Humans as emotional beings go through various emotions of joy, happiness, stress, excitement and many more. We always associate emotions as a psychological thing. But, do you know that the emotions we feel are a complex play of the endocannabinoid system as well as hormones?

This article is an attempt to detail more about the endocannabinoid system, hormones and emotions and how a balance/ imbalance of these three affect the human body.

What is the Endocannabinoid system (ECS)?

The ECS is a self regulating system responsible for establishing and supporting our health. It regulates various physiological and cognitive processes including appetite, mood, fertility, pain, and memory. Its receptors are located throughout the body. Read more about how ECS works here.

The given image shows that the ECS has receptors CB1 and CB2, which are present in different areas of the body.


(Image source: CBDschool.com)

Hormones, Emotions and the Endocannabinoid System

Hormones are chemical messengers released by the body. These messengers relay messages to specific receptors in the body, which in turn triggers emotions. There are many receptors for hormones in the body including CB1 and CB2. Specific hormones act on the ECS receptors and trigger emotions. Detailed below are the actions of some of the hormones.

Acetylcholine - This hormone is produced by the neurons within the body and is the natural neurotransmitter of the nervous system. It’s job is to produce contraction of skeletal muscles and inhibit the contractions of the heart. This hormone affects the CB1 receptor and triggers the emotion of “I remember.”

Anandamide- Produced in the cell membranes, this hormone reduces hypertension, depression, fear and anxiety. It inhibits the movement of cancer cells and prevents metastasis without negative effects on the immune system. It acts on both CB1 and CB2 receptors and triggers the emotion of “I am at ease”.

Serotonin- This hormone is made in the digestive tract and the central nervous system. It is a neurotransmitter that helps in appetite regulation and bowel movements. This hormone acts on the CB2 receptor and triggers the emotion of “happiness”.

Epinephrine- Produced by adrenal glands the main job of this hormone is to create the fight or flight response. However, if the levels of epinephrine are high in the body it can raise blood pressure, heart rate, and also cause weight loss. This hormone also acts on the CB1 receptor and triggers the emotion of “fright”.

Oxytocin- This hormone is produced in the hypothalamus. Its main job is to stimulate uterine contraction during delivery and stop post-partum bleeding. Research says that lack of oxytocin can also be responsible for autism, eating disorders, social anxiety, schizophrenia and depression. It acts on the CB1 receptor and causes the emotion “I feel for you.”

These are just a few that have been detailed. Conditions like parkinson's, ADHD, autism, depression, insomnia, anxiety, schizophrenia and many more have also been linked to emotions and hormones. Well, it is obvious that our emotional condition not only determines our mental state but also the physical state.



How can this knowledge help us ?

Understanding the interplay of emotions, hormones, and illnesses can be a beacon of light for many (especially the layman). When we experience too many negative or stressful emotions, one need not panic. It helps us interpret that the negative emotion that we are facing is indicative of something not being right.

What is important is that we do not ignore our emotions when they linger for long especially the negative ones. It is best to deal with them and seek help at the right time.


Can Cannabis Help ?

The logical mind will question if cannabis can help treat any of the above-mentioned health problems. The answer is yes! Cannabis can help.

Depression, anxiety, insomnia, Parkinson's are some of the conditions where research has proven that Cannabis can make a difference and reduce the symptoms. Read more about how cannabis can help treat depression.

Conclusion

Unraveling the endocannabinoid system will help us interpret the changes in our body and mind and deal with it appropriately.

Always take Cannabis under guidance from a medical practitioner. For prescription, support from an Ayurvedic doctor and understanding more about Cannabis visit here.

Source : Vedi Herbals ; Shop : Infused Cannabis Products


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Many long time Cannabis tokers around the world have known that mixing Tobacco with Cannabis is a bad idea hence only smoke the herb in its purest available form. This habit of mixing Tobacco with Cannabis is more of a European thing and has become popular around the world thanks to the inclusion of Charas or Hashish in the smoking scene. Although Charas and Hash both can be smoked in their pure form, many prefer mixing it with some tobacco to make the joint burn smoothly or give the experience of fullness of smoke when smoked in a pipe(chillum). This habit of mixing tobacco makes us crave something to smoke even more. For many years I was mixing tobacco with cannabis and rolling my spliffs, justifying it for all the BS reasons possible. But the truth is that Tobacco is so addictive, however is legal, so there is less of a social stigma associated with it and since its easily available and priced nominally as compared to weed prices worldwide, most people mix it up, thinking its gonna make their stash last longer, however end up smoking way too much than one needs, if one was smoking it pure.


