Famous Greek philosopher, scientist and one of the founders of modern free-thinking, Aristotle, once said: “In all things of nature there is something of the marvelous”. You’ll likely not find truer words than those spoken by one of the world’s most prolific thinkers! However, today, we often overlook the fact that anything natural might also potentially harbor impacts that, though marvelous, are not necessarily good for our bodies.
The quest for miracle cures
Since the dawn of time, humans have been on an endless quest to find miracle cures for every ailment known to mankind. From the common cold to headaches, to restlessness and sleeplessness and stress, and from rashes to cancer. Sadly, all those efforts, that usually revolved around ingesting, injecting, inhaling or applying natural “remedies”, never seemed to have worked.
Thousands of years later, we still suffer from headaches, migraines, aches and pains. But interestingly though, that has not stopped the endless claims of a breakthrough cure of all ills. Not a year goes by when someone very clever comes up with yet another natural remedy for one or the other of the thousands of illnesses out there.
With marijuana and cannabis legalized in many parts of the western world, now, the holy grail of curing major aliments seems to lie in yet another naturally-available substance – CBD oil, a derivative of the cannabis plant. As the claims by CBD’s proponents go, because products like CBD oil (and related products) are free from harmful chemicals, they really work! The logic is that anything natural, devoid of synthetic additives, is good for the body. Or is it?
- Firstly, the whole “CBD thing” is just attempting to gain mainstream status. Proponents of the “cure” swear by everything under the sun that it works. But, because it’s too new, one should take those assertions with a grain of salt
- Next, there’s still the need to get indisputable scientific proof that these naturally-sourced products don’t cause after effects on our bodies in the long run. Regarding the health benefits of cannabinoids, senior members of the U.S. FDA are on record saying that “…the enthusiasm and the commercial appeal have outpaced the scientific research.” Despite all the claims made by product sellers, the FDA cautions “The science needs to catch up”
Without credible, independent scientific proof, that such natural substances work, it wouldn’t be prudent to embrace them on the say-so of individuals and companies who sell them. Even if there’s a modicum of doubt about their efficacy, it’s worth avoiding these “miracle cures” for the time being.
Learning from history
Another prolific scholar of our times, George Bernard Shaw, once said: We learn from history that we learn nothing from history! Once again, our approach to understanding and embracing miracle cures today seems to confirm what GBS said all those years ago. To understand why the scientists at the FDA urge caution over embracing any miracle cures, all we need to do is look at some historical examples.
The common drug Aspirin has been deemed a “miracle” drug for many years. It sources its core ingredient, salicylic acid, from the naturally grown Spiraea shrub, which lays claims to having properties that lowers heart diseases and other modern-day illnesses. We also find Salicylic acid in other of nature’s productions, including clover, willow, jasmine and other trees and grasses.
So, that confirms it, right: Everything natural is good for our bodies? Well…perhaps not!
There is credible evidence that drugs like Aspirin, though good for some people most of the time, might always not be suitable for everyone. There’s research that warns of “…the risk of gastrointestinal complications” and other complexities. What is a common OTC “go to” pill for headaches, body aches, fever and pains, and has been for almost a century, is now known to act as a blood thinner. What this means is that, under the right circumstances, long-term use of aspirin may cause unstoppable bleeding as a result of even minor cuts and injuries.
But CBD and its derivatives are different, right? They are a proven reliever of aches and pains – right? Well, once again, let’s look at the whole picture, not just what the industry-backers want us to see.
It’s claimed that naturally-sourced cannabinoids are the next miracle “go to” drug for anyone suffering from acute headaches and crushing migraines. So, what does current research tell us about that claim. It pretty much endorses the “headache reliever” part of that claim. That’s good news, right? But there’s more.
The same research also concluded that: “…cannabinoids were only effective against acute cluster headaches if a person had experienced migraine attacks as a child.” And that means that, despite the blanket statements made by some parties at interest that anything natural can only be good for you – it’s not! Under very specific situations, naturally-sourced substances like CBD oils might work for you. But then again, they might do you more harm than good.
Summing it all
And so, as we began this post with a quote from Aristotle, it’s only fair that we end with another wise gem from him: The whole is more than the sum of its parts. Products such as CBD Oil and CBD Edibles are certainly a part of nature – but that doesn’t mean anything natural is always good for your body. Before embracing these products, one fares better considering the whole picture.
When encouraging jumping on the Cannabis bandwagon, proponents of the craze typically focus on only part of the glamour and bling associated with such products – pain relief, alleviation from stress, a good night’s sleep. Considered individually, who wouldn’t want to experience such benefits.
But with so much at stake for your body, don’t be so quick to embrace these miracle cures. Look at the whole picture, including the idea of suppressing versus addressing symptoms, and the notion of short-term pain relief versus potential longer-term side effects. Don’t let only some of the claims sway you. Wait for the science to catch up before you get the whole picture.