Menopause is one of the most significant changes that a woman’s body goes through. In fact, the period after puberty is supposed to be very critical in a woman’s life. Well, if you get a medical marijuana card online, managing the condition can be much easier. That’s because, with an MMJ card, you can access cannabis that you can use to manage symptoms of menopause like pain, mood swings, hot flashes, insomnia, and fatigue. Before we understand how cannabis works, let us understand a bit more about menopause.
What is Menopause?
Menopause is defined as a time when a woman’s menstrual cycle ends. It usually occurs in the age between 40s and 50s. The most common age is 51. Usually, it occurs in three stages:
- Perimenopause: This stage occurs before the onset of menopause. The body starts undergoing subtle changes like slow estrogen production. This means that the body is preparing for menopause.
- Menopause: The 12 month period after the woman’s last period is known as menopause. Ovulation stops and the estrogen levels plummet.
- Postmenopause: This starts after the menopause ends and the symptoms subside resulting in balance within the body.
The Endocannabinoid System and Menopause
The endocannabinoid system is a network of receptors, endocannabinoids, and enzymes present throughout the body. Cannabis is able to sketch the necessary effects on the body through the mechanism of the endocannabinoid system. In other words, it helps in establishing homeostasis within the body. Well, estrogen is closely linked to the ECS because it regulates the fatty acid hydrolase enzyme (FAAH) that breaks down the cannabinoids. As a result, the estrogen levels have a direct impact on the functioning of the ECS. This means that if the estrogen levels rise, the ECS does too, and vice versa.
Studies show that estrogen uses endocannabinoids to manage mood as well as an emotional response. This explains the incidence of mood swings during menopause. So, by using cannabis, you can give the endocannabinoid system the much-needed boost.
How Can Cannabis Help?
Cannabis has the necessary medicinal properties that make it highly effective in managing multiple health conditions. This makes it an effective choice for managing the symptoms of menopause. Here is how it can help:
Pain
Menopause pain can be evident in the form of breast tenderness, migraines, joint pain, intercourse discomfort, and menstrual cramping. All this can combine to make everything challenging for you. Well, cannabis contains anti-inflammatory agents like THC and CBD which work great in reducing pain. Cannabis is much better than prescription medicines that come with harmful side-effects.
Hot Flashes
Hot Flashes can be pretty hard to handle. Well, with the help of cannabis, you can manage it with ease. That’s because THC produces a temperature decreasing effect on the body. This is known as hypothermia and it brings the body temperature down providing much-needed relief against hot flashes.
Insomnia
Hot flashes are closely linked to insomnia. That’s because it can be difficult to sleep in the presence of night sweats. Well, cannabis is a great sleep aid. Strains like Indica produce sedative effects on the body. So, it can help in relaxing your body to the core and inducing good sleep.
Mood Swings
When you ingest cannabis, the active compounds interact with the endocannabinoid receptors to channel a flow of feel-good hormones in the body. This works in regulating the mood and inducing a feeling of happiness. So, it works great in regulating the mood.
Weight Gain
Cannabis is usually synonymous with increasing your appetite. You must have heard about the munchies. Well, there are hundreds of cannabis strains and each one produces a different effect. Our focus here is on the cannabinoids. THC produces potent effects in the form of high which also leads to the hunger hormone called ghrelin. On the contrary, cannabinoids like THCV can actually suppress the appetite. So, this can work great in reducing menstrual weight gain.
Well, before you decide to use cannabis for managing the symptoms of menopause, get a medical marijuana card online. It gives you the legal right to access cannabis from state-certified dispensaries. So, get the best strains and enhance your health.