Whether you take CBD to be pain free or to assist with sleep, you can support its efficacy with healthy eating. A proper diet supports the therapeutic use of CBD and other cannabinoids. Like CBD, the right food can alleviate the principle causes of many health issues – inflammation. Your diet can either help you boost your ability to fight disease or fuel illness.
The word diet conjures up thoughts of yet another weight loss plan. While you may like to shed a few pounds, we’re talking more about what to eat and the quality. The food we eat can be the solution or part of the problem. A key element of any wellness plan is diet. You are the decision maker regarding what you eat!
This is the first article in our Key Elements of Wellness series.
Why CBD?
There are many reasons why people choose to use CBD and other hemp-based cannabinoids. In a recent study, some of the top reasons include anxiety and stress relief, improved sleep quality, relief of aches and pains and improved mood. Whatever the reason, food helps support use of CBD by reducing inflammation and stress, supporting a proper immune response, and maintaining a healthy digestive system. In other words, it makes you feel better!
Chronic Inflammation
Many underlying ailments are linked to chronic inflammation. Because the signs are difficult to spot, many people don’t find out chronic inflammation is a problem for them until they are diagnosed with a serious illness. While it’s important to look at all sources of inflammation, dietary changes can make a big difference. By choosing to eat an anti-inflammatory diet, you can support your use of CBD. Foods we eat should be clean, unprocessed, and nutrient-dense.
“I can’t think of a disease that does not involve inflammation.” – Akiko Iwasaki, PhD
Sterling Professor of Immunobiology and Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology at Yale University.
Wahl’s Protocol
A nutrient dense diet contains foods high in vitamins and minerals and low in calories. Many of these foods are, you guessed it, fruits, and vegetables. The Wahls Protocol recommends eating 6-9 cups of fruit and vegetables a day! The guidelines were created by Dr. Terry Wahl, who has used food to reverse her Multiple Sclerosis. We can all benefit for her dietary suggestions whether you are trying to manage a chronic disease or just get a bit healthier.
In addition to being nutrient dense, for a diet to be anti-inflammatory it’s important to avoid foods that may trigger a sensitivity. The Wahls Protocol eliminates common food sensitivities like gluten and dairy for 100 days and then reintroduces them one at a time. Other food sensitivities can be identified through either an elimination diet or lab testing.
It’s important to choose meats, fish and dairy that are free from hormones and antibiotics as well as vegetables free from pesticides where possible. To help shoppers make the best purchase, every year, the Environmental Working Group (EWG) analyzes the most recent USDA data to compile its infamous Clean 15 and Dirty Dozen lists. These list the types of fruits and vegetables that tend to be grown with the most and least pesticides, based on the latest available numbers.
THCV for Weight Loss
While one of the main benefits of CBD is its anti-inflammatory properties, if you’re looking to shed a few pounds there is one cannabinoid that might help. THCV is a minor cannabinoid that has therapeutic benefits for appetite control. THCV may sound a bit scary since the cannabinoid still has the “THC” in the name, but THCV does not have the psychoactive effects of its hemp cousin. It acts as an appetite suppressant rather than giving you the munches!
Dietary Commitment
If you choose to make changes to the dietary choices in your daily routine, it takes commitment. As we discussed in a previous blog, James Clear, in his book Atomic Habits spells out a step-by-step method to develop the willpower and self-control and put commitment into practice. He suggests making small incremental changes, trying to become better by 1% every day—or as a friend of mine often says, “inch by inch is a cinch, yard by yard is hard.”
While you have committed to taking CBD to bring your body into balance, boost your efforts by committing to good eating habits that support your health journey!
And, of course, contact our resident expert if you have any questions!