Health
10 Best Strains for Crohn’s Disease
So what are the 10 best strains to treat your Crohn’s Disease? Read our top picks to find out what works.
If you know someone who suffers from the autoimmune disease Crohn’s—or if you suffer from it yourself—you know how particularly brutal it can be on the body. Luckily cannabis, the medicinal gift that keeps on giving, is a great alternative way to treat the symptoms of Crohn’s (along with your regularly prescribed medication—we wouldn’t recommend you stop taking it). So what are the 10 best strains for Crohn’s disease? Whether it’s indica or sativa or a hybrid, these top picks are sure to help you live your life without the worry of Crohn’s pain.
But first thing’s first: what exactly is Crohn’s disease?
What is Crohn’s Disease?
For those not in the know, Crohn’s disease is a chronic (forgive the pun) autoimmune inflammatory disorder that affects the lower bowels. As you can probably figure out from there, the results of this are not too pleasant. Symptoms include severe abdominal cramps, fevers, night sweats, loss of appetite, constipation, diarrhea, vomiting, acute nausea, anemia, and rectal bleeding (sorry I had to list these, just doing my job). And that’s just the tip of the iceberg.
As of now, Crohn’s is incurable; not only that but roughly 70 percent of patients with Crohn’s will likely go on to have surgery related to these symptoms. (Unfortunately, there isn’t a surgery that can help cure Crohn’s disease itself.) Unsurprisingly, cannabis mitigates a number of these symptoms—especially nausea, cramping, abdominal pain, a decrease in appetite, and/or weight loss.
Got it? Good. Now that we’ve gotten that primer out of the way, let’s move on to our list of best strains for Crohn’s disease.
10. Golden Pineapple
The Good:
A hybrid usually comprised of 50 percent sativa and 50 percent indica, the Golden Pineapple strain is known as a stress and anxiety reliever. This citrus blend is an energizer and helps relieve loss of appetite and stomach pain.
The Bad:
If you smoke a bit too much GP, it can apparently cause the recreational consumer temporary loss of focus. It also doesn’t contain a large amount of CBD, which means its effects can have a shorter lifespan compared to other strains.
9. Bubble Gum
The Good:
A blend that consists of indica more than anything else, Bubble Gum is a natural pain reliever used to treat anxiety and loss of appetite. It’s indica roots also make it a great way to combat insomnia.
The Bad:
Unfortunately, this strain isn’t without its side effects; it has the potential to cause headaches, paranoia, and dizziness.
8. Blue Dragon
The Good:
An indica-leaning hybrid strain, Blue Dragon is widely regarded as one of the best analgesics out there. It’s also a recommended anti-inflammatory, which makes it sort of a no-brainer if you want to treat an inflammatory autoimmune disease.
The Bad:
The level of THC in this strain can be drastically uneven, depending on the grower. When it’s high, it’s high, so relatively new and/or light users might want to steer clear from this one. It’s also notorious for dry-mouth. Buyer beware.
7. Willie Nelson
The Good:
Named after the world-class toker and country music legend of the same name, this sativa strain is a natural anti-spasm medication, which occurs frequently with sufferers of Crohn’s disease. Known for its euphoric effects, WN thrives in an indoor growing environment—so home-growers, take note.
The Bad:
Despite its obvious pros, this strain is also known for triggering heightened paranoia.
6. Confidential Cheese
The Good:
A mix between Exodus Cheese and LA Confidential, this predominantly indica hybrid is known as an energizer if there ever was one, and for being particularly good at refueling your appetite. You’ve never had munchies like these.
The Bad:
CC is known to cause anxiety in some users.
5. Chemo
The Good:
…okay, so maybe we were quick to deem Confidential Cheese the ultimate munchie-maker. If anemia and loss of appetite are your main concerns with Crohn’s, Chemo is sure to patch that right up. This high is all body over mind.
The Bad:
Let’s just say that if you fall, you won’t get up. (Or at least it’ll take awhile.)
4. K2
The Good:
A hybrid of Hindu Kush and White Widow, K2 offers the best of both worlds if you’re prerogative is to be able to function during your run-of-the-mill work day. Smoking this strain will increase your appetite, assuage nausea, and assist in pain relief. One of the best strains for Crohn’s disease, indeed.
The Bad:
If you’re looking for something to help you sleep, K2 will do the opposite. It’s more of a regenerative strain than a sedative one.
3. Medicine Man
The Good:
This bad boy has one of the highest CBD contents around, which means it ups the ante when using it for medicinal purposes (hence the name, obviously).
The Bad:
This indica is unparalleled when it comes to its sedative effects, so you might not want to smoke it if you’re planning on, well, doing anything, really.
2. Jean Guy
The Good:
Pronounced “Jawhn Ghee,” this off-shoot of the White Widow strain of sativa comes straight from our lovely neighbors in the North. Known for helping with fibromyalgia relief and certain symptoms related to different types of cancer, this strain alleviates Crohn’s cramps like no other. It also helps with kick-starting your day to the fullest extent with its vitalizing properties. On top of that, it’s great for getting rid of nausea. For Crohn’s disease, this bud is definitely one of the best strains for Crohn’s disease around.
The Bad:
Despite its miracle-level properties, this one might be a bit hard to come by—it’s more commonly used in parts of northern Canada.
1. Hog’s Breath
The Good:
One of the side effects of Crohn’s disease that’s not often discussed is depression, which, like anxiety, can actually cause abdominal flare-ups, as well as the frequency of flare-ups and other not-so-pleasant symptoms. Hog’s Breath, an indica, not only treats the physical symptoms associated with Crohn’s disease but the emotional and mental ones as well. Since indica is used as a calming agent, it’s sure to settle your stomach as well as your mind.
The Bad:
We’re going to throw it down and say that this one is pretty perfect, although we’ll add that it’s probably best to use this one right before you go to sleep, due to its relaxing effects.
Final Hit: The Best Strains for Crohn’s Disease
So there you have it! With this pocket-sized list of the best strains for Crohn’s disease, you’ll be feeling better in no time.
