Millions of people across America are consuming marijuana. Some use it for recreational purposes, while others use it for medicinal purposes. The thing to notice here is that there isn’t much research on the benefits and negatives of cannabis.
While you have heard many talking about the benefits of medical marijuana, let’s understand the effects of marijuana on the cardiovascular system. Some research suggests that weed can increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases.
If that’s true, then it’s an alarming situation. It can put millions of lives at risk. However, we can not trust any research blindly, especially if there is only limited research.
In this article, we’ll uncover the link between cannabis use, heart function, and blood pressure levels.
Can cannabis impact your heart health?
There is limited research found on cannabis and heart problems. Some research suggests that using cannabis can cause various heart-related issues. In a study, it was found that people using marijuana are 34% more likely to have coronary artery disease.
But why is it so? Why using cannabis can negatively impact the heart. It is because of the harmful substances that may be present in cannabis. If you have ever used cannabis, you might have experienced that it increases heart rate. This effect can give rise to many heart risks.
Can cannabis impact your blood pressure?
Similar to heart rate, blood pressure immediately increases after consuming cannabis products. Some research claims that cannabis has a negative impact on blood pressure. However, many negate the claim and talk about the potential benefits of cannabis for high blood pressure patients.
A study on 60 older patients with hypertension who are newly prescribed cannabis found that cannabis use has helped them significantly lower their blood pressure.
Conditions That Can Benefit from Medical Marijuana
People consuming marijuana with the following medical conditions are often found talking about the benefits of marijuana:
- Pain management
- Anxiety
- Epilepsy
- Nausea
- Eating disorders
However, it is recommended that people use medical marijuana under expert guidance. Patients must consult medical marijuana doctors near them for symptom assessment and how they can benefit from cannabis use.
How can you improve your heart health and blood pressure naturally?
Here are some lifestyle changes that you must adopt in order to improve your blood pressure and heart health:
1. Adopt healthy diet
Making changes to your diet can significantly improve your heart health. Make sure to add fruits and vegetables and limit the use of salt in your daily routine. Most importantly, you must reduce your intake of sugar to keep your heart healthy.
2. Stay Active
Another way to improve your cardiovascular system is to regularly exercise or stay active. You can perform activities like swimming, cycling, brisk walking, and many others for better blood circulation and heart health.
3. Maintain a healthy weight
If you are obese or overweight, there are higher chances that you may get cardiovascular diseases. The best you can do to prevent such health concerns is to maintain your BMI. But how? You can do it by having a balanced approach to diet and your daily activity.
Conclusion
To sum it all up, we can say that there is limited evidence for the negative effects of marijuana on heart and blood pressure. They may be limited, but you cannot afford to ignore them. So, it is best to be cautious. If you want to use marijuana for your condition, it is best to see a healthcare professional nearby and follow their advice. You can also follow the natural methods to improve your cardiovascular system.