CANNABIS
THE EMERGENCE OF IN THE WELLNESS INDUSTRY BY NATHALIE
GOUILLOU
I
ts leaf is an international, cross-generational and cultural symbol that for many embodies the hippie movement ideals of love and peace. Yet for governmental agencies around the world, it counts among the most nefarious plants out there. Whatever it may be, cannabis (Cannabis sativa) has been making headlines and taking the spotlight for its plethora of medicinal properties that many vouch for, rather than its infamous highs. If the plant is gaining terrain for its medical uses, many also see it as an all around wellness ally that can bring goodness to many more than those afflicted with serious illnesses and conditions.
WEALTH OF BENEFITS
Cannabis has long been hailed as a holistic and sacred herb and the history of its use and consumption dates back millennia. More than 4,000 years ago, cannabis was said to be used as medicine by a Chinese emperor and was described as “sacred grass” in Hindu holy texts. Hundreds of years later Zoroastrians—practitioners of an ancient Persian religion—referred to it as a “good narcotic,” while many civilizations cultivated the plant for textiles and its seeds for oil and food (some may then refer to the plant as hemp rather than cannabis).
Packed with proteins, vitamin E, omega-3 and gamma linolenic acid (GLA), as well as iron and magnesium, the plant’s seeds and their oil are a great source of antioxidants, essential fatty acids and other minerals that are crucial for the function of cells, act as anti-inflammatory, and make the plant and its derivatives highly effective for skin care and beauty.
May 2015 • Les Nouvelles Esthétiques & Spa
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