Time to get real in this blog. We all get older. But you knew that. With age, minor aches and pains can crop up; so can chronic health issues. Either way, seniors seem to have found, while not the fountain of youth, a way to curb some of the effects of aging. CBD.
In fact according to a recent Forbes article, “A recent study of 1,000 seniors ages 54 and up by Remedy Review found that 9% of seniors have tried CBD for health-related reasons, and 51% of those that have tried it reported having an improved quality of life afterward. Over 65% of the seniors surveyed that tried CBD said that their quality of life was good, while only 31.1% said the same before trying CBD.”
Before we move on, let’s refresh your memory about how CBD works.
How CBD works in the body
CBD is one of 60 cannabinoids found in the cannabis plant. It is nonpsychoactive, so there is no high associated with it. Within every body is an endocannabinoid system that has CB1 and CB2 receptors trolling the body to maintain balance. These receptors are located through out the brain, nervous system and immune system to help direct the body to rebalance.
Five reasons seniors use CBD
Which health issues do seniors use CBD to relieve? There are many, but let’s look at these five.
Pain management
Many seniors are acquainted with either chronic or arthritis pain. Pain caused by inflammation responds well to CBD because of its anti-inflammatory properties. Common causes of pain in seniors include arthritis and joint pain, neuropathy, repetitive strain injury and depression-associated pain.
A CBD topical combined with CBD oil offers an alternative to prescription or over-the-counter pain medication. Topicals often quickly relieve pain at the site, while CBD oil acts internally to kick-start the receptors into action, rebalancing your system.
Bone health
Aging and osteoporosis seem to go hand-in-hand. But losing bone density could be slowed with proper exercise and diet. CBD, which can control inflammation and help repair bone cells, could be a way to stave off bone fragility. Some research shows that CBD can help strengthen bones, but also promote healing if there is a fracture.
Insomnia and sleep disorders
Sleep can be elusive as we age, robbing us of the regenerative effects that deep sleep offers. Lack of sleep can also lead to other chronic issues. Unfortunately, sleeping pills are often prescribed, but come with side effects that can lead to addiction and other problems. But CBD can help ease you into a deeper sleep more naturally—sleep that actually restores your body.
Heart health
Heart disease tends to become more prevalent the older we get. But, that doesn’t mean it needs to be an all-consuming fear. We’ve all heard about diet and exercise as a way to help stay healthy. But there are other ways to improve heart health. As a preventive measure, you could include CBD oil with a healthful diet.
It can help reduce the potential for heart disease by normalizing high blood pressure, a big factor in heart attacks. Researchers have also found that it’s anti-inflammatory properties help reduce cardiac inflammation, but also reduce cell death usually caused by oxidative stress, which is defined as an imbalance between the production of free radicals and the ability of the body to counteract or detoxify their harmful effects through neutralization by antioxidants.
Depression and anxiety
According for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “about 80% of older adults have at least one chronic health condition, and 50% have two or more. Depression is more common in people who also have other illnesses (such as heart disease or cancer) or whose function becomes limited.”
CBD has been shown to help regulate mood disorders through CB receptor interaction with serotonin in the brain, which helps balance emotions. In addition, it can help reduce stress caused by pain or illness and improve sleep, both of which can aggravate depression and anxiety. It does so without side effects and with little risk of addiction.
CBD the natural alternative
Senior citizens are beginning to take notice of CBD because it’s nonpsychoactive, it has few, if any, side effects and it has so many beneficial properties. If you’re a senior with conditions that get in the way of living your life, take a look at CBD oil and topicals. Nothing ventured, nothing gained, right?