Its been a few months now since I quit Tobacco for good and life has been so different in all ways possible. From the time I wake up ... I noticed there was no craving to smoke like its been for so many years. Even switching to cleaner tobacco like American Spirit, Pueblo or Manitou ... may seem like a healthier option, however the nicotine cravings don't go away until you just stop mixing the two. So now, its just the pure herb in a glass pipe which helped me easily transition from being a heavy roller to an occasional toker allowing me to focus on more important things in life like staying healthy following a good diet and lifestyle.

I started cycling and within no time the focus quickly shifted from chasing hits and doobies to sweating it out and feeling more power in your being accomplishing more life enhancing goals. Any kind of physical activity which makes one sweat and exercise their complete body is the need of the hour. The feeling you get after a physical workout is beyond any other substance induced high. One can still toke Cannabis occasionally to relax and chill after a long day, taking power from a habit that has been draining us for many years. Cannabis doesn't have any harmful effect on the lungs and has been scientifically proven to actually increase lung expansion and breathing capacity while easing physical pain and calming things down at all levels of our being.



We tend to follow collective habitual patterns as we usually smoke socially in closed circles and groups and the habit is self perpetuating as long as we are hanging out in the same circles. Life is all about changes and once we make those shifts with our habits, we will start to notice how we've been foolishly wasting away a lot of precious herb, time and our health along the way. I've been intending to put this out there just as a reminder to any of you who are looking to make serious changes in your life by choosing differently. All we really have in this plane of existence is our physical being and we have the power and responsibility to improve the quality of our lives by simply choosing better options.

You don't really have to wait for your body to start showing you signs of discomfort and disease before you can make the switch to smoking pure herb. Just stop mixing the two and use a small glass pipe or any other pipe that's easy to clean and toke away just like old times when we held the smoke in for a bit, for a proper hit ! :D

References : Mixing Cannabis and Tobacco

Image Courtesy : Sensiseeds


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Medical use of Marijuana Concentrates

What is dabbing and how does it work? How can it help those who use medical marijuana? We answer these and many more questions in the article below.

You may have heard about dabs. What are they? This is what marijuana concentrates are called, and ‘dabbing’ is the process of concentrates vaporization. What are concentrates, then? They are basically marijuana extracts that are much more powerful than dried herb (the concentration of cannabinoids might reach 90%), from which the plant material has been removed. Concentrates are usually goldish, sticky substances, but they may vary in terms of looks and texture. There are many different methods of making concentrates, but they can all be divided into two main groups: concentrates made with the use of solvents (such as butane, carbon dioxide or glycerine) and those made with no solvents – so-called solventless concentrates.

The production process of concentrates made with the use of solvents is usually much more complicated. First of all, there is a risk of explosion (especially if you use butane). Secondly, the final product must be precisely cleaned of any remains of the solvent. One of the best examples of such a product is RSO oil – the most popular concentrate in USA. If it comes from illegal sources, there is always a high chance that it is contaminated with solvents. On the opposite end, there are concentrates made without solvents. They can be obtained by pressing resin from plants (to get so-called rosin) or in the process of dry-sift, where you filter pieces of plant through a series of sieves with an increasingly fine mesh, in order to completely separate the plant material. There are also concentrates that don’t contain THC and are legal in many countries, e.g. CBD crystals. Their vaporization is a much cheaper alternative to the widely popular but very expensive CBD oils.

How are concentrates consumed ?


Concentrates can obviously be added to a joint or to the blowpipe of a bong, but it’s a waste of material – the majority of cannabinoids will get damaged due to the high temperature. The right way to consume concentrates is through vaporization, which is the evaporation of cannabinoids without burning of the substance. ‘Some portable vaporizers, such as Mighty Vaporizer, let you vaporize both dry herbs and concentrates. However, the most efficient vaporization of concentrates is guaranteed by the devices designed especially for this type of substances’ – says Jonathan Weed, a vaporization expert. These devices are already available in online VapeFully store with vaporizers. Whether you use the RSO oil, a home-made rosin concentrate, or you have access to high-quality, imported, BHO concentrates, vaporization is always the most comfortable method of their absorption.

