What is the Endocannabinoid System?
The Endocannabinoid System (ECS) is a relatively new discovery – first found by scientists in the mid 1990’s. It is a detailed pathway of receptors throughout the central nervous system (brain and spine) and the organs of the body. The receptors have the important function of regulating or modulating equilibrium or homeostasis within the body. They play a role with many systems including (but not limited too) the immune, cognitive, digestive, neurological and musculoskeletal. It is thought that in disease or illness states, that cannabinoids can target receptors where they may be dysfunction or dysregulation, create balance and help to restore homeostasis. This may bring symptom relief. All humans and animals have an ECS.
The human body is clever, and we make our own endocannabinoids when needed. The body is so clever that when we don’t need them anymore, it doesn’t store them for later (and therefore build them up in our systems), it removes them. Sometimes disease, illness, environment, diet and many other things can affect how we make cannabinoids
Cannabinoids
There are over a 100 varieties of cannabinoids (or Phytocannabinoids) in the cannabis plant, and scientists are still counting and discovering more. There are also compounds such as terpenes and flavonoids that can enhance the effect of the cannabinoids have on the ECS.
