Diabetes is a widespread disease inflicting millions of people worldwide. Chances are you know someone, either in your family or in your circle of friends, who has been battling diabetes or just recently been diagnosed. Or, perhaps you are the one living with the disease. And of course, there is a lot of information about diabetes treatment and prevention to learn and share. But first, let’s take a closer look at the reality of the disease.

This unforgiving disease does not discriminate, because any age, gender, and race can fall victim to it. The impact of diabetes in Canada is alarming, especially with the number of new cases on the rise.

Here are some troubling statistics on diabetes in Canada alone:

1. Complications from diabetes can often lead to premature death. In 2008, 1 out of 10 adult deaths in Canada was tied to diabetes.
2. Diabetics are 3 times more likely to have cardiovascular disease, 12 times more so to get end-stage renal failure, and more than 20 times more likely to endure a limb amputation.
3. People suffering from depression have nearly 60% more chance of developing diabetes
4. Approximately 15-25% of diabetics will experience a foot ulcer
5. In Canada, 57% of diabetics report they have difficulty with the high-cost of prescribed treatments and supplies.

Diabetes in the European Union

According to the World Health Organization, in 2020 there are approximately 60 million people in Europe suffering from diabetes. That means about 10% of men and women aged over 25 have diabetic.

Worryingly, the prevalence of diabetes is only increasing in the EU, across all age groups, due to lifestyle factors such as obesity, unhealthy diets and sedentary lifestyles.

Moreover, high blood glucose levels kill over 3 million people every year; almost half of those people are younger than 70. Projections only show a troubling trend – expecting diabetes deaths to double between 2005 and 2030.

In addition, the following are common complications often stemming from diabetes:

• Cardiovascular disease
• Eye disease
• Kidney disease
• Nerve damage
• Lower extremity ulcers and amputation
• Complications during pregnancy
• Oral disease
• Mental illness

If you have been living with diabetes for a while now, you are most likely familiar with traditional diabetes treatments and prevention measures, such as insulin and diet change. Both are equally important in maintaining. But, many people are learning how to use cannabis oil to help cope with the disease. Cannabis oil is also referred to as CBD.

How is CBD Good for Treating Diabetes?

CBD is developing a great reputation for helping with many diseases and disorders. But, for diabetes, the multiple ways it can help is impressive, such as the following favourable results stemming from possible treatments for diabetes in the form of cannabis:

• Works to stabilize a person’s blood sugar levels
• Reduces pain often associated with diabetes caused by nerve inflammation, called neuropathy, by activating the receptors found in the brain and body
• Acts as an anti-inflammatory to help reduce some of the known arterial inflammation that is found in many diabetics
• Aids in improving circulation by keeping blood vessels open
• Helps to relieve muscle cramping and gastrointestinal disorders by acting as an anti-spasmodic agent
• Helps to gradually reduce blood pressure, which is very important for diabetic patients
• Using cannabis oil or butter in foods, rather than traditional fats, could be beneficial to the heart and arteries
• Used in a vaporizer, cannabis oil can help calm restless leg syndrome, a common ailment of diabetic patients

Making it into a topical cream to help diminish neuropathic pain, as well as common tingling in the feet and hands, is also another way to use cannabis oil.

As with all available treatments, there is conflicting evidence on the role cannabis oil takes for the prevention of Type II Diabetes. However, research does show it to be beneficial as an effective and alternative treatment for those who have already been diagnosed with either Type I and Type II Diabetes.

In 2013, the American Journal of Medicine concluded the following:

• Cannabis compounds could help to control a patient’s blood sugar
• Users of cannabis are less likely to become obese

Both above benefits are important in a diabetic patient, either a current or a future one.

Choosing the best cannabis oil for diabetes

When looking to buy a CBD oil for diabetes, look for one produced by a reputable manufacturer. An independently tested oil suggest the oil meets quality standards and will be consistent between doses. Customer reviews and consultation with a physician familiar with CBD therapeutics will be helpful for finding the right cannabis oil for diabetes.

If you are a diabetic patient or are at elevated risk of developing the disease, consider using cannabis oil as an alternative treatment. To learn more about where to find it, how it works, and other possible benefits of CBD, click here, and to learn about how it helps in treating cancer click here.