Approximately 30 million Americans of all age groups & genders suffer from an eating disorder. In the country, 13% of women over the age of 50 have eating disorder behaviors.
Eating disorders can lead to unhealthy eating habits, and cause a wide range of health risks. Symptoms of these disorders are—excessive body weight loss, obsession with food, etc. However, researchers have found that marijuana’s chemical compounds (cannabinoids) are effective in treating eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia.
In the United States, 33 states allow medical use of cannabis. To access marijuana products from licensed dispensaries, you require a medical cannabis card Anaheim signed by a certified doctor.
This blog describes how can cannabinoids help in treating eating disorders.
How Can Medical Marijuana Help in Treating Eating Disorders?
There can be various causes of eating disorders. Some studies on twins adopted by different families have found that these disorders are hereditary. In general, the behavior and attitude show that dieting, excessive exercising, and weight loss are the primary concerns among the patients.
In addition, personality traits such as neuroticism, perfectionism, and impulsivity can also lead to eating disorders. Patients have false beliefs regarding their body image and shape. They think they have excessive body weight, thus do excessive efforts to shed fat. These include exercising for hours, taking supplements, dieting, etc.
Medical marijuana can help in treating eating disorders by stimulating appetite. How does it work?
The cannabis plant contains more than 100 cannabinoids, which possess medicinal properties. The two most important cannabinoids are-
- THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) – a psychoactive cannabinoid that causes high effects.
- CBD (cannabidiol) – a non-psychoactive cannabinoid that doesn’t cause any high effects.
When you consume cannabinoids, they interact with the body’s endocannabinoid system (ECS), thus providing health benefits. Actually, the cannabinoids bind to the cannabinoid receptors in the ECS, thus stimulating appetite. However, cannabinoids boost memory, mood and promote sleep as well.
Researchers have found that THC can help in producing cravings for sweet & fatty foods in different ways. The psychoactive compound increases the levels of ghrelin, a hormone involved in stimulating appetite & increasing food intake. In addition, THC increases dopamine levels in the body, thus regulating attention, learning, and emotional responses.
On the other hand, CBD doesn’t cause munchies, but it can help in boosting appetite in other ways. It relieves nausea and is effective in calming the nervous system & digestive tract. So, it’s clear that if you feel good, you are likely to enjoy eating your favorite foods and gain weight. CBD also works for relieving pain, which is considered as a major reason for appetite loss.
Top Cannabis Strains For Patients With Eating Disorders
When using cannabis for medical purposes, choosing the right strain is important. At medical dispensaries, you can find a wide range of strains with varying levels of THC and CBD. When buying the strains, you should carefully analyze your condition and see how your body responds to the cannabinoids. When applying for a medical cannabis card Anaheim, seek professional help for marijuana strains.
Here’s a list of top marijuana strains for patients with eating disorders-
-
Blue Dream
-
Super OG Master Kush
-
Sweet & Sour Widow
-
Yummy
-
Green Crack
-
Yogi Diesel
-
Sour OG
-
Sour Mist
-
Sweet Pebbles
-
Zambian Copper
-
Pineapple Punch
-
Flying Dragon
-
Girl Scout Cookies
In conclusion, eating disorders affects about 30 million Americans. Patients suffering from these disorders have false beliefs about their body image and often take supplements, and do excessive exercising. Cannabinoids present in cannabis can help in stimulating appetite by binding to the cannabinoid receptors in the body’s endocannabinoid system. To alleviate your symptoms completely, you should choose the right strains. Therefore, you should try different strains, analyze how your body responds to cannabinoids, and choose what’s right for you.
Talk to a licensed doctor to apply for your medical cannabis card in Anaheim.
