Does Getting "High" Effect Health & Fitness?
Marijuana & Health
Now, as we get to the heart of the matter, it should come as no surprise that marijuana is being touted (and toked) as a tool for fitness and athletic betterment. A surprisingly wide array of athletes is embracing marijuana for help in their training regimens, and their numbers include martial artists, swimmers, cyclists, runners,weightlifters, and more. Part of the allure is due to pot’s proven ability to ease pain,decrease nausea, and even boost one’s mood. For those who are concerned about inhaling the smoke of burning organic material, there are alternatives such as vaporizers and marijuana foods, such as energy bars. It can also be utilized in the form of CBD oil extracts. Unlike typical medical marijuana products, CBD hemp oil, aka Cannabidiol, is created from hemp with very low amounts of THC, and this makes it a non-psychoactive treatment. Cannabidiol offers significant health benefits,including a potentially successful treatment for certain types of childhood epilepsy and, on the other end, for dealing with the effects of Alzheimer’s. It’s one of over 85 cannabinoids currently identified in cannabis plants and is the second-most plentiful cannabinoid found in marijuana after THC. Encouragingly, there are several studies and scholarly articles on the positive connection between cannabis and a surprisingly substantial reduction of cancer cells among those utilizing it for treatment. After much fully documented and peer-reviewed medical research, physicians at the California Pacific Medical Center Research institute have come to the conclusion that CBD is a very powerful inhibitor of cancer, specifically the ID-1 protein gene, which has been historically designated as a major conductor of cancer cells. Furthermore, and even more encouragingly, CBD can slow and even completely halt metastasis in patients suffering from a wide variety of cancers. In August of last year, the journal Neuropsychopharmacology published a study that implied that marijuana smokers have a greatly reduced risk of suffering strokes and life-threatening blood clots. University of Texas at Dallas academics even found that pot heads have increased blood flow to the brain and are able to extract more oxygen in said flow than those who abstain. Finally, the Journal of Sexual Medicine stated (from the results of a Stanford University study based on a survey of a-proximately 50,000 Americans from 25 to 45 years of age) that those who regularly enjoy marijuana have around 20 percent more sex than those who don’t. If that doesn’t inspire a couple to light up, I don’t know what would
Marijuana for Fitness
These days, in light of legalization efforts and more widespread acceptance of marijuana in general, many athletes are also turning to marijuana or, specifically, to its individual active ingredients, like the aforementioned cannabidiol and THC,for use as performance-enhancers. Many of those interviewed and/or studied have claimed that both these components of cannabis help in lessening anxiety and in boosting one’s pain threshold. As reported,this is how many are empowered to go the proverbial extra mile during training. Of course, there are many who will exclaim that smoking a joint can take the win dout of their sails when it comes to motivation in getting their behinds to the gym or the yoga studio. On the other hand, if one needs to consume more calories for training and Workouts, then he or she is in luck,as research suggests that THC goes a long way in stimulating the appetite. (This aspect of marijuana use has also proven to be quite effective in helping AIDS sufferers to eat more and feel less nauseous.)
In particular, exploiting cannabis for sport is especially prevalent with long-and ultra-long-distance runners. Some stars of the ultra-distant running world, including Jenn Shelton and Avery Collins, swear by running while high. Chris Barnicle, a Los Angeles long-distance runner and big-time cannabis supporter, boldly refers to himself as the “world’s fastest stoner” on social media. There are even pro-marijuana running groups, which are dedicated to spreading the word about staying fit, the wonders of cannabis, and how it can be a part of anyone’s healthy life regimen. Weightlifters have also curled many a bong to help with the prevention of muscle soreness and to assist in achieving a good night’s sleep. And it doesn’t end there, as there is a myriad of types of athletes, from hockey to soccer players, skiers to snowboarders, and mountain bikers to martial artists, who all fire up to prepare themselves for the challenging physical tasks ahead, for feeling relaxed, and to be inhibition-free. Several studies have also indicated that cann-bis can significantly boost oxygenation of tissues, better one’s vision and concentration, lessen muscle spasms, significantly help with pain relief, and assist the athlete in forgetting any previous experiences of a traumatic nature that were related to their chosen athletic pursuit.