Benefits of Concentrate Vaporization


Concentrates are very popular among those who use marijuana for recreational purposes, but patients who need it for medical reason can also make the most of their potential. What are the advantages of concentrates over dry herbs? First of all, they provide much faster results. You don’t need to spend a quarter of an hour to properly grind the herbs, load the vaporizer and have an inhalation session. ‘When you use concentrates, you just apply a small amount of the substance into your vaporizer, take one or two draws and you get an instant and powerful medical effect. The whole process takes less than a minute and the fast relief it provides is priceless in the case of those patients who suffer from pain, convulsions or nausea’ – explains Jonathan Weed from www.VapeFully.com. The results offered by concentrates are not only faster but also stronger – patients who need a high dose of cannabinoids find it much more comfortable to take in those amounts through concentrates. Instead of consuming a few grams of marijuana – which requires dozens of draws with vapor or smoke – they simply have to take a few draws of vapor produced from a few dozens, up to a few hundreds of milligrams of concentrates. Concentrates vaporization, just like in the case of dried herbs, is not associated with any health risk, such as lungs disease or toxins absorption, which is an inherent element of smoking. Dabbing also allows for a very precise dosing of concentrates – the patient can take just one draw, check the results and decide whether it’s necessary to continue the inhalation or not.



Risk related to Concentrates

Some inexperienced users, especially those who have only tried dried herbs, underestimate the power of concentrates. While it’s practically impossible to overdose THC, the consumption of an excessive quantity of cannabinoids can result in a range of unpleasant symptoms, such as the feeling of heaviness, drowsiness, anxiety or disorientation. If you are aware of the power of concentrates and take them in limited amounts, you are on the safe side. For some users, the phenomenon of tolerance might be a problem – your body builds the tolerance to concentrates much faster than in the case of dried herbs, so you need to increase the dose from time to time. However, just a few days of a break lets you lower the tolerance to cannabinoids. The biggest problem in terms of concentrates is their quality, especially in those countries, where concentrates are illegal. It’s doubtful that concentrates made in amateur conditions, rather than in professional laboratories, get properly cleaned of the solvents used in the process. Until then, it’s much safer to choose the solventless concentrates, especially that you can easily make them at home. For example, rosin concentrates can be made with the use of a safe Tarik+Rosin T-Rex Press. It lets you make your own concentrate within minutes, the final product is entirely safe for your health and requires no filtering.



Concentrates – the future of medical marijuana?

Taking into consideration the huge potential of concentrates in the field of medical use of cannabinoids, we might assume that they have a bright future. The majority of medical marijuana distribution points in the USA are already selling more concentrates than dried herbs and this trend seems to be growing.


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Why you should collect herbs after vaporization and what is ABV



Once you’ve used your herbs for vaporization, you shouldn’t bin them! Find out from this article why it’s worth collecting vaporized herb and how you can use it. Many people underestimate the potential of such herb, which is a pity because it’s a source of precious cannabinoids and it can be used to make a lot of interesting things.

Already Been Vaped (ABV) herbs have dark-brown color and a typical, dry scent that’s completely different to the smell of fresh marijuana. Many people who use vaporizers collect ABV to use it in one of the ways we describe below. First, let’s talk a bit about ABV itself. How can it be useful if cannabinoids have already been evaporated from it during the vaporization process? If it makes sense using ABV, does it mean that vaporization is less effective than smoking, where you get only ash? Well, it’s just the opposite! Vaporization is much more efficient than smoking, but it doesn’t mean that we can absorb all the cannabinoids from the herbs. How to solve this contradiction? When you smoke, the majority of cannabinoids gets destroyed due to a very high temperature, so we can absorb only about 20% of the active substances. The rest simply goes to waste. When you vaporize, you can absorb – depending on the vaporizer model – from 50 to 80% of cannabinoids from the herbs (according to research, the most efficient device for cannabinoids extraction is Volcano Vaporizer which is a desktop vaporizer). The rest of cannabinoids, which is between 20 and 50% of the initial amount still remains in the ABV. Since no burning process is involved in vaporization, ABV is in fact simply brownish, overdried marijuana that can be still reused. What’s more, while being vaporized, marijuana undergoes the process of decarboxylation, which activates THC that can be then absorbed by alimentary route. When you want to bake cookies from fresh marijuana, the herb has to undergo a thermal treatment first (e.g. it must be heated in the oven) so that it gets decarboxylated. In the case of ABV, there’s no need to do it – the material is practically ready to consume. Bear in mind that ABV doesn’t taste great. That’s why the majority of users don’t eat it on its own and they prefer to use it in other forms.

Before you start experimenting with ABV, you should remember that the potential of such herbs is different in every case and it depends on many factors, such as the strength and quality of the material you use for vaporization and how long it has been vaporized. Normally, ABV that’s slightly lighter will be more powerful, but even very dark brown ABV can still contain a lot of THC. A lot depends on the type of vaporizer you use, too. If you use a device like G Pen Snoop Dogg, it makes no sense at all to collect ABV because these are not real vaporizers as they burn the material. However, if you have Mighty Vaporizer, which is a portable vaporizer, the device will be able to extract almost 70% of the THC from the herbs. How long you have to wait before you see the results of the ABV you’ve consumed is also unpredictable. Some users feel the first signs after an hour within consumption and for the following few hours they will experience some moderate results. Others might have to wait 3 hours before they notice anything, and the strong effect will last for more than a day. The most important variables in this aspect are how powerful the ABV is, how you consumed it and what your personal level of cannabinoids tolerance is. What consumption methods can you choose from?

