CBD and Traditional Medicine Systems
What do Ayurveda and Traditional Chinese Medicine think of CBD?
CBD has been around for thousands of years, so it makes sense that traditional and alternative medicine systems would have known about its potential. As it turns out, the Chinese have known about CBD since 2800 BC, while Ayurveda practitioners have been aware of this cannabinoid since 3000 BC.
In recent years, CBD has become a popular remedy in the wellness world. Scientific studies and trials are trying to understand its properties and see if it can be used to help with conditions like anxiety, depression, inflammation, insomnia, etc.
At the same time, many people are following traditional medicine systems, particularly for issues like stress and pain management. They are concerned that these long-running conditions are not fully understood by modern medicine. They are also worried that modern medication comes with unpleasant side effects, hence people’s turn towards traditional medicine systems.
The 21st century seems to be when modern medicine meets traditional medicine systems regarding the potential effectiveness of CBD. Perhaps ancient medicine practices, developed over thousands of years, can help us understand CBD’s potential and whether it can be used in conjunction with these systems. By bridging the gap between cutting-edge cannabis research and ancestral healing wisdom, we open up new possibilities for holistic health.
Historical context
The use of cannabis and its compounds, including CBD, has roots that stretch back millennia across various cultures.
Ancient civilizations from China to Egypt and India have documented the use of cannabis for medicinal purposes. Interestingly enough, they used CBD for the same purposes as we do today, such as mental balance, indigestion, inflammation, pain management, skin health, etc. Egyptians, Ancient Greeks, and Ancient Romans used CBD for wound healing and pain management, while indigenous Americans consumed CBD to alleviate pain-related conditions.
Ayurvedic perspective
In Ayurveda, the ancient Indian system of medicine, balance is key to your good health.
CBD’s potential to promote homeostasis aligns well with this philosophy. Ayurveda emphasises the importance of the balance of mind and body. Its practitioners already considered CBD to be a balancing natural remedy thousands of years before we knew about the human endocannabinoid system (ECS). In this traditional medicine system, CBD is used to help with inflammation, anxiety, stress, and pain management—exactly the same features that modern science suggests CBD may help with.
Ayurvedic practitioners consider CBD in relation to the three doshas — Vata, Pitta, and Kapha — and study how it helps balance these energies. CBD could be compared to traditional Ayurvedic herbs like Ashwagandha or Brahmi, which are used for stress relief and cognitive function.
This medicine system stresses that the mind and body must be at peace and work harmoniously. When this belief system is combined with CBD’s calming effects, they work together towards a holistic approach to wellness. CBD can thus work hand-in-hand with other Ayurvedic practices like yoga and meditation to deliver what many modern people require: inner peace and balance.
The Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) approach
Traditional Chinese Medicine, with its focus on Qi (life force) and the balance of yin and yang, offers an intriguing lens through which to view CBD. As with many alternative medicine systems, a major part of healing is to balance the mind and body. Towards that end, CBD can be a helpful ally.
There is a long history of CBD consumption in traditional Chinese medicine. The Chinese used CBD for sleep and anaesthesia, mental health, and pain management. The Chinese also knew the difference between CBD and THC and managed to isolate seeds and fibres from hemp strains they had selectively bred for specific purposes.
TCM practitioners explore how CBD affects the flow of Qi through the body’s meridians, which can influence overall health and well-being. CBD could be compared to traditional Chinese herbs like Ginseng or Reishi mushroom, which are used to promote balance and vitality.
Traditional Chinese medicine often uses acupuncture. There is increasing interest and some research regarding how acupuncture and CBD can work together to restore the body’s homeostasis and balance the endocannabinoid system. They appear to boost each other to deliver improved results and a better overall health balance.
If acupuncture and CBD can work together, perhaps this will open new avenues regarding pain management, stress, and other conditions that still afflict many people.
Other traditional systems
Beyond Ayurveda and traditional Chinese medicine, many other traditional healing systems worldwide have used CBD as a means to help with several health conditions. This is hardly surprising, as hemp is easy to grow and its cultivation has been found almost across the globe. No wonder then that so many native civilisations and cultures have used it as a medicinal tool.
For example, ancient texts in Bangladesh show that local communities used CBD and hemp for sleep problems, to balance the central nervous system (CNS), and for other health conditions like rheumatism and infection. Interestingly, these people used the hemp leaves, where a lot of the CBD actually resides, as opposed to the stalk or the root.
And indigenous American traditions included CBD in their health toolbox to manage pain in various situations, including childbirth pain.
As for Africa, hemp was first introduced by the Arabs. Since then, Africans discovered how CBD could help with ailments. Like many other pre-modern medicine systems, African communities applied CBD to their holistic health applications, again with the same goals as so many other communities, such as mental health, sleep, and pain management.
Modern integrative approaches
As interest in both CBD and traditional medicine grows, innovative practitioners are finding ways to combine these approaches.
Since traditional medicine systems work together with CBD to boost their holistic health approach and balance body and mind, some integrative health practitioners are incorporating CBD into health plans alongside acupuncture, herbal remedies, and exercise. This fusion of ancient and modern could lead to more personalized and effective treatments.
Major health concerns for people around the world
What are most people’s major health concerns? According to research, many people are aware of their mental health and feel that stress, depression, and anxiety are causing them trouble. Others find that chronic conditions become important as they grow up. Sleep quality, stress management, and cognitive health are also high on the agenda.
Where conventional medicine meets alternative approaches
While conventional medicine has given us outstanding tools to fight many diseases, many people think some gaps are unfilled. An interesting 2021 survey showed that people with fibromyalgia were substituting CBD for their conventional medication. The reason? They felt that CBD helped them manage their pain more effectively without the side effects of conventional medicine. Ultimately, those who switched to CBD reported improved health and less pain.
Modern medicine has done wonders to boost people’s life expectancy and quality of life. Without modern surgery, antibiotics or cancer treatments, millions of lives would have been lost.
However, something is still missing. People are looking for something natural yet effective to manage conditions and issues that they feel modern medicine isn’t efficiently tackling. Life is challenging, and sometimes, we need something to help us manage it. Accordingly, an increasing number of people are looking for ways to calm their minds and regain their inner peace. That’s where CBD bridges the gap between conventional medicine and traditional health systems.
The intersection of CBD and traditional medicine systems
The intersection of CBD and traditional medicine systems opens up possibilities for healthcare. Researchers can develop new CBD-based formulations incorporating traditional herbs for synergistic effects that are more potent than either approach alone.
There is also room to assess how mix-and-match approaches like acupuncture, meditation, yoga, and other practices, together with CBD, may deliver what people are looking for. Most alternative medicine systems focus on how the body requires balance and harmony, which is exactly how CBD acts. This uniformity of goals is the perfect stepping stone for health aims that fall slightly off conventional medicine.
As more trials and surveys around CBD are giving us more insight into its potential, we can integrate it with medicine more efficiently. This will benefit both modern medicine and alternative medicine systems. In this combination of old and new, we just might find the key to a more balanced and integrative approach to health in our challenging world.
If you wish to try CBD for yourself, talk to your GP and check out our reviews for the best UK CBD oil brands and the best UK CBD stores to ensure that you get the purest, safest CBD products!
Nicholas Rossis, PhD is a specialized, NSF-trained writer who has written hundreds of posts on CBD and nutritional supplements. His work combines critical acclaim with the analysis of the latest news, studies, research, and legal developments in the world of CBD, providing readers with valuable data and insights.
