Hemp seed in Chinese

Hemp seed has been used in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) for more than 2000 years and is known as Huo Ma Ren. It is still employed today as a recuperating energizer and for tonification (bu fa), which is a treatment designed to address poor functioning of the body’s vital organs. In Chinese culture, qi (chi) forms an essential part of any living being and is the central underlying principle in TCM; qi is frequently referred to as life force, life energy, or energy flow, and practitioners regard any deficiency of this energy as the main cause of disease in the body. This deficiency is also referred to as asthenia syndrome in Western medicine, which is represented medically by a number of different conditions, including lack of muscle strength, sickness, dizziness, or fatigue. This can result from inherited factors present at birth or acquired factors such as poor diet, emotional disturbance, chronic and major illness, childbirth, environmental influences, or aging. Hemp seed is prescribed for the treatment of many ailments but is said by the Chinese to particularly help moisten and nourish the intestines, spleen, and stomach. It is prescribed to treat constipation, and aid recuperation after fever, disease, or childbirth, and the seed is believed to nourish the body’s Yin (the dark force opposing Yang in Chinese philosophy), remove heat from the body (high temperatures and fever) and promote healing of sores (taken orally or applied topically as hemp seed oil).

Ayurveda and the role of hemp seeds

Ayurveda (Ayurvedic) is a system of medicine that originated in India several thousand years ago. The term Ayurveda combines two Sanskrit words: ayur, which means life, and Veda, which means science or knowledge. Ayurveda literally translated means the science of life. Hemp seed is known as Vijaya Siddhi. Vijaya means “victorious” and cannabis is said to be victorious over many illnesses and diseases. Hemp seed and hemp seed oil are prescribed in Ayurvedic medicine as a demulcent laxative (meaning an agent that forms a soothing protective film when administered onto a mucous membrane), an anti-inflammatory, and a nervous system restorative, as well as a cardiac tonic to reduce low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels and fatty deposits. It is similarly prescribed for the treatment of ulcers and inflamed mucous membranes. As oil, it is recommended to reduce inflammation in eczema, psoriasis, and acne.

Ayurvedic properties of cannabis seeds

The basis of Ayurvedic medicine is the three doshas: Vata, Pitta, and Kapha. The doshas are general body types and basically refer to small, medium, and large, but dosha also specifies the patterns of how our bodies use energy. Vata spends energy, Pitta manages it and Kapha stores it. Hemp seed’s Ayurvedic actions are referred to as Snigdha (demulcent), Rasayana (rejuvenating), Anuloma (redirecting the flow of Vata downwards), and Vibandha hara (alleviating constipation). When the doshas are balanced the body is said to be in homeostasis (a state of zero change), and this is considered to be the perfect state of health.