CBD and Hemp Oil: What’s Important for Seniors

The life expectancy of Australians has increased significantly in recent years, and the current average in Australia according to UN projections is 83.64. To put this increase in context, people have gained over 13 years of life since the Sydney Opera House was built!

While we’re all living longer, and with a rapidly aging population (Australian birth rates continue to decline), it’s little wonder that the fastest-growing part of our population, seniors, want to keep their quality of life high as long as possible. But this isn’t as easy as it sounds…

On average, every elderly person in Australia has at least one chronic health condition, and most have two. This usually means taking prescribed medications, and often this can be problematic. In fact, health data released by Victoria’s health system shows that around 30% of senior hospital admissions are a result of prescribed medications interacting badly! This has led many older Australians to consider alternative treatments, like premium hemp oils online in Australia.

But what factors should seniors evaluate when considering the use of cannabidiol (aka CBD)?

Typical Ailments in Old Age

A balanced diet, exercise or a healthy lifestyle –these are just a few of the factors that we can pay attention to in order to have a significant impact on our health as we age. However, this is not a panacea for various health issues that invariably arise over time. 

Chronic illnesses in particular increase with old age, and seniors are often affected by the following:

• Mental illness, including dementia, depression, anxiety and insomnia
• Diseases of the cardiovascular system
• Cancer
• Chronic lung diseases
• Musculoskeletal diseases, such as arthritis
• Diabetes

CBD Oil for Seniors: Benefits Over Drugs

Premium hemp oils online in Australia containing CBD could be a natural alternative to conventional drugs for seniors: they are usually very well tolerated, side effects rarely occur, and the active ingredient does not offer any potential for dependence. 

Humans are creatures of habit, which unfortunately also applies to conventional medicines. Most of the time, the dose has to be gradually increased as our body gets used to the drug. This effect does not occur with CBD. This means it can be used in a targeted and long-term manner –which offers a range of major advantages.  

Health Problems CBD Oil Can Help Seniors With

CBD is already a popular treatment for treating sleep disorders as it is widely known to have a relaxing effect that promotes restful and regenerative sleep.  For seniors in particular, it is a good alternative to conventional sleeping pills which have to be dosed higher over time and can also be easily addictive. 

Several studies have also explored the use of CBD for dementia and cancer. So far, most research is still in its early stages, but initial results are promising. We just wish the research would move a bit faster! The longer it takes, the longer it will be until it is cleared for doctors to be able to prescribe it –and people who need help now may be going without it.

Doctors also tend to use prescription medications for anxiety disorders, but in recent years it has been found that CBD could have a significant positive impact on our central nervous system. You see, cannabidiol is able to bind to the 5-HT1A receptor, and this reduces anxiety!

Finally, for arthritis and other inflammatory diseases, CBD has been found to be very effective in reducing inflammation. We won’t go into detail on this now, though, because we’ve already written an article all about this here.

Final Thoughts

If you’re a senior, or you’re reading this and thinking of an older loved one, you may be wondering about dosage. We’ve prepared a guide for you here. As always, though, consult with your health professional before trying any new treatments.

And if you’re looking to buy premium hemp oils online in Australia, make sure they are what they claim to be! You can tell pretty quickly by checking if the retailer shares an independent laboratory analysis of their products, like we do here. Finally, if you have any questions –ask away! Drop us a line in the comments below or email us here. We’re here to help.