CBD & Women’s Health

Let’s explore the many facets of a woman’s body that has the potential to be positively-influenced through the use of CBD (cannabidiol). As a woman, it may sometimes feel that the volatile combination of our DNA and millennia of evolution is largely stacked against us. Not only are we considered smaller and weaker than our male counterparts (something that we’re fighting an uphill battle against tirelessly since the dawn of time), we also have a myriad of female-exclusive health issues that can also plague us on a daily basis. From debilitating menstrual cramps to wildly erratic mood patterns that can appear and vanish with seemingly no warning, it can be downright challenging to be a female sometimes.

To make it worse, doctors have either outright dismissed our health concerns – writing them off as “hysteria” or malingering – or they only offered lackluster treatment options that were questionable at best and dangerous at worst. While we’re finally starting to get the recognition and validation that we deserve for being intelligent and capable beings, we’re still falling starkly behind on getting the medical care we both require and deserve for our gender-exclusive medical concerns.

The fact is, we need to be our own advocates. We need to learn to not only speak up against the mistreatment we face at the hands of careless and dismissive doctors, we also need to be proactive in finding ways to empower ourselves and regain our health. While mood swings and cramps may not seem like a big deal to those who don’t experience them, for those of us who do deal with with them during our monthly cycles, we immediately recognize that safe and quantifiable relief from them is something that we urgently need.

Enter: cannabidiol. Also known as CBD, cannabidiol can be the answer we seek to help us finally get a break from our seemingly-incessant female health concerns. This non-psychoactive compound found in the hemp plant has been demonstrated to have its own incredible health benefits, giving those who partake in it an avenue to finally get remission from an assortment of health concerns. Of course, while these benefits are amazing on their own, they are also easily translated from aiding the general public to actually targeting the issues that we of the fairer sex must contend.

CBD and Menstrual Pain

If you’ve ever wondered what causes painful periods and menstrual cramps, then you should know that you have prostaglandins to thank. These chemicals, which are released by your uterus during your period, tell your body that it’s time to shed your uterine lining to help your body prepare for yet another reproductive cycle. Prostaglandins has been shown to cause both pain and inflammation in your body, and while they play a vital role in regulating your reproductive cycle, they can also make you feel completely miserable during your menstrual period.

Also known as dysmenorrhea, this monthly pain may seem like the inevitable price we pay to be female. This misconception carries no weight in the presence of CBD, though. Fortunately, dysmenorrhea has been shown to be greatly lessened by the introduction of a CBD protocol. Studies have shown that CBD acts directly upon the receptors that cause this pain, not only suppressing them, but also lending an impressive anti-inflammatory effect, as well. The result? You’ll have markedly less inflammation and pain during your period, leading to a significant reduction in discomfort and cramps. One such CBD product, specifically designed to help with menstrual pain, can be purchased at Foria Wellness.

CBD and Sexual Dysfunction

For some, getting sexually aroused can be as simple as a combination of either visual or manual stimulation. For the rest of us, though, it may not be that straightforward. Whether we feel too stressed out and anxious to actually get in the mood, or we’re able to get into it but we can’t actually get there, there are many factors that come into play that can have a direct effect on our ability to enjoy sex.

Here’s the thing: if you’re not feeling it, then it’s just not happening. Studies have shown that anxiety is one of the biggest libido killers, and having anxious thoughts racing around inside your head can quickly squash any desire to be intimate with your partner. While some people have found relief from their anxiety disorders through prescription medications, these can often come with their own unwanted and potentially dangerous side effects (including, ironically, a decreased sex drive). CBD, on the other hand, has been demonstrated to provide ongoing and serious relief from anxiety…without all of these ugly side effects that are so common with prescription anxiety drugs. At Lord Vaper Pens, we’re always on the hunt to find unique products that potentially assist with certain conditions. One such product is Blue Moon Hemp’s CBD Oral Spray “Super Sex” arousal formula, which you can purchase Here.

But what if you’re in the mood, but you’re not able to actually achieve an orgasm? CBD can also help you there, too. CBD has been shown to be a vasodilator, which means that you’ll have increased blood flow to your nether regions, vastly increasing your chance of achieving a stronger orgasm. Even better, you’ll also want to get there, too. The people at Foria Wellness have researched, and formulated, products specifically-designed for women to assist with arousal. Your reproductive system is teeming with cannabinoid receptors, and CBD has been shown to act directly upon them. By taking it regularly, you’ll find yourself feeling more aroused, less anxious, and actually getting the orgasm you deserve when you get down to business with your partner.

