The number of ways to incorporate medical marijuana into your daily medical regimen is almost as vast as the number of conditions cannabis can beneficially impact. From
glaucoma to symptoms related to HIV/AIDS, and from inflammation to depression and anxiety, the applications for medical marijuana span the entire healthcare field. And nearly as numerous as the ways to use marijuana are the strains available – and the other foods or substances cannabis can be paired or mixed with for optimum efficacy. One newly popular pairing is between medical cannabis and a tasty-but-somewhat-obscure fruit: the tropical mango.
All About the Mango
Never tried a mango? You’re in good company. Although this fruit is considered to be one of the more luscious of the tropical fruits, it’s a more recent addition to most diets. As it’s become more widely available, it’s also grown exponentially in popularity. The mango originates in India, and healers there have used the various parts of the mango for centuries in Eastern remedies.
Like most fruits, mangoes are low in calories and chock full of nutritional value, particularly in Vitamin A and Vitamin C. And beyond eating a mango all by itself, you can also add this fruit to chutneys, salsas, fruit cocktails, fruity deserts or as juice in a drink. All by itself, mangoes are beneficial to your health. When mixed with cannabis, you can enjoy a double dose of benefit.
Why Could Mango Go Well With Cannabis?
Many cannabis pairings evolve around a compound that enhances both additions. Mango and cannabis are no different. Both contain terpenes – an organic compound found in many types of plants. Marijuana and mangoes specifically play host to myrcene terpenes, which represent the scents associated with these and other natural substances. In particular, terpenes are found where CBD and THC are in the plant makeup of cannabis. These terpenes are responsible for slipping THC past the blood/brain barrier faster.
Interestingly, mangos share these compounds with cannabis. That means that when mangoes and cannabis are combined, they may be able to deliver a one-two punch against your ailments.
Think about it this way. When you eat a mango, as you would eat any other fruit, its components are dumped into your bloodstream not long after the food reaches your stomach. In the case of mangoes and marijuana being used in close timing with one another, the terpenes released from the mango into your bloodstream meet up with the myrcene terpenes from the THC in marijuana. And in addition to faster bioavailability, this double punch extends the efficacy of both as well.
One way in which the mango and marijuana combination that is particularly important is in how fast your body feels the impact. By doubling the availability of the beneficial properties, you can begin to experience relief faster. And with many disorders – particularly those related to pain and inflammation – this added speed can be an added blessing.
Scientific Study of Mango and Marijuana Use
Unfortunately, marijuana has not yet been rescheduled as a Schedule I controlled substance by the federal government. Furthermore, less than half of the states in the US have legalized marijuana. Not only does this situation mean that many patients desperate for relief are left without any access to cannabis, but it also means that research – and important research dollars – are extraordinarily hampered. So while millions of patients can attest anecdotally to the impact of THC and CBD, and while limited studies show promise in its use, the science behind cannabis needs far more attention than it’s gotten thus far.
Even with a lack in funding and research, previously conducted studies do show promise. Consider findings about reduction in pain from cancer studies, the relief of muscle stiffness in multiple sclerosis studies and the approval of marijuana byproducts for use in FDA-approved medications like Dronabinal and Nabilone.
Though no direct studies have been conducting comparing the effects of marijuana and mangoes, some limited conclusions may be drawn. Of particular interest is a Texas A&M study about mangoes and breast cancer where researchers studied the anti-inflammatory properties of mangoes. As marijuana is also considered to have anti- inflammatory properties, this gives a convincing data point about how the combination of cannabis and mangoes could be beneficial to some patients. Like other combinations, however, different patients may experience far different results.
Going Forward With Mangoes and Marijuana
It’s important to discuss how medical marijuana may be beneficial as a part of your healthcare routine with your primary practitioner. Unfortunately, if you live in one of the 27 states that has yet to legalize marijuana, your hands many be tied. If you live in a state considering passing new marijuana legislation, you can get involved in local efforts to support the passage of relevant bills. You may also seek out practitioners in nearby states where marijuana use is already legal. Doing so may run you afoul of your local laws, however, so proceed at your own risk whenever you have marijuana on your person in a state where it is illegal.
If you already do live in a state where marijuana use is legal, you can work with your own practitioner or a specialist who is more knowledgeable about medical cannabis. What has been your experience so far with medical marijuana? Have you had the opportunity to try mangoes and get even more value from your complementary therapies?
