Cannabis may help relieve menopause symptoms and thank goodness because menopause is one of the most dramatic changes a woman’s body will undertake in her lifetime.
The experience is not altogether pleasant with side effects that render many women helpless and exhausted. As a woman, I know all about this.
Luckily, hot flashes, mood swings, pain, insomnia, and other symptoms of menopause don’t have to be managed alone, and—as it turns out—an extremely helpful ally can come in the form of cannabis!
To understand why cannabis may help relieve the symptoms of menopause, it’s helpful to understand a little about what menopause is and how it affects women’s bodies.
Menopause is the period of time when a woman’s menstrual cycle comes to an end. This occurs most frequently between a person’s mid-40s–50s.
While some younger women may think that’s a wonderful thing because you won’t have to deal with tampons, pads or leaks – you’re trading in one thing for the other and while your period can be a little more predicatable – menopause my friends, is not!
Menopause happens in three stages: perimenopause, menopause, and post-menopause. As if women don’t already deal with enough change!
Menopause can produce a big fat buffet of hormonal side effects, including hot flashes, mood swings, insomnia, hair loss, pain, low libido, weight gain, fatigue, and osteoporosis.
The onset of these side effects can cause anxiety or depression in some women which is hard enough combined with feeling like a hot sweaty mess.
The Endocannabinoid system a massive group of cell receptors in our bodies whose role is to maintain homeostasis in the body. Simply put: this system controls our immune functions and sends a bunch of important signals everywhere.
During any one of the menopausal stages, this system could be out of whack, scientifically speaking, and trust me when I say: You’ll feel it coming on like a freight train!
It is because of the endocannabinoid receptors that cannabis molecules (cannabinoids like THC and CBD) bind and create the familiar effects we all know and love.
Ladies, we need our estrogen. But not too much, and not too little. It’s a fine libido lambada and you have to know the steps.
There is some preliminary research that suggests early onset menopause may be linked to endocannabinoid deficiencies. Did your mind explode right now?
If you’ve been trying to figure out why you can’t lose weight, and why you’ve been emotional and moody – hot then cold – ladies, this could be the answer and Cannabis may be your new lover.
Evidence suggests that estrogen utilizes endocannabinoids to regulate mood and emotional response—this could explain why mood swings are more common during menopause when estrogen levels plummet. Insert “OMG”!
Does it feel like you’re finally getting some answers to everything you’ve bene feeling lately?
As a result, the use of cannabis during menopause may help bolster the endocannabinoid system’s necessary functions that are struggling to work without high levels of estrogen. Yaas!!!
There is a natural cannabinoid called anandamide, which is similar to THC and can bestow a “high” sensation (think “runner’s high”), but they also share another effect: regulating body temperature. (ahem.. hot flashes, girls!)
So, THC may be a key cannabinoid when mitigating the effects of hot flashes. You just need to find the right dose – so speak with your medical professional to get you there.
Insomnia goes hand-in-hand with hot flashes for menopausal women. It can be difficult to sleep when night sweats strike. However, in addition to lowering body temperature, there are some excellent strains of marijuana out there that are also excellent sleep aids!
During menopause, hormonal fluctuations can bring on migraines, breast tenderness, joint pain, bruising, intercourse discomfort, and even increased menstrual cramping. (oh the joys of being a woman!)
Cannabis is a renowned pain reliever that helps patients get back on their feet, and there are tons of great strains that support and relieve pain.
Estrogen plays a part in our bodies because endocannabinoids stabilize mood and emotions. This same drop in endocannabinoid levels can contribute to anxiety or depression – not cool menopause, not cool!
Women around the world ( myself included) are finding that CBD and THC can step in to help save the day ( and the mood!). Studies show that cannabis can be used to regulate mood – voila! Are you convinced yet?
One of the more frustrating side effects of menopause can be low libido and vaginal dryness. Especially for women who have a high sex drive, watching your libido plummet can just suck. There’s no other way to say it.
Many women find that cannabis gets you back to feeling frisky again between the sheets. Respondents in a Psychology Today poll reported that they believe cannabis has improved their sex lives.
We’d love to hear your experiences and comments using Cannabis to support your healthy hormones in the comments below!
If you’re looking to boost your mood, or help you feel more balanced try our CBD Gummies, CBD Oil, CBD Capsules or check out our fantastic edible recipes.
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