 

CBD and Hormonal Acne

If your period doesn’t make you feel bad enough already, your body often likes to sweeten the deal by throwing in a bonus gift each month, whether you want it or not. In addition to pain, cramps, and bloating that like to herald the arrival of your monthly visitor, the fluctuations in your hormones every month are also often accompanied by a rash of painful acne breakouts, as well. Caused by the spikes in your male hormones (and yes, women do have male hormones, too), these androgens increase your sebum production and inflammation levels, causing a nasty breakout to appear on your chin and jawline.

Many people have turned to harsh creams and oral medications (such as the highly controversial and potentially deadly isotretinoin) to remedy their acne breakouts. For those of you who are wanting to avoid these strong medications and want to take a more natural approach to your hormonal acne, CBD can help. CBD not only lowers the levels of these male hormones, reducing your risk of breaking out, it also helps target other key acne triggers. It can reduce sebum production and has been shown to have promise in killing the bacteria (Propionibacterium acnes) that has been shown to cause acne.

Plus, since acne is often considered a disease of inflammation, and because CBD has been shown to target inflammation, the risk of developing acne during your menstrual cycle can be greatly lessened. All in all, taking CBD for your hormonal breakouts can be a great way to help you have clear skin, no matter what time of the month it is!

CBD and Menopause

After a lifetime of dealing with mood fluctuations, dysmenorrhea, and hormonal acne, there must be a light at the end of the tunnel that finally signals that your menstrual health woes are coming to an end. Known as menopause, this is the stage in a woman’s life that marks the transition into no longer being of childbearing age. As we get older, our bodies will eventually stop releasing eggs from our ovaries. This gradual cessation of your body’s egg production also causes your body to stop releasing progesterone and estrogen. While this can mean that you’re less likely to deal with vexing period problems, it can also mean that a whole new set of problems are on the horizon.

Menopause is often punctuated by its own problems, chiefly hot flashes, mood swings, and sleep problems. For many women, these issues can verge on being unbearable. While doctors have been showing a tepid effort in trying to find ways to help make this stage of life easier for women, the progress on it has been appallingly slow and inadequate. That’s why CBD has been shown to be one of the best natural treatments for the problems associated with menopause.

One of the biggest difficulties that women report facing when it comes to menopause is their hot flashes. While the precise cause of these hot flashes (known as vasomotor symptoms) isn’t very well understood by the medical community, researchers do have their suspicions as to what can trigger them. In the case of menopausal related hot flashes, hormones shoulder much of that blame. Doctors have recently learned that taking SSRIs (such as paroxetine and citalopram) can reduce the frequency and intensity of these hot flashes while also offering pa.

The downside? These SSRIs are known to carry their own adverse effects, making many women understandably not want to take them. For women who are wanting to get natural and safe treatment for their hot flashes, without all of those awful side effects, CBD may hold the solution to their symptoms. CBD works on the same part of the brain that responds to SSRIs, which means that it can parallel these helpful benefits without any of the negative pitfalls. In turn, your hot flashes will be greatly reduced while your mood is simultaneously improved.

As for sleep disturbances, many women who are experiencing menopause report that their quality of sleep has greatly suffered since its onset. The cause of these problems is believed to be linked to fluctuating hormones that also cause poor mood and hot flashes. For women who are struggling with falling asleep and staying asleep during and after menopause, CBD can help. CBD has been shown to help lead to better sleep while simultaneously reducing the symptoms of anxiety in those who take it, leading to significant improvement in quality of life in those who use it regularly.

 

CBD and Women’s Health: A Discussion

As women, we can all agree that we have our own share of unique burdens and health issues that are directly related to our biological sex. From heavy and painful periods (which often like to show up just in time for important events), to a blight of unsightly blemishes on our faces during our periods and (of course) the grand finale of menopause, our lives seem to be punctuated by a series of gender-specific menstrual health concerns that can make it seem as though we’re being punished for being born with ovaries.

To put it bluntly, being a female can definitely suck. But we don’t have to suffer in silence any longer. By taking charge of our own health, we can take the steps in managing these ongoing problems, finally giving ourselves the opportunity to finally get safe and lasting relief from these chronic health concerns. CBD isn’t just for general health; it’s for women’s health, too. As women, we deserve to feel good in our own bodies, no matter what stage of life we are in. And if CBD can help us lead better, happier, healthier lives? Then it’s an all-around winner, no matter how you approach it.