Cannabis has been proved to tackle inflammation. Proponents of medical marijuana as a treatment for other conditions might still be waiting on laboratory tests to prove themselves right. But when it comes to inflammation, the jury has already returned a positive verdict.
In large part, it is the CBD found in cannabis – ably assisted by the entourage effect, which we will learn about below – which has such strong anti-inflammatory properties as well as a role to play in pain relief and when dealing with sleeping problems.
But how and why does this work? And which cannabis strains are best for inflammation when there are so many on the market?
If those are questions you have been trying to answer for yourself, this article has got you covered:
Cannabinoids, CBD and the entourage effect
Cannabinoids
Cannabis, at time of writing, is known to contain 113 different cannabinoids. These are organic compounds which, when taken into your body, produce a number of different effects by interacting with your endocannabinoid system.
This system can be imagined as a series of locks, for which the cannabinoids are the keys. Your body already produces its own endocannabinoids (internal cannabinoids) in order to govern key functions. The external cannabinoids found in cannabis can alter the way these systems work – with many beneficial results.
CBD
Is one of the two best-known and understood cannabinoids found in cannabis. More properly called cannabidiol, CBD’s effects have been extensively researched and documented.
Currently, specific CBD-based products are the only kind approved by the FDA in America (as medication for two resistant forms of epilepsy).
The entourage effect
The above has led to many people finding ways to extract CBD from the cannabis plant in as pure a fashion as possible. With modern practices, purity levels of 80-99% CBD are possible – and should always be aimed for if that is the kind of product you are looking to purchase.
However, no matter how pure CBD products are, they miss out on one very important part of the way the marijuana plant works. Specifically, how it works when all of the different elements of the plant are taken at the same time.
This is what is referred to as the entourage effect. When they act together, all of the cannabinoids, phytonutrients, terpenes and other parts of the cannabis plant create a more powerful effect than when they are extracted and used individually.
This makes medical marijuana – not purified extracts – a popular choice for people who suffer from inflammation or pain. However, the variety of strains and effects of strains out there can make it difficult to tell which will produce the results a new medical marijuana patient wants to address.
The best strains for inflammation and pain during the day
When it comes to choosing medical marijuana strains for inflammation and pain while remaining active, you will tend to be looking for something that is high in CBD levels – most likely a sativa strain or a hybrid.
Here are some of the choices recommended by experts around the world:
1) Jack Herer
Jack Herer often heads up lists of the best strains for inflammation and pain of any kind. This hybrid of Northern Lights #5 and Shiva Skunk is sativa-dominant.
Its pain-fighting effects are such that, in its home country of Holland, it was stocked on the shelves of pharmacies. Common to all phenotypes of Jack Herer you might come across is its potency.
In addition to its pain and inflammation-fighting prowess, Jack Herer is also highly appreciated by pain and inflammation-sufferers because it does not create any sedative effect. This makes it eminently suitable for use during the day – especially as it was developed with the aim of leaving you clear-headed after using it.
This it does amply well, making Jack Herer a common choice for sufferers of anxiety, depression and PTSD too.
2) Harlequin
Another sativa-dominant strain known for its high CBD levels, Harlequin is similar to Jack Herer in that most people would consider it suitable for daytime use. That’s because it leaves you clear-headed and able to focus easily – even creatively – on problems without feeling sleepy.
Those high CBD levels will always be part of your goal when you’re searching for pain relief or an anti-inflammatory. Harlequin has CBD in spades. In addition to an often earthy, mango flavor which many people enjoy.
3) CBD Mango Haze
If you liked the taste of mango in your Harlequin, prepared to have even more mango delivered to you in your CBD Mango Haze.
This sativa-dominant strain is so high in CBD levels that the growers who created it put it on the tin! Those high levels make this the perfect choice if you searching through strains of marijuana for inflammation and pain remedies.
CBD Mango Haze is often said to have a flavor somewhere between mango and pineapple with a little earthy spice thrown in for good measure.
4) Cannatonic
Stepping away from fruity flavors, we have Cannatonic. This low-THC, very high-CBD strain is well-thought-of for its pain and inflammation-relief properties.
Cannatonic is also another strain which you can safely use during the day without worrying it is going to impact your ability to perform tasks or be obvious during social interactions. That’s because you won’t notice any psychoactive effect if you take this strain thanks to the comparative lack of THC.
As opposed to the sweet mango flavor of other choices listed here, the flavor of Cannatonic is an earthier, more floral one.
Good strains for sleep and inflammation
If you are aiming to go to sleep as well as wanting to relieve inflammation, you will most like be looking for an indica strain or an indica-dominant hybrid. But that’s not necessarily a hard and fast rule.
Some good strains for sleep and inflammation include:
1) Northern Lights
One of the best cannabis strains for inflammation, pain relief, insomnia as well as depression and stress, Northern Lights is rightly famous in the cannabis community.
Perhaps the best-known strain ever created, this hybrid is itself used as the base for many other famous strains. This is because of its incredible toughness while growing as well as the speed at which it flowers and the amount of resin it produces.
Taking Northern Lights leads to the whole-body relaxation effect which so many people with sleeping problems, pain and inflammation crave. It also serves to calm the mind, leading to its well-known powers against stress and depression.
2) Blueberry Kush
If you like the taste of blueberries, there might be an additional reason to try some Blueberry Kush as a strain for sleep and information relief. Because this aptly-named strain does indeed smell like blueberries!
This indica-dominant strain creates that much sought-after whole-body relaxation effect. Perfect for times when you don’t have anything you need to do except sleep.
Excellent for stress relief, insomnia and sleeping problems as well as nausea, headaches and some mood disorders for this very reason, Blueberry Kush helps send users on their way to a relaxing sleep.
Choosing between medical marijuana strains
Whenever you are trying to decide which medical marijuana strain is right for you – especially as someone with not a lot of experience – it is always best to go by the quality of the cannabis you are buying.
You will want to check things like where and how the marijuana you are buying was grown. These are the kinds of things which will tell you about the quality of what you are buying. If you don’t know, it’s worth asking your grower or the person behind the counter in your local dispensary for some advice.
For instance, they would tell you that everything in the K.I.N.D. range is grown in American soil using natural, organic practices.
That’s a good place to start. Then you need to take into account your conditions and the effect you want to produce. Then you will be well on your way to getting the relief you need.
