Homemade medicines #01: Insomnia & Anxiety Remedy - Cannabis & Lavender, Coconut Oil Infusions & Diffusing Essentials Oils

How to prepare The Ultimate Insomnia Remedy with a Cannabis Indica strain, CBD, Lavender and Coconut oil?

After testing out different essential oils (pure herbal extracts) and different strains of Cannabis, I had an idea that maybe we could make even stronger medicine if we combine certain medicinal herbs with certain kinds of medicinal Cannabis strains. Maybe we can make specific natural medicine to target certain illnesses. After digging into the scientific research about the medicinal benefits of Cannabis I quickly discovered that a lot of research is suggesting this plant has a very wide medicinal spectrum. And apparently very potent as well!

So I suggest, if it is good for such a wide range of diseases, why don't we create an infusion of Cannabis oil combined with other medicinal herbs to aim for specific illnesses... this is probably how they made medicine in ancient times (ancient Egypt, ancient Greece,...). So let's use Cannabis as a base for many natural medicines we try to create, if it is possible of course (regarding legality and possibilities)... Check if it is legal in your country...
Try to look for Cannabis strains for your specific conditions for best results. For example you can visit https://www.leafly.com/ to explore strains.

There will be non-psychoactive recipes coming up as well for the people who don't like to be high but still want to be able to use precious medicinal plants in the most effective ways!!! (Check the bottom of the article)

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For today I want to share a recipe for a good night rest, but first let's look at some of the medicinal properties of the different plants.

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Cannabis Indica Strain 1	Cannabis High in CBD Strain 2	Lavender 3
Relaxing	Pain relief	Insomnia
Calming	Anti-inflammatory	Agitation
Body buzz	Antidepressant	Hair-loss
Psycho-active	Non-psycho-active	Antibacterial
Stimulates appetite	Anxiety	Antiviral
Reduces anxiety and pain	Epilepsy	Headache
Sedating	Antipsychotic	Eczema
Sleeping-aid	Nausea and vomiting	Nervous disorders
...	...	...

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What Is Indica?

A strain of cannabis known for having sedative full-body effects, Indica is the preferred choice when you want to relax or to sleep better at night. Medically speaking, if you’re in a lot of pain, suffer from anxiety or have muscle spasms, Cannabis Indica enables you to be more restful so you can recuperate. The other choice is Cannabis Sativa, but that one is for another time because this one has an energizing effect.

What is CBD ?

Cannabidiol or CBD is a cannabinoid present in the Cannabis plant. Its molecular configuration is similar to that of THC, but unlike the latter, CBD has no psychotropic effects (i.e., it causes no sense of intoxication, dizziness or euphoria), which are characteristics more attributable to THC and more generally to the recreational use of Cannabis.

CBD can be used to reduce inflammation, according to a study published in the review  Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry  in February 2015,
CBD is also effective against pain associated with arthritis, according to the study published in October 2015 in the European Journal of Pain .
And so much more...

Lavender Medicinal Studies (Insomnia, Depression & Anxiety...)

A small but promising study found that inhaling lavender essential oil is as effective as tranquilizers in helping elderly people with insomnia sleep (Lancet 1995;346:701).

A double-blind study included 170 people who suffered from restlessness, anxiety, tension, and insomnia.
Some were given a placebo, others were given 80mg capsules of lavender essential oil.
At the end of the 10 week study, people taking the lavender oil improved their anxiety more than those taking the placebo, according to the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAMA). The lavender group’s scores improved from 25.5 to 13.7 while the placebo group improved from 26.5 to 16.9, a significant difference. 48.8% of the lavender group responded versus 33.3% of the placebo group. 31.4% of people on lavender achieved remission from anxiety versus 22.6% on the placebo. Side effects in the 2 groups were comparable, and the lavender—unlike antianxiety drugs—did not cause drowsiness (European Neuropsychopharmacology 2015;doi: 10.1016/j.euroneuro.2015.07.024).

Sources 1,2 & 3

Commen terpene

Lavender and Cannabis have something in common. They both are abundant in the terpene linalool. A terpene is a fancy word for an aroma molecule.

When combined with THC, linalool has potential as a muscle relaxant. When combined with CBD, linalool heightens the cannabinoid’s anticonvulsant properties (antiepileptic). On its own, linalool has anti-inflammatory properties. It also reduces sensitivity to pain.

If you’re making a cannabis topical, adding in a little lavender oil may amp up the relaxing and pain-fighting qualities of the herb. You can also add a little lavender into edibles or cannabis tea to get the benefits of both herbs. Source

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Why Coconut Oil?

The reason is because of the fat content, it is much higher in saturated fat then any other vegetable oil. This means that Coconut oil can absorb a lot more cannabinoids then Olive oil or Hempseed oil for example. If you want to make an oil that gets you high and is medicinal than Coconut oil is very desired.
Don't worry Coconut oil is very healthy, check it out yourself.
For cold extractions (non-psychoactive THCa) I prefer Olive oil. (good for medical use or as a dietary supplement)

Strain choices

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I have been looking into strains specific for insomniacs and found a top 10 list. For example we can take 9 pound hammer to make our psychoactive oil because it has best of both, it is an indica dominant strain and has a little bit of CBD as well.

"Crushing insomnia like a hammer, this no-nonsense indica strain is perfect for insomniacs who can’t escape the prison of their mind while lying in bed. Its mild CBD content is just enough to pacify the mind and relax the body, like a counterweight to the mental speediness sometimes caused by THC. The loud fruity flavors of ripe berry and grapes are just another reason to love this insomnia-crusher appropriately named 9 Pound Hammer". - Leafly.com

For the patients who don't like to be high but still want to use the medicine I suggest you do a 50/50 mix with 25gr. of a high cbd strain and 25gr. of an Indica strain. This will counter act the THC and keeps you from getting too high.

