By Dr. Karen Hufnagl, Functional Medicine Practitioner & Clinical Science Director for CFH, Ltd.
We’re all aware of the common first-line strategies to avoid becoming ill, including keeping our distance as much as possible, practicing good hygiene, and taking extra measures to protect those at highest risk.
But what other strategies can we employ to strengthen our immune system resiliency? How can we prime ourselves for reducing or preventing illness in the first place?
We certainly have the usual integrative medicine options available to provide immune support, including olive leaf extract, elderberry, monolaurin, probiotics, colloidal silver, echinacea, and andrographis, among others.
However, we also need to address the very real and often overwhelming degree of stress, anxiety and loss of sleep that has infiltrated the lives of so many people now.
The published literature is very clear that stress increases susceptibility to viral infections. The stress response is also completely intertwined with anxiety – and anxiety inherently drives the stress response. As such, modulating the stress response and anxiety is paramount to staying healthy or reducing the severity and duration of any virus.
It is common knowledge that good quality sleep heals, restores, and promotes resiliency in the body. Without it, we cannot thrive and optimal immune function becomes almost impossible!
We have a very valuable tool available to help us simultaneously address all three of these critical pieces – stress, anxiety and sleep – that can make the difference in having a strong, robust immune system that is primed and ready when needed.
That tool is Full Spectrum Hemp Flower CBD oil, and here is how it can help:
- Sleep: CBD has been shown to improve sleep quality, sleep scores and has therapeutic potential for the treatment of insomnia. PMID: 30624194, 28349316
- Stress: The Endocannabinoid System is crucial for hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis regulation, stress buffering and adaptation. With the modulating effects of CBD on endocannabinoid receptors and endocannabinoids, it has the ability to influence this master regulatory system and ultimately improve the stress response. PMID: 23108553, 26780604, 24035186
- Anxiety: By raising anandamide, CBD is acutely anxiolytic. CBD also modulates the expression of serotonin, norepinephrine, and GABA, thereby reducing feelings of anxiety. PMID: 31030284
Because dosing of CBD is highly individualized due to variances in metabolism, genetics, health status and underlying endocannabinoid tone, the best practice guidelines are to start with a low dose and slowly titrate up until one’s own optimal dose is achieved. Generally, Full Spectrum Hemp Flower CBD oil is taken once or twice daily.
Wishing the best for the health and safety of all,
© Copyright 2020, Dr. Karen Hufnagl
