Do You Know How Your Endocannabinoid System Works?

Everything In Moderation; Is Micro-dosing The Best Way?

A lot of people think ingesting 1000mg+ will get you more high, this may not be the case for your body in the long run. 

As many may already know "The Endocannabinoid System" (ECS) is a preexisting hormonal regulator within the human body. It balances a variety of functions to provide homeostasis within the body such as; sleep, mood, reproduction, memory, appetite, inflammation, pain, early brain development & "synapse pruning". The ECS is responsive to our environment both internally and externally, it releases endocannabinoids that fit into receptors throughout the body to achieve the desired negative feedback response; eating when you're hungry.

When introducing cannabinoids such as THC & CBD into your body they act as a "second key", fitting into CB1 & CB2 receptors. Mimicking endocannabinoids and producing multiple hormonal responses throughout the body at once. If the ECS becomes over active it will "down-regulate", meaning it will no longer release endocannabinoids when cannabinoids are present. Resulting in the need for more cannabinoids to feel relief for both medical and recreational users of cannabis. Though this may not be the case for everyone, as everyone is the result of a complex group of genetic and biological vulnerabilities, this could create what is known as "cannabis dependence".

We need to further understand how cannabinoids affects the ECS, cancer and mental health to properly implement ways for everyone to safely use cannabis. Micro-dosing gives you the wanted benefits of cannabis without over-saturating the ECS. So the next time you try introducing cannabis to someone who has never experienced it before, remember, less is more & everyone will have different long-term affects. Strains are much more potent than they were twenty years ago, we aren't dealing with "Grandpas weed" anymore.

Dr. Ruth Ross, Professor and Chair of Pharmacology & Toxicology at the University of Toronto, gave a TED Talk on "Demystifying the Endocannabinoid System" and how cannabinoids, specifically THC, play a role in the Endocannabinoid System. More research is needed on CBD and not everyone with agree with what she has to say in her presentation but we do believe more research is needed now that cannabis has been legalized here in Canada. What are your thoughts on the topic of cannabis dependence, its role within the ECS and how pharmaceuticals play into all of this?

Three Damn Good Reasons Why You Should Go Organic!

Three Damn Good Reasons Why You Should Go Organic

1. Safer & Easier Cannabis Cultivation

A lot of first time growers and even experts don't realize how easy it is to grow organic cannabis.

In the world of "Cannabis Cultivation" most people are drawn to the commercial products that promise you bigger yields, better results and faster growing times. But what most people don't seem to notice is all the harsh chemical additives that have been put into these products to enhance your plants. Without proper flushing in soil mediums, using nothing but water a certain amount of time before harvest, the plant carries those residual chemicals into its final product, the flower. The combustion of such chemicals, PGRs being a good example and are already restricted in food and drink, could lead to adverse health effects, although this still uncertain and more research needs to be done.

"Marijuana, in its natural form, is one of the safest therapeutically active substances known to man." DEA Administrative Law Judge Francis Young, 1988

What is certain is that "Mother Earth", if you will, has already provided the cannabis plant with the genetic make-up needed to germinate, grow & reproduce. We as human beings, the outside factor, need to invoke the proper growing methods & techniques to active the plants full potential. That is why we here at Buddha's Garden suggest using something known as "Living Soil", the perfect soil biodiversity for your cannabis plant.

These organic soil mixtures come with everything the plant needs; essential nutrients (N:K:P), microbes, fertilizers and composts, some companies formulas differ as they may use worm castings or other insect based food-supply however the premise is still the same, organic. Now that everything has been taken care of in the soil mixture itself all we have to do is add water. RO (Reverse Osmosis) water is what we would suggest which has been stripped of its mineral content allowing for better nutrient saturation & less chemical reaction from things such as Chlorine & Fluoride found is common tap water.

Another thing even some people who are already using living soils don't know is that you can reuse them, as long as the soil has not been contaminated by viruses or pathogens, you can read more about that here. Agricultural companies offer "Top Dressings" used to add extra biodiversity to your plant, some even offer what is know as "Tea Composting/Brewing" which is adding tea leafs to the compost or water. By doing this you are adding more microorganisms to your plant biodiversity, thought by some growers to help the resilience and overall growth of the plant, some even say the flavor of the tea is translated into the strain you're growing.

These are all natural and organic ways of cultivating cannabis are not only the best way to grow your cannabis but they are also easier on your wallet, the environment and yourself. We can only be as strong and as healthy as what we put in our bodies, cannabis is no exception whether that be smoking or ingesting it.

