{"componentChunkName":"component---common-build-tags-template-js","path":"/tag/migraines/4","result":{"data":{"allArticle":{"edges":[{"node":{"id":"Article_1954-markdown","title":"Auntie Dolores: The Forefront of the Gourmet Edibles Movement","slug":"auntie-dolores-the-forefront-of-the-gourmet-edibles-movement","content":"[Auntie Dolores](http://auntiedolores.com/), a gourmet cannabis edibles company, was founded by Julianna Carella in 2008. The idea was hatched in the ever popular Dolores Park in San Francisco during a time when the cannabis industry was still in its infancy. Except for the ubiquitous home made ‘pot brownie’ and the odd gummy bear, Julianna was hard pressed to find other edible choices in the marketplace. Inspired by the gourmet foods movement in her hometown, Julianna surged forward to provide gourmet edibles to a sophisticated crowd of cannabis patients and enthusiasts. Auntie Dolores took off quickly and is now represented by hundreds of dispensaries across California with big plans for future expansion. HelloMD spoke with Julianna to get to know more about her company and the philosophy behind it. \r\n\r\n\r\n**When you launched Auntie Dolores, what were your first products offered?**\r\n>The first unique product that became very popular was the savory pretzel. They are vegan and low glycemic. After the pretzels became popular, we developed our chili lime peanuts and the caramel corn. We’ve always had brownies and cookies, which are a staple in most dispensaries. Yet our brownies are vegan, low glycemic, and made with coconut oil and coconut sugar. We wanted to make something that not only tasted great, but was healthier than other products out in the market. We wanted to appeal to a wider clientele with both great flavors and new savory products. At the time we started Auntie Dolores, everything was made with white sugar and white flour and with extremely unhealthy ingredients.\r\n\r\n\r\n**I read on your website that the Latin root of Dolores is ‘Dolore’ which means pain. Naming your company Auntie Dolores is meant to represent anti-pain. When you created your company were you thinking about targeting the medicinal community?**\r\n>Absolutely, there are many, many people who are using cannabis as medicine and we wanted to reach those people. However, we also want to appeal to a wide array of people, whether they are using it for pain management, anxiety, epilepsy, or just to feel good.\r\n\r\n**Is it fair to say that you are aiming to create gourmet foods that are also healthy?**\r\n>Yes. The first thing we always start with is the flavor of our foods. Cannabis can usually be tasted so we are interested in finding ingredients that can mask the flavor of cannabis really well. We have found that the savory products do a great job of that. We also include super-foods in our products because it is a way of making edibles an overall healthier experience. \r\n\r\n>Coconut oil, which is a common ingredient for us, and cannabis have a lot of the same health benefits and they work well together. A lot of the super-foods, like cacao for instance, are really good for you and have a strong flavor that helps to mask the cannabis flavor, so that is an example of how we might select an ingredient. Almost all of our products have coconut oil in them. We love coconut oil! \r\n\r\n**It sounds as if you were ahead of the coconut oil movement which is so popular now.**\r\n>Coconut oil used to get a bad wrap as a saturated fat, but it has a lot of health benefits, as we all know now. It also does a great job of extracting cannabinoids because of the high fat content. We use CO2 extracted cannabis oil infused into coconut oil to bring cannabis into our products.\r\n\r\n\r\n**What is good about CO2 extracted cannabis oil?**\r\n>It is so concentrated so you can really achieve a better flavor with that product, because you are using such a small amount. You end up with high potency, without the flavor of cannabis, which is ideal. With CO2 cannabis oil, you’re using a lot less oil because it is so concentrated which creates more consistent potency and an overall better flavor. \r\n\r\n\r\n**Elderly patients are beginning to discover cannabis as a form of medicine for a variety of ailments. How do you educate  a less experienced patient population on how to use your products effectively and safely?
