It was hot. It was sunny. It was tropical almost all of September. But unfortunately the summer will come to an
end again this year. We’ve now already passed the first chilly days. An autumn depression is lurking and the
flu season is just around the corner. This, in combination with the COVID-19 virus, ensures that your
resistance can use a boost. A strong immune system is the base for staying healthy.
We are of course a coffeeshop company and not a medical institution. We will never claim that cannabis is
the solution for your ailments. Nevertheless, we keep ourselves very informed about everything that has to
do with cannabis. This makes us firmly convinced that cannabis has beneficial properties. Because we
regularly receive questions about this, we think it’s important to inform everyone properly and we are
happy to share this information with you!
Cannabis for a good immune system
In the last few years, CBD has been on the rise when it comes to improving your health. While THC is seen as
the psychoactive substance that gets you high, CBD seems to be increasingly designated as the substance
with all the medicinal properties. A lot of research is being done into the effects of CBD, including how
exactly it affects your immune system. But THC also has medicinal properties. One of those properties of
THC is that it balances your immune system so that it can function properly.
If you suffer from a cold or the flu, it’s of course not smart to smoke cannabis. Smoking is an attack on your
airways and therefore always inadvisable, but especially if you have a cold! Fortunately, there are several
other ways to consume cannabis, such as with a vaporizer or by eating it. Use it in moderation, when you are
sick in bed it may not be pleasant to be high.
Cannabis for your mental health
Cannabis strains with a high CBD content are known to work well to stabilize your mood and in fighting
feelings of depression. A nice feature, especially in the autumn when the days get shorter, when people get
more tense due to the lack of vitamin D. Our article “the benefits of medicinal cannabis” describes how
cannabis helps with anxiety, depression and stress. Research has shown that daily cannabis users generally
react less heavy to stress.
THC also ensures a reduced stress level and a lower blood pressure. However, this only applies with a very
low (micro) dosage. A high dose could actually have a counterproductive effect. A so-called microdosing can
help achieve the medicinal effect of cannabis without getting high. A study on cannabis and stress reports
that participants felt a decrease in depression and anxiety after just a few puffs, and after more than 10 puffs,
the amount of stress also decreased significantly.
What else can you do
Outside of cannabis, there are more things you can do to get through the autumn. Basically it boils down to
healthy living. So:
- Get enough sleep. A good night’s sleep is important, about 7 to 9 hours a night. Try not to look at a
screen at least half an hour before going to sleep. By maintaining a regular sleep schedule every night,
you let your body know that it’s time to go to bed. - Eat healthy and drink about 2 liters of water per day. Try to eat as much fresh fruit and vegetables as
you can and as little processed food as possible. We all know that processed foods are not good for
you because of all the sugars, bad carbohydrates and chemical fragrances, colors and flavors. This also
affects your resistance because you won’t get all the nutrients you need. - Avoid (too) much stress. Stress can have a major influence on your immune system and digestion when
you experience it for a longer period of time. This is because your body will focus on survival mode and
not on keeping your body healthy, which means that your body is less protected against all kinds of
pathogens. - Get plenty of exercise. Exercise for at least 30 minutes a day. Don’t worry, you don’t have to do this in
one go. Climbing stairs, cycling or just taking the dog out for a walk and before you know you have 30
minutes of exercise. Try to exercise intensively at least twice a week.
Photo by Jakob Owens on Unsplash