive under concrete.

Peter Crane, author of the book Ginkgo and one of the world’s foremost Ginkgo experts, described the human intervention as a “rescue from natural oblivion” and “a great evolutionary [and cultural] story.”

The IUCN still recognizes the tree as Endangered in the Red List–the world’s largest threatened species catalogue, largely due to a lack of ginkgo trees surviving in the wild in undomesticated forms.

However a 2012 study confirmed there are trees surviving in southeast China that may represent the only truly wild population left.

The story shows that while humans often receive blame for sending plants and animals into oblivion, we also have a reputation for saving them too.

THIS ARTICLE WAS ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON GoodNewsNetwork

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