**\r\n>Over the years we have gained insight into the elderly community and how they use our products. For instance, I recently heard from an elderly woman who told me that she eats one caramel corn a night right before bed to help her sleep. A lot of elderly patients choose to use our products for arthritis, and they tend to only need one or two savory crackers at a time because their tolerance is fairly low. \r\n\r\n>Our products are designed so you can eat a little bit or a lot, but it also depends on the person’s tolerance level. The dosage is on the package, each pretzel has 3 mg so you may only need 3 or 4 of those pretzels to give you a 10 mg dosage, which is often enough. You can experience the analgesic effects without feeling high, if you know how to regulate your dosage. I think people who have had difficulty with edibles, who have had a bad experience with them, find our products a lot easier to work with because they can eat 2 pretzels and have the effect they are looking for. It’s important to start slowly as everyone is different but we do state dosages on our packaging very clearly.\r\n\r\n**You have some new CBD (cannabidiol) products coming out, can you tell me a little about that?**\r\n>We have secured a great source for CBD and it took us a long time. Now that we have a consistent source, we are in the process of developing new products. We hope to sell our CBD edibles worldwide. \r\n\r\n**Is the CBD hemp derived?**\r\n>Yes, the CBD we use for our international products is derived from Hemp.  We chose to use hemp-derived CBD so that we can sell this product outside of California, being that it is below the legal THC threshold. That way, if someone is interested in the CBD products, you will perhaps have better access to those products. Also, you can independently mix them with THC if you want. Our 50mg CBD brownie and our 10mg THC brownie combined will create a 5:1 ratio (CBD:THC) or you can take a 100mg THC brownie and our 50mg CBD brownie for a 1:2 ratio (CBD:THC). The brownies are small and low in calories and many patients combine to get the effect they are looking for.  There are many different combinations you can create or you can just have the CBD brownie on its own. \r\n\r\n**Are the hemp derived CBD products as effective as cannabis derived CBD products on the market today?**\r\n>Yes, CBD is CBD. There are a lot of misconceptions about CBD. We have sourced a superior form of CBD that is free of heavy metals and other contaminants. Usually the concentrations of THC in marijuana are going to be hard to take out, but if you start with CBD in hemp, where there is no THC present, it is easier to get a pure CBD product. It is advantageous to have both CBD and THC in a product, but that is not something we can ship it across the country. \r\n\r\n**What is most exciting development within Auntie Dolores right now?**\r\n>We are extremely excited about launching our line of CBD products. We’ve only had the CBD brownie out for a few weeks and the response has been overwhelming. We are also looking forward to when the price of CBD comes down to the price of THC. CBD has a lot of great applications but it can be 4 times as expensive as THC, so we are having to charge so much more for our CBD products. We look forward to the day when we can give access to everyone who wants CBD products at a fair and balanced price point.","image":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"base64":"data:image/jpeg;base64,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","aspectRatio":1.2903225806451613,"src":"/static/e4c93fc5ad37b4bf5dbf809664de85da/33aa5/d3512a02960b3efad954ba0d9204eebd.jpg","srcSet":"/static/e4c93fc5ad37b4bf5dbf809664de85da/f836f/d3512a02960b3efad954ba0d9204eebd.jpg 200w,\n/static/e4c93fc5ad37b4bf5dbf809664de85da/2244e/d3512a02960b3efad954ba0d9204eebd.jpg 400w,\n/static/e4c93fc5ad37b4bf5dbf809664de85da/33aa5/d3512a02960b3efad954ba0d9204eebd.jpg 768w","srcWebp":"/static/e4c93fc5ad37b4bf5dbf809664de85da/7f8e9/d3512a02960b3efad954ba0d9204eebd.