What is Whole Plant Cannabis?

• • Whole plant cannabis refers to the whole dried flower in its natural form. This sets it apart from products made with extracts, which undergo industry processing that can change the composition.

• • Studies show that whole plant cannabis can boost the entourage effect, which can amplify the positive impacts of marijuana, including pain management and insomnia.

A full night of good sleep is key to healthy living—so what do you do when insomnia and headaches eat away at your rest?

Medical marijuana presents a reliable healing tool that puts you back in control of your health narrative. If you’ve never tried medical marijuana before, it’s a good idea to expand your knowledge before diving in.

To that end, let’s take a look at whole plant cannabis, one of many options available to medical marijuana users. Whole plant cannabis stands out in an ever-evolving market, providing unique benefits you won’t find in any competing product.

Understanding Whole Plant Cannabis

First, let’s take a look at some basic knowledge about cannabis as a whole.

The cannabis plant is made up of hundreds of cannabinoids, with tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) being the two most well-known components. These days, advanced extraction technology can separate many cannabinoids from the plant itself, paving the way for highly specialized products.

Whole plant cannabis, on the other hand, is cannabis in its original form as a harvested flower. Some advocates say that the diversity found in whole plant cannabis is its greatest benefit. In its natural state, cannabis contains:

• Terpenes
• CBD and THC
• Minor cannabinoids like CBG, CNB, and THCV
• Hundreds of other cannabinoid compounds

You may be asking yourself: why is it better in this case? Why do you want marijuana with as many compounds as possible?

To answer that, let’s take a look at the entourage effect.

Understanding the Entourage Effect

The entourage effect is a main benefit of whole plant marijuana. It refers to the way each component of the flower—terpenes, flavonoids, and cannabinoids—works together to affect your body.

THC and CBD enjoy the biggest spotlight in marijuana media and studies. CBD in particular is often touted as a powerful health product—and while it is, it’s not the only cannabinoid worth using.

Think of cannabis like an orchestra. CBD alone is a single violin, while whole plant marijuana is a full set of cellos, violas, and violins working in harmony to produce the most enjoyable and impactful sound.

Cannabis synergy can actually intensify the medical properties of marijuana, too. These include:

• Antidepressant effects
• More prominent reduction of inflammation
• Better pain control

If these benefits pique your interest, you can turn your sights to TeleLeaf. We connect you with a network of medical professionals who can help you get a medical marijuana card. From there, you can visit a marijuana pharmacy and browse a variety of products, including whole plant cannabis.

Popular Whole Plant Comparisons

Shopping for marijuana products can feel overwhelming, with each brand and label vying for your attention. Since you should make a game plan before you set out to buy—starting with what you want out of cannabis in the first place—it helps to understand what products might be available.

Full Spectrum Products

When you’re looking to buy whole plant cannabis, don’t confuse it with full spectrum extracts. These extracts aim for a high level of biodiversity, but the plant still goes through processing that involves solvents, chemicals, and heat, removing some of the benefits of the whole plant.

Whole Plant vs. Pure CBD

Studies have shown that pure, isolated CBD doesn’t provide as much relief for people living with chronic pain as full spectrum extracts from high-CBD flower strains.

Interestingly, the study also showed that purified CBD lost effectiveness before or after a certain dosage. By comparison, whole plant CBD had higher pain relief and anti-inflammatory responses with higher doses.

The effects of whole plant CBD might be particularly useful for people interested in using cannabis for headaches.

Using Whole Plant Products for Insomnia

One study that focused on people who took cannabis for insomnia ultimately concluded that cannabis use had a positive impact. Other notable takeaways are:

• Indica-dominant strains might have more impact than sativa-dominant strains.
• Indica hybrid strains provided more relief than CBD strains.
• Cannabinoids were effective across all genders and ages.
• Product forms and ingestion methods didn’t have any significant differences.

