Can CBD be used for allergies? Does it help? With spring here, itchy throats and red eyes abound. It can be one of the most frustrating aspects of the season.
People everywhere are using hemp oils to assist with just about every issue you can think of. Pain relief, inflammation, anxiety, depression, arthritis, blood pressure, you name it. CBD seems to be something of the miraculous. Most people who try CBD oil experience at least some sort of relief, and many others experience much more relief than they expected. How can a simple plant hold the key to helping so many people with so many different conditions?
The Endocannabinoid System (ECS)
The endocannabinoid system is an internal network in the body of all vertebrates. It was discovered by scientists in the 1990s and evolved over 500 million years ago. The function of the endocannabinoid system is to maintain homeostasis, defined by UCLA Health as “biological harmony in response to changes in the environment”. The body creates molecules called endocannabinoids in order to keep the ECS functioning smoothly, and in turn keeps your body adapting smoothly to the changing environment around us.
Unfortunately, the modern human lifestyle has advanced too fast for the endocannabinoid system to keep up with. In the last few centuries we have surpassed nature in dramatic leaps. We are surrounded by toxic substances. Chemical food additives sneak in everywhere. We interact with extreme amounts of electromagnetic radiation from phones, WiFi, microwaves, radio, and other sources. Our bodies haven’t had time to adapt and evolve to these sudden changes, and this can throw our endocannabinoid system out of whack.
Amazingly, nature has given us a way to help replenish our endocannabinoid system when it becomes depleted. When toxins, chronic stress, anxiety, and other factors use up all our endocannabinoids, and the ECS cannot produce enough of them to maintain homeostasis, we can supplement with external cannabinoids. Enter CBD and CBG. These interact with the receptor sites in the ECS in the same way endocannabinoids do and thereby help our body maintain harmony.
Read more about the endocannabinoid system here.
Relief is not the same as a cure
We’ve got to throw in a disclaimer here: CBD and CBG are not a cure for allergies—they simply offer relief. Since everyone’s biology is different, some people find cannabinoids highly effective and others not so much. Some people’s endocannabinoid systems are functioning wonderfully well without needing to supplement external cannabinoids, and others have severely depleted ECS’s that could definitely use the help. It goes without saying that the more depleted your endocannabioid system is, the more CBD and CBG chance to help you. Cannabinoids don’t cure you, they help your body’s natural system for maintaining biological harmony do its job better. They help your immune system work better. They help your body heal and potentially cure itself.
CBG and CBD for allergies: inflammation and histamines
Your mast cells are the ones responsible for allergic reactions. They sense something that they consider an allergen and release a chain of histamines in an effort to protect you. In a way, allergic reactions are a confused reaction of your immune system. They identify a particular allergen as harmful even when it isn’t. As a result, you sneeze, itch, and get congested.
Allergy medicines are called antihistamines because they subdue your body’s release of histamines. Research has shown that CBD can do the same. It essentially calms your mast cells down and thereby alleviates the symptoms of allergies.
CBD and CBG are also powerful anti-inflammatories, and inflammation also plays a huge part in allergies. When you are allergic to something, you’ll experience swelling in the lining of your eyes, nose, and throat when you come into contact with it. This swelling, or inflammation, can be drastically reduced by CBD or CBG. This too has been proven by scientific studies.
Your immune system
Ultimately, your immune system is responsible for the way your body heals itself and reacts to foreign substances. It’s your first line of defense against viruses, bacteria, infections, diseases, and all other types of malady. Your immune system functions better when it’s healthy and well-supported by your lifestyle. When it comes to allergies, a healthier immune system can mean less of a confused immune response, and therefore fewer allergic symptoms. So how do you support your immune system?
Think about how the human body functioned for the thousands of years before our modern era. Our ancestors got plenty of movement in, since they had to walk and run for the most part — and even riding horses requires much more movement than driving a car. Our ancestors ate wild meats that were fed by wild plants, and they grew fresh fruits and vegetables without the use of pesticides. There was no air pollution or toxic chemicals. They drank water instead of sodas and coffee.
The immune system, much like the endocannabinoid system, evolved in harmony with the lifestyle outlined above. Therefore, to keep your immune system in top shape, you can adopt similar lifestyle habits. Eat lots of fresh fruits and vegetables. Eat grass-fed and/or wild meats. Exercise. Drink plenty of water. Keep your consumption of toxins to a minimum.
You can also take CBD.
How CBG and CBD help your immune system fight allergies
CBG and CBD support your immune system via the endocannabinoid system. Remember that the ECS is responsible for keeping your body’s biological processes in harmony. This includes your immune system.
Endocannabinoids are believed to control immune response and therefore control the way your body deals with allergens. When your body isn’t producing enough cannabinoids to keep your immune system in balance, symptoms of allergies and other conditions can be worse. CBD and CBG can both help reduce allergies by providing enough cannabinoids for your ECS to keep your immune response healthy.
Read more about CBD and the immune system here.
Is CBG even more effective than CBD?
I decided to write this article because of my own experience using hemp oil for allergies. As a content creator for FlowerChild, I am by no means new to CBD or CBG, but these cannabinoids continue to surprise me. I have always considered myself to have a strong, healthy immune system. I haven’t had allergies for years — but this year they got me. For a couple weeks I suffered from an itchy throat and itchy eyes until I finally decided to do something about it. I applied a few drops of CBG 1400 directly to the inflamed part of my throat, and the itch went away instantly. A couple minutes later the inflammation was gone.
I’ve heard hundreds of customer testimonials raving about how FlowerChild’s CBG oil has taken away their pain, alleviated depression and anxiety, and even helped peoples’ brain function better, but I had never thought to use it for allergies! Needless to say, it was a pleasant surprise.
Many people have begun to call CBG “super CBD”, since it helps with all the same conditions that CBD does, but is often more effective. This article suggests that this could be due to the way CBD attaches to receptors in the endocannabinoid system:
“CBD attaches to what’s called the allosteric (peripheral) site on the CB2 receptor. CBG attaches to the orthosteric (active) site of CB2…The allosteric site is a modulation site, while the orthosteric site is the main site for the receptor. Think of the allosteric site as the “side door” while the orthosteric site is the “front door”.” In other words, CBG attaches to the active receptor site directly, whereas other cannabinoids do not. This could lead to quicker or more effective relief from inflammation.”
Conclusion
Allergies are a common frustration for many people. Every spring, blooming flowers accompany gusts of pollen and leave us with runny noses and itchy eyes. Fortunately there are steps we can take to lessen such symptoms. Using CBG or CBD for allergies can prove quite effective!
CBD and CBG can help reduce histamine production, reduce inflammation, and support your immune system. They help keep your endocannabinoid system working strong to maintain harmony in your body and give you relief.
At FlowerChild, we always recommend full-spectrum, whole-plant CBD and CBG oils. Such oils give you the full benefit of the cannabinoids along with the plant’s natural terpenes, flavonoids, chlorophyll, and other plant compounds. For most people, whole-plant, full-spectrum oils are far more effective than the isolate products that flood the market. Help your body heal itself by giving it the best of the best.
Follow us on Instagram and Facebook:
@flowerchildcbd