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/e4c93fc5ad37b4bf5dbf809664de85da/61e93/d3512a02960b3efad954ba0d9204eebd.webp 200w,\n/static/e4c93fc5ad37b4bf5dbf809664de85da/1f5c5/d3512a02960b3efad954ba0d9204eebd.webp 400w,\n/static/e4c93fc5ad37b4bf5dbf809664de85da/7f8e9/d3512a02960b3efad954ba0d9204eebd.webp 768w","sizes":"(max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px"}}}}},{"node":{"id":"Article_1903-markdown","title":"Clinical Trials Support the Use of Medical Marijuana for Chronic Pain","slug":"clinical-trials-support-the-use-of-medical-marijuana-for-chronic-pain","content":"Chronic pain occurs in over [20 percent of the\r\npopulation](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20089155). It differs\r\nfrom what medical professionals refer to as acute pain, which is a\r\nnormal nervous system sensation designed to alert an individual of an\r\ninjury or ailment. Chronic pain is persistent and untraceable to any one\r\ninjury or illness. The pain signals fire repeatedly over months, years,\r\nor even a lifetime. Finding effective ways to help chronic pain\r\nsufferers can change lives.\r\n\r\nConditions Associated with Chronic Pain\r\n---------------------------------------\r\n\r\nA\r\n[survey](http://www.painmed.org/PatientCenter/Facts_on_Pain.aspx# common)\r\nconducted by the National Institute of Health Statistics found that\r\nchronic pain usually falls into one of four categories:\r\n\r\n-   Lower back pain\r\n-   Migraines or headaches\r\n-   Neck pain\r\n-   Facial ache\r\n\r\nBack pain is responsible for more disability cases in the U.S. then any\r\nother medical problem.\r\n\r\nCurrent Pain Management\r\n-----------------------\r\n\r\nPain management techniques vary, but are largely inadequate. The common\r\ntreatment protocols that include over-the-counter NSAIDS, like\r\nibuprofen, or prescription narcotics, such as Percocet, are rife with\r\nside effects. Everything from stroke to heart attack to drug dependence\r\ncan be caused by current pain control options.\r\n\r\nReview of Randomized Control Trials for Medical Marijuana\r\n---------------------------------------------------------\r\n\r\nA [2011 study](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3243008/)\r\npublished in the British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology evaluated 22\r\nrandomized controlled trials that focused on the use of cannabinoids to\r\ntreat non-cancer pain. The systematic review highlighted the use of\r\nsmoked cannabis, oromucosal cannabis extacts, nabilone and dronabinol\r\n(synthetic THC medications), and a novel THC analogue in the treatment\r\nof conditions associated with long-term pain. The review looked at 766\r\nparticipants.\r\n\r\nReviewers identified 18 out of the 22 trials showed cannabis offered an\r\nanalgesic effect for pain suffers.\r\n\r\n-   15 for neuropathic pain\r\n-   1 for fibromyalgia\r\n-   1 for rheumatoid arthritis\r\n-   1 associated with opioid use\r\n-   2 for mixed chronic pain such as muscular conditions or migraines\r\n\r\nThe researchers also noted that there were no serious side effects\r\nreported with the use of medical marijuana in these trials. A few\r\nparticipants reported a feeling of sedation, dizziness, and dry mouth.\r\nThat is far fewer side effects than what patients experience with more\r\nmainstream management options for chronic pain. With one in every five\r\npeople in the world suffering from some kind of chronic pain, this\r\nstudy's findings an almost 80% positive outcome are not to be ignored.\r\n\r\n[Photo Credit.](https://www.flickr.com/photos/117032936@N08/13941837114/in/photolist-neZyrY-dzssam-apx2dR-dCTGDF-ci5bJb-ci59x5-5pZXhd-2JJery-ci57jo-dUe3ca-ci5bZ7-7bESoK-rcsZV8-niWc1Q-n8TLTa-o35Vu9-4xTPGd-ffrbHA-j1ptNv-rvMeJ4-21JdMY-6NPs4U-5YF21f-nLE3MP-2wBhsc-nwqnF6-9VPava-4TgyZY-6z41Ws-9WhKA1-7rszrG-5wojUp-4rFGhL-7rorbK-inMHoy-cHXC1Y-8Rvugs-7roBEr-rQzJkp-5wsDUA-vF9xvC-apx22K-91E2xK-ch2PNj-8R4TEk-5wsE1y-dUe3gt-e4MbmQ-fFxaYR-4nerJc)","image":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"base64":"data:image/jpeg;base64,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","aspectRatio":1.7699115044247788,"src":"/static/6fb16a1b81d6130cc2740894b5f3a652/f422e/b9add6579ea2cd6f80ea06beb28a1a7d.jpg","srcSet":"/static/6fb16a1b81d6130cc2740894b5f3a652/f836f/b9add6579ea2cd6f80ea06beb28a1a7d.jpg 200w,\n/static/6fb16a1b81d6130cc2740894b5f3a652/2244e/b9add6579ea2cd6f80ea06beb28a1a7d.jpg 400w,\n/static/6fb16a1b81d6130cc2740894b5f3a652/f422e/b9add6579ea2cd6f80ea06beb28a1a7d.jpg 640w","srcWebp":"/static/6fb16a1b81d6130cc2740894b5f3a652/991d2/b9add6579ea2cd6f80ea06beb28a1a7d.