2. Health Benefits

As the old saying goes - " Tell me what you eat and I will tell you what you are" - Anthelme Brillat-Savarin

This same rule of thinking can be applied to your cannabis lifestyle, regardless of if you're smoking it or ingesting it. Always going off the basis that you're smoking or infusing foods with organic medical-grade cannabis, cannabinoids (THC & CBD) stimulate The Endocannabinoid System (ECS) within your body and can have major health benefits. You can read more scientific research here, published in 2004. People forget that ancient civilizations used the cannabis plant for its spiritually healing properties, even members of our company are prescribed medical-grade organic cannabis to help with all sorts of things, one of them being Crohn's disease. From first hand experience we have noticed mixing a healthy, all-natural diet with organically grown cannabis into your active lifestyle you have a tremendous change in mental status and control over your own body. The Endocannabinoid System (ECS) is apart of human biology and should be taken advantage of;

• Reduces Anxiety & Helps Depression; Certain strains have a naturally higher concentration of CBD which help with lowering your cortisol levels in your central and peripheral nervous systems by stimulating your ECS which helps regulate internal equilibrium. As of yet there has still been no known correlation to high THC dosing in youthful adults, however we still suggest people with an already high-sense of anxiety to stay away from high in THC strains. You can read more from a scientific journal here, published in 2018.

• Reduces Inflammation & Helps with Pain Relief; Cannabinoids help reduction of pain and inflammation in or on the body by stimulating C1 receptors in the ECS. When using cannabis we always suggest using the entire plant (Full-spectrum), making sure you are getting all the benefits the plant has to off; THC (and its derivatives; THCa being one), CBD (and its derivatives; CBDa being one), Terpenes, Chlorophyll, Amino Acids & Fatty Acids. You can read more from a scientific journal here, published in 2015.

• Anti-Emetic & Muscle Relaxant; Medical Cannabis has been used on cancer patients for decades to help combat the nausea and vomiting induced by chemotherapy. CBD has a natural sedating effect and when ingested helps stabilize your stomachs pH levels and help to relax the contracting muscles in your stomach lining. This same relaxing effect is translated throughout the body v.i.a the blood.

• Kills Cancer Cells and Helps Slow Tumor Growth; Cannabinoids do this by blocking the cell-signaling pathways which inhibits the cancerous cells from feeding and multiplying. It is possible that cannabinoid receptors regulate cell-survival and cell-death pathways differently in tumor and non-tumorous cells. More research needs to be done but thankfully Canada has legalized Cannabis. You can read more about this from a scientific journal here, published in 2003.

• Improves Appetite & Helps with Insomnia; Cannabinoids and its derivatives (hundreds of them) act as endogenous substances in the body, a form of stem cell if you will. Since the ECS is responsible for the nervous system, it is possible that cannabinoids mimic hormonal responses such as leptin (hunger) and melatonin (sleep) when entering your brain v.i.a the blood.

Research Source: Google Scholar, Wikipedia & YouTube

3. Better Living

We don't think anyone said it better - "When You Smoke The Herb, It Reveals You To Yourself" - Bob Marley

North American society struggles with health, mental and social problems on a daily basis. Food substances are packed with chemicals we cannot even pronounce, getting more expensive annually and seem to cause more harm than good. Drug/Substance addiction and Mental Health issues are noticeably more prominent, people are losing sense of self and in turn losing their physical health as well. Which at the end of the day leaves us feeling vulnerable, alone, defeated and betrayed by the world created around us. What if we said to you that this way of living and thinking can easily be correctly by living a healthy, organic, cannabis-friendly lifestyle. Would you believe us?

Now we realize the first thing people say when we suggest going organic is the price difference, let us put this into perceptive for you. You would be saving more money in the long run by not buying processed foods, not going out to eat, not having bills due to health problems or illness. Not only that but people seem to forget that most cities have farmers markets, a place where you can talk with your local farmers and know exactly what is going into your good, cheaper too. Health is directly related to what we put into our bodies, being physically fit is one thing but having a proper diet is the foundation the creating a temple out of your body.

Mental health, drug and substance abuse is one of the leading cause of suicide and mortal rates in North America and a lot of people seem to believe cannabis a "gateway" drug. We disagree with that claim, in 2015 a study was first published showing that substituting medical cannabis for illicit substance, alcohol or prescription drugs may play a harmful role in the reduction of substance abuse, this is a good thing. Meaning it is more likely, given a sufficient amount of medical-grade organic cannabis, that youthful patients struggling with substance abuse will choose cannabis over the original addiction. The use of medical-grade cannabis for opiate abusers has been a wide spreading benefit of legalization in Canada and hopefully we see the complete removal of synthetic drugs to help drug users overcome their affliction.

The biggest issue people are facing daily is how to properly carry and talk with others that are apart of their community. Not sure if you feel this way, but we have noticed a sense of detachment from individuals. We spend most of our time working, browsing the internet and worrying about what others are doing in their own life. But we all know that everything needs to be done in moderation, to much of something is not good, balance is needed. Which we believe having an organic, cannabis-friendly lifestyle provides for you. It does not have to be considered this "lazymans" activity, a lot of successful and hard-working people use cannabis daily to better their life. Being apart of a cannabis community allows you to share your stories, learn new things, talk with people openly about the use of cannabis and feel like you are genuinely apart of something. This changes something in the mind of human beings, being apart of something bigger than yourself and genuinely helping those around you. It did for us.