It has been described by researchers as perhaps the most important physiological system involved in establishing and maintaining human health – a ‘master control system’ that regulates the activity of every organ and tissue in the human body.
Your gastrointestinal, neurological, cardiovascular and musculo-skeletal systems all interact with it, as well as your skin, inner organs and lipids. Yet, most of us have never heard of it.
We’re talking about the Endocannabinoid System, also known as the Endogenous Cannabinoid System or “ECS” – named after the Cannabis plant that led to its discovery in 1992. It is comprised of at least two cannabinoid receptors, CB-1 and CB-2, anandamide and a vast newtork of neurons and tissues throughout your body.
The goal is to maintain inner homeostasis
“In each bodily tissue, the ECS performs a different task, but the goal is always the same: homeostasis: the maintenance of a stable and healthy internal environment necessary for survival despite fluctuations in the external environment,” says natural health educator Angela Arena, founder of Kind Lab and an expert in the application of therapeutic plant-derived extracts.
Arena says we can think of the ECS as our body’s “root level” operating system—a kind of central processing unit that regulates and alters the functioning of many other important systems and keeps them in balance.
“The ECS produces chemical messengers called endocannabinoids that communicate with receptor sites throughout the body to control such things as appetite, immune response, metabolic health, inflammation and pain levels, blood pressure, bronchial dilation, and over-stimulated nerves. Those are all huge factors influencing how we function on a daily basis, “says Arena.
Arena adds that researchers are now linking the ECS to an increasing number of functions in various organ systems.
Endocannabinoid deficit syndrome
“Studies indicate that modulating the health and function of the ECS holds promise for treating a wide range of pathological conditions from mood and anxiety disorders to hypertension, to movement disorders such as Parkinson’s, to obesity to metabolic syndrome and more,” says Arena.
Arena says due to poor diet, stress, lack of exercise, drug abuse, environmental toxins, or genetic factors, an individual can develop an endocannabinoid deficit – triggering a variety of unwanted physical manifestations. She says that such deficits are correctable by supplementing the diet with plant-derived “cannabinoids”, such as “CBD” extracted from industrial hemp.
“Replenishing your internally-produced endocannabinoids with hemp-derived phytocannabinoids will reboot your ECS and return homeostasis to the body,” says Arena. Once you reset your body’s master control system, it then is able to reset your organs, glands, and tissues back to optimal functionality.
Kind Lab is a plant-based radical wellness company with plant-based solutions for women who prioritize wellness. All products are by women and for women, vegan, cruelty-free, organically grown and certified organic ingredients. Our products are formulated with ethically sourced, quality, CBD-rich hemp extract and plant-based ingredients, and are third party tested for purity and potency.
Angela Arena is a natural health and wellness educator and founder of Kind Lab, a radical wellness company specializing in plant-based solutions formulated to work with and for a woman’s body. Her hemp is sourced from a women-owned farm in Vermont. A “recovering corporate employee,” she burnt herself out to the point where she had extreme insomnia. That’s when she gave hemp a chance. It cured her sleep deprivation, and she began learning everything she could about hemp and became dedicated to sharing what she has learned to help other women better their lives