In short: this study supports the idea that whole plant cannabis actually has a stronger impact than just taking CBD alone, despite CBD’s popularity as a sleep aid.

In TeleLeaf’s customer testimonials, users talk about trying cannabis for insomnia and highlight the value of hybrid strains in treatment. Note that everyone’s body interacts with cannabis differently, though. What works for one person may not work for you, and finding your perfect product may take some trial and error.

Incorporating Whole Plant Cannabis Into Your Nightly Routine

Before you settle into bed with a joint, you might want to learn more about crafting a truly soothing and restful bedtime routine. With a little extra time and effort, you can further maximize the benefits of your whole plant cannabis.

Find Your Strain

Your choice of cannabis product plays a huge role in the experience you’ll have and the relief you might find. To that end, when shopping for items to try, focus on:

• Indica-dominant strains
• Higher CBD content strains
• Terpenes with sedative effects, like myrcene or linalool

You’ll also want to avoid high-THC strains. They tend to make people feel more energetic than drowsy—the last thing you want when you’re trying to drift off for the night.

Exercise During the Day

Tiring out your body is a tried and true way of inviting sleep at the end of the day. You can actually pair marijuana use with exercise, too. The relaxation and concentration that whole plant cannabis induces may make it easier for you to get into the zone and blast through a training session.

Make a Nightly Routine

Humans are creatures of habit, and having a stable nighttime routine is one of the easiest ways to ensure that you develop and maintain a healthy relationship with cannabis use. When you’re establishing a routine, consider:

• Including some light stretching or mindfulness practices
• Enjoying healthy, nutritious, and filling dinners that won’t leave you waking up hungry
• Staying hydrated all day, but not drinking water after a certain time to avoid bathroom breaks that will wake you from your slumber

Additionally, reinforce that your bedroom is a place for sleep by doing all non-sleep-related activities in other areas of your home, if possible.

Get Comfortable

Cannabis experiences depend heavily on your personal comfort level, and everything from your environment to your clothes can play a role.

While comfort looks different for everyone, it can involve:

• Wearing soft, loose-fitting clothing
• Taking a shower and/or changing into clean clothes
• Being in a place that isn’t loud or busy
• Having low lighting that doesn’t strain your eyes

Whether you want to spend your time on the porch stargazing or curled up in a little nook, try your product in the most personally cozy place to maximize the benefits.

Unplug

You’ve probably heard it before, but it’s worth repeating: unplug your electronics before bed. You can listen to music, but avoid bright screens, loud audio, or other sensory stimulators.

If you find yourself struggling, reduce your connection by increments. For example, instead of leaving your phone in another room overnight, start by turning down the screen brightness and volume, and setting a browsing time limit for yourself.

Explore Whole Plant Cannabis with TeleLeaf

If you’ve been living with insomnia or chronic headaches and want to explore a new option for healing, consider whole plant cannabis. All you need is a medical marijuana card—and fortunately, TeleLeaf can guide you through the application process from the comfort of your home.

At TeleLeaf, we prize a straightforward and streamlined process that puts patients first. With us, the key to recovery is in your hands; we just help illuminate the path forward.

When you’re ready, reach out to us to get the ball rolling on your application for a medical marijuana card.

Sources:

Leafly. Whole plant.
https://www.leafly.com/learn/cannabis-glossary/whole-plant

Temescal Wellness. The Entourage Effect: Why Whole-Plant Cannabis Works Best.
https://ma.temescalwellness.com/education/the-entourage-effect-why-whole-plant-cannabis-works-best

High Times. What Does “Whole Plant” Mean?
https://hightimes.com/guides/what-does-whole-plant-mean/

Journal of Medical Internet Research. The Use of Cannabinoids for Insomnia in Daily Life: Naturalistic Study.
https://www.jmir.org/2021/10/e25730/

Zenleaf. Top Tips to Enjoy Cannabis for Relaxation and Sleep.
https://zenleafdispensaries.com/blog/cannabis-nightly-routine/