My personal experience is that the CBD redirects the mental aspect of the high and directs this energy more too the body, so the feeling of CBD is more relaxed and with mental clairity without the mental high of THC, although I doubt using only a high CBD strain will put you to sleep, I think you need a little psychoactive effect from a sedative Indica strain to help you drift off. You can experiment yourself with this or if you already have let us know the results in the comment section.

Ingredients

Psychoactive	Less-psychoactive
45gr. Indica strain (e.g. Tahoe OG Kush, Lavender)	25gr. Indica strain
5gr. high CBD strain (e.g. Dynamed)	25gr. high CBD strain
or	~
50gr. Indica CBD strain (e.g. 9 pound hammer)	~
5gr. Dried Lavender flowers	5gr. Dried Lavender flowers
400gr. Coconut Oil	400gr. Coconut Oil

I chose to use 45gr. Indica strain with 5gr. high CBD strain because I only had those available to me, but I think it is even better to find an Indica strain good for sleeping which contains some CBD as well. So let's say we use 50gr. of 9 pound hammer for the recipe because this Indica strain contains some CBD.

Preparation

• First start of with cutting up the flowers (or sugar leaves, use a little bit more in this case) into fine material and put it in a cooking pot.
  (Be careful not to grind it into powder because this is going to leave behind fine plant material in the end result and will make the oil very bitter and unpleasant to consume.)
• Cover the fine cut material with clean drinkable water.
• Heat up the coconut oil to make it liquid.
• Heat up the water with the plant material on a low fire and add the coconut oil.
• Now let the oil steep on a low fire keeping the tempature between 90°C & 100°C for 3 - 6 hours
  (If you want to make the psychoactive potency higher you should decarboxylate your plant material first.)
• Mix every now and then.
• After 3 - 6 hours dim the stove, add the lavender and let it cool down for a couple of hours, meanwhile stir in the pot sometimes.
• Strain the mixture into a bowl or pot and put in the fridge to let the water separate from the oil.
• Next morning the coconut oil will be solid and you can discard the water (use the water for compost).
• Pour the coconut oil into a jar and store in the fridge or a cool dark place (check if there is any water left in the jar when it solidifies because it can rot. So make sure there is no water left in the end result.)

Enjoy the most muscle relaxing Cannabis experience you will ever have...

Check this video for more helpful details on how to create the best medicinal grade oils

Non-psychoactive

For the people who don't want to use the Cannabis plant at all, don't worry, nature has something for you too.
You can just use the essential oil of Lavender, it is very potent on it's own.. and you could add Orange oil as well.
The sent of Orange oil as well has some properties to calm down your mind.

In fact diffusing essential oils is very good for your health.

• Essential oils can refresh the air where you live or work.
• They can inhibit mold growth.
• Used regularly, Aroma oils can prevent microbial infections or inflammations.
• They can help strengthen the immune system.
• They can also remove foul odors like cigarette smoke, molded fruits & vegetables, etc.
• When you inhale, essential oil molecules reach the brain as well. They can affect your nervous system and improve your mood.
• They can also improve oxygen to the brain and all the other organs.
• Essential oils can help you sleep better and relax more often.
• During the cold season, they can help you breathe easier. They can protect against many respiratory infections.
• Combine a massage blend with the diffusion of certain essential oils. That way, you’ll get relief from muscular pain, migraines or sore joints.
• Essential oils can help you focus better during exams or important projects. Diffuse Rosemary essential oil or citrus oils for that purpose.
• Aromatic oils can also help repel bugs, mosquitoes, moths and ants. Diffuse Lavender to keep them away from your home.

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Manual

As you can see they have very powerful properties.
As a new comer to essential oils I suggest you to read
The beginner's guide to essential oils for a more detailed explanation of the safety precautions and the different methods of diffusing. Apparently there are some high technology EO diffusers on the market that are very effective but also more expensive.

How to start?

First of all you will need a diffuser. There are candle diffusers, electric diffusers, ultrasonic diffusers,.... If it is for using as an insomnia remedy, then I would go for the electric diffuser, because this one you can put next to your bed and don't have to worry about burning candles and has a moderate price range. Make sure some fresh air can enter the room, diffusing essential oils can be very strong! First put some water in the diffuser. Depending on how big your room is put 5 - 15 drops, start maybe 5 lavender and 5 orange, or 5 lavender only. If you don't notice it enough put some more. After 25 minutes you should start to feel more relaxed... You can stop diffusing after 30 minutes if you feel it, because too much oil can saturate the air and cause headaches, nausea and overall, aggravate your state. If your room is well ventilated and you don't sleep with the diffuser, you should be fine.

Inhalation is the safest way to enjoy the benefits of your oils and get the relief and relaxation you want. Diffuse your essential oils for 20 – 30 minutes, every two hours and all is okay.
It is known that our smelling receptors become numb after 20 minutes. Under these conditions, it makes the continuous diffusion or Aromatherapy oils a bit useless. Source

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That is it for today, good luck with your aroma therapy adventures and choose...

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This should not be treated as professional medical advise, I am not a trained professional. This is only based on my own experiences and knowledge from research. I suggest you do your own research to check if the information is correct. If you have experiences with these kind of medicinal plants please share your knowledge with us. This is an attempt to start sharing information and experiences with each other, to learn together what is good for us, instead of depending on our pharmaceutical industry who are only about making profit instead of healing people.

To your health...

Mitchiesfoodrace

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Graphic designs are done with the website https://www.canva.com/ and all non-sourced images are 100% my own work.
Images 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 & 8 courtesy of Pixabay