It’s generally recognized throughout the medical community that CBD helps ease symptoms of many illnesses and diseases, sometimes not only treating, but also curing the ailment altogether. Pain relief is perhaps the most recognized benefit of CBD.  For years, depression, anxiety, heart health and acne have also been treated using CBD. As with some medications, time and continued research uncovers new information that can lead to more uses and benefits for people suffering from debilitating symptoms and side effects. The cannabinoids found in the marijuana plant are natural, healthy and are taking the lead in treating some very serious conditions. CBD, with its wide range of general uses, is continuing to surprise doctors, scientists and the public when used for treating some very specific conditions.

   

Treatments for cancer can leave people violently ill. CBD has been used to treat severe nausea and vomiting, which are the two most common side effects of chemotherapy. According to Healthline, research is showing that concentrated doses of CBD can actually kill live breast cancer cells. It has also been shown to settle a queasy stomach and increase appetite.

   

Because using cannabis as medicine is making a comeback from the late 1800s, when it was more mainstream in the U.S., research on the plant is widespread globally. Imagine where medicine would be today had the cannabis plant remained legal and studied over the last 200 years. Rather than dwell on what could’ve been, it’s encouraging to know that scientists are discovering new and wonderful uses for CBD—applications that are shaping medicine for the future and making strides toward treating very particular illnesses, diseases and conditions.

   

There is no known cure for autism or autism spectrum disorder. It is a complex condition that impairs communication and social interaction and has been called a neurodevelopmental condition. Spectrum is used because cases can range from mild to severe, and symptoms parallel this range from barely noticeable, where the individual is highly functioning, to extreme, where the person could be described as catatonic. Although the spectrum may be large, there are base symptoms and side effects that are common among those diagnosed with autism. Fatigue, high levels of anxiety, repetitive behavior patterns, reluctance to make eye contact, seizures (ranging from mild to severe) and the inability to identify and control emotions are a few of the common threads on the scale. Again, there are no known cures for autism, but there have been significant strides made to isolate and treat symptoms and side effects for the condition using CBD.

   

Sleeplessness, anxiety, stress and epilepsy have been shown to be greatly reduced in autism patients with the use of CBD. According to a child study conducted by the Ministry of Health in 2014, aggression, panic, tantrums and self-harming behaviors were also greatly reduced. Not only does this ease the symptoms for autistic individuals, but parents whose children are autistic also saw improved sleep patterns and lessened anxiety and stress. The research study also showed that social interaction and communicative skills increased dramatically. One of the most promising aspects of the study revealed that there were very few, if any, negative side effects when using CBD. Sleepiness and change of appetite were the most prevalent side effects.

   

Such wondrous discoveries can be found when approaching research with an open mind. The negative stigma attached to the cannabis plant and its components, CBD in particular, prevented study into the many medicinal benefits. Now that most of the stigma has been washed away, the positive trends that are being revealed about CBD as medicine are reshaping treatment for a number of serious conditions—cancer and autism to name just a couple. What small miracles will continue to be uncovered in the near future? Nature is medicine, and the benefits are plentiful.