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/6fb16a1b81d6130cc2740894b5f3a652/61e93/b9add6579ea2cd6f80ea06beb28a1a7d.webp 200w,\n/static/6fb16a1b81d6130cc2740894b5f3a652/1f5c5/b9add6579ea2cd6f80ea06beb28a1a7d.webp 400w,\n/static/6fb16a1b81d6130cc2740894b5f3a652/991d2/b9add6579ea2cd6f80ea06beb28a1a7d.webp 640w","sizes":"(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"}}}}},{"node":{"id":"Article_1892-markdown","title":"Taking Queues From the Past: Medical Marijuana can Provide Migraine Relief","slug":"taking-queues-from-the-past-medical-marijuana-can-provide-migraine-relief","content":"A migraine is an excruciating type of headache that is usually\r\naccompanied by other symptoms, such as extreme light sensitivity,\r\nnausea, and even vomiting. Some migraines are so severe that they can\r\ncause people to completely halt their daily lives. Medical marijuana, or\r\ncannabis, might be a solution for many migraine sufferers.\r\n\r\nStatistics from the [Migraine Research\r\nFoundation](http://www.migraineresearchfoundation.org/fact-sheet.html)\r\nestimate that more than 10% of the population suffers from migraines,\r\nmaking it one of the top 20 debilitating medical conditions in the\r\nworld. According to the Migraine Research Foundation, someone in the\r\nUnited States goes to the emergency room every 10 seconds as a result of\r\nmigraine, with more than 90% of those suffering from the condition\r\nunable to function in a normal capacity.\r\n\r\r\n\r\nThe use of medical marijuana for migraines is not a new concept. A 1998\r\n[study](http://www.maps.org/research-archive/mmj/russo_98_migraine_pain.pdf)\r\nby the neurology department of the Western Montana Clinic explains that\r\ncannabis has been used for centuries to manage the effects of migraines.\r\nAncient Greek, Chinese, Indian, Roman, and Egyptian literature all make\r\nreference to cannabis's efficacy for headaches, and it was the remedy of\r\nchoice for migraine treatment well into the mid-twentieth century.\r\n\r\nTension headaches are the most\r\n[common](http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000797.htm)\r\nkind of headache that are associated with migraines. They can be\r\ntriggered by fatigue, flu, alcohol use, eye strain, emotional stress and\r\nanxiety, insomnia, or excessive smoking. This type of headache is the\r\nresult of the tightening of muscles in the neck and scalp, and medical\r\nmarijuana, which helps in the relaxation of these muscles, can help\r\nmanage the headache.\r\n\r\nThe use of cannabis may also help reduce the frequency of headaches\r\nsince it can act as a prophylaxis or preventive measure. Usually, those\r\nwho suffer from migraines have very little recourse for the treatment of\r\nthis condition. Available medications often have unpleasant side effects\r\nwhich tend to cancel out any perceived benefits.\r\n\r\nCannabis acts as an analgesic and can help in the reduction of the pain\r\nfrom migraines. The reduction of endocannabinoids is suspected to be an\r\nunderlying reason for migraines. A migraine trigger sets off a chemical\r\nreaction in the brain, causing the release of endocannabinoids to\r\nmaintain balance. In individuals where this component is lacking, a\r\ndilation of blood vessels will result in intense migraine pain, which\r\nmay explain the therapeutic benefits of cannabis in managing migraine.