Endocannabinoid System 101

      The Endocannabinoid system (ECS) is an essential part of the human organism found in the brain and nervous system. It is responsible for processing and creating cannabinoids in the body and is also involved in important things like appetite, digestion, pain relieving, reproduction as well as motor learning, memory, and stress.
      It can be simply explained if you take a closer look at the term itself: it consists of the parts
“cannabinoid” which comes from cannabis and “endo” which means that it’s naturally produced in your organism.
                                               What Is the Endocannabinoid System?
    The Endocannabinoid system consists of cell receptors and molecules which interact with each other. They can be referred to as locks and keys: the cell receptors are locks which receive a specific direction from keys, which are chemical molecules called agonists when they bind together.
The Endocannabinoid System includes three parts: endocannabinoids, receptors that endocannabinoids and cannabinoids bond with, and enzymes that help break them down. The receptors are found in the nervous system and throughout the body. ECS is a natural and crucial part of our bodies. There are two main types of receptors in the ECS: CB1 receptors and CB2 receptors. CB1 is primarily found in the nervous system and the brain while CB2 are mainly found in the immune system. There have been many studies conducted that have shed light on the positive medical qualities of CBD and THC. Let’s focus on the first one.
                              
                               How Does CBD and the Endocannabinoid System Interact?
CBD or cannabidiol is an active component found in cannabis. Even though it is a part
of a plant that is considered to be a drug, it, on the contrary, brings a number of potential advantages to our body’s health.  CBD can be considered as an external source of cannabinoids since the ECS recognizes and responds to it.
The lack of cannabinoids in the body can cause a dis-balance which in turn can lead to health issues. The use of CBD may help restore the balance and, therefore, treat some of the conditions by eliminating the cause and easing the symptoms.
                                                                 
                                                                 The Benefits of CBD
     According to the study of the National Institute of Health, CBD could provide possible benefits and be used for the treatment of a number of conditions such as epilepsy, nausea, diabetes, anxiety, etc.  For example: CBD can help combat stress and anxiety which appear as a result of increased cortisol levels and imbalanced hormones. CBD can potentially regulate the way your brain responds to stress signals and assist in balancing the cortisol level.
     Inflammation is a condition when our body feels hot and swollen that can lead to autoimmune
disorders, arthritis, etc.  CBD has anti-inflammatory qualities and helps combat it by stimulating the
production of regulatory cells and improving our pain perception.
CBD has many more benefits for our bodies, but the essential thing is that it is a beneficial component for our endocannabinoid system which is a crucial process in the body.