Rest Assured: With Support, the Body Can Detox Itself
It is a common compensation tactic when overburdened with life to give in to convenience foods, forgo physical activity, and not get enough rest. With one bad decision leading to another, being depleted and 'running on fumes' becomes a default state for many. When patients stray into the weeds of poor lifestyle choices, taking a break from or ridding the body of unhealthy substances can be a worthwhile undertaking. There are a multitude of ways to head things off at the pass and detoxing is one of them. With a focus on cleansing and replenishing, detoxing can relieve the body of noxious and unnecessary burdens. It can also serve as a very necessary course correction.
Detox While Dreaming
When executed appropriately, a detoxification program may allow the body to feel as if it is sighing with relief; but being overzealous, especially when spent or overburdened, may make matters worse. Best implemented during low stress times and when rest can be prioritized, the decision to either go-for-it despite hectic lives, or to put detoxing on the back burner is common. Luckily, there is a gentler approach that can be just as effective.
When considering what detox approach to pursue, those who are struggling the most are often drawn to what is novel and extreme, but often overlooked is something done every day (or night)–sleep. Most people know this and may even be fatigued by it as a subject (pun intended), but arguably, there are few things (if any) as replenishing and cleansing as sound sleep.
Sleep impacts everything from hormone1 and neurotransmitter production2-4 immunity,4-6 inflammation,5 to removing toxins from the brain.7 Getting consistent quality sleep promotes consumption of fewer calories, regulates glucose metabolism and decreases risk for obesity.8
CBD: A Missing Puzzle Piece?
Due to its impact on multiple body systems and its role in bringing about homeostasis, more and more practitioners are giving the Endocannabinoid System (ECS) some attention. The ECS was only recently discovered and has since been fettered with controversy due to legal and medical status. Many are finding that supporting the ECS can be that elusive missing piece to the puzzle for a broad range of conditions9-12 including disordered sleep.13-14
Although patients may never have heard of the ECS, chances are good they have heard about cannabinoids (CBDs). Usually intrigued (as it is a hot topic these days), patients are often unsure about use, application, and interactions. Practitioners in-the-know are in an ideal position to assist patients with how best to use CBDs as either a supportive intervention or as an adjunct or alternative to certain medications, as inappropriate CBD use may be ineffectual or even detrimental.
Educating patients about the ECS and homeostasis, as well as ECS dysfunction related to stress, aging, toxin exposure, genetics, and other factors, is generally well-received and opens the door to recommendations of supplemental plant-derived CBDs as a complement to lifestyle interventions and to support natural detoxification via supporting a good night's rest. Not only does nurturing the ECS impact homeostasis15-17 and the detoxing sleep processes,13-14 but also modifies pain18-19 anxiety20-21 and inflammation9,19 which keep many from sleeping in the first place.
Supporting good sleep is important for health and detoxification, as research describing the benefits of quality sleep is considerable. Research is also showing that supporting the ECS with CBDs may assist in maintaining healthy balance. When assisting patients looking for plant-derived ECS support through CBD products, look for full spectrum (whole plant), organic, and higher concentration (milligrams of CBDs per milliliter). For CBD products supportive of sleep, look also for the presence of calming terpenes, such as myrcene and linalool.
References
Kim TW, Jeong JH, Hong SC. The impact of sleep and circadian disturbance on hormones and metabolism. Int J Endocrinol, 2015;2015:591729.
Datta S. Cellular and chemical neuroscience of mammalian sleep. Sleep Med, 2010;11(5):431–440.
Van Dort CJ, Baghdoyan HA, Lydic R. Neurochemical modulators of sleep and anesthetic states. Int Anesthesiol Clin, 2008;46(3):75–104.
Ly S, Pack AI, Naidoo N. The neurobiological basis of sleep: Insights from Drosophila. Neurosci Biobehav Rev, 2018;87:67–86.
Imeri L, Opp MR. How (and why) the immune system makes us sleep. Nat Rev Neurosci, 2009;10(3):199–210.
Krueger JM, Obal FJ, et al. The role of cytokines in physiological sleep regulation. Ann NY Acad Sci, 2001;933:211–221.
Xie L, Kang H, Xu Q, et al. Sleep drives metabolite clearance from the adult brain. Science, 2013; 342(6156):373–377.
Spiegel K, Tasali E, Leproult R, Van Cauter E. Effects of poor and short sleep on glucose metabolism and obesity risk. Nat Rev Endocrinol, 2009;5(5):253–261.
Nagarkatti P, Pandey R, Rieder SA, Hegde VL, Nagarkatti M. Cannabinoids as novel anti-inflammatory drugs. Future Med Chem, 2009;1(7):1333–1349.
Benyo Z, Ruisanchez E, Leszl-Ishiguro M, Sandor P, Pacher P. Endocannabinoids in cerebrovascular regulation. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol, 2016;310(7):H785–H801.
Walker OS, Holloway AC, Raha S. The role of the endocannabinoid system in female reproductive tissues. J Ovarian Res, 2019;12(1):3.
Acharya N, Penukonda S, Shcheglova T, Hagymasi AT, Basu S, Srivastava PK. Endocannabinoid system acts as a regulator of immune homeostasis in the gut. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA, 2017;114(19):5005–5010.
Hillard CJ. Circulating Endocannabinoids: From Whence Do They Come and Where are They Going? Neuropsychopharmacology, 2018;43(1):155–172.
Kola B, Farkas I, Christ-Crain M, et al. The orexigenic effect of ghrelin is mediated through central activation of the endogenous cannabinoid system. PLoS ONE 3: e1797, 2008.
Silvestri C, Di Marzo V. The endocannabinoid system in energy homeostasis and the etiopathology of metabolic disorders. Cell Metab, 2013; 17: 475–490.
Woodhams SG, Chapman V, Finn DP, Hohmann AG, Neugebauer V. The cannabinoid system and pain. Neuropharmacology, 2017;124:105–120.
Donvito G, Nass SR, Wilkerson JL, et al. The Endogenous Cannabinoid System: A Budding Source of Targets for Treating Inflammatory and Neuropathic Pain. Neuropsychopharmacology, 2018;43(1):52–79.
Zanelati TV, Biojone C, Moreira FA, Guimarães FS, Joca SR. Antidepressant-like effects of cannabidiol in mice: possible involvement of 5-HT1A receptors. Br J Pharmacol, 2010 Jan; 159(1):122-8.
Lee JLC, Bertoglio LJ, Guimarães FS, Stevenson CW. Cannabidiol regulation of emotion and emotional memory processing: relevance for treating anxiety-related and substance abuse disorders. Br J Pharmacol, 2017;174(19):3242–3256.
As modern medical standardization continues, the field of traditional Chinese medicine has the advantage of comprehensive personalization. For rare or complex cases, deeper consideration of constitution is invaluable. Proper constitutional assessment, especially with first-time clients, can guide desirable and predictable outcomes. This leads to a higher rate of return, and greater trust between you and your patient.
Though the creation of a financially sustainable, health-promoting model feels far away today, we are casting a vision for a full return on health, believing that this compels us to keep one foot firmly rooted in caring for the sick and the other foot firmly founded in maintaining health. Shifting from a fee-for-service model to value-based care using a phased approach is paramount.
Traditional Chinese medicine and the Vedic traditions both offer rich frameworks for understanding human health, emphasizing the balance of physical, mental, and spiritual aspects. The concept of "souls" or spiritual components in TCM, namely Hun, Po, Shen, Yi, and Zhi, bears significant similarities to the yogic concept of koshas. Their similarities and differences provide insights into how these systems contribute to holistic health practices.