\r\n\r\n[Photo Credit.](https://www.flickr.com/photos/9286726@N03/8128109002)\r\n\r\n**References:**\r\n\r\nRusso, E. (n.d.). Cannabis for migraine treatment: The once and future\r\nprescription? An historical and scientific review. Retrieved June 26,\r\n2015, from\r\n[http://www.maps.org/research-archive/mmj/russo\\_98\\_migraine\\_pain.pdf](http://www.maps.org/research-archive/mmj/russo_98_migraine_pain.pdf)\r\n\r\nTension headache: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia. (n.d.). Retrieved\r\nJune 26, 2015, from\r\n[http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000797.htm](http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000797.htm)\r\n\r\nMarijuana For Migraines. (n.d.). Retrieved June 26, 2015, from\r\n[https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/your-brain-food/201309/marijuana-migraines](https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/your-brain-food/201309/marijuana-migraines)\r\n\r\nSmith, S., & Wagner, M. (n.d.). Clinical endocannabinoid deficiency\r\n(CECD) revisited: Can this concept explain the therapeutic benefits of\r\ncannabis in migraine, fibromyalgia, irritable bowel syndrome and other\r\ntreatment-resistant conditions? Retrieved June 27, 2015, from\r\nhttp://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24977967","image":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"base64":"data:image/jpeg;base64,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","aspectRatio":1.5037593984962405,"src":"/static/53f24c0adc1e1488ce02ce4370e9eae3/14b42/8e0f7b95dc4ba3cef29ff2c2b023cbf4.jpg","srcSet":"/static/53f24c0adc1e1488ce02ce4370e9eae3/f836f/8e0f7b95dc4ba3cef29ff2c2b023cbf4.jpg 200w,\n/static/53f24c0adc1e1488ce02ce4370e9eae3/2244e/8e0f7b95dc4ba3cef29ff2c2b023cbf4.jpg 400w,\n/static/53f24c0adc1e1488ce02ce4370e9eae3/14b42/8e0f7b95dc4ba3cef29ff2c2b023cbf4.jpg 800w,\n/static/53f24c0adc1e1488ce02ce4370e9eae3/16310/8e0f7b95dc4ba3cef29ff2c2b023cbf4.jpg 1024w","srcWebp":"/static/53f24c0adc1e1488ce02ce4370e9eae3/58556/8e0f7b95dc4ba3cef29ff2c2b023cbf4.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/53f24c0adc1e1488ce02ce4370e9eae3/61e93/8e0f7b95dc4ba3cef29ff2c2b023cbf4.webp 200w,\n/static/53f24c0adc1e1488ce02ce4370e9eae3/1f5c5/8e0f7b95dc4ba3cef29ff2c2b023cbf4.webp 400w,\n/static/53f24c0adc1e1488ce02ce4370e9eae3/58556/8e0f7b95dc4ba3cef29ff2c2b023cbf4.webp 800w,\n/static/53f24c0adc1e1488ce02ce4370e9eae3/cc834/8e0f7b95dc4ba3cef29ff2c2b023cbf4.webp 1024w","sizes":"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px"}}}}},{"node":{"id":"Article_1874-markdown","title":"Migraines: How I Got off Pain Meds & Found Relief With Cannabis","slug":"migraines-how-i-got-off-pain-meds-and-found-relief-with-cannabis","content":"Have you ever considered using cannabidiol (CBD) for chronic pain relief? I didn’t. Sure, I read some stuff in the news about marijuana’s awesome healing properties, but to be honest I always thought that it was a bunch of BS. I pictured myself smoking a big spliff, getting really paranoid, feeling out of my head and still having a seriously bad migraine. Oh, and going to bed and not sleeping because I’m spinning and, did I say it before, so incredibly PARANOID. Not my happy place. \n\nMy perception of medical marijuana was way off base. There are multiple different types of cannabinoids within the cannabis plant, and CBD is almost exclusively used for medical relief. CBD, unlike its twin sister-from-a-different-mister tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), doesn’t get people high or stoned. Based on a personal friend’s recommendation, I ended up trying CBD for migraine pain relief, and to my great surprise, it worked.\n\nIf this is of interest to you, then you should read on, because this is my story of how I got off Vicodin and started using CBD to manage chronic pain caused by crazy, intense migraines.\n\nFOLLOW US ON [FACEBOOK](https://www.facebook.com/pg/hellomdcompany/posts/) & [INSTAGRAM](https://www.instagram.com/hellomd_com/?hl=en)  \n\n### More Than 2 Dozen Years of Intense Migraine Symptoms\n\nI’ve had migraine headaches since I was 14. Head-splitting, painful whoppers that can leave me in bed for days. The first time I had a migraine, I was swimming a 100-meter race on the high school swim team. I nearly won (almost), but when I got out of the pool, I actually fell to the ground. I was struck by migraine lightning that left me blinded, vomiting and out of my head for the next 12 hours. That was the start of it all.