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Autoimmune Diseases
Autoimmune diseases are some of the most challenging and complex disorders to treat in the medical world. With a wide variety of symptoms and sometimes with disorders running in parallel that further add to the complexity of treatment, any kind of natural remedy that actually works is often welcomed. Cannabidiol (CBD) has made its way in into a large number of autoimmune treatment protocols as a natural solution providing real results without the negative side effects of some typical treatment.
What is an autoimmune disease?
There is uncertainty as to why some autoimmune diseases actually occur. In simple terms an autoimmune disorder is where the immune system in the body confuses healthy cells with bad cells. Antibodies are created when the human body reacts to any foreign pathogens that enter the body, and these instruct the immune system attack and destroy any cells that might be connected to a variety of different tissues. However, in the confused state, the cells destroyed or attacked happen to be healthy cells.
Each of the many autoimmune diseases attack different parts and areas of the body, for example, the joints are attacked with rheumatoid arthritis, the lungs and blood cells are attacked by lupus and multiple sclerosis attacks the nervous system. Autoimmune disorders distract the immune system from attacking bad cells and thus issues from the disease of disorder crop up causing a variety of symptoms that need to be treated. It is clear, therefore, that autoimmune disorders are very challenging to treat and cure.
Inflammation
One of the most observed benefits of CBD oil is the powerful anti-inflammatory and calming capability. One of the negative side-effect of many pharmaceutical anti-inflammatories and painkillers is the disruption of the gastrointestinal system. Nausea and diarrhoea are common side effects of conventional medication along with disrupted sleep patterns. In a strange way, conventional medication used for the treatment of many of the symptoms of autoimmune diseases create more problems that need treating. CBD oil has few, if any of these side-effects of secondary disorders.
What Autoimmune diseases can CBD treat?
Research into CBD and especially CBD in the treatment of Autoimmune diseases is relatively new. While CBD is proving itself in the treatment of many autoimmune diseases it would be wrong to say that it can treat all autoimmune disorders. However, from the limited research, a growing number of autoimmune diseases have shown promising results when treated with CBD. The following are disorders where CBD has been scientifically proven to be beneficial and promising in their treatment:
Rheumatoid Arthritis
Inflammation and pain in the joints are the classic symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis CBD is a natural anti-inflammatory that slows down the pain and inflammation and at the same time stimulates cell growth and the repair of damaged cartilage. CBD does not have any of the well-known painkiller side-effects.
Type 1 Diabetes
Diabetes is a growing autoimmune disease that attacks the pancreas preventing the production of insulin. Again, the anti-inflammatory properties of CBD get to work reducing the attacks on the pancreas. Furthermore, CBD is showing that is can slow down the development of diabetes in the body and improve blood sugar and insulin resistance.
Fibromyalgia
Causing severe pain and tiredness,fibromyalgia is a widespread auto-immune disease. CBD when given to sufferers and shown that levels of pain are considerably reduced, and this leads to better sleep and a much more comfortable daily life.
Crohn’s Disease
A disease of both the brain and the gut, Crohn’s disease is one of the most uncomfortable disorders that is more than tricky to treat. Crohn’s disease is best treated with a powerful anti-inflammatory however, the majority of conventional medicines upset the gut bacteria and further frustrate the symptoms of the disorder. CBD is also a powerful treatment with sufferers responding positively because of the low levels of endocannabinoids in the brain. Despite the complexity of Crohn’s disease CBD treats it in its stride.
Overall, science is proving the CBD does indeed work as a treatment for autoimmune disorders. However, before opting for using CBD to treat a condition proper medical advice is recommended.
Dr Ron Goedeke, specialises in alternative and functional medicine. He is a foundation member of the New Zealand college of Appearance medicine and has been a member of the American Academy of Anti-aging medicine since 1999. With over 20 years of experience in the anti-aging field, Dr Ron Goedeke is recognized as one of New Zealand’s leaders in this new and growing field of medicine.
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