ABV capsules – lazy style

Capsules are one of the easiest ways to consume ABV. All you need are empty, gelatine capsules from the pharmacy (you fill them yourself), a few grams of ABV and (optionally) a few drops of vegetable oil or olive oil. Grind your ABV as finely as you can and fill the capsules with it. You can add a few drops of vegetable oil or olive oil to it (THC mixes with fat), then simply swallow the capsules. ‘The number of capsules you should swallow is a guess you have to make – nobody knows how many you need to take before you get the expected results or how long they will take to cause the effects. That’s why the results you’ll get after you swallow this type of capsules are completely unpredictable’ – says an expert from VapeFully. Capsules method is not very efficient, even though sometimes just a few capsules can give some really strong results. To sum up, capsules are a good method when you have a lot of ABV collected, you are not afraid of any unexpected results of consumption and you don’t feel like using any more complicated method of consumption.

ABV and peanut butter sandwich

A sandwich with peanut butter and ABV is another simple way to consume ABV: just spread a generous amount of peanut butter on a piece of bread and sprinkle some ABV on top of it. The fat from peanut butter will mix with THC so it will be easier to absorb the cannabinoids. In this case, the amount of ABV you need to use isn’t clear, either, and you have to experiment a bit. A sandwich with ABV and peanut butter has one more drawback – ABV doesn’t taste great and even though you mix the ingredients, you still eat it ABV unprocessed. A sandwich, however, guarantees stronger results than capsules with ABV.

Cannabinoids extraction for ABV


The extraction of THC from ABV is a more advanced option. In this case, you don’t have to eat the used material. While this is a more complicated method, it’s still quite simple. One of the ways of extracting THC from ABV is making the so-called cannabutter – ABV-based butter. On the internet, there are many tutorials that explain in detail how to make such product. Cooking ABV in coconut oil provides even better results – place ABV in a heat-resistant dish, cover it with coconut oil and keep it in the same temperature, ideally around 50 degrees Celcius, for a few hours (the longer, the better). It’s best to do it in the oven or in a slow cooker. You need to stir the mixture regularly. The next step is straining ABV through a coffee filter – you get an exceptionally powerful oil that can be used e.g. for baking cookies. You can also add it to your coffee or simply drink it on its own. Regardless of which extraction method you choose, it’s very important that you maintain a stable temperature and heat it in fat for a long enough time. ‘From all the ABV consumption methods, the extracts definitely provide the best results, both in terms of the potency and the experience you have after you consume them’ – adds Jonathan Weed, who runs VapeFully store with vaporizers.
Be careful with portions!

ABV dosage is always accompanied by a risky element of surprise, which we’ve already mentioned above – it simply requires experimenting. The results are a very individual thing – one person can have a powerful experience with just one gram of ABV, while someone else will have to take 5 grams before he or she feels anything. That’s why if you decide to consume ABV in the form of e.g. cookies, start with one, wait to see if it works and then reach for another one if you feel that you need it. You can obviously eat more cookies straight away, but make sure that you have a lot of free time (e.g. during the weekend) because the results might last for quite a while. Don’t worry, however, about overdosing – it’s impossible with ABV so all you risk is staying really high for a long time.

Vapefully

Even though vaporizers have been available on the market for a few years, marijuana users still know very little about them. In this article, we present various types of vaporizers that can be used for vaping marijuana and we talk about pros and cons of each model.

A lot of marijuana users are convinced that the majority of vaporizers are not good enough for vaping dried herbs and that they should be used only with liquids that contain THC. This is a myth. The liquids of this type are designed for e-cigarettes, while vaporizers are designed for vaping dried herbs and dabs (marijuana concentrates). Some vaporizers created for dried herbs vaporization feature a special insert for concentrates vaporization. You can also place a small amount of concentrate between two layers of dried herbs. Note that concentrates aren’t a product that’s available only in American pharmacies – you can relatively easily make them at home.

Portable vaporizers for dried herbs

Dried herbs vaporizers are the most popular devices, probably because the herbs are so widely available. It’s the easiest solution for weed fans. These devices are very easy to use because you don’t need to process the herbs in any way. All you have to do is just grind the herbs a bit. Then, you place them in the heating chamber and once the device reaches the right temperature, you can start inhaling.