\n\nFor the last 25 or so years, it’s been much the same, although I learned that hormonal spikes most often cause migraines along with stress, diet, lack of exercise as well as other triggers. Getting pregnant? A really bad idea if you get hormonal migraines. Several pregnancies later, I found my headaches were as bad, if not worse, than in adolescence. So was my mood.\n\nWhen you feel chronic pain this badly, I believe most people are willing to do just about anything to get pain relief (I’m included in that group). This led me to try out a barrage of drugs to find a cure (by the way, there isn’t one unless you consider cutting off your head) and/or something that might provide significant pain relief.\n\nRELATED: [BEST CBD STRAINS FOR MIGRAINES](https://www.hellomd.com/health-wellness/57f283d9e4b4f6000a8dba0e/the-best-cbd-marijuana-strains-for-migraines)\n\n### Treating My Migraines With Imitrex & Vicodin\n\nYoga, Pilates and CrossFit helped me. Other than drugs, adding more exercise to my weekly routine and making a significant change in my diet, including dropping gluten and soy, helped alleviate the worst kinds of migraine headaches. That is semi code for the migraines that blind you and give you the dreaded-dotted-panic-attack-inducing aura. That said, no matter what changes I made, a migraine still seemed to rear its ugly head. Enter migraine treatment with narcotics and heavy-duty migraine medications such as Imitrex.\n\nFor the most part, I found the migraine meds like Imitrex too debilitating. I ended up foggy, drooling and practically comatose in bed, unable to do much, but still with a nagging pain in the gulliver. Vicodin is a combination of the narcotic hydrocodone and non-narcotic pain reliever acetaminophen. On a monthly basis, I found that taking Vicodin at the onset of a migraine headache helped to both stop it from getting worse while also giving significant pain relief with minor side effects.\n\nFinding pain relief with Vicodon was fantastic, but it also had a significant downside. I started snacking Vicodin on a monthly basis —roughly in the neighborhood of two to eight pills per month. It’s important to note that the DEA now classes Vicodin as a Schedule 2 drug, which means that it has a high potential to be abused and for people to become dependent on it. In August of 2014, the DEA changed the regulations around Vicodin and moved it into the same class as Oxycontin, Percocet and Codeine. As a result, physicians have been far more careful when prescribing Vicodin. Honestly, it’s understandable as the doctors now need to watch their own backs based on the new DEA regulation.\n\nLaws changed around Vicodin due to the fact that some seven million Americans seem to adore it as well as other prescription meds; they’re addicted to them and love to Rush Limbaugh (yes, that’s a gross, fat verb I coined). Fortunately, I never had an issue with Vicodin addiction, but it really bothered me that I was so heavily reliant on a narcotic. It seemed so, well, dependent. It was also far less convenient trying to get a prescription as well.\n\n### My Introduction to Migraine Treatment With CBD\n\nAbout a year ago, a friend suggested that I try a CBD mouth spray for my headaches. I was all ears, as she told me that it not only provided her with pain relief, but she was able to fully function; it didn’t make her tired, and she found it a more natural way to medicate. It had seriously never occurred to me that people weren’t necessarily smoking their medicine nor were they getting high.\n\nCBD and THC are two of the most prevalent compounds found in cannabis. There are over 60 other compounds that also make up the marijuana plant. THC is the psychoactive component and is what gets people high, which for some is great.\n\nCBD, on the other hand, is non-psychoactive and does not affect our CB1 brain receptors in the same way as THC. Both THC and CBD have many of the same medical advantages, but each person reacts differently. For me, THC is like kryptonite. My system simply can’t handle it; I short circuit.