Why Focus on the Endocannabinoid System?
Eat this, not that. Do this workout, not that one. The world of fitness and nutrition is
a revolving door of opinion mixed with fact with a new fad every year.
Companies and individuals persist that their science is better than the others
science, painting a narrative of expert level of understanding unmatched by
others. Yet the instance of obesity, diabetes, and chronic health issues continues to rise every year
in the United States.(1)
The US continues to spend the most on healthcare of
any country in the world yet has higher rates of chronic diseases and poorer
health every year. So why is that? One might think of epidemiological reasons however The
Institute of Medicine found that poorer health in the U.S. was not simply the
result of economic, social, or racial and ethnic disadvantages—even well-off,
nonsmoking, non-obese Americans appear in worse health than their counterparts
abroad.(2)
So
could it be we as americans are just that bad at making healthy choices? This
could be a truth. A part of the population will of course be apathetic to
their lifestyle choices however those that are trying to improve their health acquire their
knowledge from authorities on the subject. The Medical community, Trainers,
Nutritionists, and “Gurus” are typically considered the authorities on understanding human physiology and health. Our authorities know more now then they ever have before yet chronic health issues continue to rise, as now 2 out of 3 people have at least one chronic health issue. (3)
Something seems to be missing, a study in recent years may gave a hint
“Survey
Shows Low Acceptance of the Science of the ECS (Endocannabinoid System) at
American Medical Schools - By David B. Allen, M.D “
This
survey conducted by Dr. Allen in 2013 found not one of the medical schools
surveyed had a department of endocannabinoid science or an ECS director. None
of them taught the endocannabinoid science as an organized course. Only 21 of
the 157 schools surveyed had the ECS mentioned in any course. 21/157 = 13.3% In
the United States of America, only 13% of the medical schools surveyed teach
the endocannabinoid science to our future doctors.”
All this lack of awareness, even mention in the medical textbooks that Cannabinoid receptors are the most common protein receptor in the brain and CNS. (4)
Now
for the uninitiated this might not seem like a big deal however the ECS since
its discovery in 1990 has quickly gained ground as one of if not the most
important regulatory system in the human body, which is why we choose to focus on the Endocannabinoid System.
To illustrate the significance of the ECS, these quotes from researchers are listed below.
“The discovery of the endocannabinoid
system (ECS) is the single most important scientific medical discovery since the
recognition of sterile surgical technique. As our knowledge expands, we are
coming to realize that the ECS is a master control system of virtually all
physiology.”
“The discovery of the endocannabinoid
system has breathtaking implications for nearly every area of medicine,
including reproductive biology.”
"
4. Boron WF, Boulpaep EL, eds. (2009). Medical Physiology: A Cellular and Molecular Approach. Saunders p. 331
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