Radiate Wellness Logo

The Importance of the Endocannabinoid System

Mar 7, 2022

The Endocannabinoid System is something that I find extremely important in women’s health. It is a system that we all have but were never educated on. A network of receptors throughout every system of the body that communicate and regulate our body functions. When it comes to hormones, stress and digestion – this system is key. Think of CBD as a tool to create better, more efficient communication with the Endocannabinoid System. That’s right, it isn’t just a fad – it has a major purpose.

When I started using the CBD, I was really going into it with a beginner’s mind. There are so many products out there and I know many of our clients were confused about the efficacy and the quality of what they were finding in their area. I was on a mission to find the highest quality, for a sustainable price, that was actually bioavailable. It’s important to us, as clinicians, to be a guinea pig ourselves. I don’t recommend something that I’ve never run on myself first. 

First things first, I realized the importance of using CBD therapeutically versus “I am stressed, let’s take some CBD.” The consistency and quality of the CBD is essential for optimal communication with the endocannabinoid system. Next I realized that water solubility is key for uptaking without having to go through the gut and liver for processing – like oil based CBD. For my clients struggling with gut issues and distress, water solubility was a must. It is literally like getting an IV of CBD right into the bloodstream and therefore, right into the endocannabinoid system.

The endocannabinoid system contributes to everything the body does on a daily basis. And it regulates every single system rhythm and function in our body to keep us alive, thriving, and well. This system in the body is now referred to as one of the master regulators, and also the universal regulator. Because it is involved in every single process in our body that allows us to move to, function, and recover as well as to be able to handle pain to be able to overcome pain. 

In the early 90s, they thought that the endocannabinoid system just existed in the brain and that it was part of our nervous system. Upon continually researching and looking at it more in-depth, scientists realized the receptors are illuminated in the entire body. There is a biochemical and physical reaction when we start supporting our endocannabinoid eystem. When we realize how long we have not been supporting our endocannabinoid system, things begin to make sense and we understand why people are challenged in their health. This system was introduced to us not very long ago and its involvement has been overlooked. 

Something important to think about is how we can get better at tuning into what our body is telling us, rather than looking for some outside answer. The master regulator gives us the opportunity to do that tuning work and question how things are functioning. We can ask how hormonal balance is doing? How is metabolism? Maybe there are a myriad of things that are going on, but we end up spending a lot of time running around to different specialists trying to chase down a diagnosis. Instead, go behind the scenes, kind of like a puppeteer, and ask how to work with the master regulator to bring more homeostasis into the body and all these systems.

The gut and hormone connection are also very important when working with the Endocannabinoid System and can really influence it. In my own story, anxiety was something that I was dealing with and had been dealing with for a long time. I didn’t really know how much stress my nervous system was under until I started really tuning into the endocannabinoid system. Many of my clients are dealing with anxiety, depression, neuroinflammation, brain fog symptoms, and cognitive decline. It is important to think about this as what is going on a physiological level. The endocannabinoid system is offering us the ability to generate new neuronal pathways, and new neurons to protect the nervous system. 

To bring it all together – our knowledge of the endocannabinoid system has come a long way since the 1990s. Over the years science has learned that this very important system plays a vital role in every aspect of our health. One of the systems that the endocannabinoid system is involved with is the connection between the gut and hormones. So, if you are curious about CBD and how this tool can help support you on your health journey, please feel free to reach out and book a Strategy Session with our team. The benefits are incredible, but knowing the appropriate timing and dosage is key. Here is where we can figure out the right path for your body to optimize your health for the future.

 

 

 

 

 

0 Comments

Submit a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Hi, I’m Frankie
Becoming a Functional Nutritionist was born out of my love of working in women’s health and my own health crisis that hit in 2011. It was then that I realized that the body cannot be taken for granted. With two cancer scares in one year, I decided to take my health into my own hands, guided by the intelligence of functional medicine. As a Functional Diagnostic Nutrition Practitioner, I use data and mindfulness techniques to motivate change. My client relationships are filled with loving connections and precise planning.

Keep In Touch

Top Posts

Advocating For Your Health

For many women, chronic symptoms send us spiraling into a state of overwhelm. We frantically search for answers for something that is going to make it better or help it make sense. In this state, we are far from ourselves - hysterical and desperate. Shock and fear can...

Health Care Gaps

How often have you gone to the doctor for a health concern only to be dismissed or told that what you are feeling is inaccurate? In an age where the average medical appointment is 15 minutes at best, how is a doctor able to listen to what is the concern, diagnose, and...

Unpacking Metabolism

Unpacking metabolism is a topic that is a common thread for so many of us whether we are dealing with fatigue, weight issues, digestive issues, or even hormonal issues. It is incredible how much we can have different symptoms across the board but metabolism is still...

Summer Reset

Happy summertime to you! Though I know some folks have been feeling the summer temperatures for a while, there is something about June that makes the summer season start to feel more legit. Like it is here and you better get ready for all it has to offer! That is...

Stress and Blood Glucose Levels

Do you know of any friends or family who has diabetes or pre-diabetes? I bet most people reading this know of at least one because that is how prevalent it is. Today, one in ten U.S. adults has diabetes, and if trends continue, one in five will have it by 2025. An...

Managing Cortisol’s Ups and Downs

Cortisol gets a bad rap most of the time. Everyone wants to talk about the negatives of what cortisol does, but what often doesn't get the recognition is the benefits that cortisol has for our body. Today I want to highlight both sides of the stress story so that when...

Gut-Brain Connection

Have you ever found yourself saying you have a “gut feeling” about something? Or maybe you’ve experienced “butterflies in your stomach”? These common phrases actually have some basis in science and help showcase the connection between our gut and our brain....

Put Yourself In The Driver’s Seat

Put yourself in the driver's seat when it comes to stress. Understanding stress is the first important step to dealing with it. Many of us think stress happens to us, similar to the quote, “Life is happening to me.” Flip the script and put it another way; life is...

How To Own Your Health Because It Belongs To You

How can you own your health? You're responsible for it, so why not own it? This message is getting lost in the slew of things that are going on in the world right now. It can feel like a place full of a lot of fear where we can feel paralyzed as to what to do. And...

Ready For A New Approach To Your Healthcare?

Have you ever felt discouraged leaving a doctor’s appointment? Maybe you felt bothered by the lack of time a doctor spent in the room with you, or perhaps you didn’t feel heard because the nurses and physicians were rushing through the appointment, talking at you, and...
Call Now Button