\n\n### Get to Know CBD\n\nI was never much into chemistry, but the difference with CBD from THC is that THC is perfectly shaped to bind to our CB1 receptor, whereas CBD doesn’t—hence no psychoactive effects. CBD is now finally coming into the limelight due to its remarkable properties. CBD has been shown to:\n\n* relieve pain\n* fight cancer\n* prevent diabetic neuropathy\n* protect nerves\n* reduce nausea and vomiting\n* suppress seizures\n* combat anxiety \n* alleviate inflammation in the body\n\nAnd the list goes on and on. This is me screaming from the top of my work desk, IT ALSO STOPPED THE PAIN CAUSED BY MY MIGRAINES with zero gnarly side effects!\n\nRELATED: [TOP 6 WAYS TO CONSUME CBD](https://www.hellomd.com/health-wellness/57b2182407f595000bf74dd3/6-top-ways-to-consume-cbd)\n\nAnother interesting thing to note about CBD is its unique ability to work in conjunction with THC. CBD is able to stop the negative effects that may be felt from ingesting too much THC. In effect, CBD can reduce any overly intense psychoactivity caused by THC—so if your little brother smokes too much cannabis and locks himself in the broom closet, you give him CBD. It is like Freeze Miser meeting Heat Miser, and Mother Nature stopping the argument so Christmas can go on (excuse the cult TV special cultural reference). \n\nAs a result, you’ll see many products that use ratios of 1:1 CBD to THC, or always greater CBD to THC ratios. The ratio of THC to CBD is very important for the relief you want to feel and your tolerance for the psychoactivity inherent to THC.\n\nAll that said, I’ll leave the topic of ratios and dosage for another posting. If you’re like me, and have a highly negative sensitivity to THC, talk to your doctor as well as a reputable dispensary before buying and trying any new product. If you’re in the San Francisco area or Las Vegas, I highly recommend visiting [The Apothecarium](https://apothecarium.com) as the staff is friendly and very knowledgeable and can readily help with recommendations.\n\nSo to wrap it up, if CBD worked for me, it may also work for you. This story is one of the reasons we started HelloMD. We saw there was a great need for people to gain access to medical cards so they might be able to purchase medical marijuana legally. We advocate for people to try medicinal marijuana for medical needs whether they be small or large, because in our opinion it offers a viable, relatively safe medical alternative to the drugs developed by Big Pharma.\n\nIf you’re new to cannabis and want to learn more, take a look at our [Cannabis 101](https://www.hellomd.com/health-wellness/cannabis-101-your-quick-guide-to-medical-marijuana) post. [HelloMD](https://www.hellomd.com/) can help you get your medical marijuana recommendation; it's easy, private and 100% online.\n","image":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"base64":"data:image/jpeg;base64,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","aspectRatio":1.3986013986013985,"src":"/static/59d3e838ee0c312c66bd8871f35811a6/14b42/e8eb9f798fc789c6488e6fde7d6f0f1c.jpg","srcSet":"/static/59d3e838ee0c312c66bd8871f35811a6/f836f/e8eb9f798fc789c6488e6fde7d6f0f1c.jpg 200w,\n/static/59d3e838ee0c312c66bd8871f35811a6/2244e/e8eb9f798fc789c6488e6fde7d6f0f1c.jpg 400w,\n/static/59d3e838ee0c312c66bd8871f35811a6/14b42/e8eb9f798fc789c6488e6fde7d6f0f1c.jpg 800w,\n/static/59d3e838ee0c312c66bd8871f35811a6/16310/e8eb9f798fc789c6488e6fde7d6f0f1c.jpg 1024w","srcWebp":"/static/59d3e838ee0c312c66bd8871f35811a6/58556/e8eb9f798fc789c6488e6fde7d6f0f1c.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/59d3e838ee0c312c66bd8871f35811a6/61e93/e8eb9f798fc789c6488e6fde7d6f0f1c.webp 200w,\n/static/59d3e838ee0c312c66bd8871f35811a6/1f5c5/e8eb9f798fc789c6488e6fde7d6f0f1c.webp 400w,\n/static/59d3e838ee0c312c66bd8871f35811a6/58556/e8eb9f798fc789c6488e6fde7d6f0f1c.webp 800w,\n/static/59d3e838ee0c312c66bd8871f35811a6/cc834/e8eb9f798fc789c6488e6fde7d6f0f1c.webp 1024w","sizes":"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px"}}}}}]}},"pageContext":{"limit":12,"skip":36,"numPages":4,"currentPage":4,"id":5514,"name":"Migraines","slug":"migraines","country":"US"}},"staticQueryHashes":["3949754563","4179947113","4202924991"]}