When white blood cells attack foreign microbes, releasing antibodies and inflammatory cytokines, it causes tissue to be inflamed. Inflammation can occur anywhere in your body, from your colon to your eyes. While inflammation can be a healthy response to an acute injury or stressor, chronic inflammation is thought to be the root cause of many diseases, including heart disease and cancer. It’s possible to have chronic inflammation throughout your body and not be aware of it, as the standard American diet (SAD) is full of toxins and fats that keep us feeling sluggish, unwell, and aching all over. Inflammation can cause numerous health issues, including pain and tissue damage; but the medications people take to treat it can also have serious side effects, including liver damage. Anti-inflammatory medications range from over-the-counter NSAIDs to strong steroids, yet many people who take them long term find they become less effective at controlling their inflammation. To truly heal the body, it takes changing the diet and adding healthy supplements like CBD oil to the mix.
The chemical compounds in full-spectrum and broad-spectrum CBD oil, including phytocannabinoids, terpenes, flavonoids, and fatty acids, all heal tissue damaged by inflammation. CBD, THC, and other cannabinoids in CBD oil activate CB2 receptors on immune cells to quiet them. Beta-caryophyllene, linalool, myrcene, pinene, and humulene are all terpenes in CBD oil that reduce the release of inflammatory compounds. The flavonoids quercetin and apigenin that are abundant in CBD oil further suppress inflammation. The most common carrier oil used in CBD oil, MCT oil, contains high levels of capric acid, which has potent anti-inflammatory properties. To stay active in the fight against inflammation, take 10–25 milligrams of CBD oil daily.