One of the most important benefits of using this kind of vaporizers is the flavour and aroma you experience. If you’re not a fan of tobacco, you’ll be amazed – the flavour of vapor from a vaporizer is way better than the flavour of smoke from a joint made with weed and tobacco. And there’s more! It’s even better than the flavour of marijuana smoked without tobacco! Discreetness plays an important role, too. Vaporizers produce no smoke, just vapor that has a much less intense aroma and disappears really fast. What’s more, a joint burns and releases smell all the time, which is not the case when you use a vaporizer. You can notice the smell only in the moment of the actual vaporization. When you smoke, a large amount of THC gets damaged due to the high temperature, which you can avoid by vaporizing the herbs. This means that vaporization is a much more economic method than smoking.


Vaporization is the healthiest possible form of marijuana consumption. First of all, when you vaporize, you don’t inhale carcinogenic tar substances because no burning process takes place. All the available scientific research clearly indicate that vaporization is incomparably better for your health than marijuana, regardless of your preferred smoking method – pipe, joints or a bong. By far, the best combination is a vaporizer with a water filter. This solution lets you cool the vapor down properly and makes it thicker so the inhalation is much more comfortable. Compared to concentrates vaporizers, the models designed for herbs use require more time before you can start the inhalation (a few minutes). They also provide a less intense experience than the ones you can use with concentrates. Basically, an easy inhalation takes more time – normally a few minutes – just like when you smoke a joint. If you want to have a solution that will let you evaporate marijuana faster, you can use an on-demand vaporizer. They heat up within seconds and let you take a few quick drags in a very short time.


Whatever method you choose, a concentrate will always provide a stronger experience than dried herbs. However, vaping herbs has its pros - the user can fully control the intensity of the inhalation and he/she can continue or stop at the right moment. With concentrates, due to the high concentration of THC, you can get really high after just a few draws, which is not always the nicest feeling. ‘The best vaporizers for herbs that are currently available on the market are PAX 3 Vaporizer (a model with 10-year warranty), Mighty Vaporizer, DaVinci IQ Vaporizer and AirVape XS. Among on-demand models, the ones that stand out are Magic Flight Launch Box and Firefly 2’ – says Ryszard Fazowski from VapeFully that sells premium class vaporizers.


E-liquid vaporizers

These devices aren’t actually vaporizers. They are regular e-cigarettes used with an e-liquid enriched with cannabinoids. You can get this kind of liquids in pharmacies and shops in those countries where marijuana is legal. In other places, users can relatively easily create their own liquid with THC – there are many English-language tutorials on the internet that tell you how to do it. “Liquids of this type are really powerful and allow for some discreet inhalations. However, you can’t use them in vaporizers designed for vaping herbs or concentrates” – continues Jonathan Weed from VapeFully.


Concentrates vaporizers

Concentrates, called dabs, are concentrated extracts from marijuana. They can have various forms: liquid (honey oil), wax (wax, badder, rosin) or be solid (shatter, crumble). This type of substances is currently extremely popular in the USA and Canada and they’re gaining popularity all over Europe. No surprise – they are very strong (the THC concentration can reach even 90%, compared to 20-25% in the weakest varieties of herbs). Even the most seasoned users can achieve some really impressive results using these substances. What’s more, you only need 2-3 draws to get satisfying results (you get really high).

It’s quite easy to make this type of concentrate at home – you can use butane or the so-called non-solvent technique. In the first case, you soak herbs in butane in order to extract cannabinoids. As a result, you get golden oil that – depending on the technique you use – turns into wax or a solid concentrate. This method isn’t the safest solution for the inexperienced users because it’s relatively easy to cause an explosion. A much easier and safer option is the so-called rosin technique – you use a hair straightener and a piece of parchment to squeeze the resin out of the herbs. You can also use a special press designed for this purpose.

Apart from being powerful, concentrates are really tasty and aromatic - thanks to a wide range of terpenes they contain. Concentrates are not made for regular smoking. Even though you can technically do it, it would be a great waste because a very high temperature destroys the majority of THC. You can use concentrates in a specially designed water pipe converted into a vaporizer (a so-called dab rig), electronic vaporizers with a water filter (e-nail) and some very small, pen-shaped vaporizers (vape pen). Some models originally created for herbs vaporization do a really good job at concentrates vaporization, too. One of the less expensive devices of this type is Storm Vaporizer. The above-mentioned PAX 3 Vaporizer and Firefly 2 are worth trying, too. The popularity of vaporizers will be growing at an impressive pace now – you´ll see for yourself!



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