Unbeknownst to many of us, heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States. It kills more people than even cancer. On top of this disturbing fact, many people don’t realize heart disease is almost always preventable and nearly always treatable if caught early enough.
Heart disease doesn’t just develop out of thin air; it emerges from a series of lifestyle choices that over time eventually trigger the onset of something called atherosclerosis. While atherosclerosis doesn’t get as much media attention as heart disease, it is nevertheless just as problematic because it is basically the first step on the slow march toward heart disease.
Although you likely haven’t heard about atherosclerosis, it’s good to have a basic understanding of what it entails before we discuss the ways that CBD oil could help mitigate it. First, atherosclerosis is characterized by the progressive devolution of symptoms until they lead to heart disease. The symptoms include a slow build-up of plaque, called atherosclerotic plaque, which eventually leads to blocked arteries and restricted blood flow.
On top of this, atherosclerosis also involves weakening of arteries due to narrowing caused by the plaque build-up. Both the plaque build-up and the restricted blood flow eventually prevent major organs from receiving an adequate blood supply. This is obviously quite a grave symptom because when organs don’t receive enough blood, they work only at reduced capacity due to lack of oxygen. Also, atherosclerosis eventually will lead to a buildup of free radicals and uncontrolled immunological injury.
Treating Atherosclerosis
Despite how terrifying atherosclerosis might sound, many options are available for treatment, and most have extremely positive results in improving heart health. Many treatment options are not medications at all, but rather lifestyle changes. This means maintaining a healthy diet, including eating less meat and more unprocessed whole foods. It also means increasing the amount of exercise in your life. These lifestyle changes will not be able to reduce the amount of plaque already built up in your arteries, but they still will significantly reduce your chances of having a stroke or heart attack.
What options are out there to remove the plaque and reverse the internal damage done by atherosclerosis? If you ask most medical professionals today, they likely will point to prescription drugs, insertion of stents to unblock arteries or, in extreme cases, bypass surgery. None of these options are natural, and all have potentially dangerous side effects.
For those dedicated to finding a natural way to help reduce atherosclerosis, CBD oil offers an exciting solution.
CBD and Heart Disease
Cannabidiol isn’t new, but it remains off the radar as a alternative remedy for atherosclerosis. Cannabinoids from the Cannabis Sativa L. plant work with our endocannabinoid system because they interact with the two primary cannabinoid receptors. These are spread strategically throughout the body, but especially in the immune system, around organs, the nervous system, and in the brain.
CBD Interacts with The CB2 Receptors
When it comes to addressing the causes of heart disease, one of the main reasons scientists believe CBD works is because it interacts with the CB2 receptors concentrated in and around the heart. These receptors and the cannabinoids produced naturally by our bodies influence the circulatory system and the immune inflammatory response. Although not produced by our body, CBD mimics endocannabinoids to trigger the CB2 receptor in similar ways.
CBD Targets Inflammation
The current research has demonstrated that CBD oil can slow the progression of atherosclerosis. Because CBD so effectively targets inflammation, and atherosclerosis is largely a disease of inflammation, scientists believe CBD oil shows some serious potential.
CBD may Improve Circulation
On top of this, there is evidence that CBD can improve circulation. That could be because it seems that CBD can trigger the relaxation of much more than your psychological response. Cannabidiol can trigger the relaxation of blood vessels, so they widen and help improve blood flow to all the major organs. It does this much like similar pharmaceuticals but has no serious side effects.
CBD Is A Powerful Antioxidant
If you are looking for more reasons why CBD might make a great alternative remedy for alleviating heart disease, there is much more to discuss. For example, the current body of research into CBD oil and heart health has concluded that CBD has protective qualities against rogue free radical damage because it is such a powerful antioxidant.
CBD may Reduce Myocardial Dysfunction
CBD may reduce myocardial dysfunction, which means it improves the function of the muscular tissues surrounding the heart.
CBD may Reduce Cardiac Fibrosis
CBD may also reduce cardiac fibrosis, which is a primary symptom of heart disease. Cardiac fibrosis can lead to heart failure if left untreated.
The reasons to try CBD oil for reducing the symptoms of heart disease and atherosclerosis are compelling, to say the least, and this is based solely on the preliminary evidence. The body of research is limited in scope and mainly focused on animal and laboratory tests. Cannabidiol is quite safe to use, and while you always should consult with a medical professional if you are combining CBD with other medications, the potential is there to help reduce the progression of atherosclerosis.
References
http://www.webmd.com/heart-disease/what-is-atherosclerosis#3-7
